Optimizing Embryo Collection for Application of CRISPR/Cas9 System and Generation of Fukutin Knockout Rat Using This Method.

Rat animal models are widely used owing to their relatively superior cognitive abilities and higher similarity compared with mouse models to human physiological characteristics. However, their use is limited because of difficulties in establishing embryonic stem cells and performing genetic modifications, and insufficient embryological research. In this study, we established optimal superovulation and fertilized-egg transfer conditions, including optimal hormone injection concentration (≥150 IU/kg of PMSG and hCG) and culture medium (mR1ECM), to obtain high-quality zygotes and establish in vitro fertilization conditions for rats. Next, sgRNA with optimal targeting activity was selected by performing PCR analysis and the T7E1 assay, and the CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to construct a rat model for muscular dystrophy by inducing a deficiency in the fukutin gene without any off-target effect detected. The production of fukutin knockout rats was phenotypically confirmed by observing a drop-in body weight to one-third of that of the control group. In summary, we succeeded in constructing the first muscular dystrophy disease rat model using the CRISPR/CAS9 system for increasing future prospects of producing various animal disease models and encouraging disease research using rats.

Early Chronic Kidney Disease (G1-G3a) in Combination with Steatosis as a Predictor of Incident Ischemic Heart Disease: A Longitudinal Study in Non-Diabetic Koreans.

Hepatic steatosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the advanced stages are closely related to cardiovascular diseases. Despite the potential connection between early CKD (G1-G3a) and hepatic steatosis on cardiometabolic risks, few studies have revealed their causal link to ischemic heart disease (IHD). We prospectively investigated the combined effect of CKD in earlier stages and hepatic steatosis on incident IHD risk in large-scale, non-diabetic Koreans. Data were assessed from 16,531 participants without diabetes from the Health Risk Assessment Study (HERAS) and Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) data. We divided the study population into four groups according to the existence of early CKD and hepatic steatosis: controls, early CKD only, hepatic steatosis only, and both early CKD and hepatic steatosis. We prospectively assessed hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for IHD using multivariate Cox proportional-hazard regression models over a 50-month period. During the follow-up period, 326 (2.0%) patients developed IHD. HRs of IHD in the four groups were 1.00 (controls), 1.26 (95% CI 0.72-2.19), 1.19 (95% CI 0.90-1.57) and 1.76 (95% CI 1.04-2.97), respectively, after adjusting for potential confounding variables. Even less than stage 3A, CKD could precede and predict IHD in patients with hepatic steatosis.

Particulate Matter Exposure During Oocyte Maturation: Cell Cycle Arrest, ROS Generation, and Early Apoptosis in Mice.

Particulate matter (PM) is a general atmospheric pollutant released into the air by an anthropogenic and naturally derived mixture of substances. Current studies indicate that fine dust can result in different health defects, including endothelial dysfunction, asthma, lung cancer, cardiovascular diseases, uterine leiomyoma, deterioration in sperm quality, and overall birth impairment. However, the most prominent effects of PM10 (diameter < 10 µM) exposure on the female reproductive system, especially with respect to oocyte maturation, remain unclear. In the present study, maturing mouse oocytes were treated with PM10 and the phenotypes of the resulting toxic effects were investigated. Exposure to PM10 led to impairment of maturation capacity by inducing cell cycle arrest and blocking normal polar body extrusion during in vitro maturation and activation of fertilization of mouse oocytes. Additionally, defects in tubulin formation and DNA alignment were observed in PM10-treated oocytes during metaphase I to anaphase/telophase I transition. Moreover, PM10 induced reactive oxygen species generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA damage, and early apoptosis. Taken together, these results indicate that PM10 exposure leads to a decline in oocyte quality and affects the subsequent embryonic development potential of mammalian oocytes.

Potential Applications of Non-thermal Plasma in Animal Husbandry to Improve Infrastructure.

