Trends and distribution of coronary heart disease mortality rate in Hexi Corridor, Gansu, China from 2006 to 2015.

This study described the trend and distribution of coronary heart disease (CHD) in the Hexi Corridor region of Gansu. The CHD mortality rates from 2006-2015 were obtained through the Death Reporting System of Gansu Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for 2006-2015. The overall mortality rate of CHD in the Hexi Corridor showed a decreasing trend, increasing in winter and spring and lowest in summer. The CHD mortality rate was higher in men than in women (P < 0.05) and increased with age (P < 0.05). The mortality rate was higher in rural areas than in urban areas (P < 0.05). A ten-year mortality rate trend analysis showed that CHD mortality rate in women has significantly decreased. Specifically, women aged 18-39 years experienced increased There was little change in CHD mortality among women aged 40-59 years, and a declined in CHD mortality among women 60 years and older and women in urban areas. Further analysis showed that in the 18-39-year-old and 40-59-year-old groups and in urban areas, CHD mortality rate was higher in men than in women (P < 0.05). From 2006 to 2015, the mortality rate of CHD in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu was lower than in the national average, but in certain populations such as men, young and middle-aged group and rural areas, the CHD mortality rate was gradually increased. There has been a gradual and progressive decline in CHD mortality rate compared to the rising trend in China. This is due to fewer risk factors in the region, effective drug treatment and improvements in environmental pollution. However, there is still a need to enhance the experience of effective prevention and control for specific subgroups such as men, young people and rural residents, and to take appropriate measures to prevent the occurrence of CHD.

Association between Serum Uric Acid and Hypertension in Han and Yugur of Gansu Province: The China National Health Survey.

INTRODUCTION: Serum uric acid (SUA) has been found correlated with an increased risk of hypertension, but evidence is sparse regarding the association in Gansu Province, especially in Yugur people. This study aimed to explore the nonlinear relationship between SUA levels and hypertension in Han and Yugur people in China. METHODS: The cross-sectional study samples (n = 5,327) were from the China National Health Survey (CNHS) in Gansu Province. Participants were selected using a multistage stratified cluster sampling method. SUA was measured by enzymatic methods. The restricted cubic spline regression was performed to evaluate the shape of the association. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypertension and hyperuricemia was 28.4% and 17.0%, respectively, in this study. Comparing the highest (>416.4 µmol/L) to the lowest (<254.1 µmol/L) SUA level groups, the multivariable adjusted differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in blood pressure (BP) were 6.15 (4.22, 8.08) mm Hg and 4.87 (3.51, 6.23) mm Hg for SBP and DBP in Han, and 2.22 (-0.73, 5.18) mm Hg and 2.56 (0.38, 4.75) mm Hg for SBP and DBP in Yugur people, respectively. The corresponding odds ratios (95% CIs) for hypertension were 3.16 (2.26, 4.43) and 2.37 (1.46, 3.89) in Han and Yugur people, respectively. The restricted cubic spline regression models illustrated that both BP level and the risk of hypertension increased with elevated SUA levels in Han and Yugur people. CONCLUSIONS: SUA was significantly and independently associated with an increased risk of hypertension in Han and Yugur people. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

[Physiologically based toxicokinetic model for nickel].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the metabolic parameters in different tissues and organs, build the physiologically based pharmacokinetic( PBPK) model of rat and occupational population, and predict the toxic dynamic characteristics exposure to nickel. METHODS: The partition coefficients in different tissues and organs were estimated using vector datas of nickel by the optimization and statistics files of acslx software. The PBTK model of occupational population exposure to nickel was built according to the metabolic parameters by acslx software. RESULTS: The evaluated partition coefficient of nickel were kidney blood( 0. 668), lung blood( 0. 102), spleen blood( 0. 037), liver blood( 0. 028), heart blood( 0. 022), and brain blood( 0. 006). The constructed successful PBPK model of occupational population exposed to 0. 1 mg/m~3 nickel for 8 hours showed that the nickel concentration is higher in kidney reached at 3. 328 µg/kg, followed by the spleen( 0. 185 µg/kg), liver( 0. 140 µg/kg) and heart( 0. 110 µg/kg). The content of nickel is lower in the brain( 0. 030 µg/kg). The kidneys is the major metabolic organs for nickel. CONCLUSION: The PBPK model can be used to convert the nickel levels from external exposure to internal exposure for each organ and to evaluate the time-dose relationship exposure to nickel in both rat and occupational population studies.

