Hemoglobin as a possible biochemical index of hypertension-induced vascular damage.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported on the positive association of hemoglobin with hypertension and atherosclerosis. On the other hand, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been evaluated as a possible biochemical index of hypertension-induced vascular damage. However, no studies have reported on a correlation between hemoglobin and HGF accounting for hypertension status. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 1108 subjects (392 men and 716 women, 40-93 years old) who were undergoing a general checkup in 2014 was conducted. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression analysis adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors showed no significant correlation between hemoglobin and HGF in non-hypertensive subjects, but a significant positive correlation in hypertensive subjects; ß (parameter estimate) = 0.3 (p = 0.975) for non-hypertensive men, ß = 0.4 (p = 0.925) for non-hypertensive women, ß = 32.7 (p < 0.001) for hypertensive men, and ß = 18.7 (p = 0.002) for hypertensive women. CONCLUSION: We found a significant positive correlation between hemoglobin and HGF among hypertensive men and women. Like HGF, hemoglobin may be a useful indicator to evaluate hypertension-induced vascular damage. Since hemoglobin can easily be measured, these results support hemoglobin as an efficient tool to evaluate vascular damage induced by hypertension in daily medical practice.

Relationship among salivary antioxidant activity, cytokines, and periodontitis: the Nagasaki Island study.

AIM: Antioxidant activities and cytokine levels in human body fluids are considered to be strongly associated with periodontitis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between salivary antioxidant activities against superoxide or hydroxyl radical, cytokines, and periodontal conditions through a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in Goto city, Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Saliva samples were analysed for superoxide or hydroxyl radical scavenging activities and cytokine levels from 160 participants. We demonstrated that saliva contained superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities by using electron spin resonance with a spin-trapping agent. The concentrations of eight cytokines were measured using multiplex bead assays. RESULTS: There were significant differences in salivary superoxide or hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, and the levels of Interleukin-1ß, Interleukin-6, and Interleukin-8 between periodontitis classifications. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression model showed that salivary superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities were significantly associated with the classification of periodontitis. In addition, salivary superoxide scavenging activity was found to have significant association with all periodontal parameters using multiple linear regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the evaluation of salivary antioxidant activities, as assessed by electron spin resonance, are associated with periodontitis and various clinical variables in community-dwelling participants (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT01742728).

Association between hemoglobin A1c and carotid atherosclerosis in rural community-dwelling elderly Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have reported an association between both higher and lower levels of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and higher mortality of diabetes patients. Like diabetes, carotid atherosclerosis is a well known lifestyle-related disease. However, no studies have yet reported an association between HbA1c levels and carotid atherosclerosis. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,150 Japanese elderly men aged ≥60 years who were undergoing general health checkups. Carotid atherosclerosis was defined as a carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥1.1 mm. Since body mass index (BMI) is regarded as a cardiovascular risk factor that exerts a strong influence on both HbA1c levels and carotid atherosclerosis, we performed a stratified analysis of this risk based on BMI. RESULTS: Using the intermediate HbA1c quintile as a reference group, the groups in the lowest HbA1c quintiles showed a significantly higher risk of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with low BMI (≤23 kg/m(2)) vs. no increased risk in those with high BMI (>23 kg/m(2)). The association of HbA1c with carotid atherosclerosis became slightly stronger when these analyses were limited to subjects who were not taking glucose-lowering medications or medications for hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease. After adjusting for classical cardiovascular risk factors, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for carotid atherosclerosis were 1.36 (0.84 to 2.20) for total subjects, 2.29 (1.12 to 4.66) for low-BMI groups, and 0.68 (0.33 to 1.41) for high-BMI groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lower HbA1c level is a significant risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in rural community-dwelling elderly Japanese men with low, but not high BMI, particularly in those not taking glucose-lowering medication.