Infrastructure in animal husbandry refers to fundamental facilities and services necessary for better living conditions of animals and its economy to function through better productivity. Mainly, infrastructure can be divided into two categories: hard infrastructure and soft infrastructure. Physical infrastructure, such as buildings, roads, and water supplying systems, belongs to hard infrastructure. Soft infrastructure includes services which are required to maintain economic, health, cultural and social standards of animal husbandry. Therefore, the proper management of infrastructure in animal husbandry is necessary for animal welfare and its economy. Among various technologies to improve the quality of infrastructure, non-thermal plasma (NTP) technology is an effectively applicable technology in different stages of animal husbandry. NTP is mainly helpful in maintaining better health conditions of animals in several ways via decontamination from microorganisms present in air, water, food, instruments and surfaces of animal farming systems. Furthermore, NTP is used in the treatment of waste water, vaccine production, wound healing in animals, odor-free ventilation, and packaging of animal food or animal products. This review summarizes the recent studies of NTP which can be related to the infrastructure in animal husbandry.

Severity of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with subclinical cerebro-cardiovascular atherosclerosis risk in Korean men.

BACKGROUND: No studies have reported the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and concurrent cerebral artery and coronary artery atherosclerosis simultaneously. We aimed at determining whether NAFLD, as assessed by ultrasound, is associated with subclinical cerebro-cardio vascular atherosclerosis (CCVA) by multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT), and high resolution-magnetic resonance angiography (HR-MRA). This cross-sectional study included men in the general Korean population aged 20-70 years. RESULTS: A total of 1,652 men participated in the study (normal, n = 835; mild-to-moderate NAFLD, n = 512; severe NAFLD, n = 305). The risk of subclinical CCVA was positively associated with age (odds ratio [OR] 1.068; 1.054-1.081, p < 0.001), body mass index (OR 1.120; 1.08 0-1.162, p < 0.001), hepatic enzyme levels (OR 1.012; 1.001-1.023, p = 0.027; OR 1.006; 1.001-1.012, p = 0.036), fasting glucose (OR 1.021; 1.015-1.027, p < 0.001), triglycerides (OR 1.002; 1.000-1.003, p = 0.016), hypertension (OR 2.836; 2.268-3.546, p < 0.001), and diabetes (OR 2.911; 2.137-3.964, p < 0.001). Also, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was inversely associated with subclinical CCVA (OR 0.974; 0.965-0.982, p < 0.001). Compared with normal controls, the OR for subclinical CCVA after full adjustment was 1.46 in the mild-to-moderate NAFLD group (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10 to 1.93) and 2.04 in the severe NAFLD group (95% CI: 1.44 to 2.89). CONCLUSIONS: Our data show that NAFLD is common among Korean men, and NAFLD severity on ultrasonography is associated with subclinical CCVA, as assessed by MDCT, and HR-MRA.

Ferritin Level Is Positively Associated with Chronic Kidney Disease in Korean Men, Based on the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

(1) Background: Oxidative stress and inflammation are associated with higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Serum ferritin concentrations correlate with total iron levels and systemic inflammation. (2) Methods: This study was cross-sectionally designed, based on the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). According to ferritin values, 13,462 participants (6082 men and 7380 women) were categorized into the normal- and high-ferritin groups (cut-off points: 200 ng/mL in men, 150 ng/mL in women). (3) Results: The mean ages of men and women were 44.5 and 48.4 years, respectively. The percentage of participants categorized into the high-ferritin group was 15.1% for men and 3.6% for women. The estimated glomerular filtration rate levels in the normal- and high-ferritin groups were 93.2 and 93.8 mL/min/1.73 m² for men and 97.1 and 87.7 mL/min/1.73 m² for women, respectively. The prevalence of CKD in the normal- and high-ferritin groups was 2.6% and 3.9% for men and 3.2% and 8.1% for women, respectively. Compared with the normal-ferritin group, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for CKD of the high-ferritin group were 1.573 (1.014-2.441) in men and 1.061 (0.381-2.955) in women, after adjustments for age and other covariates. (4) Conclusions: High ferritin levels were associated with a higher risk of CKD in men but not in women.

High-risk drinking is associated with dyslipidemia in a different way, based on the 2010-2012 KNHANES.

