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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dietary Protein Intake and Stroke Risk in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The influence of dietary protein intake on stroke risk is an area of interest. We investigated the association between dietary protein intake and stroke risk in Japanese, considering sources of protein. METHODS: A total of 2400 subjects aged 40 to 79 years were followed up for 19 years. Dietary protein intake was estimated using a 70-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The risk estimates for incident stroke and its subtypes were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 254 participants experienced stroke events; of these, 172 had ischemic stroke, and 58 had intracerebral hemorrhage. Higher total protein intake was significantly associated with lower risks of stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage (both P for trend <0.05). With regard to sources of protein, the risks of total stroke and ischemic stroke significantly decreased by 40% (95% confidence interval, 12%-59%) and 40% (5%-62%), respectively, in subjects with the highest quartile of vegetable protein intake compared with those with the lowest one. In contrast, subjects with the highest quartile of animal protein intake had a 53% (4%-77%) lower risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. Vegetable protein intake was positively correlated with intakes of soybean products, vegetable, and algae, whereas animal protein intake was positively correlated with intakes of fish, meat, eggs, and milk/dairy products. Both types of protein intakes were negatively correlated with intakes of rice and alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that higher dietary protein intake is associated with a reduced risk of stroke in the general Japanese population.

Serum Angiopoietin-Like Protein 2 Is a Novel Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease in the Community: The Hisayama Study.

OBJECTIVE: Angiopoietin-like protein 2 (ANGPTL2), a proinflammatory mediator, has been reported to accelerate the development of insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis in mice. However, no cohort studies have examined the relationship between serum ANGPTL2 levels and the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a general population. APPROACH AND RESULTS: A total of 3005 community-dwelling Japanese aged ≥40 years without a history of CVD were divided into 4 groups according to the quartiles of serum ANGPTL2 concentrations (Q1, lowest and Q4, highest) and followed up for 10 years. The hazards ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for the development of CVD (coronary heart disease or stroke) were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 219 first-ever CVD events were observed. The risk of CVD increased significantly with elevating ANGPTL2 levels after adjustment for age, sex, serum total cholesterol, use of lipid-lowering agents, ECG abnormalities, smoking habits, alcohol intake, and regular exercise (hazards ratios [95% confidence interval], Q1, 1.00 [reference]; Q2, 1.27 [0.80-2.04]; Q3, 1.48 [0.95-2.32]; and Q4, 1.85 [1.20-2.85]; P=0.003 for trend). After additional adjustment for metabolic syndrome components and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels as an inflammatory marker, the association was attenuated but remained significant (hazards ratios [95% confidence interval], Q1, 1.00 [reference]; Q2, 1.21 [0.76-1.94]; Q3, 1.38 [0.87-2.17]; and Q4, 1.66 [1.05-2.60]; P=0.02 for trend). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that elevated serum ANGPTL2 levels are a novel risk factor for the development of CVD in the general population. This association is partially mediated by metabolic disorders and inflammation.

Morning and Evening Blood Pressures Are Associated With Intima-Media Thickness in a General Population　- The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: The association of morning and evening home blood pressures (HBPs) with carotid atherosclerosis has been uncertain in general populations, so we aimed to investigate it in a general Japanese population.Methods and Results:We performed a cross-sectional survey of 2,856 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥40 years to examine the association of morning and evening HBPs with carotid mean intima-media thickness (IMT). The age- and sex-adjusted geometric averages of carotid mean IMT increased significantly with increasing morning HBP (optimal: 0.67 mm; normal: 0.69 mm; high normal: 0.72 mm; grade 1 hypertension: 0.74 mm; and grade 2+3 hypertension: 0.76 mm) and with increasing evening HBP (0.68 mm, 0.71 mm, 0.73 mm, 0.76 mm, and 0.78 mm, respectively) (both P for trend <0.001). These associations remained significant even after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Likewise, both isolated morning hypertension (morning HBP ≥135/85 mmHg and evening HBP <135/85 mmHg) and isolated evening hypertension (evening HBP ≥135/85 mmHg and morning HBP <135/85 mmHg) as well as sustained hypertension (both morning and evening HBP ≥135/85 mmHg) were significantly associated with thicker mean IMT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that both morning and evening HBPs were significantly associated with carotid atherosclerosis in this general Japanese population.