Height and drinking status in relation to risk of anemia in rural adult healthy Japanese men: the Nagasaki Islands study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported that height is inversely associated with risk of cardiovascular disease but positively associated with cancer risk. On the other hand, evidence has been accumulating that anemia reflects poor health and increased vulnerability to poor outcomes in older persons. Moreover, alcohol consumption has also been reported to be associated with mortality. However, no studies have reported on a possible association between height and risk of anemia in relation to drinking status. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1287 men aged 40-89 years undergoing general health check-ups. RESULTS: Independent from classic cardiovascular risk factors, we found a significant inverse association between height and anemia for non-drinkers and a J-shaped association for drinkers. The multivariable odds ratio (ORs) of an increment of 1 SD (standard deviation) in height (6.68 cm) for anemia for non-drinkers was 0.59 (0.45-0.77). For drinkers, with the second quartile of height (Q2) as the reference group, the multivariable OR of anemia was 2.68(0.90-7.96) (p = 0.075) for the lowest height quartile (Q1), 2.73(0.92-8.08) for the third quartile (Q3) and 4.82(1.65-14.10) for the highest quartile (Q4) (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Height was found to be associated with anemia for rural Japanese men and drinking status is likely to affect those associations.

The A>T polymorphism of the tribbles homolog 1 gene is associated with serum triglyceride concentrations in Japanese community-dwelling women.

Recent genome-wide association studies have identified Tribbles homolog 1 (TRIB1) as one of the candidate genes associated with lipid profiles. TRIB1 is known to interact with MAP kinases, thereby regulating their activities. The single nucleotide polymorphism rs2954029 of TRIB1 is located within an intron and is associated with lipid profiles. The aim of the present study is to investigate the TRIB1 rs2954029 (A>T polymorphism) with conventional predictors of coronary artery diseases such as carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), and with lipid profiles in general population. This study enrolled 2,581 Japanese adults, 942 men and 1,639 women with a median age of 68 years (range 29 to 94 years), who participated in a screening program for the general population living in Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan from 2008 to 2010. For the determination of TRIB1 rs2954029 genotypes, the polymerase chain reaction method was used. The differences in each parameter among the TRIB1 rs2954029 genotypes were evaluated using analysis of covariance. Genotype frequencies of TRIB1 rs2954029 in all participants were 25.5% for AA, 50.4% for AT, and 24.0% for TT. In women, the AA genotype showed significantly higher log triglyceride (TG) concentrations than the AT genotype (P = 0.004) and the AT + TT genotypes (P = 0.004). On the other hand, there were no associations with CIMT and CAVI among the TRIB1 rs2954029 genotypes. In conclusion, the TRIB1 rs2954029 is associated with serum TG concentrations in Japanese community-dwelling women.

Association between hemoglobin and diabetes in relation to the triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG-HDL) ratio in Japanese individuals: the Nagasaki Islands Study.

OBJECTIVE: Our previous study reported that categorizing diabetes patients according to the serum triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG-HDL) ratio is useful for estimating the risk of atherosclerosis, as a high TG-HDL ratio in patients with diabetes constitutes risk factors for atherosclerosis. Another study showed that a high hemoglobin level is associated with the risk of atherosclerosis. However, no previous studies have examined the association between the hemoglobin level and diabetes categorized by the TG-HDL ratio. In order to investigate these associations, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 3,733 (1,299 men and 2,434 women) Japanese participants 30-89 years of age undergoing a general health checkup. METHODS: We investigated the association between the hemoglobin levels and the incidence of diabetes in all subjects, who were divided into tertiles according to the TG-HDL ratio. Diabetes was defined as an HbA1c (NGSP) level of ≥ 6.5% and/or the initiation of glucose-lowering or insulin therapy. RESULTS: Of the 265 diabetes patients identified in this study, 116 had a high TG-HDL ratio (high TG-HDL diabetes) and 71 had a low TG-HDL ratio (low TG-HDL diabetes). Independent from classical cardiovascular risk factors, the multivariate odds ratio of a 1 SD (standard deviation) increment in hemoglobin (1.30 g/dL for men, 1.16 g/dL for women) was 1.04 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.88-1.22) for all patients with diabetes, 1.44 (95%CI: 1.17-1.77) for the patients with high TG-HDL diabetes and 0.67 (95%CI: 0.54-0.83) for the patients with low TG-HDL diabetes. CONCLUSION: The hemoglobin level is positively associated with high TG-HDL diabetes and inversely associated with low TG-HDL diabetes. These findings suggest that measuring the hemoglobin level is clinically relevant for estimating the risk of atherosclerosis in patients with diabetes categorized according to the TG-HDL ratio.