[Effects of different feeding practices at 0-6 months and living economic conditions on anemia prevalence of infants and young children].

OBJECTIVE: In order to understand the anemic prevalence in the infants and young children and its relation to the feeding pattern at 0-6 months and on economic income. METHODS: A questionnaire survey were used to collect the information on nutritional and health status of infants and young children (6 to 23 months) living in poverty-rural areas of Gansu Province, and hemoglobin concentration was measured. RESULTS: The prevalence of anemia was 58.2% in the children aged from 6 months to 23 months. The rate of anemia in boys was higher than that of the girls (61.0% and 55.1%), but there was no significant difference. There were significant differences in hemoglobin levels among different age groups (F = 5.206, P < 0.01). The child's hemoglobin concentration was trend to significantly decrease from 6-month-old and more, and reach to the lowest level at 12 months of age and more. After that, the hemoglobin began to gradually increase with age. The change of hemoglobin concentration was consistent with anemic prevalence, the higher prevalence of anemia was the group aged 6-month-old and more, and the group aged 12-month-old and more had highest prevalence. There were significant difference among the different feeding pattern on the anemic prevalence (chi2 = 9.245, P < 0.05), and the prevalence of anemia in children fed with infant formula had the lowest anemic rate and was significantly lower than those of the mixed feeding and breastfeeding children (chi2 = 8.529 and 7.173, P < 0.05). The living economic conditions were a linear trend with the hemoglobin level of children, but there was no significant difference among the different feeding groups (F = 0.637, P > 0.05). The better household economic conditions, tends to have the lower in anemic prevalence, but there was no significant difference (chi2 = 1.666, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The children had lowest hemoglobin level and highest anemic prevalence in the group aged 12-month-old and more, the anemic prevalence of children fed with infant formula had significantly lower than those of the mixed feeding and breastfeeding children, and family economic status on the prevalence of anemia was not obvious. The present results showed that we should focus on the prevention and improvement of iron status and anemia in infants more than 6-months and young children.

Optimization of ultrasound-assisted cellulase degradation method on the extraction of mulberry leaf protein and its effect on the functional characteristics.

The mulberry leaf protein extracted by ultrasound-assisted cellulase degradation (UACD) method was optimized with the protein dissolution amount (PDA) as the index. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy of extracted mulberry leaf protein were measured. The functional characteristics of protein extracted by the UACD method were evaluated. Results showed that the extraction condition was optimized and adjusted to the following parameters: pH value of 7.20, ultrasound temperature of 35.00 °C, enzyme dosage of 4.20% and ultrasound time of 10.00 min. Under these optimized conditions, the experimental verification value of PDA was 13.87 mg/mL, which was approaching to the predicted value of 13.54 mg/mL. The analysis results of FTIR showed that after extraction by the UACD method, the mulberry leaf protein with the vibrational peak of ester carbonyl (C = O) absorption peak (1734.66 cm-1) disappeared. The α-helix content of protein extracted by the UACD decreased by 8.13%, and the ß-turn and random coil content of protein increased by 20.22% and 18.79%, respectively, compared to that of the blank. The microstructure of mulberry leaf protein showed that the UACD method could break the dense structure of protein raw materials, reduce the average size of proteins and increase the specific surface area and roughness of proteins. According to the results of functional characteristics, the mulberry leaf protein extracted by the UACD method presented the highest enzymolysis properties and solubility, which was beneficial for the application in the food industry. In conclusion, the UACD method was a very effective way to extract protein from mulberry leaf.

Spousal Similarities in Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Northern China: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore spousal similarities in cardiovascular risk factors in northern China. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of married couples from Beijing, Hebei, Gansu, and Qinghai provinces between 2015 and 2019. A total of 2,020 couples were included in the final analyses. The spousal similarities for metabolic indicators and cardiovascular risk factors (including lifestyle factors and cardiometabolic diseases) were evaluated using Spearman's correlation and logistic regression analyses, respectively. Results: All metabolic indicators showed positive spousal correlations (p < 0.001), with the strongest for fasting blood glucose (r = 0.30) and the lowest for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.08). Significant husband-wife associations were observed for several cardiovascular risk factors except for hypertension in multivariable models, with the strongest association for physical inactivity (odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals of 3.59 [2.85, 4.52] and 3.54 [2.82, 4.46] for husbands and wives, respectively). In addition, the interaction of age with spousal overweight/obesity status was statistically significant, and the association was stronger in people ≥50 years. Conclusion: There were spousal similarities in cardiovascular risk factors. The finding may have public health implications that targeted screening and interventions for spouses of people with cardiovascular risk factors.