Association Between Serum Vitamin D and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Death in a General Japanese Population　- The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have investigated the association between serum vitamin D levels and mortality in general Asian populations.Methods and Results:We examined the association of serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) levels with the risk of all-cause and cause-specific death in an average 9.5-year follow-up study of 3,292 community-dwelling Japanese subjects aged ≥40 years (2002-2012). The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause death increased significantly with lower serum 1,25(OH)2D levels (HR 1.54 [95% confidence interval, 1.18-2.01] for the lowest quartile, 1.31 [0.99-1.73] for the 2nd quartile, 0.94 [0.70-1.25] for the 3rd quartile, 1.00 [Ref.] for highest quartile; P for trend <0.001). A similar association was observed for cardiovascular and respiratory infection death (both P for trend <0.01), but not for cancer death or death from other causes. In the stratified analysis, the association between lower serum 1,25(OH)2D levels and the risk of respiratory infection death was stronger in subjects with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2than in those with eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2; there was a significant heterogeneity in the association between eGFR levels (P for heterogeneity=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that a lower serum 1,25(OH)2D level is a potential risk factor for all-cause death, especially cardiovascular and respiratory infection death, in the general Japanese population, and that lower serum 1,25(OH)2D levels greatly increase the risk of respiratory infection death in subjects with kidney dysfunction.

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

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

Serum Uric Acid as a Risk Factor for Chronic Kidney Disease in a Japanese Community　- The Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that high serum uric acid (SUA) levels are causally related to increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, few studies have investigated the influence of elevated SUA levels on the incidence of kidney dysfunction and albuminuria separately in community-based populations. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 2,059 community-dwelling Japanese subjects aged ≥40 years without CKD were followed for 5 years. CKD was defined as kidney dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) or albuminuria (urine albumin-creatinine ratio ≥30 mg/g). The odds ratio (OR) for the development of CKD was estimated according to quartiles of SUA (≤4.0, 4.1-4.9, 5.0-5.8, and ≥5.9 mg/dl). During the follow-up, 396 subjects developed CKD, of whom 125 had kidney dysfunction and 312 had albuminuria. The multivariable-adjusted risk of developing CKD increased with higher SUA levels (OR 1.00 [reference] for ≤4.0, 1.21 [95% confidence interval, 0.84-1.74] for 4.1-4.9, 1.47 [1.01-2.17] for 5.0-5.8, and 2.10 [1.37-3.23] for SUA ≥5.9 mg/dl, respectively). Similarly, there were positive associations between SUA level and the adjusted risk of developing kidney dysfunction (OR 1.00 [reference], 2.30 [1.10-4.82], 2.81 [1.34-5.88], and 3.73 [1.65-8.44]) and albuminuria (1.00 [reference], 1.12 [0.76-1.65], 1.35 [0.90-2.03], and 1.81 [1.14-2.87], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Higher SUA levels were a significant risk factor for the development of both kidney dysfunction and albuminuria in a general Japanese population. (Circ J 2016; 80: 1857-1862).

The long-term association between physical activity and risk of dementia in the community: the Hisayama Study.

We investigated the long-term influence of physical activity on the risk of dementia in an elderly Japanese population. A total of 803 community-dwelling elderly Japanese individuals without dementia aged ≥65 years were followed prospectively for 17 years. Physically active status was defined as engaging in exercise at least one or more times per week during leisure time, and participants were divided into an active group and an inactive group by the presence or absence of such physical activity. The risk estimates of physical activity on the development of all-cause dementia and its subtypes were computed using a Cox proportional hazards model. During the follow-up, 291 participants developed all-cause dementia. Of these, 165 had Alzheimer's disease (AD), 93 had vascular dementia (VaD), and 47 had other dementia. Compared with the inactive group, the active group showed significantly lower crude incidence of AD (21.8 vs. 14.2 per 1000 person-years, p = 0.01), but no significant differences were observed for all-cause dementia (35.6 vs. 30.5, p = 0.17), VaD (11.3 vs. 9.8, p = 049), and other dementia (4.6 vs. 7.1, p = 0.15). After adjusting for potential confounders, the relationship between physical activity and risk of AD remained significant (adjusted hazard ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.41-0.84, p = 0.003). Our findings suggest that physical activity reduces the long-term risk of dementia, especially AD, in the general Japanese population.