Association between the hemoglobin levels and hypertension in relation to the BMI status in a rural Japanese population: the Nagasaki Islands Study.

OBJECTIVE: The hemoglobin levels and blood pressure has been reported in a few studies, and a positive association between the hemoglobin levels and the body mass index (BMI) status has also been documented. A higher BMI may therefore affect the association between the hemoglobin levels and hypertension. However, no published studies have examined this association in relation to the BMI status. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the association between the hemoglobin levels and hypertension in relation to the BMI status. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 3,203 non-anemic subjects (1,191 men and 2,012 women, 30-79 years old) who were undergoing general health checkups was conducted. RESULTS: A positive association between the hemoglobin levels and hypertension was established for both men and women. For a one SD (standard deviation) increment in hemoglobin, the multivariable odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) for hypertension were 1.21 (95%CI: 1.05-1.40) for men and 1.25 (95%CI: 1.13-1.39) for women. We also found that a significant association was confined to the participants with a BMI of <25 kg/m(2). Among the participants with a BMI of <25 kg/m(2), the multivariable ORs and 95% CIs for hypertension of a one SD increment in hemoglobin were 1.34 (95%CI: 1.12-1.60) for men and 1.31 (95%CI: 1.16-1.47) for women. Meanwhile, among those with a BMI of ≥25 kg/m(2), the corresponding values were 1.01 (95%CI: 0.79-1.30) and 1.09 (95%CI: 0.87-1.37). CONCLUSION: An independent positive association between the hemoglobin levels and the risk of hypertension was observed for both non-anemic Japanese men and women, confined to participants with a BMI of <25 kg/m(2).

Association of the GCKR rs780094 polymorphism with metabolic traits including carotid intima-media thickness in Japanese community-dwelling men, but not in women.

BACKGROUND: The glucokinase regulator gene (GCKR) rs780094 has been shown to be strongly associated with some metabolic traits and atherosclerotic parameters, while the association between GCKR rs780094 and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has not been fully investigated in the general population. The associations between the GCKR rs780094 genotype and metabolic traits including CIMT were examined in a Japanese community-dwelling population. METHODS: A total of 2491 Japanese adults (907 men and 1584 women) who participated in a medical screening program for the general population from 29 to 94 years of age during 2008 to 2010 were enrolled. GCKR rs780094 was genotyped by the TaqMan polymerase chain reaction method, and associations with metabolic markers including CIMT were evaluated. RESULTS: GCKR rs780094 AA genotype was significantly associated with higher TG (p<0.001 vs. GG), lower HDL-C (p=0.021 vs. GG), and lower HbA1c(p=0.023 vs. GG). The AA genotype showed significantly thinner CIMT (p=0.001 vs. GX). These associations were seen only in men. CONCLUSIONS: GCKR rs780094 was associated with TG, HDL-C, and HbA1c levels, as well as with CIMT in Japanese community-dwelling men, but not women.

Association between hemoglobin levels and arterial stiffness for general Japanese population in relation to body mass index status: The Nagasaki Islands study.

AIM: To investigate associations between hemoglobin levels and arterial stiffness accounting for body mass index (BMI) in a large-scale cross-sectional study. METHODS: We investigated the association between hemoglobin levels and atherosclerosis evaluated by cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), which can assess arterial stiffness independently from blood pressure, while taking BMI status into account. Separate models were constructed for participants with or without anemia. In our main investigation for the association between hemoglobin levels and increased arterial stiffness, only participants without anemia (1064 men and 1886 women) were included to avoid the influence of chronic disease. RESULTS: We found significantly positive associations between increased arterial stiffness and hemoglobin levels for both men and women, and that such associations were limited to subjects with BMI <25 kg/m(2) . The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% coincidence intervals (CI) of 1-standard deviation increments in hemoglobin levels for increased arterial stiffness were 1.17 (95% CI 1.00-1.38) for men and 1.17 (95% CI1.02-1.34) for women. For participants with BMI <25 kg/m(2) , the corresponding values were 1.40 (95% CI 1.14-1.73) and 1.19 (95% CI 1.02-1.40), and for those with BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) , they were 0.88 (95% CI 0.67-1.15) and 1.12 (95% CI 0.86-1.46). CONCLUSIONS: Independent positive associations between hemoglobin levels and increased arterial stiffness were observed both for Japanese men and women, and those associations were limited to participants with BMI <25 kg/m(2) .

