Relationship between Alcohol Intake and Risk Factors for Metabolic Syndrome in Men.

OBJECTIVE: The precise relationship between alcohol intake and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is still unclear, and the results from previous studies have been inconclusive. Thus, we examined the effect of alcohol intake on the risk of MetS in men in order to gain more information on a potential relationship. METHODS: This study included 22,349 men who were divided into four groups according to their average alcohol intake [non-, light (less than 20 g ethanol/day), heavy (equal or more than 20 g and less than 60 g ethanol/day) and very heavy (equal and greater than 60 g ethanol/day) drinkers]. We measured each subject's body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and blood pressure (BP) and conducted a blood test to obtain a complete blood count and biochemical panel. These results were used to obtain the MetS prevalence. Additionally, fatty liver was diagnosed using abdominal ultrasonography. RESULTS: Light drinkers had smaller waist circumferences. Heavy and very heavy drinkers had larger waist circumferences, a higher BMI, a higher BP, higher fasting plasma glucose levels, higher triglycerides (TG) levels and higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels while they had lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels than nondrinkers. The prevalence of high BP, hyperglycemia and high TG was significantly higher in heavy and very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers. The prevalence of low HDL cholesterol levels decreased with an increase in alcohol consumption. The prevalence of MetS was significantly lower in light drinkers and higher in very heavy drinkers compared with nondrinkers. CONCLUSION: Alcohol intake significantly influences the risk of MetS in men. A significant association was seen between an alcohol intake of 60 g/day or higher and the prevalence of MetS.

Prognostic factors for regression from impaired glucose tolerance to normal glucose regulation in Japanese patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the predictive factors for the regression from impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) to normal glucose regulation (NGR) in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: A total of 164 NAFLD patients who had IGT in the first 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and underwent a repeated OGTT five years later were enrolled. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify factors predicting the regression from IGT to NGR. RESULTS: Out of the 164 patients, 29 regressed from IGT to NGR within five years after the first OGTT. The multivariate analysis by logistic regression showed that regression from IGT to NGR occurred when the patient was young (risk ratio for ten years: 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.20-0.72; p=0.003), had a fasting plasma glucose (FPG) level of <100 mg/dL (risk ratio: 6.53; 95%CI 1.88-21.73; p=0.003), had a 2-hr post-load plasma glucose (PG) level of <160 mg/dL (risk ratio: 4.86; 95%CI 1.08-22.72; p=0.040), a body mass index (BMI) decrease of ≥1.5 (risk ratio: 5.20; 95% CI 1.41-19.24; p=0.014), physical activity of ≥2 Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) h/day (risk ratio: 5.57; 95%CI 1.68-18.44; p=0.005), and showed disappearance of the fatty liver by ultrasonography at five years (risk ratio: 9.92; 95%CI 2.87-34.34; p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that six factors: young age, FPG <100 mg/dL, 2-hr post-load PG of <160 mg/dL, BMI decrease of ≥1.5, physical activity of ≥2 MET h/day, and the disappearance of fatty liver predict the regression from IGT to NGR in NAFLD patients.

Virus clearance reduces bone fracture in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus.

Osteoporosis is often present in postmenopausal women. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the cumulative incidence and predictive factors for bone fracture after cessation of interferon (IFN) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). A total of 420 postmenopausal women treated with IFN monotherapy were enrolled. The mean observation period was 7.2 years. The primary goal was the development of bone fracture. Evaluation was carried out by using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards analysis. Thirty-one out of 420 patients sustained bone fracture. The cumulative development rate of bone fracture was 3.6% at 5th year, 9.2% at 10th year, and 17.4% at 15th year. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis showed that bone fracture after cessation of IFN therapy occurred when histological staging of the liver was advanced (hazard ratio (HR): 2.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.21-5.31; P = 0.013), serum albumin level was < 3.5g/dl (HR: 2.25; 95% CI = 1.10-4.59; P = 0.026), and virus clearance was not achieved (HR: 3.65; 95% CI = 1.11-12.05; P = 0.033). The results indicate that virus clearance causes a reduction of two-thirds in the risk of bone fracture after cessation of IFN therapy in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and chronic liver disease caused by HCV. J. Med. Virol. 82:390-395, 2010. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The normal anatomy around the oesophagogastric junction: a histopathologic view and its correlation with endoscopy.

The incidence of primary oesophageal adenocarcinoma in Caucasian men has recently been increasing rapidly. Therefore, primary oesophageal adenocarcinoma, columnar-lined oesophagus (CLO) or Barrett's oesophagus and the normal condition of the lower segment of the oesophagus are currently receiving worldwide attention in the medical field. Precise definitions of the anatomical features of the oesophagogastric junction (OGJ) are essential before accurate assessment of CLO can be made. This article reviews the normal morphological features in the OGJ zone to give a closer insight into the histopathology and endoscopic appearance of the OGJ and CLO. We review definitions of the OGJ, the pattern of the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ), oesophageal cardiac-type glands beneath the squamous epithelium, the normal squamous epithelium, columnar islands in squamous-lined mucosa, squamous islands in CLO and newly reported metaplastic changes in the OGJ zone. The nature of the OGJ is clarified in detail through comparison between endoscopically evident and histological features.