Comparison of self-reported symptoms in COVID-19 patients who had or had not previously received COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

Although mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines have been reported for high effectiveness against symptoms, it remains unclear whether post-vaccination infections are less symptomatic than infections in vaccine-naive individuals. We included patients with COVID-19 diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction tests during Japan's alpha and delta variant epidemics. COVID-19 symptoms at approximately 4 weeks were compared based on COVID-19 vaccination status. In total, 398 cases (372 symptomatic and 26 asymptomatic; 286 unvaccinated, 66 vaccinated with one dose, and 46 with two doses) were analyzed. The most common symptoms were fever (78.4%), fatigue (78.4%), cough (74.4%), loss of taste or smell (62.8%), and headache (59.8%). Post-vaccination infections were significantly less likely to be symptomatic. Possible confounder-adjusted odds ratios of two vaccine doses against fatigue, dry eyes and mouth, insomnia, fever, shortness of breath, unusual muscle pains, and loss of taste or smell were 0.18 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09-0.38), 0.22 (95% CI: 0.08-0.59), 0.33 (95% CI: 0.14-0.80), 0.31 (95% CI: 0.15-0.63), 0.36 (95% CI: 0.16-0.76), 0.40 (95% CI: 0.19-0.82), and 0.44 (95% CI: 0.22-0.87), respectively. Post-vaccination infections after two mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses show milder and fewer symptoms than infections in unvaccinated patients, highlighting the effectiveness of vaccination.

Real-World Effectiveness of the mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Japan: A Case-Control Study.

The real-world effectiveness of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in Japan remains unclear. This case-control study evaluated the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of two doses of mRNA vaccine, BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273, against the delta (B.1.617.2) variant in the Japanese general population in the period June-September 2021. Individuals in close contact with COVID-19 patients were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A self-administered questionnaire evaluated vaccination status, demographic data, underlying medical conditions, lifestyle, personal protective health behaviors, and living environment. Two vaccine doses were reported by 11.6% of cases (n = 389) and 35.2% of controls (n = 179). Compared with controls, cases were younger and had a lower proportion who always performed handwashing for ≥20 s, a higher proportion of alcohol consumers, and a lower proportion of individuals living in single-family homes or with commuting family members. After adjusting for these confounding factors and day of PCR testing by multivariate logistic regression analysis, the VE in the period June-July (delta variant proportion 45%) was 92% and 79% in the period August-September (delta variant proportion 89%). The adjusted VE for homestay, hotel-based isolation and quarantine, and hospitalization was 78%, 77%, and 97%, respectively. Despite declining slightly, VE against hospitalization remained robust for ~3 months after the second dose. Vaccination policymaking will require longer-term monitoring of VE against new variants.

Comparison of the contributions of impaired beta cell function and insulin resistance to the development of type 2 diabetes in a Japanese community: the Hisayama Study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Our aim was to compare the contributions of impaired beta cell function (IBF) and insulin resistance with the development of type 2 diabetes in a Japanese community. METHODS: A total of 2094 residents aged 40-79 years without diabetes underwent a health examination including a 75 g OGTT in 2007. Participants were divided into four groups according to the presence or absence of IBF (insulinogenic index/HOMA-IR ≤28.5) and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR ≥1.61) and were followed up for 7 years (2007-2014). Cox's proportional hazards model was used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs for type 2 diabetes. The population attributable fractions (PAFs) due to IBF, insulin resistance, and their combination were calculated. RESULTS: At baseline, the prevalence of isolated IBF, isolated insulin resistance, and both IBF and insulin resistance were 5.4%, 24.1% and 9.5%, respectively. During the follow-up period, 272 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) and PAFs (95% CI) for type 2 diabetes were 6.3 (4.3, 9.2) and 13.3% (8.7, 17.7) in the participants with isolated IBF, 1.9 (1.3, 2.7) and 10.5% (4.0, 16.6) in those with isolated insulin resistance, and 8.0 (5.7, 11.4) and 29.3% (23.0, 35.1) in those with both IBF and insulin resistance, respectively, compared with the participants without either. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The present study suggests that the combination of IBF and insulin resistance makes the main contribution to the development of type 2 diabetes in Japanese communities.