BACKGROUND: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) questionnaire is a simple and useful method for the early detection of hazardous and harmful drinking. In this study, we examined the association between alcohol drinking pattern and dyslipidemia in Korean adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 14,308 participants who took part in the 2010-2012 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We categorized alcohol drinking patterns into three groups. We classified dyslipidemia into hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia, hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia, and hyper-non-HDL-cholesterolemia. RESULTS: Of those who participated, 25.1% of men and 4.8% of women were high-risk drinkers. Compared with the low-risk group, Odd Ratios for hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia in the high-risk group were 1.198 (1.001-1.434) and 1.979 (1.622-2.413) for men. Odd Ratios for hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia in the high-risk group was 0.351 (0.279-0.441) in men and 0.413 (0.291-0.586) in women. Compared with the low-risk participants, the high-risk group was associated with higher prevalence and increased risk for hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia in both sexes (1.541 [1.467-1.913] for men and 1.631 [1.034-2.575] for women). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk drinking was associated with higher risk for hypertriglyceridemia and hyper-LDL-cholesterolemia in both sexes and hypercholesterolemia in men but lower risk for hypo-HDL-cholesterolemia in both sexes.

Effect of Achyranthes bidentata Blume on 3T3-L1 Adipogenesis and Rats Fed with a High-Fat Diet.

The present study investigated the antiobesity effect of Achyranthes bidentata Blume root water extract in a 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation model and rats fed with a high-fat diet. To investigate the effect of Achyranthes bidentata Blume on adipogenesis in vitro, differentiating 3T3-L1 cells in adipocyte-induction media were treated every two days with Achyranthes bidentata Blume at various concentrations (1 to 25 µ g/mL) for eight days. We found that Achyranthes bidentata Blume root inhibited 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation without affecting cell viability, and Western blot analysis revealed that phospho-Akt expression was markedly decreased, whereas there was no significant change in perilipin expression. Furthermore, administration of Achyranthes bidentata Blume root (0.5 g/kg body weight for six weeks) to rats fed with a high-fat diet significantly reduced body weight gain without affecting food intake, and the level of triglyceride was significantly decreased when compared to those in rats fed with only a high-fat diet. These results suggest that Achyranthes bidentata Blume root water extract could have a beneficial effect on inhibition of adipogenesis and controlling body weight in rats fed with a high-fat diet.

Chronic liver inflammation: clinical implications beyond alcoholic liver disease.

Chronic alcohol exposure can lead to alcoholic liver disease, including hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and chronic inflammation can simultaneously cause systemic medical illness. Recent evidence suggests that alcoholic liver disease is a predictor for liver-related diseases, cardiovascular disease, immunologic disease, and bone disease. Chronic inflammation in alcoholic liver disease is mediated by a direct inflammatory cascade from the alcohol detoxification process and an indirect inflammatory cascade in response to gut microflora-derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease and its related systemic illness is characterized by oxidative stress, activation of the immune cascade, and gut-liver interactions. Integrative therapeutic strategies for alcoholic liver disease include abstaining from alcohol consumption; general anti-inflammatories such as glucocorticoid, pentoxifylline, and tumour necrosis factor-α antagonist; antioxidants such as N- acetylcysteine; gut microflora and LPS modulators such as rifaximin and/or probiotics. This review focuses on the impact of chronic liver inflammation on systemic health problems and several potential therapeutic targets.