A diagnostic prediction model for hypertension in Han and Yugur population from the China National Health Survey (CNHS).

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hypertension is high among Chinese adults, thus, identifying non-hypertensive individuals at high risk for intervention will help to improve the efficiency of primary prevention strategies. METHODS: The cross-sectional data on 9699 participants aged 20 to 80 years were collected from the China National Health Survey in Gansu and Hebei provinces in 2016 to 2017, and they were nonrandomly split into the training set and validation set based on location. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to develop the diagnostic prediction model, which was presented as a nomogram and a website with risk classification. Predictive performances of the model were evaluated using discrimination and calibration, and were further compared with a previously published model. Decision curve analysis was used to calculate the standardized net benefit for assessing the clinical usefulness of the model. RESULTS: The Lasso regression analysis identified the significant predictors of hypertension in the training set, and a diagnostic model was developed using logistic regression. A nomogram with risk classification was constructed to visualize the model, and a website ( https://chris-yu.shinyapps.io/hypertension_risk_prediction/ ) was developed to calculate the exact probabilities of hypertension. The model showed good discrimination and calibration, with the C-index of 0.789 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.768, 0.810) through internal validation and 0.829 (95% CI: 0.816, 0.842) through external validation. Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the model was clinically useful. The model had a higher area under receiver operating characteristic curves in training and validation sets compared with a previously published diagnostic model based on Northern China population. CONCLUSION: This study developed and validated a diagnostic model for hypertension prediction in Gansu Province. A nomogram and a website were developed to make the model conveniently used to facilitate the individualized prediction of hypertension in the general population of Han and Yugur.

The association between muscle-to-fat ratio and cardiometabolic risks: The China National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between muscle mass and fat mass might be an indicator to assess the cardiometabolic risk independently from overweight/obesity, but evidence from a representative general Chinese population is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To understand the age- and sex-specific associations between muscle-to-fat ratio (MFR) and cardiometabolic risks in Chinese population. METHODS: 31,178 (12,526 men and 18,652 women) subjects from the China National Health Survey were included. Muscle mass and fat mass were assessed by a bioelectrical impedance device. MFR was calculated as muscle mass divided by fat mass. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum lipids, fasting plasma glucose and serum uric acid were measured. General linear regressions, quantile regressions and restricted cubic-spline (RCS) regressions were applied to assess the effect of MFR on cardiometabolic profiles. RESULTS: Per unit increase of MFR was associated with a 0.631 (0.759-0.502) mmHg SBP decrease in men, 2.648 (3.073-2.223) in women; 0.480 (0.568-0.392) mmHg DBP decrease in men, 2.049 (2.325-1.774) in women; a 0.054 (0.062-0.046) mmol/L total cholesterol decrease in men, 0.147 (0.172-0.122) in women; 0.084 (0.098-0.070) mmol/L triglycerides decrease in men, 0.225 (0.256-0.194) in women; a 0.045 (0.054-0.037) mmol/L low-density lipoprotein decrease in men, 0.183 (0.209-0.157) in women; a 2.870 (2.235-3.506) µmol/L serum uric acid decrease in men, 13.352 (14.967-11.737) in women; and a 0.027 (0.020-0.033) mmol/L high-density lipoprotein increase in men, 0.112 (0.098-0.126) mmol/L in women. The effect in overweight/obese people was much significant than in under/normal weight counterparts. The RCS curves revealed both linear and non-linear relationships between increased MFR and lower cardiometabolic risk. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle-to-fat ratio is independently associated with multiple cardiometabolic parameters among Chinese adults. Higher MFR is related with better cardiometabolic health, and the effect is much significant in overweight/obese people and women.