Association of glucose tolerance status with pancreatic ß- and α-cell mass in community-based autopsy samples of Japanese individuals: The Hisayama Study.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Changes in histologically quantified ß- and α-cell mass during the development of glucose intolerance have not been fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to explore differences in ß- and α-cell mass according to the glucose tolerance status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Autopsy samples from a total of 103 individuals (40 with normal glucose tolerance, 31 with prediabetes and 32 with type 2 diabetes mellitus) who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test within 5 years before death were selected from 643 community-based autopsy samples collected from 2002 to 2016. Fractional ß-cell area (BCA) and α-cell area were quantified with Image Pro Plus software. Associations of BCA and α-cell area with glucose tolerance status were assessed using a linear regression analysis, and Spearman's correlation coefficients between glycemic markers and ß-cell function were estimated. RESULTS: The mean values of BCA decreased significantly with worsening glucose tolerance status (mean ± standard error 1.85 ± 0.10% in normal glucose tolerance, 1.59 ± 0.11% in prediabetes and 1.17 ± 0.11% in type 2 diabetes mellitus, P for trend < 0.001), whereas there was no significant association between α-cell area and glucose tolerance status. BCA was inversely correlated with fasting and 2-h plasma glucose levels during oral glucose tolerance test and glycated hemoglobin measurement, and positively correlated with disposition index (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: ß-Cell mass decreased significantly with worsening glucose tolerance, from the stage of prediabetes, in the Japanese population. Prevention of declining ß-cell mass before the onset of glucose intolerance is important to reduce the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes in a Japanese community, 1988-2012: the Hisayama Study.

OBJECTIVE: We estimated secular trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and prediabetes, and examined potential explanatory factors for these trends in a Japanese community. METHODS: 4 cross-sectional examinations were conducted among subjects aged 40-79 years in 1988 (n = 2,490), 2002 (n = 2,856), 2007 (n = 2,761), and 2012 (n = 2,644). Glucose tolerance status was defined by a 75g oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: The age-standardized prevalence of T2DM increased significantly in both sexes from 1988 to 2002, and thereafter it remained stable in men, and decreased nonsignificantly in women from 2002 to 2012. The age-standardized prevalence of prediabetes in men increased significantly between 1988 and 2002, but then decreased significantly. A similar trend was observed in women. The age-specific prevalence of T2DM increased greatly in men aged 60-79 years and women aged 70-79 years from 1988 to 2002, and then plateaued at a high level, while a significant decreasing trend was observed in women aged 40-49 years. The mean values of body mass index (BMI) increased steeply in these elderly subjects from 1988 to 2002, and remained at a high level, whereas those in middle-aged women decreased appreciably over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in Japanese, there was no further increase in the prevalence of T2DM or prediabetes in either men or women in the 2000s. Secular change in the BMI level was likely to contribute to trends in the prevalence of T2DM, and thus the management of obesity may be important to reduce the prevalence of T2DM.

Clinical outcomes of transfer of frozen and thawed single blastocysts derived from nonpronuclear and monopronuclear zygotes.

PURPOSE: In assisted reproductive technology, normal zygotes are bipronuclear (2PN) during fertilization confirmation; however, sometimes, nonpronuclear zygotes (0PN) and monopronuclear zygotes (1PN) are found during routine observations. METHODS: To elucidate the clinical usefulness of in vitro-fertilized embryos, we investigated the rates of clinical pregnancy, live birth, miscarriage, and congenital abnormality after transfer of frozen-thawed 1PN- and 0PN-derived single blastocysts at Denentoshi Ladies Clinic, Kanagawa, Japan. RESULTS: The rates of pregnancy and live birth for 1PN-derived blastocysts obtained by conventional in vitro fertilization were 37.5% and 27.1%, respectively, which was not significantly different from those for 2PN-derived blastocysts; however, the rates for 0PN-derived blastocysts were significantly lower. The pregnancy and live birth rates for 0PN-derived embryos obtained by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were 45.7% and 34.8%, respectively, which was not significantly different from those for 2PN-derived blastocysts; however, the rates for 1PN-derived blastocysts were significantly lower (4.0% for both) than those for 2PN- and 0PN-derived blastocysts. No congenital abnormalities were found in infants resulting from transfer of 0PN- or 1PN-derived blastocysts. CONCLUSIONS: Both 1PN- and 0PN-derived blastocysts can be used for embryo transfer; however, care should be taken in making decisions about 1PN-derived blastocysts, especially if they are obtained by ICSI.

Prevalence of adult epilepsy in a general Japanese population: The Hisayama study.

