Epidemiologic features of metabolic syndrome in a general Mongolian population / Эрүүл мэндийн лаборатори

Background@#Although cardiovascular health is a crucial problem for Mongolian people, little information about metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, is available in Mongolia. @*Aim@#The aim of this study was to observe the epidemiological features of MetS in a general Mongolian population.@*Material and Methods@#This cross-sectional study was performed in 1911 general Mongolian subjects (men=717, women=1194), who were aged ≥ 40 years and free of ischemic heart disease. The prevalence of MetS, as defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria, was determined.@*Result@#The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (n=488, 40.9%) than in men (n=138, 19.2%). The prevalence of MetS was high, especially in the Khangai region. A moderateto-high alcohol consumption was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in men (odds ratio [OR] =2.01; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.15-3.51; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.41; 95% CI: 1.31-4.44) and widowed status was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in women (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.18-2.18; AOR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08). @*Conclusion @#MetS was prevalent in women compared with men among Mongolian adults. Preventive strategies aimed at men with higher alcohol consumption and women of widowed status may help reduce MetS, thereby improving cardiovascular health conditions in Mongolia.

A study of the prevalence and risk factors of ischemic heart disease / Эрүүл мэндийн лаборатори

Аbstract@#Ischemic heart disease (IHD) remains one of the most important disorders associated with disability and mortality worldwide, and is one of the major causes of cardiovascular diseases in Mongolia. The objective of the current study was to determine the prevalence of IHD and its related factors in a general population in Mongolia.</br> We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey between March and September, 2009. General participants were recruited from urban to rural regions in a multistage random cluster sampling method. The diagnosis of IHD was based on the Rose questionnaire and electrocardiographic findings. A total of 369 (16.2%) subjects with IHD were diagnosed among 2280 participants. The prevalence of subjects with IHD was significantly increased by age: from 9.9% in individuals age 40-44 years compared to 17.7% in those over 60 years. Smoking habits (former and current) and non-frequent intake of fruits and vegetables were significantly positively associated with IHD in men, while heavy alcohol drinking habits and lower education period of time were significantly positively associated with IHD in women. </br> IHD was found to be prevalent, especially among people aged over 40 years, in Mongolia. Statistical factors related to IHD were found to be significantly different based on sex. The current data may provide relevant information to prevent IHD in the Mongolian population.

Comprehensive assessment of multiple tryptophan metabolites as potential biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Purpose Tryptophan metabolites have immunomodulatory functions, suggesting possible roles in cancer immunity. Methods Plasma tryptophan metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry before immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results The 19 patients with NSCLC had significantly lower levels of tryptophan (p = 0.002) and xanthurenic acid (p = 0.032), and a significantly higher level of 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) (p = 0.028) compared with the 10 healthy volunteers. The patients achieving objective responses had significantly lower levels of 3-HAA than those who did not (p = 0.045). Receiver operating characteristic analyses determined that the cutoff value of 3-HAA for objective response was 35.4 pmol/mL (sensitivity: 87.5% and specificity: 83.3%). The patients with 3-HAA < 35.4 pmol/mL had significantly longer median progression-free survival (7.0 months) than those without (1.6 months, p = 0.022). Conclusions Tryptophan metabolites may have a potential for predicting the efficacy of ICIs (AU)

Epidemiologic features of metabolic syndrome in a general Mongolian population / Монголын Анагаах Ухаан

Background Although cardiovascular health is a crucial problem for Mongolian people, little information about metabolic syndrome (MetS), associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, is available in Mongolia. Aim The aim of this study was to observe the epidemiological features of MetS in a general Mongolian population. Material and Methods This cross-sectional study was performed in 1911 general Mongolian subjects (men=717, women=1194), who were aged ≥ 40 years and free of ischemic heart disease. The prevalence of MetS, as defined by International Diabetes Federation criteria, was determined. Results The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in women (n=488, 40.9%) than in men (n=138, 19.2%). The prevalence of MetS was high, especially in the Khangai region. A moderate-to-high alcohol consumption was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in men (odds ratio [OR] =2.01; 95% confidential interval [CI]: 1.15-3.51; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.41; 95% CI: 1.31-4.44) and widowed status was a significantly positively associated factor of MetS in women (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 1.18-2.18; AOR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08). Conclusion MetS was prevalent in women compared with men among Mongolian adults. Preventive strategies aimed at men with higher alcohol consumption and women of widowed status may help reduce MetS, thereby improving cardiovascular health conditions in Mongolia.

Lipoprotein lipase PvuII polymorphism is associated with variations in serum lipid levels in non-diabetic pregnant women

The aim of the present study was to determine if there is an association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and apolipoprotein E (apo E) genes and the serum lipid profile in pregnancy and puerperium. Non-diabetic women of European descent in the third semester of pregnancy (N = 120) were selected. Those with diseases or other condition that could modify their lipid profile were excluded from the study (N = 32). Serum lipids were measured by routine laboratory procedures and genomic DNA was extracted by a salting out method. LPL (PvuII and HindIII) and apo E (HhaI) SNPs were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism. Categorical and continuous variables were compared by the chi-square test and Student t-test or ANOVA, respectively. Women carrying the LPL P1P1 genotype had higher serum LDL cholesterol (N = 21; 155 ± 45 mg/dL) than women carrying the P1P2/P2P2 genotypes (N = 67; 133 ± 45 mg/dL; P = 0.032). During the puerperium period, serum levels of triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol were significantly reduced in women carrying the P1P1 (73 percent, P = 0.006) and P1P2 (51 percent, P = 0.002) genotypes but not in women carrying the P2P2 genotype (23 percent, P > 0.05). On the other hand, serum concentrations of lipids did not differ between the LPL HindIII and apo E genotypes during pregnancy and after delivery. We conclude that LPL PvuII SNP is associated with variations in serum lipids during pregnancy and the puerperal period in non-diabetic women.