Normative values of hand grip strength in a large unselected Chinese population: Evidence from the China National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: Hand grip strength (HGS) is a powerful indicator of sarcopenia and other adverse health outcomes. Normative values for HGS for general Chinese people with a broad age spectrum are lacking. This study aims to establish normative values of HGS and explore the correlations between HGS and body composition among unselected people aged 8-80 in China. METHODS: From 2012 to 2017, 39 655 participants aged 8-80 years in the China National Health Survey were included. Absolute HGS was measured using a Jamar dynamometer. The relative HGS was normalized by body mass index. Body composition indexes included body mass index, body fat percentage, muscle mass, fat mass index (FMI) and muscle mass index (MMI). Sex-specific smoothed centile tables for the P1 , P5 , P25 , P50 , P75 , P95 and P99 centiles of HGS and body composition were generated using lambda-mu-sigma method. The correlations between muscle strength and body composition were estimated by partial Spearman correlation analysis. RESULTS: The median values (25th and 75th percentile) of HGS in boys and girls (8-19 years old) were 22 (14, 34) kg and 18 (12, 22) kg, respectively; in men and women aged 20-80 were 39 (33, 44) kg and 24 (20, 27) kg, respectively. Values of upper and lower HGS across ages had three periods: an increase to a peak in the 20 s in men (with the 5th and 95th values of 30 and 55 kg, respectively) and 30 s in women (with the 5th and 95th values of 18 and 34 kg, respectively), preservation through midlife (20s-40 s), and then a decline after their 50 s. The lowest HGS values in both sexes were in the 70- to 80-year-old group, with the 5th and 95th percentile values of 16 and 40 kg in men, and 10 and 25 kg in women. There were substantial sex differences in body composition in the life course (all P values <0.001). In ageing, the decrease of muscle strength was faster than that of muscle mass in both sexes. The correlations between muscle mass and HGS were most robust than other correlations, especially in women (0.68 vs. 0.50), children and adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Our study established the age- and sex-specific percentile reference values for hand grip strength in an unselected Chinese population across a broad age-spectrum. The rich data can facilitate the practical appraisal of muscle strength and promote early prediction of sarcopenia and other impairments associated with neuromuscular disorders.

Joint Effect of Beer, Spirits Intake, and Excess Adiposity on Hyperuricemia Among Chinese Male Adults: Evidence From the China National Health Survey.

Alcohol intake and excess adiposity are associated with serum uric acid (SUA), but their interaction effect on hyperuricemia (HUA) remains unclear. Using data from the China National Health Survey (CNHS) (2012-2017), we analyzed the additive interaction of beer, spirits intake, excess adiposity [measured by body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), and visceral fat index (VFI)] with HUA among male participants aged 20-80 from mainland China. The relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and the synergy index (SI) were calculated to assess the interaction effect on the additive scale. Both RERI and AP larger than 0 and SI larger than 1 indicate a positive additive interaction. Among 12,592 male participants, the mean SUA level was 367.1 ± 85.5 µmol/L and 24.1% were HUA. Overweight/obese men who were presently drinking spirits had an odds ratio (OR) of 3.20 (95%CI: 2.71-3.79) than the never drink group, with RERI, AP, and SI of 0.45 (95%CI: 0.08-0.81), 0.14 (95%CI: 0.03-0.25), and 1.25 (95%CI: 1.02-1.54), respectively. However, although combined exposures on beer intake and excess adiposity had the highest OR compared with no beer intake and nonobese participants, there was no additive interaction, with RERI, AP, and SI in the overweight/obesity and the beer intake group of 0.58 (-0.41-1.57), 0.17 (-0.08-0.41), and 1.30 (0.85-1.97), respectively. Other excess adiposity indexes revealed similar estimates. Our findings suggested that the exposures of both excess adiposity and alcohol drink could result in an additive interaction effect on HUA: the combined risk of excess adiposity with spirits intake but not with beer was greater than the sum of the effects among Chinese male adults.

The Mediation Effect of Body Composition on the Association Between Menopause and Hyperuricemia: Evidence From China National Health Survey.

