Decrease In Men Research Articles

Good news for the older patient with diabetes: added cardiovascular risk reduction.

Both hypertension and diabetes carry an increased risk of cardiovascular and renal disease and are commonly associated conditions. The prevalence of hypertension in the diabetic population is particularly high, approximately 40% in middle-aged patients with type II diabetes mellitus and increases to approximately 60% by age 75. Hypertension increases an already high risk of cardiovascular disease events associated with diabetes mellitus and is also a risk factor for the development of microalbuminuria and retinopathy. Overall mortality from heart disease has declined substantially in the USA in the past 30 years. The extent of this mortality rate decline has been assessed from representative cohorts, the NHANES I survey (1971-1975) and the NHANES I epidemiologic follow-up survey (1982-1984). Both cohorts were followed prospectively for 8 to 9 years. Mortality rates for heart disease and ischemic heart disease in men and women with diabetes have not decreased to the extent that they have for nondiabetic patients. Although these decreases in men with diabetes were smaller than their nondiabetic counterparts, women with diabetes had increases for both total and ischemic heart disease. Three recent clinical trials have addressed the effects of aggressive intervention in diabetes, particularly older patients with type II diabetes mellitus.

Circulating Levels of Allopregnanolone in Humans: Gender, Age, and Endocrine Influences

Allopregnanolone is a neuroactive steroid involved in modulating behavioral functions, stress, and neuroendocrine axes in rats. Changes in plasma allopregnanolone levels throughout the menstrual cycle have been reported in healthy women, but there exists no information on the possible gender or age-related changes or on the source(s) of circulating allopregnanolone. The aim of the present study was to assess serum allopregnanolone concentrations according to gender, menstrual cycle, age, and menopause in normal men and women; serum progesterone (P) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels were evaluated in the same specimens. In addition, the possible source of circulating allopregnanolone in fertile women was investigated by using stimulatory and inhibitory endocrine tests acting on the ovary and/or adrenal cortex. The present study included 189 fertile women, 112 postmenopausal women, and 46 men. Serum steroid levels were determined after extraction, using specific RIAs. Allopregnanolone levels in fertile women in the follicular phase were similar to those in age-matched men; no significant difference was found between fertile women in the follicular phase and postmenopausal women. The highest levels were found in fertile women during the luteal phase (P< 0.01). An age-related decrease was observed in men (P < 0.01), but not in women. P and DHEA levels were significantly higher in women than in men and were higher in fertile women than in postmenopausal women (P < 0.01). Both P and DHEA showed an age-related decrease in men and women (P < 0.01). Serum allopregnanolone and P, but not DHEA, significantly increased in response to a GnRH test, whereas corticotropin-releasing factor and ACTH tests elicited a significant increase in allopregnanolone, P, and DHEA levels (P < 0.01). The suppression of adrenal steroidogenesis by dexamethasone markedly reduced both allopregnanolone and DHEA serum levels (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that although men show an age-related decrease, serum allopregnanolone levels in women do not change with age and correlate with P levels during the menstrual cycle and in response to endocrine tests. Ovary and adrenal cortex may be major sources of circulating allopregnanolone in fertile women.

Circulating levels of allopregnanolone in humans: gender, age, and endocrine influences.

Allopregnanolone is a neuroactive steroid involved in modulating behavioral functions, stress, and neuroendocrine axes in rats. Changes in plasma allopregnanolone levels throughout the menstrual cycle have been reported in healthy women, but there exists no information on the possible gender or age-related changes or on the source(s) of circulating allopregnanolone. The aim of the present study was to assess serum allopregnanolone concentrations according to gender, menstrual cycle, age, and menopause in normal men and women; serum progesterone (P) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels were evaluated in the same specimens. In addition, the possible source of circulating allopregnanolone in fertile women was investigated by using stimulatory and inhibitory endocrine tests acting on the ovary and/or adrenal cortex. The present study included 189 fertile women, 112 postmenopausal women, and 46 men. Serum steroid levels were determined after extraction, using specific RIAs. Allopregnanolone levels in fertile women in the follicular phase were similar to those in age-matched men; no significant difference was found between fertile women in the follicular phase and postmenopausal women. The highest levels were found in fertile women during the luteal phase (P < 0.01). An age-related decrease was observed in men (P < 0.01), but not in women. P and DHEA levels were significantly higher in women than in men and were higher in fertile women than in postmenopausal women (P < 0.01). Both P and DHEA showed an age-related decrease in men and women (P < 0.01). Serum allopregnanolone and P, but not DHEA, significantly increased in response to a GnRH test, whereas corticotropin-releasing factor and ACTH tests elicited a significant increase in allopregnanolone, P, and DHEA levels (P < 0.01). The suppression of adrenal steroidogenesis by dexamethasone markedly reduced both allopregnanolone and DHEA serum levels (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that although men show an age-related decrease, serum allopregnanolone levels in women do not change with age and correlate with P levels during the menstrual cycle and in response to endocrine tests. Ovary and adrenal cortex may be major sources of circulating allopregnanolone in fertile women.