Trends in prevalence of overweight and obesity in Korean adults, 1998-2009: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Although obesity is increasing worldwide and becoming a major public health problem, some countries report a trend toward stabilization. We investigated prevalence trends in overweight/obesity and obesity among Korean adults during a 12-year period. METHODS: This study was based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) I (1998), II (2001), III (2005), and IV (2007-2009). The χ(2) and ANOVA tests were used to compare the prevalence and mean values for age and BMI, respectively. P-values for trends were determined by linear and logistic regression analyses, with KNHANES phase as the continuous variable. RESULTS: The prevalences of overweight/obesity in KNHANES I through IV were 50.8%, 57.4%, 62.5%, and 62.6%, respectively, among men (P for trend = 0.002, ß = 0.021) and 47.3%, 51.9%, 50.0%, and 48.9% among women (P for trend = 0.017, ß = -0.015). The respective prevalences of obesity were 26.0%, 32.4%, 35.1%, and 36.3% among men (P for trend = 0.006, ß = 0.018) and 26.5%, 29.3%, 28.0%, and 27.6% among women (P for trend = 0.143, ß = -0.008). During the same period, the respective prevalences of grade 2 obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)) were 1.7%, 2.8%, 3.6%, and 3.8% among men (P for trend = 0.075, ß = 0.005) and 3.0%, 3.5%, 3.4%, and 4.0% among women (P for trend = 0.398, ß = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalences of overweight/obesity and obesity showed an upward trend among men during the 12-year period, whereas the prevalence of overweight/obesity slightly decreased among women from 2001.

Elevated intraocular pressure is associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between intraocular pressure and metabolic syndrome according to menopause status in nonglaucomatous Korean women. METHODS: We examined the relationship between intraocular pressure and metabolic syndrome in 4,524 nonglaucomatous Korean women (2,866 premenopausal women and 1,658 postmenopausal women) who participated in the 2008 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between metabolic syndrome and intraocular pressure after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, hypertension medication, and diabetes medication according to menopause status in women. RESULTS: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 5.4% for premenopausal women and 28.0% for postmenopausal women. The mean intraocular pressure gradually increased in accordance with the increasing number of components for metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women (P = 0.002), but not in premenopausal women (P = 0.387). In multivariate regression analysis, intraocular pressure was significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women (P = 0.015) after adjusting for confounding variables, but not in premenopausal women (P = 0.940). CONCLUSIONS: Intraocular pressure was associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women, but not in premenopausal women. These findings suggest that intraocular pressure changes may be linked to metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents - the recent trends in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Although the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in childhood is increasing worldwide and becoming a significant public health problem, some countries report trends for stabilization. After 2005, the Health Plan 2010 of the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare has carried out the standardization of school lunch provisions for all students and reinforced nutritional and physical education in schools. Thus, an investigation of changes in the prevalence of MetS in Korean children and adolescents is important and intriguing in the aspect of evaluating the national public health intervention. METHODS: We investigated trends in the prevalence of MetS among a nationally representative sample of 5652 children and adolescents aged 10-18 years from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) I (1998), II (2001), III (2005), and IV (2008). RESULTS: Prevalence trends in MetS were 7.5%, 9.8%, 10.9%, and 6.7% in the KNHANES I through IV, respectively (p<0.001). Among the five components of MetS, the prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased most over the 1998-2005 period and decreased over the 2005-2008 period. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of MetS has decreased since 2005 mainly because of changes in the prevalence of low levels of HDL cholesterol.

Trends in the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Korean adults: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1998 to 2009.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with a poor quality of life and cardiovascular events and is a great threat to public health. METHODS: We investigated the trends of CKD prevalence over 12 years in Korean adults at least 20 years old using sampling weight methods based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) I (1998), II (2001), III (2005) and IV (2007-09). Of the 135 954 subjects participating in KNHANES I-IV, 33 276 (14 307 men, 18 969 women) were included in the present study. RESULTS: The percentage of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) in KNHANES I-IV was 1.0, 5.4, 3.1 and 2.6% in men and 3.4, 9.7, 10.2 and 4.6% in women, respectively. The percentage of proteinuria ≥ 1+ measured by a dipstick method across KNHANES phases gradually declined in men (3.1, 3.0, 2.8 and 2.2% in KNHANES I-IV, respectively), while those in women rebounded in KNHANES IV after reduction through KNHANES III (3.3, 2.3, 1.4 and 1.9%, respectively). The prevalence of CKD (GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) or proteinuria ≥ 1+) in KNHANES I-IV was 3.9, 7.9, 5.4 and 4.5% in men and 6.4, 11.3, 12.0 and 6.3% in women, respectively. After stratification by age (20-39 years, 40-59 years and ≥ 60 years), the prevalence trends were similar to those before the stratification by sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of CKD in Korean adults has decreased since 2001 in men and since 2005 in women.

