Number of teeth and functional disability in community-dwelling older adults.

INTRODUCTION: This study determined whether tooth loss was associated with the development of functional disability and estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of functional disability due to tooth loss, along with risk factors for functional disability such as physical function and cognitive impairment. METHODS: The participants were 838 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥70 years living in the Tsurugaya district in Japan in 2003. The exposure variable was the number of remaining teeth (counted by trained dentists). Other variables were age, sex, depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, educational attainment, physical function and social support. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the incidence of functional disability for each risk factor, such as tooth loss. The functional disability PAF due to tooth loss was estimated, and risk factors for functional disability were identified. RESULTS: In total, 619 (73.9%) participants developed functional disability during follow-up. A multivariable model showed that those with <20 teeth (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.08-1.53) were more likely to develop functional disability than those with 20 teeth or more. PAF estimation for functional disability was shown to have decreasing values in the following order: age, female sex, tooth loss and reduced physical function. CONCLUSIONS: Tooth loss was associated with the development of functional disability in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. While retaining teeth may be a potential strategy for avoiding functional disability, clinical studies on the effect of dental treatment on preventing functional disability are warranted.

The Efficacy of Combination Therapy with Ustekinumab and Budesonide for Crohn's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Limited data exist on the efficacy of combination therapy with ustekinumab and budesonide in patients with Crohn's disease. Our objective was to compare the clinical outcomes of ustekinumab and budesonide combination therapy with those of ustekinumab monotherapy. Methods: In this phase 2 single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled trial, we assigned 19 patients with Crohn's disease with a Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) equal to or greater than 220 and less than 450 in a 1:1 ratio to receive ustekinumab and budesonide or ustekinumab for 32 weeks. The primary endpoint was the clinical remission rate at 8 weeks. The secondary endpoints were the clinical remission rate at 32 weeks and mucosal healing rates at 8 and 32 weeks. Results: Of 19 patients, the mean age was 37.8 years, and 42.1% were women (CDAI ≥220 and <450). There was no difference between combination therapy and ustekinumab monotherapy in terms of clinical remission rates (50.0% vs. 30.0%, p = 0.39 at 8 weeks and 37.5% vs. 20.0%, p = 0.41) and mucosal healing rates (75.0% vs. 90.0%, p = 0.40 and 37.5% vs. 60.0%, p = 0.34 at 8 and 32 weeks, respectively). The most common adverse event was an exacerbation of Crohn's. There were no differences in safety profiles between the two groups. Conclusions: Our study showed no difference between ustekinumab monotherapy and ustekinumab and budesonide combination therapy in terms of the induction and maintenance of remission (trial registration number: jRCTs021200013).

Association between education and disability-free life expectancy among Japanese older people: The Ohsaki Cohort 2006 study.

BACKGROUND: Higher education level is associated with longer disability-free life expectancy (DFLE). However, evidence is scarce regarding factors that can contribute to eliminating inequality in DFLE according to education level. This study aimed to clarify the association between education and DFLE and estimate whether DFLE in people with lower education may increase to the same level as that in people with higher education through social participation. METHODS: We analyzed data from 13,849 Japanese people aged 65 years and older who participated in a 13-year prospective study. At baseline, we collected information on education levels (low, middle, or high) and social participation. DFLE was defined as the average duration people expect to live without disability. To calculate DFLE for each education level group, the multistate life table method was employed using a Markov model. RESULTS: At the age of 65 years, DFLE (95 % confidence interval [CI]) in women with low education was 21.3 years (20.8-21.8) without social participation and 24.3 (23.8-24.9) with social participation. In the middle education group, DFLE was 22.1 (21.6-22.6) without social participation and 25.0 (24.6-25.5) with social participation. In the high education group, DFLE was 22.1 (21.5-22.8) without social participation and 25.5 (25.0-26.0) with social participation. Similar results were found for men. CONCLUSIONS: DFLE in people with low or middle education with social participation was almost the same as that in those with high education with social participation, suggesting the possibility that disparities in DFLE by education level could be offset by promoting social participation in older adults.

Diabetes is associated with increased liver cancer incidence and mortality in adults: A report from Asia Cohort Consortium.

