Serum uric acid is associated with midbrain enlarged perivascular spaces: Results from Multi-modality Medical imaging sTudy bAsed on KaiLuan Study (META-KLS).

BACKGROUND: Serum uric acid (SUA) is a major cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Whether and to what extent the excess risk of enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) conferred by SUA is unknown. The study was conducted to investigate the association between SUA and EPVS in different brain regions. METHODS: Data are from Multi-modality medical imaging study based on Kailuan study (META-KLS) in this cross-sectional study. Participants were divided into five groups based on SUA levels, and EPVS in basal ganglia (BG), centrum semiovale (CSO) and midbrain (MB) was systematically assessed and divided into Low and High group. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for high EPVS outcomes were estimated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to further investigate dose-response relationship. RESULTS: A total of 1014 participants aged 25-83 years from 11 centers were enrolled in the study. In the multivariable-adjusted model, SUA, as an independent risk factor, correlated positively with high degree of MB-EPVS (OR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.004; p = 0.023) in general population. In addition, RCS further demonstrated the linear association between SUA and MB-EPVS (p = 0.072). No association was found between SUA and BG-EPVS or CSO-EPVS. CONCLUSION: SUA was an independent risk factor of MB-EPVS. High SUA levels were more predictive of increased risk occurrence of high degree of MB-EPVS, supporting a linear association between SUA and MB-EPVS and further indicating that SUA may play an important role in cerebral small vessel disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The KaiLuan Study and META-KLS were registered online (ChiCTR2000029767 on chictr.org.cn and NCT05453877 on Clinicaltrials.gov, respectively).

The combination of high uric acid and high C-reactive protein increased the risk of cardiovascular disease: A 15-year prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Uric acid (UA) and C-reactive protein (CRP) may interact synergistically to accelerate the initiation and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study investigated the effects of a combination of high UA and high CRP on the risks of CVD. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 90,270 participants recruited from the Kailuan study were included, who were divided into four groups according to the presence/absence of hyperuricemia and inflammation. Cox regression was applied to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of CVD. C-statistics, net classification index (NRI), and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) were used to compare the incremental predictive of UA, CRP, and their combined effects on CVD. Mediation analysis was to explore the impact of CRP on the association between UA and CVD. Over a median follow-up of 14.95 years, we identified 11398 incident CVD cases. Compared to the low UA/low CRP group, the high UA/low CRP, low UA/high CRP and high UA/high CRP groups showed progressively higher risks of CVD, HR (95% CI): 1.18(1.10-1.27), 1.27(1.21-1.33) and 1.50 (1.33-1.69), respectively. The incorporation of UA and CRP into the traditional China-PAR model led to improvement in the C-statistic, NRI, and IDI, and was better than incorporation of either UA or CRP alone. Mediation analysis showed that CRP mediated the association between UA and CVD, accounting for 11.57% of the total effects. CONCLUSIONS: High UA/high CRP is associated with increased risks of CVD. Incorporation of both UA and CRP provided additional value for risk stratification.

Distinct uric acid trajectories are associated with incident cardiac conduction block.

BACKGROUND: The association of longitudinal uric acid (UA) changes with cardiac conduction block risk is unclear. We aimed to identify the trajectories of UA and explore its association with cardiac conduction block. METHODS: A total of 67,095 participants with a mean age of 53.12 years were included from the Kailuan cohort in Tangshan, China, who were free of cardiac conduction block and with repeated measurements of UA from 2006 to 2012. UA trajectories during 2006 to 2012 were identified by group-based trajectory modeling. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the association of UA trajectories with cardiac conduction block. RESULTS: We categorized three observed discrete trajectories of UA during 2006-2012 period: low-stable, moderate-stable, and high-stable. Over a median follow-up of 6.19 years, we identified 1405 (2.09%) incident cardiac conduction block. Compared to those in the low-stable trajectory, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of cardiac conduction block in the moderate-stable and high-stable trajectory were 1.30 (1.16-1.47) and 1.86 (1.56-2.22), and HRs of atrioventricular block were 1.39 (1.12-1.72) and 2.90 (2.19-3.83), and HRs of bundle branch blocks were 1.27 (1.10-1.47) and 1.43 (1.13-1.79). Notably, although the average UA level in the moderate-stable UA trajectory group is within the normal range, the risk of cardiac conduction block has increased. CONCLUSIONS: The moderate-stable and high-stable trajectories are associated with increased risk for new-onset cardiac conduction block. Monitoring UA trajectories may assist in identifying subpopulations at higher risk for cardiac conduction block.