Effects of Korean Red Ginseng on Cardiovascular Risks in Subjects with Metabolic Syndrome: a Double-blind Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the effects of Korean red ginseng (KRG) supplementation on metabolic parameters, inflammatory markers, and arterial stiffness in subjects with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center study in 60 subjects who were not taking drugs that could affect metabolic and vascular functions. Subjects were randomized into either a KRG (4.5 g/d) group or a placebo group for a 12-week study. We collected anthropometric measurements, blood for laboratory testing, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) at the initial (week 0) and final (week 12) visits. RESULTS: A total of 48 subjects successfully completed the study protocol. Oral administration of KRG did not significantly affect blood pressure, oxidative or inflammatory markers, or baPWV. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence that KRG had an effect on blood pressure, lipid profile, oxidized low density lipoprotein, fasting blood glucose, or arterial stiffness in subjects with metabolic syndrome. These findings warrant subsequent longer-term prospective clinical investigations with a larger population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00976274.

High-normal Glucose Levels in Non-diabetic and Pre-diabetic Men Are Associated with Decreased Testosterone Levels.

BACKGROUND: Testosterone levels are decreased in diabetic patients and recent studies have suggested that high-normal fasting glucose is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. To further elucidate the relationship between plasma glucose and testosterone, we investigated the association between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and endogenous sex hormones (serum total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, estradiol, and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol) in non-diabetic and pre-diabetic men. METHODS: This study included 388 men (age ≥ 40 years) who visited the health promotion center of a university hospital from May 2007 to August 2008. The subjects were divided into quartiles based on their FPG levels and correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Q1 (65 mg/dL ≤ FPG < 88 mg/dL), Q2 (88 mg/dL ≤ FPG < 94 mg/dL), Q3 (94 mg/dL ≤ FPG < 100 mg/dL) and Q4 (100 mg/dL ≤ FPG < 126 mg/dL). RESULTS: FPG was independently, inversely associated with total testosterone in the non-diabetic population after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking, and alcohol consumption (ß = -0.082, P < 0.01). Among the quartiles, subjects in the high-normal FPG groups (Q2, Q3, and Q4 with FPG ≥ 88 mg/dL) had significantly decreased testosterone levels when compared with subjects in the normal FPG group (Q1 with FPG < 88 mg/dL, P < 0.005). Sex hormone binding globulin, estradiol and the ratio of testosterone to estradiol were not correlated with FPG. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that high-normal fasting glucose levels are associated with decreased testosterone levels in non-diabetic and pre-diabetic men.

Inverse relationship between bioavailable testosterone and subclinical coronary artery calcification in non-obese Korean men.

Although low testosterone levels in men have been associated with high risk for cardiovascular disease, little is known about the association between male sex hormones and subclinical coronary disease in men with apparently low cardiometabolic risk. This study was performed to investigate the association between male sex hormones and subclinical coronary artery calcification measured as coronary calcium score in non-obese Korean men. We examined the relationship of total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, bioavailable testosterone and free testosterone with coronary calcium score in 291 non-obese Korean men (mean age: 52.8±9.3 years) not having a history of cardiovascular disease. Using multiple linear regression, we evaluated associations between log (sex hormone) levels and log (coronary calcium score) after adjusting for confounding variables in 105 men with some degree of coronary calcification defined as coronary calcium score ≥ 1. In multiple linear regression analysis, bioavailable testosterone was inversely associated with coronary calcium score (P=0.046) after adjusting for age, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, mean blood pressure, resting heart rate, C-reactive protein, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, hypertension medication and hyperlipidemia medication, whereas total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin and free testosterone were not (P=0.674, P=0.121 and P=0.102, respectively). Our findings indicate that bioavailable testosterone is inversely associated with the degree of subclinical coronary artery calcification in non-obese men.

Association between serum total bilirubin level and leukoaraiosis in Korean adults.