There has been growing evidence suggesting that diabetes may be associated with increased liver cancer risk. However, studies conducted in Asian countries are limited. This project considered data of 968,738 adults pooled from 20 cohort studies of Asia Cohort Consortium to examine the association between baseline diabetes and liver cancer incidence and mortality. Cox proportional hazard model and competing risk approach was used for pooled data. Two-stage meta-analysis across studies was also done. There were 839,194 subjects with valid data regarding liver cancer incidence (5654 liver cancer cases [48.29/100,000 person-years]), follow-up time and baseline diabetes (44,781 with diabetes [5.3%]). There were 747,198 subjects with valid data regarding liver cancer mortality (5020 liver cancer deaths [44.03/100,000 person-years]), follow-up time and baseline diabetes (43,243 with diabetes [5.8%]). Hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [95%CI]) of liver cancer diagnosis in those with vs. without baseline diabetes was 1.97 (1.79, 2.16) (p < .0001) after adjusting for baseline age, gender, body mass index, tobacco smoking, alcohol use, and heterogeneity across studies (n = 586,072; events = 4620). Baseline diabetes was associated with increased cumulative incidence of death due to liver cancer (adjusted HR (95%CI) = 1.97 (1.79, 2.18); p < .0001) (n = 595,193; events = 4110). A two-stage meta-analytic approach showed similar results. This paper adds important population-based evidence to current literature regarding the increased incidence and mortality of liver cancer in adults with diabetes. The analysis of data pooled from 20 studies of different Asian countries and the meta-analysis across studies with large number of subjects makes the results robust.

Active and passive smoking and breast cancer in Japan: a pooled analysis of nine population-based cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the link between smoking and breast cancer risk, despite the biological plausibility of a positive association. METHODS: Participants were 166 611 women from nine prospective cohort studies in Japan which launched in 1984-1994 and followed for 8-22 years. Information on smoking and secondhand smoke was obtained through self-administered baseline questionnaires. Breast cancer was defined as code C50 according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition or the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. After adjusting for several potential confounders, relative risks for breast cancer were calculated in the individual studies according to the current or previous status of active and passive smoking using Cox regression, followed by a summary estimate of hazard ratios using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: Of the 60 441 participants who reported being premenopausal and 106 170 who reported being postmenopausal at baseline, 897 and 1168 developed breast cancer during follow-up, respectively. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had a higher risk of developing breast cancer before the age of 50 years. In addition, ever smokers who started smoking at 30 years of age or younger, or who started smoking before first childbirth, had a higher risk of developing breast cancer before the age of 50 years. No association between adulthood or childhood exposure to secondhand smoke and breast cancer was observed. CONCLUSION: Smoking may increase the risk of premenopausal breast cancer, and smoking earlier in life might be especially harmful. The impact of secondhand smoke needs further investigation.

Body mass index and lung cancer risk: Pooled analysis of 10 prospective cohort studies in Japan.

Mounting evidence suggests that body mass index (BMI) is inversely associated with the risk of lung cancer. However, relatively few studies have explored this association in Asian people, who have a much lower prevalence of obesity than Caucasians. We pooled data from 10 prospective cohort studies involving 444,143 Japanese men and women to address the association between BMI and the risk of lung cancer. Study-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in each cohort using the Cox proportional hazards model. A meta-analysis was undertaken by combining the results from each cohort. Heterogeneity across studies was evaluated using Cochran's Q and I2statistics. During 5,730,013 person-years of follow-up, 6454 incident lung cancer cases (4727 men and 1727 women) were identified. Baseline BMI was inversely associated with lung cancer risk in men and women combined. While leanness (BMI <18.5) was associated with a higher risk of lung cancer (HR 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.57), overweight and obesity were associated with a lower risk, with HRs of 0.77 (95% CI, 0.71-0.84) and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.45-1.07), respectively. Every 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with a 21% lower risk of lung cancer (HR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.75-0.83; p < 0.0001). Our pooled analysis indicated that BMI is inversely associated with the risk of lung cancer in the Japanese population. This inverse association could be partly attributed to residual confounding by smoking, as it was more pronounced among male smokers.

Association between reproductive factors with lung cancer incidence and mortality: A pooled analysis of over 308,000 females in the Asia cohort consortium.