Combination of Helicobacter pylori Antibody and Serum Pepsinogen as a Good Predictive Tool of Gastric Cancer Incidence: 20-Year Prospective Data From the Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: There is little information regarding whether the combination of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody and serum pepsinogen (sPG), which is a marker of the degree of atrophic gastritis, has a discriminatory ability for detecting incident gastric cancer. We examined this issue in a long-term prospective cohort study of a Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 2446 Japanese community-dwelling individuals aged ≥40 years were stratified into four groups according to baseline H. pylori serological status and sPG: Group A (H. pylori[-], sPG[-]), Group B (H. pylori[+], sPG[-]), Group C (H. pylori[+], sPG[+]), and Group D (H. pylori[-], sPG[+]), and participants were followed up prospectively for 20 years. RESULTS: During the follow-up, 123 subjects developed gastric cancer. Compared with that in Group A, the cumulative incidence of gastric cancer was significantly increased in Groups B, C, and D, whereas no significant difference was found between Groups C and D. The multivariable-adjusted risk of gastric cancer was significantly increased in Group B (hazard ratio [HR], 4.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.62-10.28) and in Groups C and D combined (HR 11.1; 95% CI, 4.45-27.46). When the multivariable model with H. pylori antibody was changed into that with the combination of H. pylori antibody and sPG, the C statistics for developing gastric cancer increased significantly (0.773 vs 0.732, P = 0.005), and the continuous net reclassification improvement value was 0.591 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the combination of H. pylori antibody and sPG is a useful tool for predicting the development of gastric cancer.

Association of hemoglobin A1c and glycated albumin with carotid atherosclerosis in community-dwelling Japanese subjects: the Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: It is not clear which glucose measure is more useful in the assessment of atherosclerosis. We investigated the associations of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), glycated albumin (GA), 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and 2-hour postload glucose (PG) with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in community-dwelling Japanese subjects. METHODS: A total of 2702 subjects aged 40-79 years underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and measurements of HbA1c, GA, 1,5-AG, and carotid IMT by ultrasonography in 2007-2008. Carotid wall thickening was defined as a maximum IMT of >1.0 mm. The crude and multivariable-adjusted linear and logistic regression models were used to analyze cross-sectional associations between levels of glycemic measures and carotid IMT. RESULTS: The crude average of the maximum IMT increased significantly with rising quartiles of HbA1c, GA, FPG, and 2-hour PG levels in subjects with and without glucose intolerance (GI), while no clear association was observed for 1,5-AG. After adjustment for other confounding factors, positive trends for HbA1c, GA, and FPG (all p for trend < 0.05), but not 2-hour PG (p = 0.07) remained robust in subjects with GI, but no such associations were found in those without GI. When estimating multivariable-adjusted ß values for the associations of 1 SD change in glycemic measures with the maximum IMT in subjects with GI, the magnitude of the influence of HbA1c (ß = 0.021), GA (ß = 0.024), and FPG (ß = 0.024) was larger than that of 2-hour PG (ß = 0.014) and 1,5-AG (ß = 0.003). The multivariable-adjusted odds ratios for the presence of carotid wall thickening increased significantly with elevating HbA1c, GA, and FPG levels only in subjects with GI (all p for trend < 0.001). Among subjects with GI, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve significantly increased by adding HbA1c (p = 0.04) or GA (p = 0.04), but not 1,5-AG, FPG, or 2-hour PG, to the model including other cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: In community-dwelling Japanese subjects with GI, elevated HbA1c, GA, and FPG levels were significantly associated with increased carotid IMT, and HbA1c and GA provided superior discrimination for carotid wall thickening compared to 1,5-AG, FPG, and 2-hour PG, suggesting that HbA1c and GA are useful for assessing carotid atherosclerosis.

Secular trends in cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in Japanese: half-century data from the Hisayama Study (1961-2009).

BACKGROUND: Changes in lifestyle and advances in medical technology during the past half century are likely to have affected the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease and the prevalence of its risk factors in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: We established 5 cohorts consisting of residents aged ≥40 years in a Japanese community, in 1961 (n=1618), 1974 (n=2038), 1983 (n=2459), 1993 (n=1983), and 2002 (n=3108), and followed up each cohort for 7 years. The age-adjusted incidence of stroke decreased greatly, by 51% in men and by 43% in women, from the 1960s to the 1970s, but this decreasing trend slowed from the 1970s to the 2000s. Among the stroke subtypes, ischemic stroke in both sexes and intracerebral hemorrhage in men showed a similar pattern. Stroke mortality decreased as a result of the decline in incidence and a significant improvement in survival rate. Although the incidence of acute myocardial infarction did not change in either sex, disease mortality declined slightly in women. From the 1960s to the 2000s, blood pressure control among hypertensive individuals improved significantly and the smoking rate decreased, but the prevalence of glucose intolerance, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity increased steeply. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in Japanese, the decreasing trends in the incidence of ischemic stroke have recently slowed down, and there has been no clear change in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, probably because the benefits of hypertension control and smoking cessation have been negated by increasing metabolic risk factors.

