Serum Globulin Is Associated with Endoscopic Findings and Mucosal Healing in Japanese Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Serum globulin is an inflammation marker. To date, no evidence regarding the association between serum globulin and disease activity in patients with ulcerative colitis has been reported. AIMS: We evaluated the association between serum globulin and endoscopic activity in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Serum globulin was divided into tertiles based on the distribution of study subjects (low globulin, ≤ 2.7 g/dl (reference); moderate globulin, 2.7-3.1 g/dl; and high globulin, > 3.1 g/dl). A single endoscopic specialist evaluated the endoscopic findings, and mucosal healing was based on Mayo endoscopic subscore. RESULTS: A total of 277 patients with ulcerative colitis were included in the study. Serum globulin was independently positively associated with diminished or absent vascular markings [moderate: adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.70 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.82-7.88) and high: adjusted OR 2.40 (95%CI: 1.20-4.94), p for trend = 0.005]. A similar positive association between globulin and erosion was found [high: adjusted OR 2.00 (95%CI: 1.05-3.86)]. Serum globulin was independently inversely associated with mucosal healing [moderate: adjusted OR 0.37 (95%CI: 0.18-0.73) and high: adjusted OR 0.31 (95%CI: 0.14-0.64), p for trend = 0.001] and adjusted partial mucosal healing [moderate: OR 0.51 (95%CI: 0.26-0.98), p for trend = 0.048]. The inverse association between globulin and mucosal healing was significant in the low but not the high C-reactive protein group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ulcerative colitis, serum globulin was significantly positively associated with endoscopic activity, and was significantly inversely associated with mucosal healing, especially in the low C-reactive protein group.

Association between platelet count and mucosal healing in Japanese patients with ulcerative colitis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Mucosal healing (MH) has been indicated as the therapeutic goal for ulcerative colitis (UC). Platelet count is known as an inflammation evaluation. However, the association between platelet count and MH among patients with UC is still scarce. We therefore assessed this issue among Japanese patients with UC. METHODS: The study subjects consisted of 345 Japanese patients with UC. Platelet count was divided into quartiles on the basis of the distribution of all study subjects (low, moderate, high, and very high). Several endoscope specialists were responsible for evaluating MH and partial MH, which was defined as a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0 and 0-1, respectively. Estimations of crude odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for partial MH and MH in relation to platelet count were performed using logistic regression analysis. Age, sex, CRP, steroid use, and anti-Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) preparation were selected a priori as potential confounding factors. RESULTS: The percentage of partial MH and MH were 63.2 and 26.1%, respectively. Moderate and very high was independently inversely associated with partial MH (moderate: OR 0.40 [95%CI 0.19-0.810], very high: OR 0.37 [95%CI 0.17-0.77], p for trend = 0.034). Similarly, moderate, high, and very high were independently inversely associated with MH (moderate: OR 0.37 [95% CI 0.18-0.73], high: OR 0.41 [95% CI 0.19-0.83], and very high: OR 0.45 [95% CI 0.21-0.94], p for trend = 0.033) after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with UC, platelet count was independently inversely associated with MH.

Dietary intake habits and the prevalence of nocturia in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: No reports have been published on the association between dietary intake habits and nocturia in the diabetes population. We therefore evaluated this issue among Japanese patients with diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study participants in the present study were 785 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Self-administered questionnaires were used to assess each type of dietary intake habit. Vegetable intake habit was assessed by the following question: "Do you have vegetables or seaweed every day?" We used the following two outcomes: (i) nocturia: ≥2 voids per night; and (ii) severe nocturia: ≥3 voids per night. Adjustment was made for age, sex, body mass index, glycated hemoglobin, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking, drinking, exercise habit, stroke, ischemic artery disease, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy and diabetic retinopathy. RESULTS: The prevalence of nocturia, severe nocturia, and vegetable intake habit was 39.9%, 14.4% and 67.3%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, vegetable intake habit was independently inversely associated with nocturia and severe nocturia: the adjusted odds ratios were 0.67 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.48-0.94) and 0.46 (95% CI 0.30-0.71), respectively. Among male patients, vegetable intake habit was independently inversely associated with severe nocturia, but not nocturia: the adjusted OR was 0.51 (95% CI 0.29-0.88). Among female patients, vegetable intake habit was independently inversely associated with nocturia and severe nocturia: the adjusted ORs were 0.44 (95% CI 0.24-0.79) and 0.34 (95% CI 0.15-0.78), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found an inverse association between vegetable intake habit and nocturia in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Macrovascular Complications and Prevalence of Urgency Incontinence in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Dogo Study.