Previous studies have investigated the association between reproductive factors and lung cancer risk; however, findings have been inconsistent. In order to assess this association among Asian women, a total of 308,949 female participants from 11 prospective cohorts and four Asian countries (Japan, Korea, China, and Singapore) were included. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 3,119 primary lung cancer cases and 2247 lung cancer deaths were identified with a mean follow-up of 16.4 years. Parous women had a lower risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality as compared with nulliparous women, with HRs of 0.82 (95% CI = 0.70-0.96) and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.65-0.94). The protective association of parity and lung cancer incidence was greater among ever-smokers (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49-0.87) than in never-smokers (HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.74-1.09) (P-interaction = 0.029). Compared with age at first delivery ≤20 years, older age at first delivery (21-25, ≥26 years) was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality. Women who ever used hormone replacements had a higher likelihood of developing non-small cell lung cancer (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.02-1.68), compared to those who never used hormone replacements. Future studies are needed to assess the underlying mechanisms, the relationships within these female reproductive factors, and the potential changes in smoking habits over time.

Adult Height and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 10 Population-based Cohort Studies in Japan.

BACKGROUND: While tall stature has been linked to an increase in the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), its association with cancer in the colorectum and its subsites remains unclear among Asians. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of 10 population-based cohort studies among adults in Japan. Each study estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CRC incidence associated with adult height were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment of the same set of covariates were then pooled to estimate summary HRs incidence using random-effect models. RESULTS: We identified 9,470 CRC incidences among 390,063 participants during 5,672,930 person-years of follow-up. Men and women with tall stature had a higher risk of CRC and colon cancer. HRs for CRC, colon cancer, and distal colon cancer for the highest versus lowest height categories were 1.23 (95% CI, 1.07-1.40), 1.22 (95% CI, 1.09-1.36), and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.08-1.49), respectively, in men and 1.21 (95% CI, 1.09-1.35), 1.23 (95% CI, 1.08-1.40), and 1.35 (95% CI, 1.003-1.81), respectively, in women. The association with proximal colon cancer and rectal cancer was less evident in both sexes. CONCLUSION: This pooled analysis confirms the link between tall stature and a higher risk of CRC and colon cancer (especially distal colon) among the Japanese and adds evidence to support the use of adult height to identify those at a higher risk of CRC.

Combined Fat Mass and Fat-free Mass Indices and Lung Function Among Japanese Population: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Although fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) affect lung function, FMI and FFMI are not independent of each other, since FMI and FFMI were calculated as fat mass and fat-free mass divided by height squared, respectively. We aimed to examine the association of combined FMI and FFMI with lung function. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, lung function was evaluated using forced expiratory volume at 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) measured using spirometry. Both FMI and FFMI were classified into sex-specific quartiles (16 groups). Analysis of covariance was used to assess the associations of combined FMI and FFMI with lung function. The trend test was conducted by stratifying the FMI and FFMI, scoring the categories from 1-4 (lowest-highest), and entering the number as a continuous term in the regression model. RESULTS: This study included 3,736 men and 8,821 women aged ≥20 years living in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The mean FEV1 was 3.0 (standard deviation [SD], 0.7) L for men and 2.3 (SD, 0.5) L for women. The mean FVC was 3.8 (SD, 0.7) L for men and 2.8 (SD, 0.5) L for women. FMI was inversely associated with lung function among all FFMI subgroups in both sexes. Conversely, FFMI was positively associated with lung function in all FMI subgroups in both sexes. CONCLUSION: Higher FMI was associated with lower lung function independent of FFMI; higher FFMI was associated with higher lung function independent of FMI. Reducing FMI and maintaining FFMI might be important for respiratory health.

Obesity is associated with biliary tract cancer mortality and incidence: A pooled analysis of 21 cohort studies in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

Body fatness is considered a probable risk factor for biliary tract cancer (BTC), whereas cholelithiasis is an established factor. Nevertheless, although obesity is an established risk factor for cholelithiasis, previous studies of the association of body mass index (BMI) and BTC did not take the effect of cholelithiasis fully into account. To better understand the effect of BMI on BTC, we conducted a pooled analysis using population-based cohort studies in Asians. In total, 905 530 subjects from 21 cohort studies participating in the Asia Cohort Consortium were included. BMI was categorized into four groups: underweight (<18.5 kg/m2 ); normal (18.5-22.9 kg/m2 ); overweight (23-24.9 kg/m2 ); and obese (25+ kg/m2 ). The association between BMI and BTC incidence and mortality was assessed using hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by Cox regression models with shared frailty. Mediation analysis was used to decompose the association into a direct and an indirect (mediated) effect. Compared to normal BMI, high BMI was associated with BTC mortality (HR 1.19 [CI 1.02-1.38] for males, HR 1.30 [1.14-1.49] for females). Cholelithiasis had significant interaction with BMI on BTC risk. BMI was associated with BTC risk directly and through cholelithiasis in females, whereas the association was unclear in males. When cholelithiasis was present, BMI was not associated with BTC death in either males or females. BMI was associated with BTC death among females without cholelithiasis. This study suggests BMI is associated with BTC mortality in Asians. Cholelithiasis appears to contribute to the association; and moreover, obesity appears to increase BTC risk without cholelithiasis.