Association between cardiac conduction block and cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: The kailuan study.

BACKGROUND: Although bundle branch block and atrioventricular block are recognized to be association with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, the relationship between cardiac conduction block (CCB) and both CVD and all-cause mortality has yet to be explored. AIMS: To explore the relationship between CCB and CVD and all-cause mortality. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 145,805 subjects (mean age 49.7 years, 81.2% males) from the kailuan study. CCB was diagnosed through a 12­lead electrocardiograph (ECG). Mortality and CVD events were ascertained through multiple sources, including a municipal social insurance institution, hospital records, death certificates, and regular active follow-ups. After a mean follow-up of 12.5 years, 18,301 cases developed all-cause mortality. After excluding 4443 subjects with CVD presence at baseline, 13,208 cases of CVD occurred among the 141,362 study subjects during follow-up. Compared with non-CCB group, the cumulative incidence of CVD and all-cause mortality for CCB group was 18.38% VS 12.14% and 33.45% VS 14.18%, respectively. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with CCB group were 1.25(1.17-1.34) for CVD, and 1.31(1.25-1.38) for all-cause mortality. Additionally, there were generally stronger associations for CCB with all-cause mortality and CVD in younger participants compared with their older counterparts (Ps-interaction <0.001). CONCLUSION: CCB can increase the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in the general population. Our findings highlight the importance of strategies for preventing CCB to reduce the risk of CVD and mortality.

High levels of high-sensitivity C reactive protein to albumin ratio can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

BACKGROUND: The high levels of C reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR) is thought to increase the risk of poor outcomes for cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the association between CAR and CVD in the Chinese community population has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CAR and CVD in the Chinese community population. METHODS: A total of 62 067 participants without a history of CVD or cancer were included in this study. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to calculate the cumulative incidence of endpoint events in CAR quartile groups, and the results were tested by log-rank test. Fine-Gray model was used to analyse the competing risk of death. C-index, Net Reclassification Index (NRI) and Integrated Discrimination Improvement Index (IDI) of different indicators were calculated to distinguish the predictive performance of different indicators. RESULTS: During an average follow-up period of 10.3±2.1 years, 4025 participants developed CVD. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, compared with Q1 group, model 3 showed that the hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval (95%CI)) of CVD in Q4 group was 1.26 (1.15 to 1.38) (p<0.01), and the HR (95% CI) per 1 SD increase was 1.06 (1.03 to 1.08) (p<0.01). The C-index, continuous NRI and IDI for predicting 10-year CVD were 73.48%, 0.1366 (0.1049 to 0.1684) (p<0.01) and 0.0002 (0.0001 to 0.0004) (p<0.01), respectively, which were higher than those of hs-CRP (C-index:0.7344, NRI:0.0711, IDI: 0.0001) and albumin (C-index:0.7339, NRI: -0.0090, IDI: 0.0000). CONCLUSION: High levels of CAR can increase the risk of CVD and the predictive performance of CAR for CVD is better than that of hs-CRP or albumin alone.

Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in Relation to Cumulative Blood Pressure Exposure and Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) are thought to be associated with cognitive impairment. However, the correlations among hypertension, EPVS, and cognitive impairment have not been studied yet. We aimed to investigate the relationships between cumulative blood pressure (cBP) exposure with EPVS and cognitive impairment and whether EPVS may mediate the relationship between cBP and cognitive impairment. METHODS: A total of 1507 subjects from the Kailuan prospective cohort study were enrolled. cBP was calculated from 2006 to 2022. The effects of cBP, EPVS scores, and cognitive impairment were evaluated using a logistic regression model. The relationships among cBP, EPVS score, and cognitive impairment were analyzed using a mediation model. RESULTS: An increase in cBP was positively correlated with an increase in EPVS score. For every SD increase in cBP, the odds ratios (95% CI) of increased EPVS score of the centrum semiovale were 1.67 (1.43-1.95), 1.63 (1.4-1.9), and 1.35 (1.17-1.56), respectively; the odds ratios (95% CI) of increased EPVS score of the basal ganglia were 1.83 (1.56-2.15), 2.01 (1.7-2.36), and 1.31 (1.13-1.52), respectively; and the odds ratios (95% CI) of developing cognitive impairment were 1.28 (1.06-1.53), 1.13 (0.95-1.34), and 1.28 (1.07-1.5), respectively. Basal ganglia-EPVS score accounted for 10.46% to 18.32% of the mediating effects on the relationships of cBP/SD with cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: High cBP exposure was an independent risk factor for EPVS, and basal ganglia-EPVS score mediated the effects of cBP on cognitive impairment. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov; Unique identifier: ChiCTR-TNRC-11001489.

