Comparison of serum ferritin and oxidative stress biomarkers between Japanese workers with and without metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is closely associated to life-style and is characterized by central obesity causing severe diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM) or atherosclerosis. This study investigates the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in MS. SUBJECTS: Total of 685 workers stratified by gender (293 men and 392 women) with a mean age of 41.2 ± 10.4 in different offices in a city in Japan. METHODS: Fasting blood and urine tests for MS, oxidative and/or inflammatory biomarker analysis and blood pressure (BP) measurement were performed. MS was defined on the basis of the Japanese criterion. RESULTS: Serum ferritin and urinary hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were significantly higher in subjects with MS than those without. Ferritin was positively correlated with 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all subjects and it was negatively correlated with 8-isoprostane and H2O2 in men. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between ferritin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) in men. By using multiple regression analysis, ferritin was closely correlated with HOMA-R, γ-GT, 8-OHdG, smoking value and amount of alcohol ingestion in men, and it was correlated with 8-OHdG, γ-GT, HOMA-R in women under 50 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Ferritin is a useful marker of MS including insulin resistance, reflecting the importance of oxidative stress as a cause of MS, especially in men.

Associations of serum retinol, α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol with biomarkers among healthy Japanese men.

Retinol, α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol are fat-soluble vitamins acting as antioxidants via the prevention of lipid oxidation. Little is known about circulatory levels in healthy individuals. The present cross-sectional study aimed at elucidating the relationship between these antioxidants and clinical biomarkers in 206 male (median age 41 years, range 23-67) employees from companies located in the Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Subjects younger than 40 years (n = 94) showed a positive association of the frequency of alcohol consumption with the circulating retinol (ß = 0.344, p = 0.001) and γ-tocopherol levels (ß = 0.219, p = 0.041), and an inverse association of fast insulin with serum retinol (ß = -0.301, p = 0.009). In participants older than 40 years (n = 112) we found that an inverse association of HOMA-R with serum retinol (ß = -0.262, p = 0.021), α-tocopherol (ß = -0.236, p = 0.035), and γ-tocopherol levels (ß = -0.224, p = 0.052); and cigarette smoking was inversely associated with the levels of serum α-tocopherol (ß = -0.286, p = 0.008) and γ-tocopherol (ß = -0.229, p = 0.040). We further found negative relationships between serum ferritin and the retinol (ß = -0.211, p = 0.032) and α-tocopherol levels (ß = -0.223, p = 0.022) in men over 40 years of age. The present study suggests that the circulatory levels of antioxidant vitamins may modulate the action of insulin and that higher levels of iron might decrease the levels of antioxidant vitamins in the blood.

Legionella pneumophila in rainwater on roads.

During rain, transient puddles form on roads, and this water is splashed into the air by moving vehicles. To determine whether this water contains Legionella pneumophila, we collected samples from roads. We found that L. pneumophila are abundant in these puddles, especially during warm weather.

A patient with Legionnaires' disease transferred after a traffic accident.

Legionnaires' disease (LD) ranks among the three most common causes of severe pneumonia, but is often not specifically diagnosed. Among patients with LD, 40% to 50% of the patients develop neuromuscular signs and symptoms. A patient with LD transferred to our department after a traffic accident. When the patient arrived at our hospital, his respiratory rate was 27 breaths per min. His pulse was 148 beats per min and blood pressure was 116/57 mm Hg. Temperature was 39.6°C. He had copious watery diarrhoea and had been diagnosed as having acute gastroenteritis. The patient had urinary incontinence, gait disturbance, mild headache, fatigue and excessive decrease in spontaneous speech. A urinary antigen test for Legionella pneumophila turned out to be positive. LD commonly involves the neuromuscular system. Although this may be an atypical case of LD, it implies the need for awareness of LD.

The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and Japanese anti-tobacco measures.

Japanese anti-tobacco measures are reviewed and checked the relationship between the FCTC and its changes. Japan is making efforts to follow the FCTC, but it is insufficient and present anti-tobacco measures seem to have only a little impact on decreasing smoking rates. More effective measures should be developed for reducing smoking rates and for making smoke-free society.