Reproductive factors have been demonstrated to be associated with hyperuricemia. Body composition is an essential determinant influencing serum uric acid (SUA), but it is largely unknown whether increased SUA was influenced by changed body composition during the menopausal transition. As a secondary analysis of China National Health Survey from 2012-to 2017, this study included 18,997 women aged 20 to 80. Menarche age and menopause information were collected by questionnaire interview. Body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), fat mass index (FMI), and fat-free mass index (FFMI) were used as body composition indexes. Hyperuricemia was defined as SUA higher than 360µmol/L (approximately 6 mg/dl). Mediation analysis was performed to explore the direct and indirect effects of menopause on hyperuricemia. A 1:2 age-matched case-control data set (n=6202) was designed to control age-related confounders and was used in multivariable analyses. After adjustment of covariates, postmenopausal women had 14.08 (10.89-17.27) µmol/L higher SUA than their premenopausal counterparts. Overweight/obesity and higher levels of BFP, FMI, and FFMI were all found to be positively associated with hyperuricemia. The mediation analysis showed that the total effect of menopause on hyperuricemia was positive, but was substantially mediated by body composition indexes. Forty-five percent of the total effect can be attributed to the indirect effect mediated by BMI (OR for the natural indirect effect (NIE): 1.09, 95%CI: 1.04-1.13), and over 80% mediated by BFP (OR for NIE: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.16-1.29). However, FFMI did not present the mediated role in the association (OR for NIE: 0.99, 95%CI: 0.96-1.02). The findings revealed that body composition, especially the fat mass indexes, significantly mediated the association between menopause and hyperuricemia. The role of body composition as mediator constitutes clinical and public health significance that should be recognized and considered in healthcare for women experiencing their menopause transition.

Fat-to-Muscle Ratio Is Independently Associated with Hyperuricemia and a Reduced Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate in Chinese Adults: The China National Health Survey.

BACKGROUND: The effects of the fat-to-muscle ratio (FMR) on hyperuricemia and a reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are still unclear. METHODS: Data from the China National Health Survey were used to explore the associations of the FMR with hyperuricemia and reduced eGFR. The fat mass and muscle mass were measured through bioelectrical impedance analysis. Mediation analysis was used to estimate the mediated effect of hyperuricemia on the association between the FMR and reduced eGFR. RESULTS: A total of 31171 participants were included. For hyperuricemia, compared with the Q1 of the FMR, the ORs (95% CI) of Q2, Q3 and Q4 were 1.60 (1.32-1.95), 2.31 (1.91-2.80) and 2.71 (2.15-3.43) in men and 1.91 (1.56-2.34), 2.67 (2.12-3.36) and 4.47 (3.40-5.89) in women. For the reduced eGFR, the ORs (95% CI) of Q2, Q3 and Q4 of the FMR were 1.48 (1.18-1.87), 1.38 (1.05-1.82) and 1.45 (1.04-2.04) in men aged 40-59, but no positive association was found in younger men or in women. Hyperuricemia mediated the association between the FMR and reduced eGFR in men. The OR (95% CI) of the indirect effect was 1.08 (1.05-1.10), accounting for 35.11% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: The FMR was associated with hyperuricemia and reduced eGFR, and the associations varied based on sex and age. The effect of the FMR on the reduced eGFR was significantly mediated by hyperuricemia in men.

The Effect of Body Weight and Alcohol Consumption on Hyperuricemia and Their Population Attributable Fractions: A National Health Survey in China.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of hyperuricemia (HUA) is increasing worldwide; understanding of population attributable fraction of modifiable risk factors (MRFs) is important for disease prevention. Given the sparse evidence on how MRFs influence HUA in mainland China, we aimed to explore the effect of excess body weight and alcohol consumption and their population attributable fractions of HUA based on a national survey in mainland China. METHODS: Using data from the China National Health Survey which included 31,746 Han Chinese of 20-80 years of age from 10 provinces, we estimated the prevalence and MRFs (overweight/obesity and alcohol consumption) of HUA. HUA was defined as serum uric acid >417 µmol/L in men and >340 µmol/L in women. Restricted cubic-spline models were used to demonstrate the linear and nonlinear associations between exposures and HUA. The adjusted population attributable risk (PAR) was calculated to understand the relative importance of each MRF. RESULTS: The prevalence of HUA was 25.1% in men and 15.9% in women. The population fraction of HUA cases that could be avoided by weight loss was 20.6% (19.3%-22.0%) in men and 18.1% (17.1%-19.0%) in women. The PAR of alcohol consumption was 12.8% (8.5%-17.1%) in men. Participants from Southwest China (Yunnan) had the highest HUA prevalence (47.9% in men and 29.9% in women) but with lower PAR of MRFs, especially in men (16.7%). Subjects in North China had lower HUA prevalence but higher PAR of MRFs. Around 44.8% male HUA cases in Inner Mongolia (26.9% of HUA prevalence) and 37.7% cases in Heilongjiang (34.4% of HUA prevalence) were attributable to overweight/obesity and alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: There are significant sex and geographic difference on PAR of HUA due to MRFs. More tailored prevention strategies are needed to prevent HUA through weight loss and reduction of alcohol consumption.

