Shin Kawasoe

High Pulse Wave Velocity Has a Strong Impact on Early Carotid Atherosclerosis in a Japanese General Male Population

BACKGROUND Although there have been several reports on the risk factors associated with intima-media thickness (IMT), many questions remain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between IMT and cardiovascular risk factors in a Japanese general population.Methods and Results:The study group consisted of 1,583 male subjects undergoing routine health checkups. IMT of the common carotid artery was measured by high-resolution ultrasonography. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured using an automated device. Univariate analysis demonstrated that carotid IMT significantly associated with age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), baPWV, fasting glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Multiple logistic regression analysis for carotid atherosclerosis (carotid IMT ≥1.0 mm) was performed using obesity (BMI ≥25.0 kg/m2), high BP (SBP ≥130 mmHg or DBP ≥85 mmHg), dyslipidemia (LDL-C ≥140 mg/dL, TG ≥150 mg/dL, or HDL-C <40 mg/dL), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) (fasting glucose ≥110 g/dL), and high baPWV (≥1,400 cm/s). Carotid atherosclerosis was significantly associated with only high baPWV (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.24-4.17, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS High baPWV was a stronger predictor of early carotid atherosclerosis than high BP, dyslipidemia, or IFG in a Japanese general male population.

THE MECHANISM OF BLOOD PRESSURE-LOWERING EFFECT OF SODIUM-GLUCOSE COTRANSPORTER 2 INHIBITORS IN PATIENTS WITH OBESE TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors decrease blood glucose level by increasing urinary glucose excretion, and are used for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM). However, they are expected to have various effects in addition to blood glucose-lowering effect. The purpose of this study

Combined Assessment of the Red Cell Distribution Width and B-type Natriuretic Peptide: A More Useful Prognostic Marker of Cardiovascular Mortality in Heart Failure Patients

Objective An increased red cell distribution width (RDW) has been reported to be associated with adverse outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF). This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic power of the combined measurement of RDW and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in patients with HF. Methods and Results We retrospectively studied 116 patients (mean age, 63.7±14.3 years) who were admitted for the treatment of HF. Data including demographic information, vital signs, and laboratory and echocardiographic measurements at admission were collected from medical records. The observational period was defined as the number of days from hospitalization, and the study endpoint was defined as cardiovascular death. The mean RDW and BNP concentration at admission were 14.5±2.0% and 626±593 pg/mL, respectively. During a median observation period of 1,046 days, 22 patients died of cardiovascular disease. A univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that both RDW [hazard ratio (HR) 1.252, p = 0.0391] and BNP (HR 1.001, p = 0.0445) were significant prognostic indices for cardiovascular death. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the optimal cut-off RDW and BNP values for cardiovascular death were 14.9% and 686 pg/mL, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve revealed that the survival rate of patients with both RDW ≥ 14.9% and BNP ≥ 686 pg/mL showed the poorest prognosis in comparison to the patients in the other groups. Conclusion The combined assessment of the RDW and BNP concentrations may be useful for predicting mortality in patients with HF.