Saverio Stranges

Gender-specific associations of short sleep duration with prevalent and incident hypertension: the Whitehall II Study.

Sleep deprivation (≤5 hour per night) was associated with a higher risk of hypertension in middle-aged American adults but not among older individuals. However, the outcome was based on self-reported diagnosis of incident hypertension, and no gender-specific analyses were included. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations of sleep duration with prevalent and incident hypertension in a cohort of 10 308 British civil servants aged 35 to 55 years at baseline (phase 1: 1985–1988). Data were gathered from phase 5 (1997–1999) and phase 7 (2003–2004). Sleep duration and other covariates were assessed at phase 5. At both examinations, hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or regular use of antihypertensive medications. In cross-sectional analyses at phase 5 (n=5766), short duration of sleep (≤5 hour per night) was associated with higher risk of hypertension compared with the group sleeping 7 hours, among women (odds ratio: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.13 to 3.58), independent of confounders, with an inverse linear trend across decreasing hours of sleep (P=0.003). No association was detected in men. In prospective analyses (mean follow-up: 5 years), the cumulative incidence of hypertension was 20.0% (n=740) among 3691 normotensive individuals at phase 5. In women, short duration of sleep was associated with a higher risk of hypertension in a reduced model (age and employment) (6 hours per night: odds ratio: 1.56 [95% CI: 1.07 to 2.27]; ≤5 hour per night: odds ratio: 1.94 [95% CI: 1.08 to 3.50] versus 7 hours). The associations were attenuated after accounting for cardiovascular risk factors and psychiatric comorbidities (odds ratio: 1.42 [95% CI: 0.94 to 2.16]; odds ratio: 1.31 [95% CI: 0.65 to 2.63], respectively). Sleep deprivation may produce detrimental cardiovascular effects among women.

Correlates of short and long sleep duration: a cross-cultural comparison between the United Kingdom and the United States: the Whitehall II Study and the Western New York Health Study.

The authors examined sociodemographic, lifestyle, and comorbidity factors that could confound or mediate U-shaped associations between sleep duration and health in 6,472 United Kingdom adults from the Whitehall II Study (1997-1999) and 3,027 US adults from the Western New York Health Study (1996-2001). Cross-sectional associations between short (<6 hours) and long (>8 hours) durations of sleep across several correlates were calculated as multivariable odds ratios. For short sleep duration, there were significant, consistent associations in both samples for unmarried status (United Kingdom: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15, 1.94; United States: AOR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.02), body mass index (AORs were 1.04 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.07) and 1.02 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.05)), and Short Form-36 physical (AORs were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.98) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.98)) and mental (AORs were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.94, 0.96) and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.99)) scores. For long sleep duration, there were fewer significant associations: age among men (AORs were 1.08 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.14) and 1.05 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.08)), low physical activity (AORs were 1.75 (95% CI: 0.97, 3.14) and 1.60 (95% CI: 1.09, 2.34)), and Short Form-36 physical score (AORs were 0.96 (95% CI: 0.93, 0.99) and 0.97 (95% CI: 0.95, 0.99)). Being unmarried, being overweight, and having poor general health are associated with short sleep and may contribute to observed disease associations. Long sleep may represent an epiphenomenon of comorbidity.

A population-based study of reduced sleep duration and hypertension: the strongest association may be in premenopausal women.

Objectives Recent evidence indicates that reduced sleep duration may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension with possibly stronger effects among women than men. We therefore examined cross-sectional sex-specific associations of sleep duration with hypertension in a large population-based sample from the Western New York Health Study (1996<2001). Methods Participants were 3027 white men (43.5%) and women (56.5%) without prevalent cardiovascular disease (median age 56 years). Hypertension was defined as blood pressure at least 140 or at least 90&mmHg or regular use of antihypertensive medication. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of hypertension comparing less than 6&h of sleep per night versus the reference category (&6&h) while accounting for a number of potential confounders. Results In multivariate analyses, less than 6&h of sleep was associated with a significant increased risk of hypertension compared to sleeping at least 6&h per night, only among women [OR&=&1.66 (1.09 to 2.53)]. No significant association was found among men [OR&=&0.93 (0.62 to 1.41)]. In subgroup analyses by menopausal status, the effect was stronger among premenopausal women [OR&=&3.25 (1.37 to 7.76)] than among postmenopausal women [OR&=&1.49 (0.92 to 2.41)]. Conclusion Reduced sleep duration, by increasing the risk of hypertension, may produce detrimental cardiovascular effects among women. The association is independent of socioeconomic status, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and psychiatric comorbidities, and is stronger among premenopausal women. Prospective and mechanistic evidence is necessary to support causality.

Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements

In this issue, 3 articles address vitamin and mineral supplements for prevention of chronic diseases. The editorialists discuss the articles findings and their implications for public health and r...

Elevated cystatin C concentration and progression to pre-diabetes: the Western New York study.

OBJECTIVE— We conducted a nested case-control investigation to examine whether elevated baseline concentrations of cystatin C predicted progression from normoglycemia to pre-diabetes over 6 years of follow-up from the Western New York Health Study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— In 2002–2004, 1,455 participants from the Western New York Health Study, who were free of type 2 diabetes and known cardiovascular disease at baseline (1996–2001), were reexamined. An incident case of pre-diabetes was defined as an individual with fasting glucose <100 mg/dl at the baseline examination and ≥100 and ≤125 mg/dl at the follow-up examination, thereby eliminating individuals with prevalent pre-diabetics. All case patients (n = 91) were matched 1:3 to control participants based on sex, race/ethnicity, and year of study enrollment. All control subjects had fasting glucose levels <100 mg/dl at both baseline and follow-up examinations. Cystatin C concentrations and the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio were measured from frozen (−196°C) baseline blood and urine samples. Serum creatinine concentrations were available from the baseline examination only. RESULTS— Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, baseline glucose level, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, BMI, hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use revealed a significantly increased risk of progression to pre-diabetes among those with elevated baseline concentrations of cystatin C (odds ratio 3.28 [95% CI 1.43–7.54]) (upper quintile versus the remainder). Results of secondary analyses that considered high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, E-selectin, or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 did not alter these results. CONCLUSIONS— These results suggest that cystatin C was associated with a threefold excess risk of progression to pre-diabetes in this population.

Elevated cystatin-C concentration is associated with progression to prediabetes: the Western New York Study

OBJECTIVE— We conducted a nested case-control investigation to examine whether elevated baseline concentrations of cystatin C predicted progression from normoglycemia to pre-diabetes over 6 years of follow-up from the Western New York Health Study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— In 2002–2004, 1,455 participants from the Western New York Health Study, who were free of type 2 diabetes and known cardiovascular disease at baseline (1996–2001), were reexamined. An incident case of pre-diabetes was defined as an individual with fasting glucose <100 mg/dl at the baseline examination and ≥100 and ≤125 mg/dl at the follow-up examination, thereby eliminating individuals with prevalent pre-diabetics. All case patients (n = 91) were matched 1:3 to control participants based on sex, race/ethnicity, and year of study enrollment. All control subjects had fasting glucose levels <100 mg/dl at both baseline and follow-up examinations. Cystatin C concentrations and the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio were measured from frozen (−196°C) baseline blood and urine samples. Serum creatinine concentrations were available from the baseline examination only. RESULTS— Multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, baseline glucose level, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, BMI, hypertension, estimated glomerular filtration rate, cigarette smoking, and alcohol use revealed a significantly increased risk of progression to pre-diabetes among those with elevated baseline concentrations of cystatin C (odds ratio 3.28 [95% CI 1.43–7.54]) (upper quintile versus the remainder). Results of secondary analyses that considered high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, E-selectin, or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 did not alter these results. CONCLUSIONS— These results suggest that cystatin C was associated with a threefold excess risk of progression to pre-diabetes in this population.

Prevalence of Hypertension in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