Distinct WBC Trajectories are Associated with the Risks of Incident CVD and All-Cause Mortality.

AIMS: To examine the trajectory of white blood cell (WBC) and their potential impacts on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality (ACM) risks. METHODS: This prospective cohort included 61,666 participants without CVD on or before June 1, 2012. Latent mixture modeling was used to identify WBC trajectories in 2006-2012 as predictors of CVD and ACM. Incident CVD and ACM in 2012-2019 were the outcomes. Cox proportional hazards models were fitted to analyze the risks of incident CVD and ACM. RESULTS: According to WBC ranges and dynamics, five distinct WBC trajectories were identified: low-stable (n=18,432), moderate-stable (n=26,656), elevated-stable (n=3,153), moderate-increasing (n=11,622), and elevated-decreasing (n=1,803). During 6.65±0.83 years of follow-up, we documented 3773 incident CVD cases and 3304 deaths. Relative to the low-stable pattern, the moderate-increasing pattern was predictive of an elevated risk of CVD (HR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.24-1.50), especially acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (HR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.46-2.51), while the elevated-stable pattern was predictive of an elevated risk of ACM (HR=1.77, 95% CI: 1.52-2.06). Among participants with hs-CRP ＜2 mg/L or ≥2 mg/L, similar associations were observed between the moderate-increasing pattern with CVD (HR=1.41, 95% CI: 1.24-1.61) and ACM (HR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.18-2.01, HR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.57-2.29, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found that distinct WBC trajectories were differentially associated with CVD and ACM risks in Chinese adults.

The Relationship between Vascular Aging Phenotypes and Renal Damage among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between vascular aging (VA) phenotypes and renal damage in type 2 diabetic population. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included 8,141 individuals with type 2 diabetes who participated in the Kailuan Study during 2010-2018 and completed the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) assessment for arterial stiffness, an indicator for VA. The age- and sex-specific 10th and 90th percentiles of baPWV based on a reference cohort were used as cutoffs to define supernormal VA (SUPERNOVA, baPWV<10th percentiles), normal VA (NVA, baPWV 10th to 90th percentiles), and early VA (EVA, baPWV>90th percentiles). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria levels were used to assess renal damage, including isolated proteinuria, isolated kidney function decline (eGFR<60 mL/min/1.73 m2), and proteinuria combined with kidney function decline. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between VA phenotypes and diabetic kidney damage. RESULTS: The prevalences of isolated proteinuria, isolated kidney function decline, and proteinuria combined with kidney function decline were 17.0%, 12.2%, and 5.4%, respectively. Compared with NVA, SUPERNOVA was associated with 34% lower odds (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.46-0.96) of isolated proteinuria after adjusting for age, sex, and other potential confounders. EVA was associated with higher odds of all three types of kidney damage; the adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) was 1.42 (1.20-1.67) for proteinuria, 1.24 (1.01-1.51) for kidney function decline, and 1.56 (1.18-2.06) for proteinuria combined with kidney function decline. CONCLUSIONS: VA phenotypes are associated with renal damage, especially isolated proteinuria. SUPERNOVA was associated with lower odds of isolated proteinuria and EVA was associated with higher odds of proteinuria and kidney function decline.