Objective Macrovascular diseases and urgency incontinence are common among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, little evidence exists regarding the association between stroke and urgency incontinence among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We examined the associations between macrovascular complications and urgency incontinence among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods The study subjects were 818 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Urgency incontinence was defined as present when a subject answered "once a week or more" to the question: "Within one week, how often do you leak urine because you cannot defer the sudden desire to urinate?" We adjusted our analyses for sex, age, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes, current smoking, current drinking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, glycated hemoglobin, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Results The prevalence of urgency incontinence was 9.2%. Stroke was independently positively associated with urgency incontinence, with an adjusted odds ratio of 2.34 (95% confidence interval: 1.03-4.95). The associations between ischemic heart disease or peripheral artery disease and the prevalence of urgency incontinence were not significant. Conclusion In Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, stroke, but not ischemic heart diseases or peripheral artery disease, was independently positively associated with urgency incontinence.

Smoking and prevalence of nocturia in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a post-hoc analysis of The Dogo Study.

AIMS: No evidence exists regarding the association between smoking status and nocturia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. We evaluated this association among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus by post-hoc analysis. METHODS: Study subjects were 817 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Study subjects were considered to have nocturia if they answered "once or more" to the question: "Within one week, how many times do you typically wake up to urinate from sleeping at night until waking in the morning?" We used the following three outcomes: (1) nocturia was ≥1 voids per night; (2) moderate nocturia was ≥2 voids per night; and (3) severe nocturia was ≥3 voids per night. Adjustments were made for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, glycated hemoglobin, current drinking, use of anti-hypertensive agent, use of insulin, use of oral anti-hyperglycemic agent, and diabetic retinopathy. RESULTS: The prevalence values of one void per night, two voids per night, and three or more voids per night were 39.5%, 27.1%, and 14.8%, respectively. Current smoking was independently inversely associated with severe nocturia compared with never or former smoking; the adjusted PR was 0.47 (95%CI: 0.25-0.89). Among the 443 patients who had ever smoked, compared with former smoking, current smoking was independently inversely related to severe nocturia; the adjusted PR was 0.44 (95%CI: 0.24-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, current smoking may be independently inversely associated with severe nocturia.

Self-reported sitting time and prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Dogo Study.

AIMS: No evidence exists regarding the association between sitting time and erectile dysfunction (ED) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between self-reported sitting time and ED among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Study subjects were 430 male Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean age, 60.5years). A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the variables under study. The study subjects were asked about time spent sitting during typical 24-hour periods over the past 12months. Subjects were divided into four groups according to self-reported sitting time: 1) <5hours, 2) 5-7hours, 3) 7-9hours, and 4) ≥9hours. ED was defined as present when a subject had a Sexual Health Inventory for Men score <8. Adjustment was made for age, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes, current smoking, current drinking, hypertension, coronary artery disease, stroke, glycated hemoglobin, walking habit, and diabetic neuropathy. RESULTS: The prevalence values of moderate to severe ED and severe ED were 36.1% and 49.8%. At least 9hours sitting was independently positively associated with severe ED but not moderate to severe ED; the adjusted OR was 1.84 (95% CI: 1.06-3.33). In the multivariate model, there was a statistically significant inverse exposure-response relationship between the self-reported sitting time and severe ED (p for trend=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported sitting time may be positively associated with ED in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Alcohol consumption and prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Baseline data from the Dogo Study.