Lung Cancer Risk Prediction Models for Asian Ever-Smokers.

INTRODUCTION: Although lung cancer prediction models are widely used to support risk-based screening, their performance outside Western populations remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the performance of 11 existing risk prediction models in multiple Asian populations and to refit prediction models for Asians. METHODS: In a pooled analysis of 186,458 Asian ever-smokers from 19 prospective cohorts, we assessed calibration (expected-to-observed ratio) and discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) for each model. In addition, we developed the "Shanghai models" to better refine risk models for Asians on the basis of two well-characterized population-based prospective cohorts and externally validated them in other Asian cohorts. RESULTS: Among the 11 models, the Lung Cancer Death Risk Assessment Tool yielded the highest AUC (AUC [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 0.71 [0.67-0.74] for lung cancer death and 0.69 [0.67-0.72] for lung cancer incidence) and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial Model had good calibration overall (expected-to-observed ratio [95% CI] = 1.06 [0.90-1.25]). Nevertheless, these models substantially underestimated lung cancer risk among Asians who reported less than 10 smoking pack-years or stopped smoking more than or equal to 20 years ago. The Shanghai models were found to have marginal improvement overall in discrimination (AUC [95% CI] = 0.72 [0.69-0.74] for lung cancer death and 0.70 [0.67-0.72] for lung cancer incidence) but consistently outperformed the selected Western models among low-intensity smokers and long-term quitters. CONCLUSIONS: The Shanghai models had comparable performance overall to the best existing models, but they improved much in predicting the lung cancer risk of low-intensity smokers and long-term quitters in Asia.

Association between Social Isolation and the Risk of Incident Functional Disability in Elderly Survivors after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Social isolation is frequently observed among survivors of disaster. However, there is limited evidence regarding the association between social isolation and adverse health outcomes among survivors of disaster. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between social isolation and the risk of incident functional disability (IFD) among survivors of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE). We conducted a prospective cohort study of 1,039 residents aged ≥ 65 years who lived in four areas affected by the GEJE. Information regarding social isolation and other lifestyle factors was collected between June and November 2011 via a self-reported questionnaire. Social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6 (LSNS-6). Data regarding the incidence of functional disability were retrieved from the Long-term Care Insurance database. The Cox model was used to calculate multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for IFD. During 7,030 person-years of follow-up, 300 cases of IFD were certified (42.7disability events per 1,000 person-years). Social isolation was associated with increased risk of IFD in disaster survivors (HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.98-1.76). In addition, this association tended to be more remarkable among men and those whose houses were completely/seriously damaged. The present results suggest us that it would be possible to identify those who are more likely to be affected by social isolation after disaster. This finding would be useful in screening and supporting high risk group right after the occurrence of disaster.

Influence of Diabetes Family History on the Associations of Combined Genetic and Lifestyle Risks with Diabetes in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Cohort Study.

AIM: The influence of family history of diabetes, probably reflecting genetic and lifestyle factors, on the association of combined genetic and lifestyle risks with diabetes is unknown. We examined these associations. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 9,681 participants in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-based Cohort Study. A lifestyle score, which was categorized into ideal, intermediate, and poor lifestyles, was given. Family history was obtained through a self-reported questionnaire. A polygenic risk score (PRS) was constructed in the target data (n=1,936) using publicly available genome-wide association study summary statistics from BioBank Japan. For test data (n=7,745), we evaluated PRS performance and examined the associations of combined family history and genetic and lifestyle risks with diabetes. Diabetes was defined as non-fasting blood glucose ≥ 200 mmHg, HbA1c ≥ 6.5%, and/or self-reported diabetes treatment. RESULTS: In test data, 467 (6.0%) participants had diabetes. Compared with a low genetic risk and an ideal lifestyle without a family history, the odds ratio (OR) was 3.73 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92-7.00) for a lower genetic risk and a poor lifestyle without a family history. Family history was significantly associated with diabetes (OR, 3.58 [95% CI, 1.73-6.98]), even in those with a low genetic risk and an ideal lifestyle. Even among participants who had an ideal lifestyle without a family history, a high genetic risk was associated with diabetes (OR, 2.49 [95% CI, 1.65-3.85]). Adding PRS to family history and conventional lifestyle risk factors improved the prediction ability for diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the notion that a healthy lifestyle is important to prevent diabetes regardless of genetic risk.