Eliciting national and subnational sets of disability weights in mainland China: Findings from the Chinese disability weight measurement study.

Background: The disability weight (DW) quantifies the severity of health states from disease sequela and is a pivotal parameter for disease burden calculation. We conducted a national and subnational DW measurement in China. Methods: In 2020-2021, we conducted a web-based survey to assess DWs for 206 health states in 31 Chinese provinces targeting health workers via professional networks. We fielded questions of paired comparison (PC) and population health equivalence (PHE). The PC data were analysed by probit regression analysis, and the regression results were anchored by results from the PHE responses on the DW scale between 0 (no loss of health) and 1 (health loss equivalent to death). Findings: We used PC responses from 468,541 respondents to estimate DWs of health states. Eight of 11 domains of health had significantly negative coefficients in the regression of the difference between Chinese and Global Burden of Disease (GBD) DWs, suggesting lower DW values for health states with mention of these domains in their lay description. We noted considerable heterogeneity within domains, however. After applying these Chinese DWs to the 2019 GBD estimates for China, total years lived with disability (YLDs) increased by 14·9% to 177 million despite lower estimates for musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, mental disorders, diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The lower estimates of YLDs for these conditions were more than offset by higher estimates of common, low-severity conditions. Interpretation: The differences between the GBD and Chinese DWs suggest that there might be some contextual factors influencing the valuation of health states. While the reduced estimates for mental disorders, alcohol use disorder, and dementia could hint at a culturally different valuation of these conditions in China, the much greater shifts in YLDs from low-severity conditions more likely reflects methodological difficulty to distinguish between health states that vary a little in absolute DW value but a lot in relative terms. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 82173626], the National Key Research and Development Program of China [grant numbers 2018YFC1315302], Wuhan Medical Research Program of Joint Fund of Hubei Health Committee [grant number WJ2019H304], and Ningxia Natural Science Foundation Project [grant number 2020AAC03436].

The Effect of Body Adiposity and Alcohol Consumption on Serum Uric Acid: A Quantile Regression Analysis Based on the China National Health Survey.

Adiposity and alcohol consumption are reported to be associated with a higher level of serum uric acid (SUA), but whether their effect differs on SUA percentile distribution is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate how alcohol intake and body fat percentage (%BF) integrated with body mass index (BMI) influence the distribution of SUA in Chinese adults. Data from the China National Health Survey (CNHS) which included adults from 10 provinces of China were used (n = 31,746, aged 20-80 years, 40% male). %BF and BMI were integrated into eight expanded body composition groups to understand how excess body adiposity affects the distribution of SUA in the populational level. Self-report alcohol intake information was collected by face-to-face questionnaire interview. Quantile regression (QR) was used to analyze the data. We found that adiposity and alcohol consumption were associated with SUA, especially at the upper percentile in both sexes. In obese men, the QR coefficients at the 75th and 95th percentiles were 74.0 (63.1-84.9) and 80.9 (52.5-109.3) µmol/L, respectively. The highest quartile of %BF in men had a 92.6 (79.3-105.9) µmol/L higher SUA levels at its 95th percentile than the 5th quartile (p < 0.001). Compared with normal or underweight with the lowest %BF group (NWBF1), the obesity-highest %BF group (OBBF4) had the strongest positive effect on SUA, especially at the higher percentile of SUA. In BMI-defined normal or underweight participants, a higher quartile of %BF had greater effect size in all SUA percentiles. In men, current alcohol drinking had the strongest effect at the 95th percentile of SUA (QR coefficient: 31.8, with 95% CI: 22.6-41.0) comparing with 14.5, 95% CI of 8.4 to 20.6 in the 5th SUA percentile. High risk of alcohol consumption had a greater effect on SUA, especially in the higher SUA percentile. The observation of stronger association at the higher percentile of SUA suggests that decreasing body adiposity and alcohol intake at the populational level may shift the upper tails of the SUA distributions to lower values, thereby reducing the incidence of hyperuricemia.

