Age- and Sex-Specific Association between Lipoprotein-Related Phospholipase A2 and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors.

(1) Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a risk factor for predicting cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by a state of chronic inflammation that is related to an increased risk of cardiovascular events and death. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the correlation between cardiometabolic risk factors and Lp-PLA2 levels. (2) We collected the related retrospective medical data of Chinese adults, of which 3983 were men and 2836 were women (aged ≥ 18 years), who underwent health check-ups, and discussed the sex and age-related differences. (3) Data analysis showed that Lp-PLA2 was significantly related to lipoproteins and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and that a linear trend was observed with increasing Lp-PLA2 levels for all ages and sexes. However, fasting glucose was significantly related to Lp-PLA2 only in the younger population. The two obesity-related parameters (waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference) also had a greater correlation with Lp-PLA2 levels in the younger groups; however, the correlation weakened in the elderly population. Meanwhile, the correlation between mean arterial pressure and creatinine level and Lp-PLA2 was significant only in younger men. (4) The results show that the expression patterns of Lp-PLA2 differ between sexes and across age groups.

Association between metabolic body composition status and vitamin D deficiency: A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to investigate the risk of vitamin D deficiency in a relatively healthy Asian population, with (i) metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW) (homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] < 2. 5 without metabolic syndrome [MS], body mass index [BMI] < 25), (ii) metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) (HOMA-IR < 2.5, without MS, BMI ≥ 25), (iii) metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW) (HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5, or with MS, BMI < 25), and (iv) metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) (HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5, or with MS, BMI ≥ 25) stratified by age and sex. This cross-sectional study involved 6,655 participants aged ≥ 18 years who underwent health checkups between 2013 and 2016 at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Cardiometabolic and inflammatory markers including anthropometric variables, glycemic indices, lipid profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels, were retrospectively investigated. Compared to the MHNW group, the MHO group showed a higher odds ratio (OR) [1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.73] for vitamin D deficiency in men aged < 50 years. By contrast, in men aged > 50 years, the risk of vitamin D deficiency was higher in the MUO group (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.05-1.97). Among women aged < and ≥ 50 years, the MUO group demonstrated the highest risk for vitamin D deficiency, OR 2.33 vs. 1.54, respectively. Our study revealed that in women of all ages and men aged > 50 years, MUO is associated with vitamin D deficiency and elevated levels of metabolic biomarkers. Among men aged < 50 years, MHO had the highest OR for vitamin D deficiency.