Search

This nationwide population-based cohort study evaluated the association between lipid profiles and the future risk of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using authorized clinical data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. A total of 6,129,616 subjects over 50 years of age who participated in the Korean National Health Screening Program in 2013 or 2014 were included. Data on risk factors, including age, sex, comorbidities, behavioral factors, and baseline lipid profiles, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) levels were collected. Patients were followed-up patients until December 2018, and incident cases of exudative AMD were identified using registered diagnostic codes. During an average follow-up period of 4.91 years, 18,803 patients were newly diagnosed with exudative AMD. Compared to the lowest HDL cholesterol quartile group, the highest HDL cholesterol quartile group had a greater risk of future exudative AMD development with a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.13 (1.08–1.18) in the fully adjusted model. The highest TG quartile group had a lower risk of exudative AMD than the lowest TG quartile group, with a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.84 (0.81–0.88). High HDL cholesterol and low TG levels were prospectively associated with exudative AMD incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Our purpose was to evaluate interaction of green tea consumption and abdominal obesity as related factors for lacunar infarction in Korean women. Designs: A hospital-based, incident case-control study. Settings: The Prevention and Managements of Stroke in Women study. Participants: Cases (n=233) of first incident lacunar infarction were enrolled and matched by age to stroke-free hospital controls (n=204). Measurements: The data were collected through face-to-face interviews by well trained research assistants to assess demographic, medical, lifestyle, marital status, religions status, green tea consumptions, family history of stroke, smoking status, alcohol consumption, meat and vegetable intake frequency, and past history of hypertension. Biochemical analysis, fasting blood specimens for lipid, glucose, and cholesterol level were acquired. Results: Compared with the non green tea consumer and obese women group, only the green tea consumption and non obese women group had a protective effect of lacunar infarction when adjusted for age, and age plus diet factors (OR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.09, 0.59; OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.08, 0.56 respectively), but lost their significance after adjustment for age, diet factors, vascular risk factors and full model included atherogenic index factors (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.09 to 1.01; OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.12, 1.89 respectively). Conclusions: The interaction of green tea consumption and non obesity have reduced risk of lacunar infarction, but not after adjustment for age, diet factors, vascular risk factors and atherogenic index. Also individually green tea consumption and abdominal obesity have failed to find an independent relationship with lacunar infarction after adjustment by all risk factors. Green tea consumption and green tea consumption with non obese group seemed to have a protective effect for lacunar infarction. In the results of our study, these results still remain controversial, and then we need further and larger study to get at the root of real causal effect of both relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gemini-AALA (Australia, Asia, Latin America, Africa/Middle East) study evaluated the efficacy and safety of single-pill amlodipine/atorvastatin (Caduet) for the treatment of patients of diverse ethnicity with concomitant hypertension and dyslipidaemia. This was a 14-week, open-label study including patients from 27 countries across the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. Eight dosage strengths of single-pill amlodipine/atorvastatin (5/10, 10/10, 5/20, 10/20, 5/40, 10/40, 5/80 and 10/80 mg) were titrated to improve blood pressure and lipid control. Blood pressure and lipid goals were determined according to the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 7) and National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (NCEP ATP III) guidelines, respectively (blood pressure, <140/90 or <130/80 mm Hg; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), <4.1 to <2.6 mmol l−1 (<160 to <100 mgdl−1)). Overall, 1649 patients received study medication. Most patients (91.4%) had 1 cardiovascular risk factor (as defined by NCEP ATP III guidelines) in addition to hypertension/dyslipidaemia, and 61.7% had coronary heart disease/risk equivalent. At baseline, mean blood pressure was 146.6/88.3 mm Hg and LDL-C was 3.4 mmol l−1 (130.2 mgdl−1). At week 14, 55.2% of patients reached both blood pressure and lipid goals, 61.3% reached blood pressure goal and 87.1% reached lipid goal (34.0% were at lipid goal at baseline). Mean blood pressure reduction was 20.2/11.4 mm Hg. For patients who were lipid-lowering drug naive at baseline, mean reduction in LDL-C was 41.0%. Treatment-related adverse events led to the discontinuation of 3.6% of patients. Single-pill amlodipine/atorvastatin therapy was well tolerated and effective for the reduction of blood pressure and lipids to recommended goals in patients from diverse ethnic backgrounds.Journal of Human Hypertension (2009) 23, 196–210; doi:10.1038/jhh.2008.114; published online 18 September 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]