Altered cerebral blood flow and white matter during wakeful rest in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a population-based retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and white matter during wakeful rest in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). METHODS: The subjects comprised OSA patients and age- and sex-matched non-sleep apnea (NSA) subjects from December 2020 to December 2021. All subjects underwent structural and arterial spin labeling MRI examinations using a 3.0 T MRI scanner. Intergroup differences in regional and global CBF and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) were analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, 100 (74 males) of 750 (439 males) subjects were diagnosed with OSA, so the prevalence of OSA in the general population was 13.3% (100/750), with 16.9% (74/439) in males and 8.4% (26/311) in females. Excluding four patients with incomplete imaging data, 96 OSA patients and 103 age- and sex-matched NSA subjects were included. At global level, OSA patients showed significantly decreased CBF values in gray matter and whole brain compared to NSA subjects (gray matter: p = 0.010; whole brain: p = 0.021). No significant difference in CBF values was found in WM between the two groups (p = 0.250). At regional level, compared with NSA subjects, patients with OSA exhibited significantly decreased regional CBF values mainly in right parietal lobe and right temporal lobe. Moreover, OSA patients had significantly higher WMHs burden than NSA subjects (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: OSA patients exhibit decreased global and regional CBF values and increased WMHs burden. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: These findings provide a basis for exploring neuropathological changes of OSA and for early and appropriate treatment.

Development and Validation of Prediction Models for Hypertensive Nephropathy, the PANDORA Study.

Importance: Hypertension is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but currently, those at risk are poorly identified. Objective: To develop and validate a prediction model for the development of hypertensive nephropathy (HN). Design Setting and Participants: Individual data of cohorts of hypertensive patients from Kailuan, China served to derive and validate a multivariable prediction model of HN from 12, 656 individuals enrolled from January 2006 to August 2007, with a median follow-up of 6.5 years. The developed model was subsequently tested in both derivation and external validation cohorts. Variables: Demographics, physical examination, laboratory, and comorbidity variables. Main Outcomes and Measures: Hypertensive nephropathy was defined as hypertension with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and/or proteinuria. Results: About 8.5% of patients in the derivation cohort developed HN after a median follow-up of 6.5 years that was similar in the validation cohort. Eight variables in the derivation cohort were found to contribute to the risk of HN: salt intake, diabetes mellitus, stroke, serum low-density lipoprotein, pulse pressure, age, hypertension duration, and serum uric acid. The discrimination by concordance statistics (C-statistics) was 0.785 (IQR, 0.770-0.800); the calibration slope was 1.129, the intercept was -0.117; and the overall accuracy by adjusted R 2 was 0.998 with similar results in the validation cohort. A simple points scale developed from these data (0, low to 40, high) detected a low morbidity of 7% in the low-risk group (0-10 points) compared with >40% in the high-risk group (>20 points). Conclusions and Relevance: A prediction model of HN over 8 years had high discrimination and calibration, but this model requires prospective evaluation in other cohorts, to confirm its potential to improve patient care.

Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and the Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Study in a Chinese Cohort.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration was associated with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Chinese adults. Methods: The study included the 97,411 participants in the Kailuan Study without RA, with complete baseline LDL-C data, and who did not use lipid-lowering medications at baseline or during follow-up. We used Cox proportional hazards modeling to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of RA according to baseline LDL-C tertiles, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, HDL-C, triglycerides, diabetes, hypertension, alcohol consumption, and smoking. We also calculated the HR and 95% CI of RA using updated LDL-C measurements prior to the end of follow-up, adjusting for covariates. Results: We identified 97 incident RA cases between 2006 and 2018. After adjusting for potential confounders, updated LDL-C concentration­rather than baseline LDL-C­was inversely associated with RA risk. The adjusted HR of RA was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.38, 1.09; p-trend = 0.10) comparing the two extreme baseline LDL-C tertiles, and 0.38 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.64; p-trend < 0.01) comparing the two extreme tertiles of the updated LDL-C concentrations. Conclusions: In this prospective study, high LDL-C concentrations, when measured closest to RA diagnosis or the end of follow-up, were associated with a low risk of RA. These findings highlight the changes in LDL-C prior to RA diagnosis, and the importance of including lipid analyses into studies of the pathogenesis of RA.