AbstractWe aimed to obtain overall and regional estimates of hypertension prevalence, and to examine the pattern of this disease condition across different socio-demographic characteristics in low-and middle-income countries.We searched electronic databases from inception to August 2015. We included population-based studies that reported hypertension prevalence using the current definition of blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg or self-reported use of antihypertensive medication. We used random-effects meta-analyses to pool prevalence estimates of hypertension, overall, by World Bank region and country income group. Meta-regression analyses were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity across the included studies.A total of 242 studies, comprising data on 1,494,609 adults from 45 countries, met our inclusion criteria. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 29.4–35.3), with the Latin America and Caribbean region reporting the highest estimates (39.1%, 95% CI 33.1–45.2). Pooled prevalence estimate was also highest across upper middle income countries (37.8%, 95% CI 35.0–40.6) and lowest across low-income countries (23.1%, 95% CI 20.1–26.2). Prevalence estimates were significantly higher in the elderly (≥65 years) compared with younger adults (<65 years) overall and across the geographical regions; however, there was no significant sex-difference in hypertension prevalence (31.9% vs 30.8%, Pu200a=u200a0.6). Persons without formal education (49.0% vs 24.9%, Pu200a<u200a0.00001), overweight/obese (46.4% vs 26.3%, Pu200a<u200a0.00001), and urban settlers (32.7% vs 25.2%, Pu200a=u200a0.0005) were also more likely to be hypertensive, compared with those who were educated, normal weight, and rural settlers respectively.This study provides contemporary and up-to-date estimates that reflect the significant burden of hypertension in low- and middle-income countries, as well as evidence that hypertension remains a major public health issue across the various socio-demographic subgroups. On average, about 1 in 3 adults in the developing world is hypertensive. The findings of this study will be useful for the design of hypertension screening and treatment programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

Evidence of increased blood pressure and hypertension risk among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Owing to antiretroviral drug-induced endothelial dysfunction, HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) may have elevated blood pressure. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the effects of ART on blood pressure levels and hypertension risk among HIV-infected populations worldwide. We sought articles that compared the mean blood pressure measurements and hypertension prevalence between HIV-infected adults naive and exposed to ART. Thirty-nine studies comprising 44u2009903 participants met the inclusion criteria. Overall, systolic (mean difference (MD) 4.52u2009mmu2009Hg, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.65–6.39, I2=68.1%, 19 studies) and diastolic blood pressure levels (MD 3.17u2009mmu2009Hg, 95% CI 1.71–4.64, I2=72.5%, 16 studies) were significantly higher among ART-exposed patients compared with treatment-naive patients. Similarly, the risk of hypertension was significantly higher among ART-exposed patients, such that among 28u2009908 ART-exposed patients, 4195 (14.5%) had hypertension compared with 950 of 9086 (10.5%) in those who were treatment-naive (odds ratio 1.68, 95% CI 1.35–2.10, I2=81.5%, 32 studies). In summary, exposure to ART is significantly associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, and increased risk of hypertension, regardless of study-level sociodemographic differences. This meta-analysis supports the need for population-based strategies to reduce the risk of high blood pressure among people living with HIV on ART.

Selenium status and blood lipids: the cardiovascular risk in young finns study

Abstract.u2002 Stranges S, Tabák AG, Guallar E, Rayman MP, Akbaraly TN, Laclaustra M, Alfthan G, Mussalo‐Rauhamaa H, Viikari JSA, Raitakari OT, Kivimäki M (Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Warwick Medical School, Coventry; University College London, London, UK; Semmelweis University Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA; National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC), Madrid, Spain; University of Surrey, UK; National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) U888. F‐34000 Montpellier, France; National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Hjelt Institute, University of Helsinki, Helsinki; University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku; University of Turku, Turku; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland). Selenium status and blood lipids: the cardiovascular risk in young finns study. J Intern Med 2011; 270: 469–477.

Agreement Between 35 Published Frailty Scores in the General Population

Abstract In elderly populations, frailty is associated with higher mortality risk. Although many frailty scores (FS) have been proposed, no single score is considered the gold standard. We aimed to evaluate the agreement between a wide range of FS in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). Through a literature search, we identified 35 FS that could be calculated in ELSA wave 2 (2004–2005). We examined agreement between each frailty score and the mean of 35 FS, using a modified Bland-Altman model and Cohens kappa (κ). Missing data were imputed. Data from 5,377 participants (ages ≥60 years) were analyzed (44.7% men, 55.3% women). FS showed widely differing degrees of agreement with the mean of all scores and between each pair of scores. Frailty classification also showed a very wide range of agreement (Cohens κ = 0.10–0.83). Agreement was highest among “accumulation of deficits”-type FS, while accuracy was highest for multidimensional FS. There is marked heterogeneity in the degree to which various FS estimate frailty and in the identification of particular individuals as frail. Different FS are based on different concepts of frailty, and most pairs cannot be assumed to be interchangeable. Research results based on different FS cannot be compared or pooled.