Long-term (5-Year) Changes in HDL Cholesterol in Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients

It is unknown whether the benefits of a cardiac rehabilitation program on HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) are equally achieved in men and women. To study this, we compared changes in HDL-C and other lipids in a large group of men and women participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program for up to 5 years. We compared changes in HDL-C and other fasting lipids in 553 men and 166 women participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program at baseline and then annually for up to 5 years. Patients exercised 3 days a week at 70% to 85% of their maximum heart rate predetermined by a symptom-limited treadmill test. Aerobic capacity was estimated in metabolic equivalents (METs), and percent body fat was determined by skin-fold measurements. Baseline HDL-C, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol were significantly higher in women, whereas the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C was lower. Although both men and women showed an increase in HDL-C after 1 year (10% and 7%, respectively), only the women's level continued to increase over 5 years (20% versus 5% for men, P = .03). The sex difference in change in HDL-C remained after adjustment for age and smoking. A nonsignificant trend toward a greater change in HDL-C in women existed after adjustment for baseline percent body fat and estimated METs. The change in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-C was also more favorable in women, with a 38% decrease over 5 years compared with a 14% decrease in men (P = .01). Total cholesterol decreased by 20% in women and 8% in men (P = .001), whereas LDL-C dropped by 34% in women and 15% in men (P = .0001). There was no sex difference in change in triglycerides. Women with heart disease who participate in a cardiac rehabilitation program may achieve greater lipid benefits over longer periods of time than previously demonstrated in men.

Trends in acute myocardial infarction prognosis and treatment in Southwestern France between 1985 and 1990 (The MONICA project-Toulouse)

Since 1984, the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA project) has studied progress in acute coronary artery disease (CAD) in defined geographic areas. This study, based in a French MONICA center in Southwestern France, assessed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) frequency, prognosis, and treatment between 1985 and 1990. The age-standardized AMI attack rate showed a slight decrease in men (218.3 of 100,000 in 1985 and 200.1 of 100,000 in 1990, p < 0.05). In men, the AMI age-standardized 28-day case fatality rate decreased from 38% in 1985 to 27% in 1990 (p < 0.001), with a dramatic reduction in the age-standardized in-hospital case fatality rate (21% in 1985 and 11% in 1990, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the in-hospital 28-day case fatality decreased exclusively in male patients with a history of CAD (33% in 1986 and 19% in 1990, p < 0.01). AMI treatment improved between 1986 and 1990 with increased use of antiplatelets (40.7% in 1986, 73.6% in 1989, and 84.8% in 1990, p < 0.001), β-blockers (29.5% in 1986, 45.7% in 1989, and 57.7% in 1990, p < 0.001), and thrombolytic therapy (23.6% in 1986, 45.3% in 1989, and 39.5% in 1990, p < 0.001). Invasive cardiology technique utilization increased dramatically between 1986 and 1990 with the generalized use of coronary angiography (68.2% in 1986, 89.3% in 1989, and 87.3% in 1990, p < 0.001) and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (17.7% in 1986, 49.6% in 1989, and 55.3% in 1990, p < 0.001). French data recorded during the MONICA project showed improvements in the prognosis of patients hospitalized for AMI and in the use of effective therapies. These results suggest that physicians respond quickly to newly published clinical trials.

Age differences in biochemical and hematological measures during middle age.