Association Between Baseline Uric Acid and the Risk of Acute Pancreatitis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is explore the association between serum uric acid (UA) and acute pancreatitis (AP) risk in a Chinese population. METHODS: We included 124,316 participants who enrolled in the Kailuan cohort from 2006 to 2009. We fitted Cox models to estimate the correlation between UA and AP. RESULT: During an average follow-up of 11.97 years (standard deviation, 2.16 years), 396 AP developed. The incidence rates from quartile 1 to quartile 4 of AP were 20.76, 18.78, 30.58, and 36.79 per 100,000 person-years, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed a significantly increased risk in quartile 3 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-1.91) and quartile 4 (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.19-2.17) compared with quartile 1. The association may be modified by alcohol use (P for interaction = 0.017). The quartile 4 group with excessive alcohol consumption showed an enormously increased risk of AP (HR, 9.09; 95% CI, 1.18-70.21) than those without (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.07-2.00). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum UA is an independent risk factor for AP. Surveillance of serum UA, especially among heavy drinkers, may be helpful for AP prevention.

Influencing factors of supernormal vascular aging in Chinese population.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have analysed the epidemic characteristics of supernormal vascular aging (SUPERNOVA), and found that SUPERNOVA were significantly associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the influencing factors of SUPERNOVA are still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and influencing factors of SUPERNOVA. METHODS: A total of 42 196 participants of the Kailuan Study were enrolled in the study. SUPERNOVA was defined as the lowest 2.5% of the age-quintile brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), early vascular aging was defined as the highest 2.5% of the age-quintile baPWV. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate the influencing factors of SUPERNOVA. RESULTS: The population with SUPERNOVA was mostly women, nonsmokers, nondrinkers, and those with higher education. They had lower levels of cardiovascular disease risk factors and healthier lifestyles. The results of logistics regression showed that the influencing factors of SUPERNOVA include age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, resting heart rate, hypersensitive C-reactive protein, and uric acid. However, the effects of these factors were different across age groups. We also observed that in addition to the unalterable factors (age and sex), only resting heart rate above 80 bpm (OR = 0.396, 95% CI: 0.231-0.681) and SBP (OR = 0.945, 95% CI: 0.932-0.958) were significantly associated with odds of SUPERNOVA in participants without cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study investigated the characteristics of the population with SUPERNOVA and the factors influencing it, which provided a basis for different populations to take preventive measures to slow down the process of vascular aging.

Lateralization of cerebral blood flow in the auditory cortex of patients with idiopathic tinnitus and healthy controls: An arterial spin labeling study.

Objectives: To assess the lateralization of cerebral blood flow (CBF) in the auditory cortex of idiopathic tinnitus patients and healthy controls (HCs) using 3D pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pcASL). Methods: Thirty-six patients with idiopathic tinnitus and 43 sex- and age-matched HCs underwent 3D-pcASL scanning using a 3.0 T MRI system. For both groups, region of interest analysis was performed on the primary auditory cortex (PAC), auditory associative cortex (AAC), and secondary auditory cortex (SAC). The clinical data of all subjects were analyzed. Results: In both tinnitus patients and HCs, CBF of the left PAC was significantly higher than that of the right (HCs: P = 0.02; patients: P = 0.043), but CBF of the right AAC and SAC was significantly higher than that of the left (AAC: HCs, P < 0.001; patients: P < 0.001. SAC: HCs, P < 0.001; patients: P = 0.001). Compared with HCs, tinnitus patients exhibited significantly higher CBF in the bilateral PAC (right: P = 0.008; left: P = 0.022). CBF in the left PAC was positively correlated with tinnitus severity (r = 0.399, P = 0.016). Conclusion: This study confirms the asymmetry of the auditory cortex and investigates the underlying neuropathology of idiopathic tinnitus in terms of CBF.

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis among Chinese Adults: A Prospective Study.

Alcohol consumption may be associated with the risk of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but potential sex-related differences in this association have not been explored. Thus, we utilized 87,118 participants in the Kailuan Study, a prospective cohort initiated in 2006 to study the risk factors of cardiovascular disease in a Chinese population. We included those that did not have RA at baseline (2006), and performed cox proportional hazard modeling to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of RA according to the levels of alcohol consumption (never or past, light or moderate (<1 serving/day for women, <2 servings/day for men), and heavy (>1 serving/day for women, >2 servings/day for men), adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking. Diagnoses of RA were confirmed via medical record review by rheumatologists. From 2006 to 2018, we identified 87 incident RA cases. After adjusting for potential confounders, the HR of RA was 1.26 (95% CI: 0.62, 2.56) for participants with light or moderate alcohol consumption and 1.98 (95% CI: 0.93, 4.22) for participants with heavy alcohol consumption) versus non-drinkers. The HR of each 10 g increase in alcohol consumption was 1.11 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.26) (p-trend = 0.09). A significant association between alcohol consumption and RA risk was observed in women, but not in men (p for interaction = 0.06). Among women, each 10 g increase in alcohol consumption was significantly associated with a high risk of RA (HR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.29). In contrast, each 10 g increase in alcohol consumption was not significantly associated with the risk of RA in men (HR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.25). Excluding past drinkers generated similar results. In this prospective Chinese cohort, increasing alcohol consumption was associated with an elevated risk of RA among women, but not in men. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating analysis of sex differences into future studies of alcohol consumption and RA risk.