The aim of the present study was to examine the prevalence and causes of adult epilepsy in a general Japanese population. We examined a total of 3333 Japanese residents in the town of Hisayama aged ≥40 years in 2012-2013. The examination was performed mainly at the municipal center for health promotion, but some subjects were examined in their homes, hospitals, or nursing homes. Twenty-three subjects had a diagnosis of epilepsy. The prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of epilepsy per 1000 was 6.9 (4.1-9.7) in total, 4.9 (1.3-8.5) in men, and 8.4 (4.3-12.5) in women (P = 0.23 between sexes). The prevalence of epilepsy was significantly higher in the elderly (aged ≥65 years; 10.3 per 1000 [95% CI 5.4-15.1]) than in the middle-aged (aged 40-64 years; 3.6 per 1000 [95% CI 0.7-6.4]; P = 0.02). The major cause of epilepsy was cerebrovascular diseases (n = 11; 48% of the epilepsy patients). More than half of the epilepsy patients experienced the first episode of seizure in older age (≥65 years; n = 13; 57%). The findings of this study suggest the clinical importance of the prevention of cerebrovascular diseases to reduce the burden of epilepsy in the future.

Association Between Genetic Risk and Development of Type 2 Diabetes in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study.

CONTEXT: Although recent genetic studies have identified many susceptibility loci associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D), the usefulness of such loci for precision medicine remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the impact of genetic risk score (GRS) on the development of T2D in a general Japanese population. PARTICIPANTS: The current study consists of 1465 subjects aged 40 to 79 years without diabetes who underwent a health examination in 2002. DESIGN: The GRS was generated using the literature-based effect size for T2D of 84 susceptibility loci for the Japanese population, and the risk estimates of GRS on the incidence of T2D were computed by using a Cox proportional hazard model in a 10-year follow-up study. The influence of GRS on the predictive ability was estimated with Harrell C statistics, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and continuous net reclassification improvement (cNRI). RESULTS: During the 10-year follow-up, 199 subjects experienced T2D. The risk of developing T2D increased significantly with elevating quintiles of GRS (multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio for the fifth vs first quintile, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.83 to 4.44). When incorporating GRS into the multivariable model comprising environmental risk factors, the Harrell C statistics (95% CI) increased from 0.681 (0.645 to 0.717) to 0.707 (0.672 to 0.742) and the predictive ability of T2D was significantly improved (IDI, 0.0376; 95% CI, 0.0284 to 0.0494; cNRI, 0.3565; 95% CI, 0.1278 to 0.5829). GRS was also associated with the risk of T2D independently of environmental risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the usefulness of GRS for identifying a high-risk population together with environmental risk factors in the Japanese population.

Longitudinal Changes of Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in the Middle-Aged and Older Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to describe changes in physical activity volumes and sedentary time over 3 years in the middle-aged and older Japanese population. METHODS: Study participants included 1151 Japanese community-dwelling residents aged ≥40 years in 2009 who underwent 2 sets of health examinations (2009 and 2012). Using a triaxial accelerometer, longitudinal changes in sedentary time, light physical activity volume, moderate to vigorous physical activity volume, number of steps, and total physical activity volume were evaluated according to sex, age (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and ≥80 y), and obese (nonobese and obese) categories. RESULTS: Sedentary time significantly increased, and all physical activity volumes significantly decreased among all participants. Although most variables did not change significantly in the 40-49 and 50-59 year age categories, similar changes as all participants were observed across all other categories. In the correlation analyses, changes in sedentary time correlated, at most, only modestly for each change in physical activity volumes, indicating that increased physical activity volume does not always lead to decreased sedentary time, and vice versa. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to reduce sedentary time and promote physical activity are needed in Japan, particularly for people aged ≥60 years.

Objectively measured sedentary time and diabetes mellitus in a general Japanese population: The Hisayama Study.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to examine cross-sectional associations between objectively measured sedentary time and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a general Japanese population, and to elucidate possible mediating roles of diet, obesity and insulin resistance in this relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1,758 community-dwelling individuals aged 40-79 years wore an accelerometer for ≥7 days and underwent a comprehensive health examination in 2012. Diabetes mellitus was diagnosed by a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. The associations of sedentary time with the presence of diabetes mellitus and the levels of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance were estimated by logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: After adjustment for demographic and lifestyle factors including moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, participants who spent ≥10 h in sedentary time had a significantly higher odds ratio of the presence of diabetes than those who spent <6 h in sedentary time (odds ratio 1.84, 95% confidence interval 1.02-3.31). This significant association remained after adjusting for overall and central obesity (as measured by body mass index and waist circumference), but weakened after adjusting for dietary energy intake or homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Sedentary time was positively associated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance levels among non-diabetic participants after adjusted for obesity or energy intake (P for trend <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Longer sedentary time was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a general Japanese population. Insulin resistance appeared to be mainly involved in this association. These results highlight the importance of public health strategies targeting reductions in sedentary time for the primary prevention of diabetes mellitus.