Biochemical and hematological measures possibly associated with ageing were measured on a single occasion in 3402 male and 2152 female London Civil Servants aged from 35 to 59 years of age. These included erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), blood hemoglobin and serum albumin, calcium, bilirubin, creatinine, urea, urate, high density lipoprotein (HDL), and total cholesterol. Independently and positively related to age were ESR with an estimated 47% 'increase' in men over the 15 years between ages 40 to 55 and a 40% increase in women; serum urea had a 6%/15-year increase in men and 20% in women; total cholesterol had a 6%/15-year increase in men and 18% in women; serum creatinine 'increased' by 2%/15-years in men and 5% in women. In women, urate, HDL cholesterol and hemoglobin increased with age group. Negatively related to age was serum bilirubin in both sexes (8% and 6% 'fall'/15-years in men and women respectively). Serum albumin and calcium fell with age group in men. The sexes differed in their relationship to aging for total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol (greater increase in women), serum calcium (small decrease in men and small increase in women), urate and hemoglobin (increases in women but not men). Urea increased more in women than men, and albumin decreased more in men than women (p < 0.001 for all comparisons with the exception of HDL cholesterol, p < 0.01). Changes during the menopause were thought to explain some of these findings.

Women teachers: career identity and perceptions of family constraints ‐‐ changes over a recent decade

Abstract This paper seeks to examine recent changes in women schoolteachers’ professional ambitions, and a corresponding growth in their awareness of the constraints upon them of family‐based domestic responsibilities. Together these factors are seen to constitute a strengthening of women's career identity. The paper is based on two local surveys of representatives of NUT and NAS/UWT, the teacher trade unions, carried out in 1978 and 1987. These are analysed in context of local observational research. The main areas of inquiry were: aims and expectations for reaching the three top posts in schools; constraints on aims and expectations; attitudes towards moving locality in order to obtain promotion; and the way domestic and financial responsibilities were shared between spouses or partners. Teachers were asked about both their personal experience and how ‘being a woman’ influenced women teachers. Women's and men's responses were compared, and, in certain instances responses were further broken down by NUT and NAS/UWT membership. Comparisons were made of responses for 1978 and 1987, and of changes which had taken place between the two dates. Changes were documented in aims and expectations, in perceptions of constraints, and in intentions and practice in sharing domestic and financial responsibilities. The survey findings show women's aims and expectations to have increased and men's to have decreased. Women appear to have become more aware of sexism as blighting their careers. However, the proportion of men who saw sexism as disadvantaging women had decreased rather than increased. There were variations between the two unions. These findings are assessed in context of local and national developments. The women's movement is seen as strengthening women teachers’ career identity. Anti‐sexist initiatives in the NUT, the biggest teacher trade union, had a similar effect. So had a policy of positive affirmation pursued by the local education authority, especially during a local reorganization of schools. Men's reaction to and resentment of this policy may explain their continuing failure to appreciate the handicap to women of family responsibilities. The most marked feature of the period, however, was probably government‐imposed constraints on educational spending which brought an end to educational expansion and made promoted posts hard to find. This accounts for the decrease in men's ambition but makes the increase in women's more remarkable.

Normal age-related changes in fluoride content of vertebral trabecular bone—Relation to bone quality

In several clinical osteoporosis studies, fluoride treatment has been shown to have a positive effect on bone mass but without a concomitant decrease in vertebral fracture rate. In contrast, some studies have shown that increases in spinal BMD are also paralleled by decreased vertebral fracture incidence. We have previously demonstrated, in a pig model, that 6-month treatment with fluoride increased bone mass but decreased bone quality. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether normal age-related fluoride accumulation in human bone per se influences bone quality. From 73 normal individuals, aged 20–91 years (36 females, 37 males) two trabecular bone cylinders were obtained from the central part of L3. Biomechanical competence, ash density, and fluoride content were assessed in one cylinder, and trabecular bone volume was determined in the other. The results showed an age-related decrease in bone mass for both men and women. Bone strength normalized for bone mass (bone quality also identical with bone material strength) also showed an age-related decrease in men and women. Bone fluoride concentration increased significantly in both sexes (range 463–4000 ppm). Multiple regression analyses disclosed that fluoride by itself had no influence on bone quality, in this study with a limited number of cases, when the influence of sex and age were taken into account. It is concluded that normal age-related accumulation of fluoride in vertebral trabecular bone does not seem to affect the quality of bone. Whether this is also the case during fluoride therapy has to be assessed.