Relationship between adult height and body weight and risk of carotid atherosclerosis assessed in terms of carotid intima-media thickness: the Nagasaki Islands study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported an inverse association between height and risk of cardiovascular disease. However, evidence is limited for the association between risk of atherosclerosis and height. Further, although the association between atherosclerosis and body mass index (BMI) is reportedly positive, there have been no reports of studies on associations between height and atherosclerosis in relation to BMI. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of Japanese men aged 30 to 89 years undergoing general health check-ups. RESULTS: Of the 1,337 men, 312 were diagnosed with carotid atherosclerosis (carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥ 1.1 mm), but no significant association was found between height and carotid atherosclerosis for the entire study group. Stratification by BMI status of those analytical findings disclosed a significant inverse association between height and carotid atherosclerosis among overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) but not among non-overweight (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)) men. The classical cardiovascular risk factors-adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of carotid atherosclerosis for an increment of one SD (standard deviation) in height (6.70 cm) were 0.71 (0.54 to 0.94) for overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) and 1.05 (0.87 to 1.27) for non-overweight (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)) men. CONCLUSION: Independent from classical cardiovascular risk factors, height was found to be inversely associated with carotid atherosclerosis for overweight but not for non-overweight men.

Association between alkaline phosphatase and hypertension in a rural Japanese population: the Nagasaki Islands study.

BACKGROUND: Although serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels have been associated with hypertension, and ALP is known as an enzyme affected by alcohol consumption, no study has been published on the associations between ALP and the risk of hypertension in relation to drinking status. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2,681 participants (837 men and 1,846 women) aged 30 to 89 years undergoing a general health check-up to investigate the associations between ALP and hypertension in relation to drinking status. RESULTS: Of the 2,681 participants, 1,549 (514 men and 1,035 women) were diagnosed with hypertension. A sex difference was observed for the relationship between ALP and hypertension. While no significant association was observed for men, the association was significantly positive for women. The multivariable adjusted odds ratio and 95% coincidence interval (CI) of hypertension per increment of 1-log ALP were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.56 to 1.59) for men and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.07 to 2.33) for women. When this analysis was restricted to nondrinkers, a significantly elevated risk of hypertension was observed for men and remained significant for women; that is, 3.32 (95% CI: 1.38 to 8.02) for men and 1.68 (95% CI: 1.11 to 2.55) for women. CONCLUSION: ALP is associated with hypertension for both male and female nondrinkers, but not for drinkers. For analyses of associations between ALP and blood pressure, alcohol consumption should thus be considered a potential confounder.

Association of periodontitis with carotid artery intima-media thickness and arterial stiffness in community-dwelling people in Japan: the Nagasaki Islands study.

OBJECTIVE: Recent studies have suggested an association between periodontitis and atherosclerosis; however, the relationship between periodontal status and arterial alterations should be clarified. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between periodontal status and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and arterial stiffness using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in community dwellers. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study of 1053 subjects ≥40 years with 10 teeth or more was conducted in Goto, Japan from 2008 to 2010. RESULTS: In a multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, number of present teeth, and other confounders, each 1-mm increase in mean periodontal pocket depth corresponded to a 0.02-mm increase in maximal cIMT (ß = 0.018; P = 0.049) and also to a 0.1 increase in mean CAVI (ß = 0.133; P = 0.040). In addition, each 1-mm increase in the mean periodontal attachment loss corresponded to a 0.01-mm increase in maximal cIMT (ß = 0.013; P = 0.040). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that each 1-mm increase in mean periodontal pocket depth was associated with an increased risk of a maximal cIMT >1 mm (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.430; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.067-1.918; P = 0.017) and mean CAVI of ≥8 (OR, 1.323; 95% CI, 1.003-1.743; P = 0.047). Furthermore, each 1-mm increase in mean periodontal attachment loss was associated with an increased risk of a maximal cIMT >1 mm (OR, 1.251; 95% CI, 1.032-1.516; P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: A linear, dose-dependent relationship was found between periodontal pocket depth, cIMT, and arterial stiffness.