Prevalence of and risk factors for cerebral microbleeds in a general Japanese elderly community.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in a cross-sectional study of a general population of Japanese elderly. METHODS: In 2012, brain MRI scanning at 1.5T and comprehensive health examination were conducted for 1281 residents aged 65 years or older. CMBs were defined as ovoid hypointensity lesions less than 10 mm in diameter on T2*-weighted images and classified into deep/infratentorial or lobar CMBs. Age- and sex-specific and overall prevalence of CMBs were estimated, and the associations of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and APOE polymorphism with the presence of CMBs were examined using a logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The crude prevalences of total, deep/infratentorial, and lobar CMBs were 18.7% (n = 240), 13.5% (n = 173), and 9.6% (n = 123), respectively. The prevalence of total CMBs was 23.0% in men and 15.5% in women and increased with aging in both sexes (both p for trend <0.01). Hypertension was significantly associated with the presence of both deep/infratentorial and lobar CMBs. Lower serum total cholesterol was a significant risk factor for deep/infratentorial CMBs, but not for lobar CMBs, while APOE ε4 carriers had a significantly higher likelihood only of lobar CMBs compared with noncarriers. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that approximately 1 of 5 Japanese elderly people have CMBs, and that risk factors for deep/infratentorial and lobar CMBs are different, indicating the distinct pathologic backgrounds of these lesions.

Association Between Daily Sleep Duration and Risk of Dementia and Mortality in a Japanese Community.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between daily sleep duration and risk of dementia and death in a Japanese elderly population. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The Hisayama Study, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling Japanese individuals aged 60 and older without dementia. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported daily sleep duration was grouped into 5 categories (<5.0, 5.0-6.9, 7.0-7.9, 8.0-9.9, ≥10.0 hours). The association between daily sleep duration and risk of dementia and death was determined using a Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: During follow-up, 294 participants developed dementia, and 282 died. Age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates of dementia and all-cause mortality were significantly greater in subjects with daily sleep duration of less than 5.0 hours and 10.0 hours and more than in those with daily sleep duration of 5.0 to 6.9 hours. These associations remained unchanged after adjustment for potential confounding factors (<5.0 hours: hazard ratio (HR)=2.64, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.38-5.05 for dementia; HR=2.29, 95% CI=1.15-4.56 for death; ≥10.0 hours: HR=2.23, 95% CI=1.42-3.49 for dementia; HR=1.67, 95% CI=1.07-2.60 for death). Similar U-shaped associations were observed for Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. With regard to the influence of hypnotic use on risk of dementia and death, subjects who used hypnotics and had any sleep duration had a risk of dementia that was 1.66 times as great and a risk of death that was 1.83 times as great as those who did not use hypnotics and had a daily sleep duration of 5.0 to 6.9 hours. CONCLUSION: Short and long daily sleep duration and hypnotic use are risk factors for dementia and death in Japanese elderly adults.

Association between the ratio of serum arachidonic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid and the presence of depressive symptoms in a general Japanese population: the Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological evidence suggests that fish consumption and intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)-namely, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-confer protection against depression. However, few studies have addressed the influence of the balance between n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA in the human body on depression. METHODS: A total of 2,529 community-dwelling Japanese residents aged ≥ 40 years were assessed for depressive symptoms (defined as a score of 16 points or more on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]) in 2007. The serum arachidonic acid (AA) /EPA ratio and AA/DHA ratio were measured in frozen samples collected in 2002 and categorized into quartiles. The odds ratios (ORs) for the presence of depressive symptoms were calculated using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 4.3%. There was no significant association between either the serum AA/EPA ratio or AA/DHA ratio and the presence of depressive symptoms. However, subjects with the highest serum AA/EPA ratios (range: 3.28-13.3) had a 4.10 times (95%CI: 1.13-19.80) greater OR for the presence of depressive symptoms than those with the lowest ratios (0.30-1.65) after adjusting for confounding factors in the subgroup with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) ≥ 1.0 mg/L, while no clear association was observed in the subgroup with hs-CRP < 1.0 mg/L. LIMITATIONS: Reverse causality is possible due to the cross-sectional study design. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a higher serum AA/EPA ratio is associated with a greater likelihood of depressive symptoms in subjects with systemic inflammation in the general Japanese population.