Reproductive Factors and Endometrial Cancer Risk Among Women.

Importance: Despite evidence of an association between reproductive factors and endometrial cancer risk, prospective studies have been conducted mainly in non-Asian countries. Objective: To assess the association between reproductive factors, such as number of deliveries, age at menarche, or menopause, and endometrial cancer risk. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used pooled individual data from 13 prospective cohort studies conducted between 1963 and 2014 in the Asia Cohort Consortium. Participants were Asian women. Data analysis was conducted from September 2019 to April 2023. Exposures: Reproductive factors were assessed using a questionnaire in each cohort. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was time to incidence of endometrial cancer. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. Results: A total of 1005 endometrial cancer cases were detected among 332 625 women (mean [SD] age, 54.3 [10.4] years) during a mean (SD) of 16.5 (6.4) years of follow-up. Increasing number of deliveries was associated with a decreased endometrial cancer risk in a dose-response manner (≥5 deliveries vs nulliparous [reference]: HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.26-0.53; P for trend < .001). Compared with menarche at younger than 13 years, menarche at 17 years or older had an HR of 0.64 (95% CI, 0.48-0.86; P for trend < .001). Late menopause (age ≥55 years) showed an HR of 2.84 (95% CI, 1.78-4.55; P for trend < .001) compared with the youngest age category for menopause (<45 years). Age at first delivery, hormone therapy, and breastfeeding were not associated with endometrial cancer risk. Conclusions and Relevance: This large pooled study of individual participant data found that late menarche, early menopause, and a higher number of deliveries were significantly associated with a lower risk of endometrial cancer. These convincing results from Asian prospective studies add to the growing body of evidence for the association between reproductive factors and endometrial cancer.

Effect of the decreased frequency of going out on the association between anxiety and sleep disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mediation analysis.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between anxiety and sleep disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic and to evaluate whether sleep disorder is mediated by the decreased frequency of going out. METHODS: The data of a total of 1976 residents aged 18 years and over who had responded to a self-reported questionnaires at a health survey in 2020 were analyzed. The subjects were divided into four groups based on their response to the questionnaire on anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic. Sleep disorder was measured using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). A cross-sectional analysis was performed to examine the association between anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic and AIS scores. Mediation analysis was used to calculate the association between anxiety and AIS scores during the COVID-19 pandemic, with decreased frequency of going out as a potential mediating variable. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional study, the level of anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly associated with the AIS score (p < 0.001). On mediation analysis, the direct effect of the relationship showed that anxiety positively influenced AIS scores (ß = 0.283, p < 0.01). The indirect effect of the relationship showed that the decreased frequency of going out positively mediated the relationship between anxiety and AIS scores (ß = 0.342, p < 0.05). The decreased frequency of going out accounted for almost 10% of the AIS score. CONCLUSION: The present study found that anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic was significantly associated with sleep disorder, with the decreased frequency of going out mediating this association.

Sleep duration and the risk of endometrial cancer incidence among Japanese women: A pooled analysis of the Miyagi Cohort Study and the Ohsaki Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Endometrial cancer has been increasing worldwide, and is one of the most common female hormone-related cancers. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between sleep duration and risk of endometrial cancer among Japanese women. METHODS: We conducted a pooled analysis of two prospective studies conducted among residents of Miyagi Prefecture in rural northern Japan. A total of 36,537 women aged 40-79 years participated in the Miyagi Cohort Study in 1990 and in the Ohsaki Cohort Study in 1994. The participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire that including sleep duration. Sleep duration was assessed at the baseline using a self-administered questionnaire. The participants entered the mean integer number representing the hours of sleep taken per day during the previous year. We divided the participants into three groups (≤6 h, 7-8 h, or ≥9 h). Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to estimate the multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for endometrial cancer incidence. RESULTS: During 745,993 person-years of follow-up, we identified 146 incident cases of endometrial cancer. Compared with women who slept 7-8 h per day, the multivariate HR (95%CI) for endometrial cancer incidence was 1.07 (0.72-1.60) for those who slept 6 h or less, and 1.05 (0.57-1.93) for those who slept 9 h or longer (p-trend=0.57). CONCLUSION: In analysis of two population -based prospective cohort studies conducted among Japanese women, we found no significant associations between sleep duration and the incidence of endometrial cancer.