Diabetes mellitus and heavy alcohol consumption are both associated with vascular disease, a category that includes erectile dysfunction (ED). However, the association between alcohol consumption and ED among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus remains unclear. The aim of the present multicenter cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between drinking frequency, weekly alcohol consumption, daily alcohol consumption, and ED among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Study subjects were 340 male Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, aged 19-70 years, who had undergone blood tests at our institutions. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the variables under study. ED was defined as present when a subject had a Sexual Health Inventory for Men score <8. Adjustment was made for age, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus, current smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, glycated hemoglobin, stroke, coronary artery disease, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic neuropathy. The prevalence of ED was 43.2% (147/340). The frequency of alcohol consumption and weekly alcohol consumption were independently inversely associated with ED (p for trend p = 0.001 and 0.004, respectively). The relationship between daily alcohol consumption and ED was an inverted J-shaped curve: alcohol consumption of less than 60 g, but not 60 g or more, per day was independently related to a lower prevalence of ED (p for quadratic trend = 0.003). In Japanese men with type 2 diabetes mellitus, an inverted J-shaped relationship between daily alcohol consumption and ED was observed, while frequency of alcohol consumption and weekly alcohol consumption were significantly inversely associated with ED.

Microvascular Complications and Prevalence of Nocturia in Japanese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Dogo Study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between microvascular complications and nocturia among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Study subjects were 731 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the variables under study. Study subjects were considered to have nocturia if they answered "once or more" to the question: "How many times do you typically wake up to urinate from sleeping at night until waking in the morning?" Diabetic neuropathy was diagnosed if the patients showed two or more of the following three characteristics: neuropathic symptoms, the absence of the Achilles reflex, or abnormal vibration perception. Diabetic nephropathy was defined as positive when the estimated glomerular filtration rate was <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and/or the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio was ≥34 mg/mmol creatinine. Several ophthalmology specialists were responsible for evaluating diabetic retinopathy. Adjustment was made for sex, age, body mass index, duration of diabetes mellitus, current smoking, current drinking, hypertension, stroke, ischemic heart disease, and glycated hemoglobin. RESULTS: The prevalence of nocturia was 80.4%. Diabetic retinopathy was independently positively associated with nocturia (adjusted odds ratio 2.39 [95% confidence interval: 1.08-6.11]). In contrast, diabetic nephropathy or diabetic neuropathy was not associated with nocturia. CONCLUSION: In Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, only diabetic retinopathy was independently positively associated with nocturia.

Serum lipoprotein(a) levels and diabetic nephropathy among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIMS: We aimed to evaluate the association between serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels and diabetic nephropathy among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This study included 581 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Serum Lp(a) levels were divided into four groups; the cut-off points were at the 30th, 60th, and 90th percentile values on the basis of the distribution for all subjects. Diabetic nephropathy was defined as present when the urinary albumin-creatinine ratio was ≥33.9mg/mmol creatinine and/or the estimated glomerular filtration rate was <30ml/min/1.72m(2). Adjustment was made for age, sex, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, duration of diabetes mellitus, current drinking, current smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, and stroke. RESULTS: Higher serum Lp(a) levels were significantly associated with a higher prevalence of diabetic nephropathy: the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for diabetic nephropathy in relation to serum Lp(a) levels of ≤6, 7-15, 16-38, and ≥39mg/dl were 1.00 (reference), 2.74 (1.08-7.00), 3.31 (1.28-8.54), and 4.80 (1.57-14.60), respectively (P for trend=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that serum Lp(a) levels may be positively associated with diabetic nephropathy among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Microvascular complications and prevalence of urgency incontinence in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: The dogo study.