自覚症状などの加齢による変化 ＴＨＩによる成人女性集団の断面調査から

Prevalence of subjective complaints by age was surveyed of 3389 adult women applied by a general health questionnaire-the Todai Health Index (THI). The women were sampled from the residents in the area around the Haneda, Osaka, and Fukuoka Airports excepted the noisy area of WECPNL being 90 or over. The recovery rate of the mail survey was 52%. Out of the recovered, 85.4% were married. All the subject were classified into 11 age groups at every five years of age. The positive response rate to each question, the mean values of 12 scale scores, and 3 discriminant values were compared among the age groups. And these data were also compared with male employee groups of a trading company and old gentlemen by the present coauthors. The results were as follows: 1) Women had higher scores in the scales and discriminant functions than men; Vague Complaints, Eye and Skin, Mouth and Anus, Psychosomatic disease, and Neurosis. 2) Women in their late twenties had lower scores in the scales; Vague Complaints, Respiratory Complaints, Eye and Skin, Mental Instabilty, Depressiveness, Psychosomatic disease, and Neurosis. These were different from those of men. 3) Women between their late forties and early fifties had highest scores in the same scales and seemed most unstable, which could be related with the climacteric and/or empty nest syndrome. 4) Women in their early seventies showed lower scale scores in most scales, which might be a result of the decreased sensitivity to the environmental stimuli. 5) The scale scores of Respiratory Complaints and the Lie increased according to the age, in contrast to the scale scores of Impulsiveness and Irregularity of Daily Life which decreased with aging. 6) For the middle aged women the scale scores of Aggressiveness were on the increase, but on the decrease for men. These results of a cross-sectional survery tells that the changes of THI scale scores by age could throw light on the characteristics of turning points of female life cycle.

Age-related rise in parathyroid hormone in man: the use of intact and midmolecule antisera to distinguish hormone secretion from retention.

Circulating levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) rise with age in normal men and women. To resolve the basis for this observation we measured iPTH in 137 normal men and women, age 23 to 85 years, using two antisera which responded to different portions of the PTH molecule. A midmolecule assay (Mid-PTH) employed antiserum NG-5, which recognizes mid- and carboxy-terminal portions of hPTH, whereas antiserum CK-67, which recognizes determinants in the 1-34 hPTH sequence, was used to measure intact PTH (NH2-PTH). Two-hour fasting urine was collected for measurement of creatinine clearance and excretion indices of phosphorus and cyclic AMP. Serum was analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) in addition to iPTH. Mid-PTH rose significantly with age in the 72 women (r = 0.38, p less than 0.001) and in the 65 men (r = 0.40, p less than 0.001). NH2-PTH rose with age in women (r = 0.23, p less than 0.05), but a change in men was not significant (r = 0.19, n.s.). Cyclic AMP excretion rose significantly with age in both women (r = 0.42) and men (r = 0.41), whereas phosphorus excretion rose significantly in women only (r = 0.32, p less than 0.01). 25-OHD levels were 27.5 +/- 1.3 ng/ml for women and 26.1 +/- 1.2 ng/ml for men. No change in 25-OHD was observed with age in women, and a significant decrease in men was due entirely to extremely high values in three young subjects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Rekonstrukcja antropologiczno-demograficzna XIII-wiecznej populacji z grodziska Raciąż (pow. tucholski)