OBJECTIVES: Leukoaraiosis is associated with cerebrovascular microangiopathy. Increasing evidence suggests that bilirubin is a potent cytoprotectant in the development of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to determine whether total bilirubin is related to leukoaraiosis. METHODS: We examined the relationship of total bilirubin with leukoaraiosis in 1005 Korean adults. The odds ratios for leukoaraiosis were calculated using multivariate logistic regression across serum total bilirubin tertiles. RESULTS: In comparison with the subjects in the reference group (total bilirubin: 15-26 µmol/L), the odds ratio (95% CI) for leukoaraiosis in the 3rd tertile (total bilirubin ≤10 µmol/L) was 5.50 (1.24-24.40) in women after adjusting for confounding variables. However, this inverse association between serum total bilirubin and the prevalence of leukoaraiosis was not found in men after adjusting for the same co-variables. CONCLUSION: Total bilirubin level was inversely associated with leukoaraiosis regardless of classical cardiovascular risk factors in Korean women.

Sex differences in the relationship between socioeconomic status and metabolic syndrome: the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

AIMS: To investigate sex differences in the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean adults. METHODS: We examined the relationship between SES, as measured by household income or education level, and the prevalence of MetS in Korean adults who participated in the 2007-2008 Korean National Health Examination and Nutrition Survey (KNHANES). The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for MetS were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis across household income and education level quartiles. RESULTS: We found significant differences between men and women in the association between SES and MetS, with a positive association for men and an inverse association for women. The adjusted OR and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for MetS for the highest vs. lowest quartile of household income was 1.59 (1.15-2.20) in men. The adjusted ORs for MetS for the highest vs. lowest quartile of household income and education level were 0.54 (0.41-0.72) and 0.26 (0.17-0.38) in women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found sex differences in the relationship between SES and the prevalence of MetS in Korea. These findings suggest that sex-specific public health interventions that consider SES are needed for the prevention and treatment of MetS.

Association between sex hormone levels and leukoaraiosis (LA) in older Korean men.

LA, altered white matter signal intensities seen on MR brain scans, has been shown to be associated with cerebrovascular risk factors and microangiopathy. Although the cerebrovascular system is also a target for sex hormones, little is known about the association between the two. In this study, we investigated the association between male sex hormone levels and LA in old men by examining free testosterone index (FTI), total testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and LA in 342 Korean men (aged 50-80 years). The odds ratios (ORs) for LA were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. The ORs (95% CIs) for LA were 1.06 (1.01-1.10) for FTI, 1.01 (0.93-1.10) for total testosterone, and 0.97 (0.94-1.01) for SHBG after adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol intake, regular exercise, BMI, mean arterial blood pressure, resting heart rate, white blood cell counts, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, hypertension medications, diabetes medications, and hyperlipidemia medications. The results of this study indicate that high FTI is independently associated with greater prevalence of LA in older men. Accordingly, a higher FTI may be an additional surrogate marker in assessing LA.

The relationship of platelet count, mean platelet volume with metabolic syndrome according to the criteria of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists: a focus on gender differences.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is becoming globally prevalent and it is clinically important because of its association with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Recently, platelet count has been linked to insulin resistance and MS in addition to being a marker of hemostasis. Also, mean platelet volume (MPV) has been known to represent platelet activity. Platelet counts and MPV are modified by various biosocial and lifestyle factors such as race, age, gender, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, and physical activity. Thus, the direction and magnitude of this association may differ by gender. In this regard, proper interpretion of platelet counts and MPV by gender could be important in the people with MS. We examined the relationship between platelet counts, MPV, and MS through gender-specific analyses for 3827 Korean adults (2169 men and 1658 women) in a health examination program. In women, platelet counts were significantly higher in subjects with MS compared to in those without MS (p < 0.001), whereas MPV was significantly lower (p = 0.001). However, no such trend was observed in men. Multiple regression analyses also showed that MS is positively associated with platelet counts and inversely associated with MPV, independently of confounding variables only in women. The results suggest that platelet counts and MPV might be a surrogate marker associated with clustered MS in women.