Secular trends in the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of transient ischemic attack in Japan: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: We aimed to investigate secular trends in the incidence, risk factors, and prognosis of transient ischemic attack (TIA) in a general Japanese population. METHODS: Two cohorts consisting of stroke-free Japanese individuals aged ≥40 years in 1961 (n = 1621) and 1988 (n = 2646) were followed up for 24 years. The associations of potential risk factors with the development of TIA were estimated by a Cox proportional hazards model. The influence of TIA on the risk of total stroke over the subsequent 10 years was compared between the sub-cohorts of subjects with TIA and age- and sex-matched control subjects from each cohort. RESULTS: During follow-up, 28 subjects in the 1961 cohort and 34 in the 1988 cohort experienced TIA. The age-standardized incidence of TIA was significantly lower in the 1988 cohort than the 1961 cohort (0.66 vs. 1.01 per 1000 person-years, p = 0.02). While elevated systolic blood pressure was significantly associated with the risk of TIA in both cohorts, glucose intolerance and higher serum cholesterol levels were associated with TIA risk only in the 1988 cohort. The subjects experiencing TIA had approximately 7-8-fold higher risks for the 10-year incidence of total and ischemic strokes compared with the corresponding control subjects without TIA both in the 1961 and 1988 sub-cohorts, and the relative risks were not significantly different between sub-cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the incidence of TIA decreased during the past half century, probably due to the spread of antihypertensive treatments in the general Japanese population.

Albuminuria Increases the Risks for Both Alzheimer Disease and Vascular Dementia in Community-Dwelling Japanese Elderly: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic evidence has emerged to reveal an association of albuminuria and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with dementia, but the findings are inconsistent. In addition, there are limited studies addressing the association between albuminuria and Alzheimer disease (AD). METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1562 community-dwelling Japanese subjects aged ≥60 years without dementia were followed up for 10 years. The outcomes were incidence of all-cause dementia and its subtypes, namely, AD and vascular dementia (VaD). The hazard ratios for the outcomes were estimated according to urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) and eGFR levels using a Cox proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 358 subjects developed all-cause dementia (238 AD and 93 VaD). Higher UACR level was significantly associated with greater multivariable-adjusted risks of all-cause dementia (hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 1.00 [reference], 1.12 [0.78-1.60], 1.65 [1.18-2.30], and 1.56 [1.11-2.19] for UACR of ≤6.9, 7.0-12.7, 12.8-29.9, and ≥30.0 mg/g, respectively), AD (1.00 [reference], 1.20 [0.77-1.86], 1.75 [1.16-2.64], and 1.58 [1.03-2.41], respectively), and VaD (1.00 [reference], 1.03 [0.46-2.29], 1.94 [0.96-3.95], and 2.19 [1.09-4.38], respectively). On the other hand, lower eGFR level was marginally associated with greater risk of VaD, but not AD. Subjects with UACR ≥12.8 mg/g and eGFR of <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 had 3.3-fold greater risk of VaD than those with UACR <12.8 mg/g and eGFR of ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2. CONCLUSIONS: Albuminuria is a significant risk factor for the development of both AD and VaD in community-dwelling Japanese elderly. Moreover, albuminuria and low eGFR are mutually associated with a greater risk of VaD.

Patterns and Levels of Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe the patterns and levels of sedentary time and physical activity (PA) in a general Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 1,740 community-dwelling Japanese adults aged ≥40 years participated in this study. Sedentary time and PA were assessed for 7 consecutive days using a tri-axial accelerometer. Daily patterns and levels of sedentary time and PA were calculated by sex, age group (40-64, 65-74, and ≥75 years), and body mass index (BMI; <25 and ≥25 kg/m2). RESULTS: Participants spent half of their waking time being sedentary, 32.7% of which was accumulated in prolonged bouts ≥30 minutes, versus only 54.4 minutes/day (7% of waking time) as moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) (11.8 minutes/day in bouts ≥10 minutes). In addition to total sedentary time, men had longer prolonged sedentary bouts and fewer breaks per sedentary hour than women. Similar trends were observed in participants aged ≥75 years and those with a higher BMI (≥25 kg/m2) compared to those with a younger age and lower BMI. Moreover, participants aged ≥75 years and those with a higher BMI accumulated fewer MVPA minutes in bouts ≥10 minutes. Only 34.8% of the population met the recommended level of ≥150 minutes/week MVPA in bouts ≥10 minutes. CONCLUSION: Japanese adults accumulated a large proportion of total sedentary time in prolonged bouts but few minutes in sustained bouts of MVPA, and few of them met the current PA guideline.