Prevalence and risk factors of myopia in Han and Yugur older adults in Gansu, China: a cross-sectional study.

Few studies have investigated the prevalence of myopia in Northwest China. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of myopia and high myopia in adults aged 40-80 years in the Han and Yugur populations living in Gansu Province, Northwest China. A total of 3,845 participants were included. The overall age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent (SE) < -0.5 D), high myopia (SE < -6.0 D) and hyperopia (SE > + 0.5 D) were 16.4%, 0.7% and 26.2% in Yugur participants, respectively, and 34.3%, 5.0% and 19.2% in Han participants, respectively. The prevalence of myopia and high myopia in Han participants was significantly higher than that in Yugur participants (both P < 0.001). Yugur population, birth in rural areas, smoking history and outdoor work were found to be negatively associated with myopia. Higher education level and a family history of myopia were found to be positively associated with myopia in the study population. High myopia was negatively associated with Yugur population, aging, birth in rural areas and was positively associated with a family history of myopia. This study provided valuable information regarding the environmental risk factors of myopia and revealed an ethnic disparity in the prevalence of myopia in Gansu Province, Northwest China.

Sandstorm weather is a risk factor for mortality in ischemic heart disease patients in the Hexi Corridor, northwestern China.

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Moreover, the effects of air pollution have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The relationship between sandstorm weather and IHD is unknown. The Hexi Corridor is located in northwestern China and is a typical desert region comprising a large area of desert with a high incidence of sandstorms. This study aimed to explore the association between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality in this area. We acquired meteorological data of sandstorm weather from 2006 to 2015 from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau, and data regarding deaths due to IHD in five cities within the Hexi Corridor were collected from the death registration system of the Center for Disease Control of Gansu during the same period. Two other cities with few sandstorm events were selected as control regions. The time series method of the generalized additive model (GAM) was used to assess the association between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality in the Hexi Corridor. The results showed that the frequency of sandstorms in the Hexi Corridor was higher than that in the control regions (5.48% vs 1.64%, P < 0.01), and IHD-related mortality was correspondingly higher than that in the control regions (56.42/100,000 vs 45.62/100,000, P < 0.01). After stratification by gender, age, and urban/rural residence, a significant difference in IHD-related mortality was also noted (P < 0.05). Significant associations were found between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality, and the relative risk (RR) increased with an increasing number of days of sandstorm weather. According to the monthly and annual analyses, the mortality rate corresponded to sandstorm frequency. Our data suggest a positive association between sandstorm weather and IHD-related mortality in the Hexi Corridor of Gansu Province. The underlying mechanism requires further study.

The Additive Interaction between Body Mass Index and Hypertension Family History in Han and Yugur: The China National Health Survey (CNHS).

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the additive interaction of body mass index (BMI) and family history of hypertension (FHH) on hypertension and explore whether the interaction could be influenced by behavioural risk factors. METHODS: The cross-sectional data on 5791 participants were from the China National Health Survey in Gansu province in 2016. We assessed the additive interaction by calculating the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and the synergy index (SI). RESULTS: ORs for hypertension were highest in Han (13.52, 95% CI: 9.45 to 19.34) and Yugur (13.85, 95% CI: 8.48 to 22.63) with the combination of obesity and FHH. The interaction of BMI and FHH was significant in Han people, with the RERI, AP, and SI and their 95% CIs being 2.48 (1.13 to 3.82), 0.33 (0.19 to 0.47), and 1.61 (1.26 to 2.07) for overweight and FHH and 6.32 (1.91 to 10.73), 0.47 (0.27 to 0.67), and 2.02 (1.33 to 3.07) for obesity and FHH, respectively. The interaction of BMI and FHH was not significant in Yugur people. Adjustment for behavioural risk factors had little influence on the interactions, and risks of hypertension remained increased. CONCLUSIONS: BMI and FHH were associated with hypertension, and the interaction of BMI and FHH on hypertension was significant in Han but not in Yugur people. Behavioural risk factors had little influence on the associations and interactions. The exacerbation of hypertension risks by overweight or obesity in hypertension families deserves attention in weight control and community care.