Free thyroxine (FT4) and anemia in relation to drinking status of Japanese men: the Nagasaki islands study.

It is well known that hypothyroidism is associated with anemia. It has also been reported that alcohol consumption may affect thyroid function. Furthermore, hemoglobin levels of drinkers are reportedly higher than those of non-drinkers. However, no published study has investigated the association between thyroid function evaluated with the free thyroxine (FT4) test and anemia while taking drinking status into account. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 843 men aged 30-89 years undergoing general health checks. While no significant associations were noted between FT4 and anemia for total subjects, when the analysis was limited to non-drinkers, a significant association was observed. After adjustment for classical cardiovascular risk factors and thyroid stimulating hormones (TSH), adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for an increment of 1SD (standard deviation) for FT4 (0.17 ng/dL) for anemia were 0.85 (0.67-1.09) for total subjects, 0.59 (0.41-0.85) for non-drinkers, and 1.23 (0.83-1.83) for drinkers. In conclusion, FT4 is inversely associated with anemia for non-drinking but not for drinking men. However, drinking may act as a confounding factor for this association.

Association between cystatin C and arteriosclerosis in the absence of chronic kidney disease.

AIM: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cystatin C was recently reported to be an endogenous surrogate of kidney function, and a high level of cystatin C is reported to be a strong predictor of CVD; however, the association between cystatin C and arteriosclerosis in a non-CKD population is unclear. This study aimed to clarify the association between cystatin C and arteriosclerosis in a non-CKD population. METHODS: Of the 637 Japanese adults (264 men, 373 women) enrolled, we analyzed 446 participants with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >60 mL/min and no proteinuria (177 men, 269 women) without a history of CVD. Kidney function was evaluated according to serum cystatin C levels and eGFR. Arteriosclerosis was evaluated on the basis of the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). RESULTS: The mean age of our subjects was 67.0±10.0 years. No variables showed any significant differences according to gender. The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between serum cystatin C and CAVI only in women, but not CIMT. CONCLUSION: We observed a significant correlation between cystatin C and CAVI, which is a marker of early-stage arteriosclerosis, in women in a non-CKD population with no proteinuria and eGFR>60 mL/min.

Association of arterial stiffness and diabetes with triglycerides-to-HDL cholesterol ratio for Japanese men: the Nagasaki Islands Study.

OBJECTIVE: Although many studies have reported that elevated serum triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG-HDL) ratios constitute a risk for insulin resistance and increased arterial stiffness, no study has clarified as yet the association, in terms of the TG-HDL ratio, between diabetes and increased arterial stiffness evaluated by means of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). To investigate this association, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 1344 Japanese men aged 36-79 years undergoing a general health check. METHODS: We investigated the associations between atherosclerosis/arterial stiffness, evaluated by means of CIMT and CAVI, and diabetes for all subjects, who were divided into tertiles according to TG-HDL levels. Diabetes was defined as HbA1c (NGSP) ≥6.5%, and/or initiation of glucose-lowering medication or insulin therapy. RESULTS: Of the 130 diabetes patients identified in the cohort, 56 patients had high TG-HDL (high TG-HDL diabetes) and 43 had low TG-HDL (low TG-HDL diabetes). We found that only diabetic patients with high TG-HDL were at a significant risk for atherosclerosis (diagnosed as CIMT ≥ 1.1 mm) and increased arterial stiffness (diagnosed as CAVI ≥ 8.0). The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of atherosclerosis and increased arterial stiffness for diabetes were 2.67 (95%CI: 1.35-5.28) and 2.36 (95%CI: 1.01-5.50), for total TG-HDL diabetes 2.57 (95%CI: 1.32-5.02) and 3.56 (95%CI: 1.50-8.46) for high TG-HDL diabetes, and 1.17 (95%CI: 0.52-2.63) and 0.80 (95%CI: 0.33-1.90) for low TG-HDL diabetes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Diabetes, especially high TG-HDL diabetes, constitutes a significant risk for increased arterial stiffness and atherosclerosis.