The basis for the analysis was provided by bone materials dating back to second half of 13th century from a cemetery near the old town of Raciąż. Complete excavation included 67 persons, in this number 19 men, 14 women, and 34 children. The study was aimed at anthropological-demographic reconstruction of the local medieval population at Raciąż. This approach was possible owing to full exploration of the cemetery and strictly defined period during which it was used. Demographic analysis allowed to state that there appeared strong selection pressures in the examined human sample. These concerned mainly children and grown up people in reproduction stage. The discovered structure of the dying age is characteristic for majority of non-maltusian populations. The average family size in the examined local group was fixed at 7 to 5 persons. In this number there were distinguished two persons with parental status, 4 to 5 children, and one person with grandfather’s or grandmother’s status. An average number of the permanent town’s inhabitants at the given moment of time was estimated at 37 people. Anthropological analysis points at ethnogenetic connections between the analyzed population and north-west group (a considerable proportion of the Nordic component). Simultaneously there is observed a considerable portion of admixtues of the yellow race (especially hill element - q) in the racial composition. They were characteristic for the then Polish populations. As regards physical development, there prevailed among Raciąż population medium-size and tall type persons. It is also interesting that among tall persons women prevail. This fact may testify that the level of widely-understood living conditions was not favourable enough for the population. Such situation is usually manifested by a certain decrease in men’s height of body. The assessment of state of health was performed from the point of view of paleopathological changes in bones. It was discovered that most common were diseases in masticatory system and diseases of inflammation type e.g. arthritis chronica. Large occurence of the latter in mature age may testify that living conditions of this population were connected with a big burden of hard manual work.

Decreasing trend in incidence and mortality from stroke in Hisayama residents, Japan.

The incidence and mortality from stroke during the period 1961 to 1976, among 1,621 subjects aged 40 and over at entry, in Hisayama community, Kyushu Island, Japan, were analyzed. A major age-related decline in the incidence of cerebral infarction occurred in both sexes. The average annual incidence of cerebral infarction also fell continuously in both sexes throughout the whole observation period. The 5-year annual mortality rate from cerebral hemorrhage also showed a decrease in men, but fluctuated in women. The 5-year mortality from cerebral infarction slightly increased in both sexes.

The effect of age upon the coagulation system

Factors V, VII, VIII, X, XI, and XII of the coagulation system, platelet count, and antithrombin III levels were assayed in 20 healthy volunteers aged 20-40 years and 61 elderly subjects aged 66-96 years whose skinfold thickness was also measured. Factors XI, XII, and antithrombin III levels tended to increase in women and decrease in men while factors X, VII, and V tended to increase in both males and females with advancing years. No age or sex differences were found in platelet counts or factor VIII levels. Factor VIII levels were inversely correlated with obesity in elderly males (r = -0.56, p < 0.005).

TRENDS IN MORTALITY FROM NEPHRITIS AND INFECTIONS OF THE KIDNEY IN ENGLAND AND WALES

In England and Wales age-specific deathrates for nephritis and nephroses have decreased while those for infections of the kidney have increased during the same period (1949-65). This seems to be due at least in part to a change in diagnostic terminology. The death-rates for nephritis and nephrosis and infections of the kidney combined show a decrease in men at all ages and in women below the age of 65 years. Reasons for the increase in deaths recorded as from infections of the kidney include the possibility that infection is more commonly sought for now that it is amenable to treatment, the increased number of cases coming to necropsy, and the association between analgesics and renal disease.

Trends in Cancer Incidence in Allegheny County, Pa.

Data were collected from the records of the Allegheny County Cancer Registry the Pennsylvania State Office of Vital Statistics and a special survey conducted by the National Cancer Institute. Hospital sources represent all hospitals in Allegheny County. It is thought that the study obtained information for nearly all cases of cancer first diagnosed among residents of the county in 1957 and 1958. A total of 10400 new cases of cancer were recorded for the 2 years. Sources other than hospitals reported 18%. In 10% medical certification as to the cause of death was the only source of information. In 87% the diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination a considerable increase since a 1947 survey. The age-adjusted incidence rate for all forms of cancer in Allegheny County has increased 10% from 286 to 314 per 100000 since 1947. However among women in the county the incidence rate has decreased from 302 to 288 per 100000. New York State comparable data reports a slight increase for women. Connecticut data indicates age-adjusted rates have increased 27% for men and 17% for women from 1949 to 1961. In Allegheny County a decrease in men of cancer of the digestive system but a marked increase in lung cancer were noted. No increase in lung cancer in women was shown during this period. Among women stomach cancer and cancer of the uterine cervix and uterine corpus also decreased. Cancer of the breast showed the largest increase from 62 to 66 per 100000. Since 1947 the rate of lung cancer in Allegheny County has increased nearly 68% from 25 to 42 per 100000. The incidence of cancer of the prostate has increased 11%. Little change wa s noted for other sites of cancer occurrence.