Development and validation of a risk assessment tool for gastric cancer in a general Japanese population.

BACKGROUND: There have been very few reports of risk score models for the development of gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a risk assessment tool for discerning future gastric cancer risk in Japanese. METHODS: A total of 2444 subjects aged 40 years or over were followed up for 14 years from 1988 (derivation cohort), and 3204 subjects of the same age group were followed up for 5 years from 2002 (validation cohort). The weighting (risk score) of each risk factor for predicting future gastric cancer in the risk assessment tool was determined based on the coefficients of a Cox proportional hazards model in the derivation cohort. The goodness of fit of the established risk assessment tool was assessed using the c-statistic and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test in the validation cohort. RESULTS: During the follow-up, gastric cancer developed in 90 subjects in the derivation cohort and 35 subjects in the validation cohort. In the derivation cohort, the risk prediction model for gastric cancer was established using significant risk factors: age, sex, the combination of Helicobacter pylori antibody and pepsinogen status, hemoglobin A1c level, and smoking status. The incidence of gastric cancer increased significantly as the sum of risk scores increased (P trend < 0.001). The risk assessment tool was validated internally and showed good discrimination (c-statistic = 0.76) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test P = 0.43) in the validation cohort. CONCLUSIONS: We developed a risk assessment tool for gastric cancer that provides a useful guide for stratifying an individual's risk of future gastric cancer.

White-coat and masked hypertension are associated with albuminuria in a general population: the Hisayama Study.

Epidemiological and clinical studies have investigated the influence of hypertension on chronic kidney disease (CKD), but limited data are available for the associations of white-coat hypertension (WCHT), masked hypertension (MHT) and sustained hypertension (SHT) with kidney dysfunction in general populations. We examined the associations of these types of hypertension with CKD (albuminuria and reduction in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)) in a cross-sectional survey of 2974 community-dwelling Japanese aged ⩾40 years. The types of hypertension were defined based on combined measurements of clinic and home blood pressures. Albuminuria was determined as urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) levels ⩾30.0 mg g-1. The eGFR was calculated using the Japanese equation. The age- and sex-adjusted geometric mean of the UACR values was significantly higher in the subjects with WCHT (20.2 mg g-1), MHT (19.6 mg g-1) and SHT (31.6 mg g-1) than in those with normotension (NT) (12.5 mg g-1) (all P<0.001). Compared with NT, all types of hypertension were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of albuminuria (the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of albuminuria; NT 14.1%, WCHT 26.3%, MHT 26.4% and SHT 43.3%; all P<0.001). These associations remained significant even after adjustment for other risk factors. However, the age- and sex-adjusted mean of eGFR and the prevalence of low eGFR (<60 ml min-1 per 1.73 m2) did not differ between NT and the three hypertension types. The associations of the types of hypertension with the likelihood of CKD were similar to those for albuminuria. Our findings suggest that WCHT, MHT and SHT are associated with albuminuria in the general Japanese population.

The ratio of serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid and risk of cancer death in a Japanese community: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: Whether the intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or arachidonic acid (AA) affects the risk of cancer remains unclear, and the association between the serum EPA:AA ratio and cancer risk has not been fully evaluated in general populations. METHODS: A total of 3098 community-dwelling subjects aged ≥40 years were followed up for 9.6 years (2002-2012). The levels of the serum EPA:AA ratio were categorized into quartiles (<0.29, 0.29-0.41, 0.42-0.60, and >0.60). The risk estimates were computed using a Cox proportional hazards model. The same analyses were conducted for the serum docosahexaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (DHA:AA) ratio and individual fatty acid concentrations. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 121 subjects died of cancer. Age- and sex-adjusted cancer mortality increased with lower serum EPA:AA ratio levels (P trend<0.05). In the multivariable-adjusted analysis, the subjects in the first quartile of the serum EPA:AA ratio had a 1.93-fold (95% confidence interval, 1.15-3.22) greater risk of cancer death than those in the fourth quartile. Lower serum EPA concentrations were marginally associated with higher cancer mortality (P trend<0.11), but the serum DHA or AA concentrations and the serum DHA:AA ratio were not (all P trend>0.37). With regard to site-specific cancers, lower serum EPA:AA ratio was associated with a higher risk of death from liver cancer. However, no such associations were detected for deaths from other cancers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that decreased level of the serum EPA:AA ratio is a significant risk factor for cancer death in the general Japanese population.