Blood folate concentrations analyzed by microbiological assay and chemiluminescent immunoassay methods.

A limited number of studies have been available to compare blood folate concentrations by the microbiological assay (MA) method with those using the chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) method. We compared folate concentrations measured by Lactobacillus rhamnosus MA with those measured by CLIA (Access Immunoassay Systems) in human plasma/serum and erythrocytes pairs (n=35). The mean plasma folate by MA was significantly higher than that by CLIA (p<0.0001), whereas the mean erythrocyte folate by MA was significantly lower than that by the CLIA method (p<0.001). Plasma folate by MA significantly correlated with serum folate by CLIA (r=0.85, p<0.001). Similarly, the correlation between erythrocyte folate measured by MA and CLIA methods was significant (r=0.87, p<0.001). We conclude that folate concentrations obtained by CLIA are different from those obtained by MA, suggesting that it is undesirable for inter-laboratory comparisons when folate values are obtained by different methods. Although we evaluated only one CLIA method, we recommend careful evaluation of folate assay by each CLIA method before the use in clinical and research settings.

Lack of an association between E-selectin gene polymorphisms and risk of Kawasaki disease.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery lesions (CAL) are a serious complication of Kawasaki disease (KD). The increased serum E-selectin level during the acute phase of KD and the association of E-selectin gene (SELE) polymorphisms with the prevalence of coronary artery disease in adults suggest a possible association between SELE polymorphisms and the development of CAL in KD patients. METHODS: The subjects consisted of 177 KD patients, including 59 with and 118 without CAL, and 305 healthy controls. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of SELE, 98G>T (rs1805193) and Ser128Arg (rs5361), were genotyped by direct sequencing and the high-resolution melting curve method, respectively. The allele distributions were assessed using the chi-squared test. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the T allele frequency at 98G>T between KD patients and controls (1.4% vs 1.0%, P = 0.55) or between KD patients with and without CAL (1.7% vs 1.3%, P = 0.77). Similarly, there were no differences in the distribution of the C allele (128Arg) at Ser128Arg between KD patients and controls (4.5% vs 3.4%, P = 0.40) or between KD patients with and without CAL (4.2% vs 4.7%, P = 0.86). CONCLUSION: Although no association was detected between these SELE polymorphisms and the prevalence of KD or the development of CAL, this may have been due to the study limitations, including a low frequency of the minor alleles and a small sample size. A larger-scale association study is needed in order for a definitive conclusion to be made as to whether these SNP are associated with susceptibility to KD or not.

Relation of body mass index to blood folate and total homocysteine concentrations in Japanese adults.

PURPOSE: Plasma folate concentrations are suggested to be negatively associated with body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)), although these findings are controversial. Our objective was to evaluate the association of BMI with blood folate and total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations. METHODS: We measured plasma and erythrocyte folate and plasma tHcy concentrations in 434 healthy adults (343 women and 91 men; mean age of 63.8 ± 10.7 [SD, range 23-88] years), who participated in a 2007 population-based survey in western Japan. RESULTS: The overall mean plasma and erythrocyte folate and tHcy were 21.6 (±11.0, SD) nmol/L, 844 (±291) nmol/L and 11.6 (±3.9) µmol/L, respectively. The mean BMI was 22.8 (±3.0; 15.6-33.3) kg/m(2), and only 72 subjects (17%) had BMI > 26.0 kg/m(2). Mean plasma folate decreased as BMI increased (p-trend < 0.01), whereas mean erythrocyte folate and plasma tHcy were similar regardless of BMI (p-trends = 0.49 and 0.28, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that the interpretation of plasma folate concentrations to assess folate nutritional status is complicated by BMI, although the impact of BMI on plasma folate was relatively small. It is important to take this association into account for the selection of subjects for future large-scale studies. The mechanism of this inverse association between BMI and plasma folate concentrations should be investigated.