Longitudinal Study of Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity and Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate among Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Studies on the association between arterial stiffness and kidney function have generated inconsistent results. Whether arterial stiffness is linked to decline in renal function warrants further study. This study aimed to investigate the association between brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and longitudinal change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) among Chinese adults. METHODS: In this longitudinal study, 8,264 participants in a community-based cohort had baPWV measured in 2010-2011 and were followed in subsequent surveys through to 2016. During each survey visit, fasting blood samples were collected for serum creatinine and eGFR was calculated. Participants were divided into 5 groups (Q1-Q5) by baPWV quintile. The association between baPWV and longitudinal changes in eGFR was assessed using generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS: A total of 8,045 participants were included in the final analysis. The average age was 54 ± 12 years (age range 24-97 years), and mean eGFR was 93.0 ± 18.6 mL/min/1.73 m2. There was an inverse linear association between baseline baPWV and eGFR change rate (p < 0.001). Compared with Q1 (lowest) group, the mean differences and 95% CI in eGFR decrease rate among Q2-Q5 groups were -0.23 (-0.62, 0.16), -0.67 (-1.06, -0.28), -1.11 (-1.50, -0.72), and -1.30 (-1.69, -0.92) mL/min/1.73 m2 per year, respectively, after adjustment for age, gender, and other potential confounders (p trend < 0.0001). For each 100 cm/s increase in baPWV at baseline, the fully adjusted mean difference in eGFR decrease rate was -0.14 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year (95% CI -0.18, -0.10; p < 0.0001). Compared with participants with baPWV < 1,400 cm/s, the fully adjusted mean difference in eGFR decrease rate was -0.92 mL/min/1.73 m2 per year (95% CI -1.18, -0.66) for those with baPWV ≥ 1,400 cm/s (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Participants with a higher baPWV at baseline had a greater decrease in eGFR over time. Future studies could examine the relationship between baPWV and decline in renal function in higher risk cohorts, and its potential role in targeting reno-protective interventions to those who may benefit from them most.

Early onset of hyperuricemia is associated with increased cardiovascular disease and mortality risk.

BACKGROUND: Hyperuricemia is associated with cardiovascular mortality, but the association of the age at hyperuricemia onset with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality is still unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of hyperuricemia onset age with CVD and all-cause mortality. METHODS: A total of 82,219 participants free of hyperuricemia and CVD from 2006 to 2015 in the Kailuan study were included. The analysis cohort comprised 18,311 new-onset hyperuricemia patients and controls matched for age and sex from the general population. Adjusted associations were estimated using Cox models for CVD and all-cause mortality across a range of ages. RESULTS: There were 1,021 incident cases of CVD (including 215 myocardial infarctions, 814 strokes) and 1459 deaths during an average of 5.2 years of follow-up. Patients with hyperuricemia onset at an age < 45 years had the highest hazard ratios (HRs) (1.78 (1.14-2.78) for CVD and 1.64 (1.04-2.61) for all-cause mortality relative to controls). The HRs of CVD and all-cause mortality were 1.32 (1.05-1.65) and 1.40 (1.08-1.81) for the 45-54 years age group, 1.23 (0.97-1.56) and 1.37 (1.11 to 1.72) for the 55-64 years age group, and 1.10 (0.88-1.39) and 0.88 (0.76-1.01) for the ≥ 65 years age group, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The age at hyperuricemia onset was identified as an important predictor of CVD and all-cause mortality risk, and the prediction was more powerful in those with a younger age of hyperuricemia onset. Early onset of hyperuricemia is associated with increased cardiovascular disease and mortality risk.

Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet and Hyperuricemia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: Although several individual nutrients/foods are associated with uric acid status, the association of overall diet quality with hyperuricemia remains unclear. The current study was undertaken to examine the association between adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and the odds of having hyperuricemia in a Chinese adult population. METHODS: Included were 71,893 Chinese participants in the Kailuan I study and the Kailuan II study (mean age 51.4 years) who were free of gout prior to or in 2014. Dietary intakes were assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and the DASH diet score was calculated based on consumptions of vegetables, fruit, dairy, beans, whole grains, meat, fat, sodium, and sugar-sweetened beverages. Fasting blood samples were collected in 2014, and hyperuricemia was defined as serum uric acid concentrations of ≥7 mg/dl for men, and of ≥6 mg/dl for women. The association between DASH diet score and hyperuricemia was assessed using multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for age, sex, total energy, obesity, physical activity, education, smoking, alcohol drinking, blood pressure, fasting glucose, lipid profiles, renal function, and presence of cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: A High DASH diet score was associated with low odds of having hyperuricemia (adjusted odds ratio for quartile 4 versus quartile 1 0.70 [95% confidence interval 0.66, 0.75], P for trend < 0.001) after adjusting for potential confounders. The association between the DASH diet and hyperuricemia was more pronounced among older individuals (age ≥50 years), women, and physically inactive participants compared with their counterparts (P for interaction < 0.01 for all). CONCLUSION: The DASH diet was associated with a low likelihood of having hyperuricemia in Chinese adults.

Ideal physical activity in association with incident ankylosing spondylitis: a community-based, prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Only limited risk factors for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) have been identified to date. Therefore, we aimed to explore whether cardiovascular health (CVH) behaviours and factors are associated with the risk of developing AS. METHODS: Patients with incident AS were identified in cohorts from two ongoing prospective studies. Assessments were made of the association of AS with individual baseline cardiovascular health lifestyle behaviours (including smoking status, body mass index, physical activity and diet) and cardiovascular health factors (including total cholesterol levels, blood pressure levels and fasting plasma glucose levels), and with a cardiovascular health metric determined by the number of ideal behaviours and factors. Cox regression analysis was used for the estimation of hazard ratios (HRs) for AS. RESULTS: Among 124,303 participants, incident AS was identified in 53 individuals within the 8 years of follow-up. For participants with ideal physical activity (>80 min/week) the HR was 0.21 (95% CI 0.05-0.89) compared with participants without ideal physical activity after adjusting for potential confounders. No signi cant risk of developing AS was associated with baseline smoking, diet, body mass index, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose or total cholesterol status, nor did cardiovascular health metrics. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to ideal physical activity may reduce the risk of developing AS.

Poor Sleep Quality Is Associated with Altered Taste Perception in Chinese Adults.

BACKGROUND: Small clinical studies have suggested that individuals with insufficient sleep could experience taste dysfunction. However, this notion has not been examined in a large-scale, population-based study. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine whether overall sleep quality, as assessed by insomnia, daytime sleepiness, snoring, and sleep duration, was associated with the odds of having altered taste perception in a large population-based study. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study that used data from a subcohort of the Kailuan study, an ongoing multicenter cohort study that began in 2006 in Tangshan City, China. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: The participants were 11,030 adults aged 25 years or older (mean age 53.7 ± 10.7 years), who were free of neurodegenerative diseases. All the participants had undergone questionnaire assessments and medical examinations at Kailuan General Hospital from June 2012 to October 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Altered taste and olfactory perception were assessed via a questionnaire with two questions regarding whether participants had any problems with sense of taste or smell for ≥3 months. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: The association between sleep quality and altered taste/olfactory perception was examined using a logistic regression model, adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle factors (eg, obesity, smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activity) and health status (eg, lipid profiles, blood pressure, modification use, and presence of chronic diseases). RESULTS: Poor overall sleep quality was associated with a higher risk of having altered taste perception (adjusted odds ratio for low vs high sleep quality 2.03, 95% CI 1.42 to 2.91; P < 0.001). Specifically, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and short sleep duration, but not prolonged sleep duration and snoring, were significantly associated with altered taste perception. A significant association between overall sleep quality and the risk of having altered olfactory perception was also observed (adjusted odds ratio for low vs high sleep quality 2.17, 95% CI 1.68 to 2.80; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based study, poor sleep quality was associated with a high likelihood of altered taste perception.