Thresholds of various glycemic measures for diagnosing diabetes based on prevalence of retinopathy in community-dwelling Japanese subjects: the Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: There has been controversy over the diagnostic thresholds of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for diabetes. In addition, no study has examined the thresholds of glycated albumin (GA) and 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) for diagnosing diabetes using the presence of diabetic retinopathy (DR). We examined the optimal thresholds of various glycemic measures for diagnosing diabetes based on the prevalence of DR in community-dwelling Japanese subjects. METHODS: A total of 2,681 subjects aged 40-79 years underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, measurement of HbA1c, GA, and 1,5-AG, and an ophthalmic examination in 2007-2008. The associations of glycemic measures with DR status were examined cross-sectionally. DR was assessed by an examination of the fundus photograph of each eye and graded according to the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Disease Severity Scale. We divided the values of glycemic measures into ten groups on the basis of deciles. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the optimal threshold of each glycemic measure for detecting the presence of DR. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 52 had DR. The prevalence of DR increased steeply above the ninth decile for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (6.2-6.8 mmol/l), for 2-hour postload glucose (PG) (9.2-12.4 mmol/l), for HbA1c (5.9-6.2% [41-44 mmol/mol]), and for GA (16.2-17.5%), and below the second decile for 1,5-AG (9.6-13.5 µg/mL). The ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal thresholds for DR were 6.5 mmol/l for FPG, 11.5 mmol/l for 2-hour PG, 6.1% (43 mmol/mol) for HbA1c, 17.0% for GA, and 12.1 µg/mL for 1,5-AG. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for 2-hour PG (0.947) was significantly larger than that for FPG (0.908), GA (0.906), and 1,5-AG (0.881), and was marginally significantly higher than that for HbA1c (0.919). The AUCs for FPG, HbA1c, GA, and 1,5-AG were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the FPG and HbA1c thresholds for diagnosing diabetes in the Japanese population are lower than the current diagnostic criterion, while the 2-hour PG threshold is comparable with the diagnostic criterion. 2-hour PG had the highest discriminative ability, whereas FPG, HbA1c, GA, and 1,5-AG were similar in their ability.

Trends in the incidence and survival of intracerebral hemorrhage by its location in a Japanese community.

BACKGROUND: No previous population-based studies have examined secular trends in the incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) by its location. METHODS AND RESULTS: We established 3 cohorts consisting of residents of Hisayama, Japan, aged ≥40 years without a history of stroke or myocardial infarction in 1961 (the first cohort, n=1,618), in 1974 (the second cohort, n=2,038), and in 1988 (the third cohort, n=2,637). Each cohort was followed for 13 years. The age- and sex-adjusted incidence of ICH significantly declined from the first to the second cohort and showed no further change in the third cohort. With regard to the ICH location, the incidence of putaminal hemorrhage decreased steadily, mainly in subjects aged 60-69 years, whereas the incidence of thalamic hemorrhage increased, especially in those aged ≥70 years. Both hypertension and alcohol intake were strong risk factors for ICH in the first cohort, but their influence declined with time. Blood pressure levels in hypertensive subjects decreased significantly, and the proportion of current drinkers decreased slightly over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the ICH incidence steeply declined from the 1960s to the 1970s in Japan as a result of the reduced influence of hypertension and alcohol intake, but that this decline has leveled off since then, probably because of the increased incidence of thalamic hemorrhage in the elderly in recent years.