Association between Low Back Pain and Neck Pain: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study Using the Data of the People after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP) are common health problems worldwide. LBP often coexists with NP; however, the association between these pains remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the association between LBP and NP, focusing on dose-dependent effects. This study used a 3-year longitudinal cohort data of people living in disaster-stricken areas after the Great East Japan Earthquake (n = 2,118). LBP and NP were assessed at 4, 5, 6, and 7 years after the disaster. LBP was categorized according to its frequency. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between LBP and NP, and the effect of preceding LBP on the subsequent onset of NP, according to the frequency of LBP. LBP was significantly associated with NP, and the association was stronger with increased frequency of LBP. Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.40 (1.71-3.37) for "1", 3.99 (2.82-5.66) for "2", and 6.08 (4.40-8.41) for "≥ 3" in frequency when the absence of LBP was used as a reference (p for trend < 0.001). Furthermore, preceding LBP was significantly associated with subsequent onset of NP, and the effect was stronger with increased frequency of LBP. Adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.44 (1.62-3.68) for "1" and 2.68 (1.77-4.05) for "≥ 2" in frequency when the absence of LBP was used as a reference (p for trend < 0.001). LBP is associated with NP in a dose-dependent manner. The association between LBP and NP should be considered to effectively treat these pains.

Association of Central Blood Pressure and Carotid Intima Media Thickness with New-Onset Hypertension in People with High Normal Blood Pressure.

AIM: People with high normal blood pressure (BP) have a higher risk of cardiovascular events than those with normal BP; therefore, progression to hypertension (HT) should be prevented. We aimed to assess the HT risk using central BP and carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) in people with high normal BP. METHODS: This prospective cohort study used the Tohoku Medical Megabank Community-Based Project Cohort Study (conducted from 2013 in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan). The participants had a high normal BP, defined as a systolic BP of 120-139 mmHg and diastolic BP ＜90 mmHg using brachial BP measurement during the baseline survey. The outcome was new-onset HT during the secondary survey, conducted four years after the baseline survey. RESULTS: Overall, 4,021 participants with high normal BP during the baseline survey, with an average age of 58.7 years, were included; 1,030 (26%) were diagnosed with new-onset HT during the secondary survey, 3.5±0.7 years after the baseline survey. The multivariable odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for HT in the highest versus lowest quartile of central BP was 1.7 (1.2-2.4, p=0.0030), and that of CIMT was 1.8 (1.4-2.4, p＜0.001). Subgroup analysis according to age (＜60 and ≥ 60 years) and sex revealed that the central BP was influential in groups with younger age and female individuals; CIMT was influential in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Higher central BP and thicker CIMT at the baseline were correlated with new-onset HT in individuals with high normal BP, independent of brachial systolic BP and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Association between psychological distress and disability-free life expectancy in the older Japanese adults.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to investigate the association between psychological distress and disability-free life expectancy (DFLE). METHODS: In 2006, a cohort study was conducted of 12,365 Japanese individuals aged ≥65 years, who were followed-up for 13 years. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler 6-item psychological distress scale and was categorized into no (0-4), mild (5-9), moderate (10-12), and serious distress (13-24). The number of participants was 1277 (22.4 %) for mild distress, 330 (5.8 %) for moderate, and 208 (3.6 %) for serious in men, and was 1635 (24.6 %), 467 (7.0 %), and 384 (5.8 %) in women. Sex-specific DFLE was defined as the mean years a person could expect to live without disability and calculated by Interpolated Markov Chain (IMaCh) software. RESULTS: Compared to no distress, DFLE loss per person was 1.21, 2.61, and 4.43 years for mild, moderate, and serious distress respectively in men. At population level, DFEL loss (i.e., DFLE loss per person×number of participants) was 1545.17, 861.30, and 921.44 years for mild, moderate, and serious distress respectively in men. Accordingly, 46.4 % of the total DFLE loss was attributable to mild distress, 25.9 % to moderate, and 27.7 % to serious in men. Similarly, the results were 42.2 %, 25.4 %, and 32.4 % in women. LIMITATIONS: Psychological distress was measured only once at baseline, and 2409 participants were excluded from the analysis because of missing data on exposure. CONCLUSIONS: At population level, almost half of the total DFLE loss could be attributable to mild distress, underscoring the importance of population strategy for all levels of distress in promoting healthy aging.