AIMS: Diabetes was significantly positively associated with urgency incontinence in several epidemiological studies. We examine the association between diabetic neuropathy, which we defined based on neuropathic symptoms, the absence of the Achilles reflex, and/or abnormal vibration perception, and urgency incontinence among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Study subjects were 742 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, aged 19-70 years, who had undergone blood tests at our institutions. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on the variables under study. Urgency incontinence was defined as present when a subject answered "once a week or more" to the question: "Within one week, how often do you leak urine because you cannot defer the sudden desire to urinate ?". Diabetic neuropathy was diagnosed if the patients showed two or more of the following three characteristics: neuropathic symptoms, the absence of the Achilles reflex, and/or abnormal vibration perception. Adjustment was made for sex, age, body mass index, duration of type 2 diabetes mellitus, current smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, glycated hemoglobin, stroke, coronary artery disease, insulin therapy, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic neuropathy. RESULTS: The prevalence of urgency incontinence was 8.6%. Diabetic neuropathy was independently positively associated with urgency incontinence: the adjusted OR was 2.20 (95%CI: 1.16-4.36). Associations between diabetic retinopathy or nephropathy and the prevalence of urgency incontinence were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, only diabetic neuropathy was independently positively associated with urgency incontinence. Neurourol. Urodynam. 35:1024-1027, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association between subclinical hypothyroidism and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, it is unknown whether common complications of type 2 diabetes, such as diabetic nephropathy, are also present with SCH. Here, we investigated the association between SCH and diabetic nephropathy among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we recruited 414 such patients who had no previous history of thyroid disease. Serum thyroid hormone levels and the urinary albumin:creatinine ratio were measured. SCH was defined as an elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) level (>4.0 mIU/L), and diabetic nephropathy was defined as urinary albumin/creatinine ratio ≥300 mg/g. The prevalence of SCH was 8.7% (n = 36) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The SCH group had a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (p = 0.008) and diabetic nephropathy (p = 0.014) than the euthyroid group. Multivariate analysis identified significant positive associations between diabetic nephropathy and SCH (odds ratio [OR], 3.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-10.0; p = 0.034), hypertension (OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.69-14.7; p = 0.001), and smoking (OR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.14-7.91; p = 0.026). SCH may be independently associated with diabetic nephropathy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia as an associated risk factor for microalbuminuria in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the prevalence of nocturnal intermittent hypoxia, a surrogate marker of obstructive sleep apnoea, among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and examined the association between nocturnal intermittent hypoxia and microvascular diseases. DESIGN AND METHODS: We recruited 513 Japanese patients (292 men and 221 women) with T2DM. Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was diagnosed using the 3% oxygen desaturation index, with less than five events per hour corresponding to normal and five events or more per hour corresponding to nocturnal intermittent hypoxia. RESULTS: The prevalence of nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was 45.4% among T2DM patients. The nocturnal intermittent hypoxia group was older and had a higher BMI, greater weight change since the age of 20 years, higher smoking rate and increased prevalence of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria (model 1: odds ratio (OR), 3.41; 95% CI, 1.85-6.40; model 2: OR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.85-7.59 and model 3: OR, 3.12; 95% CI, 1.45-6.95) and nephropathy (model 1: OR, 4.51; 95% CI, 1.58-15.1; model 2: OR, 7.31; 95% CI, 2.11-31.6 and model 3: OR, 5.23; 95% CI, 1.45-23.8) were derived as factors from all the three statistical models and constantly associated with nocturnal intermittent hypoxia only in women. CONCLUSIONS: Nocturnal intermittent hypoxia was highly prevalent among T2DM patients and may be an independent associated risk factor for microalbuminuria in Japanese women with T2DM.

Endovascular treatment is effective against acute mesenteric ischemia complicated with metabolic diseases.

A 77-year-old man with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and a smoking habit presented at our hospital with sudden abdominal pain. Computed tomography indicated edematous swelling and pneumatosis of the intestinal wall in a localized area of the ascending colon with inflamed adipose tissue. Acute mesenteric ischemia was diagnosed. Abdominal angiography showed stenosis of the mesenteric arteries. Virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound imaging indicated a fibrous change in the superior mesenteric artery with a necrotic core. Endovascular treatment with stent placement after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty was effective. Surgery would usually be considered as the first choice for treating patients with acute mesenteric ischemia; however, when this condition is complicated with metabolic diseases, stenotic changes in the mesenteric arteries that would normally be found in patients with chronic mesenteric ischemia need to be considered to ensure optimal treatment.