White-coat and masked hypertension are associated with carotid atherosclerosis in a general population: the Hisayama study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: On the basis of combined measurements of clinic blood pressure (CBP) and home blood pressure (HBP), blood pressure status can be divided into normotension, white-coat hypertension (WCHT), masked hypertension (MHT), and sustained hypertension (SHT). Despite the clear impact of MHT and SHT on clinical and subclinical arterial disease, uncertainty about the influence of WCHT remains. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations of WCHT, MHT, and SHT with carotid atherosclerosis in a general population. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional survey of 2915 community-dwelling Japanese aged ≥ 40 years. Normotension was defined as CBP<140/90 and HBP<135/85 mm Hg; WCHT, CBP ≥ 140/90 and HBP<135/85 mm Hg; MHT, CBP<140/90 and HBP ≥ 135/85 mm Hg; and SHT, CBP ≥ 140/90 and HBP ≥ 135/85 mm Hg. Mean intima-media thickness of carotid arteries was measured using a computer-automated system, and carotid stenosis was defined as diameter stenosis ≥ 30%. RESULTS: There were 1374 subjects (47.1%) with normotension, 200 (6.9%) with WCHT, 639 (21.9%) with MHT, and 702 (24.1%) with SHT. The geometric average of mean intima-media thickness was significantly higher among subjects with WCHT (0.73 mm), MHT (0.77 mm), and SHT (0.77 mm) than those with normotension (0.67 mm; all P<0.001 versus normotension). Compared with normotension, all types of hypertension were also associated with increased likelihood of carotid stenosis (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio, 2.36 [95% confidence interval, 1.27-4.37] for WCHT, 1.95 [1.25-3.03] for MHT, and 3.02 [2.01-4.54] for SHT). These associations remained significant even after adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: WCHT, as well as MHT, and SHT were associated with carotid atherosclerosis in a general Japanese population.

Temporal trends in sudden unexpected death in a general population: the Hisayama study.

BACKGROUND: Studies addressing the temporal trends in the prevalence of sudden unexpected death (SUD) and its underlying causes in the general population are limited. METHODS: Among a total of 1934 residents aged ≥20 years of the town of Hisayama, Japan, who died of endogenous causes of death and underwent autopsy examination (autopsy rate 78.5%) from 1962 to 2009, 204 were determined to be cases of SUD within 24 hours. RESULTS: The trend in the age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of SUD among all autopsy subjects was stable over four 12-year periods (13.1% in 1962-1973, 13.4% in 1974-1985, 15.0% in 1986-1997, and 14.6% in 1998-2009; P for trend = .80). Regarding causes of death, the prevalence of SUD from stroke significantly declined with time (8.0%, 5.0%, 2.3%, and 2.1%, respectively; P for trend < .001), whereas significant increments were observed in the prevalence of SUD from heart disease (4.0%, 6.2%, 8.6%, and 9.7%; P for trend = .02) and from aortic aneurysm and dissection (0.2%, 1.2%, 2.9%, and 2.8%; P for trend = .01). In particular, the prevalence of ischemic heart disease increased 3-fold from 2.1% in 1962-1973 to 6.6% in 1998-2009 (P = .04). Reflecting the increment of ischemic heart disease, SUD within 1 hour increased significantly from 2.5% to 7.6% during this period (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The trend in the prevalence of SUD was stable across a half century in a general Japanese population. Despite the decrement in the prevalence of SUD from stroke, that from heart disease, especially ischemic heart disease, increased significantly with time.

Haemoglobin A1c even within non-diabetic level is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in a general Japanese population: the Hisayama Study.

BACKGROUND: There is little information about predictive ability of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Asians. To investigate the discriminatory ability of HbA1c to identify subjects who are at greater risk of developing CVD in a prospective study of a defined community-dwelling Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 2,851 subjects aged 40-79 years were stratified into five groups (HbA1c levels with ≤ 5.0, 5.1-5.4, 5.5-6.4, and ≥ 6.5% and a group with antidiabetic medication) and followed up prospectively for 7 years (2002-2009). RESULTS: During the follow-up, 119 subjects developed CVD. The multivariable-adjusted risk of CVD was significantly increased in subjects with HbA1c levels of 5.5-6.4 and ≥ 6.5% and diabetic medication compared to HbA1c level with ≤ 5.0% (hazard ratio, 2.26 [95% confidence interval, 1.29-3.95] for the 5.5-6.4%; 4.43 [2.09-9.37] for the ≥ 6.5%; and 5.15 [2.65-10.0] for the antidiabetic medication group). With regard to CVD subtype, the positive associations between HbA1c levels and the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and ischaemic stroke were also significant, but no such associations were seen for haemorrhagic stroke. The C statistic for developing CVD was significantly increased by adding HbA1c values to the model including other risk factors (0.789 vs. 0762, p = 0.006), and the net reclassification improvement was 0.105 (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that elevated HbA1c levels are an independent risk factor for CVD, especially CHD and ischaemic stroke, and that the addition of HbA1c to the model with traditional risk factors significantly improves the predictive ability of CVD.