Data Resource Profile: The China National Health Survey (CNHS).

The China National Health Survey (CNHS) is the first nationwide multi-ethnic cross-sectional interview and health examination conducted from 2012 to 2017. The survey is designed to study reference intervals for physiological constants as well as determinants of noncommunicable diseases among different ethnic populations in different areas, so that the data can be used to enhance clinical diagnosis strategies and health promotion. CNHS used a stratified, multistage cluster sampling method to obtain a sample of 53 895 people aged 20-80 years in 10 ethnic groups from 11 provinces or autonomous regions all over China. Blood samples were collected from each participant for the establishment of the China Multi-Ethnic Biobank (CMEB). CNHS collected data on demographic and socioeconomic information, lifestyle factors, anthropometric measures, laboratory tests and clinical profiles. These data provide a comprehensive resource for further study on risk factors of noncommunicable disease among different ethnic groups. Information about the CNHS database, including publication list, introduction of the survey design and methods, and guidelines for submitting electronic forms of data application, is available at [http://www.bmicc.cn/web/share/home].

[Budesonide attenuates airway remodeling and modules the expression of Janus protein tyrosine kinase 1, and signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 in asthma: an experiment with mice].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of budesonide (BUD) on the airway remodeling and the expression of Janus protein tyrosine kinases 1 (JAK1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) in asthma. METHODS: Thirty female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into 3 equal groups: control group; asthma group, sensitized on day 1, 8, and 15 and challenged from day 21 to 52 with periodically repeated intranasal drip of ovalbumin (OVA); and BUD treated group, undergoing intranasal drip of OVA as mentioned above and intranasal administration of BUD 2 hours before each OVA challenge. 24 h after the final OVA inhalation an invasive single-chamber whole body plethysmograph was used to assess the airway responsiveness. Then bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was obtained and ELISA was used to measure the contents of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. The mice were killed and their lungs taken out. HE staining and periodic acid Schiff (PAS) staining were used to observe the airway score of goblet cells. Peribronchiolar collagen deposition was imaged in Masson-stained lung sections. Biochemical assay was used to determine the total lung tissue level of collagen. Potass hydrolyse method was used to examine the content of hydroxyproline in the lung tissue. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), JAK1, and STAT6. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of alpha-SMA. RESULTS: The value of LogPC100 of the asthma group was 1.88 +/- 0.34, significantly higher than those of the BUD and control groups (1.79 +/- 0.18 and 0.82 +/- 0.78 respectively, both P = 0.000). The airway score of goblet cells of the asthma group was 3.05 +/- 0.23, significantly higher than those of the BUD and control groups (1.35 +/- 0.26 and 0.40 +/- 0.13 respectively, both P < 0.01). The hydroxyproline content of the asthma group was (459 +/- 47) microg/100 mg tissue, significantly higher than those of the BUD and control groups [(284 +/- 16) and (181 +/- 22) microg/100 mg tissue respectively, both P < 0.01]. The level of IL-4 of the asthma group was (14.4 +/- 1.12) ng/L, significantly higher than those of the BUD and control groups [(7.3 +/- 0.6) and (5.6 +/- 0.8) ng/L respectively, both P < 0.01]. The IL-13 level of the asthma group was (16.8 +/- 0.9) ng/L, significantly higher than those of the BUD and control groups [(10.6 +/- 0.9) and (5.6 +/- 0.8) ng/L respectively, both P < 0.01]. Treatment of BUD attenuated the allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and structural changes in airway, and decreased the values of the airway scores of goblet cells, and levels of hydroxyproline, IL-4, and IL-13 in comparison with the asthma group (all P < 0.01). Repeated OVA challenge resulted in an upregulation of the expression levels of alpha-SMA, JAK1 and STAT6 protein and alpha-SMA mRNA, while use of BUD suppressed these changes. The changes of JAK1 and STAT6 expression were correlated significantly with the changes in the airway score of goblet cells, hydroxyproline content, expression level of alpha-SMA, and levels of IL-4 and IL-13 in BALF (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: BUD ameliorates the progression of airway remodeling following prolonged allergen challenge via regulation of JAK1/STAT6 signal pathway.