Coronary Heart Disease In Japanese Research Articles

Economic growth, population health and Sustainable Development Goal 8

Abstract High-income countries (HICs), including UK, Germany and Japan, are reducing CO2 output relative to economic growth. SDG8 refers to 'sustainable growth' but does not differentiate between low, middle- and high-income countries. The United Nations target is for net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, therefore there is a strong case for exploring the implications of low or zero economic growth among HICs as a mechanism for limiting climate change. A key consideration is whether progress in population health would stall if HIC economies stopped growing. We examined headline health statistics among HIC countries for evidence of divergence in health trends. We looked for associations between trajectories of national economies and health trends over the past four decades. Age-standardised death rates were calculated from all-cause and cause-specific rates in the WHO mortality database. All-cause mortality (ACM) rates declined in parallel in UK, France and Japan, from about 700 to 400/100,000 in the period 1980-2010, with the lowest rates in Japan. Decline in the ACM rate in USA was shallower 1980-2010. In the decade of austerity following the banking crisis, the ACM rate in USA and UK stopped declining. The Japanese ACM rate continued its rapid post-war decline in the two decades of economic stagnation after 1990. Trends in Japanese coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer mortality rates, but not those for suicide, were consistently favourable in the recent period. The natural before-and-after experiment in Japan, of high economic growth in the decades to 1990, and low growth after 1990, is an example of a HIC with continuing progress in population health in a long period of low growth. Repeat measures of subjective, self-rated health from a population-based Japanese survey series (1986-2013) add to the evidence from objective mortality rate trends. Progress in population health does not need to stall if HIC economies focus on combatting climate change instead of growth.

New risk prediction model of coronary heart disease in participants with and without diabetes: Assessments of the Framingham risk and Suita scores in 3-year longitudinal database in a Japanese population

The Framingham Risk Score (FRS) has been reported to predict coronary heart disease (CHD), but its assessment has been unsuccessful in Asian population. We aimed to assess FRS and Suita score (a Japanese CHD prediction model) in a Japanese nation-wide annual health check program, participants aged 40–79 years were followed up longitudinally from 2008 to 2011. Of 35,379 participants analyzed, 1,234 had new-onset CHD. New-onset CHD was observed in diabetic men [6.00%], non-diabetic men [3.96%], diabetic women [5.51%], and non-diabetic women [2.86%], respectively. Area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for CHD prediction were consistently low in Suita score (TC), FRS (TC) and NCEP-ATPIII FRS (TC), suggesting that these scores have only a limited power. ROC, net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and decision curve analysis (DCA) and Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test did not show clear differences between Suita score (TC) and FRS (TC). New models combining waist circumference ≥85 cm in men or proteinuria ≥1+ in women to Suita score (TC) was superior in diabetic men and women. New models could be useful to predict 3-year risk of CHD at least in Japanese population especially in diabetic population.

Association between Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection and risk of coronary heart disease for Japanese: The JPHC study

BackgroundChlamydophila pneumoniae infection is considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease in western countries. However, evidence of it being a risk for Japanese is very limited because of a lower risk of coronary heart disease than for western people. The aim of this study was to examine further the association between C. pneumoniae infection and risk of coronary heart disease in Japanese. MethodsWe conducted a nested case–control study of 49,011 Japanese men and women who participated in The Japan Public Health Center (JPHC) study. By the end of 2004, 196 cases of coronary heart disease and 155 cases of myocardial infarction had been documented among the participants. Two controls were selected for each case. For these subjects, we examined the association between serum anti C. pneumoniae IgA and IgG on the one hand and risk of coronary heart disease on the other. ResultsConcentration of C. pneumoniae IgA antibody was positively associated with risk of coronary heart disease and more specifically myocardial infarction. Subjects with the highest quartile of IgA antibody showed 2.29 (95%CI, 1.21–4.33) times higher risk of coronary heart disease and 2.58 (95%CI, 1.29–5.19) times higher risk of myocardial infarction than those with lowest quartile. However, no such association was detected for IgG antibody. ConclusionC. pneumoniae infection was found to be positively associated with risk of coronary heart disease.

Combined Effects of Smoking and Hypercholesterolemia on the Risk of Stroke and Coronary Heart Disease in Japanese: The Hisayama Study

Background: Cigarette smoking is an established risk factor for stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Western countries. However, it is uncertain whether or not smoking raises the risk of stroke in Japanese. We examined the influence of smoking on the development of stroke and CHD and the effects of interactions between smoking and hypercholesterolemia on these outcomes in a general Japanese population. Methods: A total of 2,421 community-dwelling Japanese individuals, aged 40–79 years, with no history of cardiovascular disease, were followed up for 14 years. Results: During the follow-up, 194 total stroke and 112 CHD events occurred. Compared with never smokers, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for the occurrence of total stroke were 1.53 (95% confidence interval = 0.90–2.61) in former smokers, 1.90 (1.18–3.06) in current light smokers (<20 cigarettes/day) and 2.01 (1.11–3.65) in current heavy smokers (≧20 cigarettes/day). The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios for the development of CHD were 1.10 (0.56–2.15), 1.88 (1.02–3.47) and 2.31 (1.17–4.57), respectively. In regard to stroke subtypes, current smoking was an independently significant risk factor for ischemic stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Furthermore, the combination of smoking and hypercholesterolemia synergistically increased the risks of total stroke and CHD (all p for interaction <0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that smoking raises the risks of ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage and CHD occurrence in the Japanese population, and that this effect is strengthened by hypercholesterolemia.

Dietary Calcium Intake and Risks of Stroke, Its Subtypes, and Coronary Heart Disease in Japanese

Although it has been hypothesized that a high intake of dietary calcium may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), no prospective studies have been conducted to examine the specific association between calcium intake and incidence of stroke or coronary heart disease among Japanese with a low average calcium intake. To investigate the association between calcium intake and risk of CVD, a total of 41 526 Japanese men and women age 40 to 59 years without a history of CVD or cancer and who had completed a food consumption frequency questionnaire were enrolled in this study. The subjects were followed up from 1990 to 1992 to 2003, and after 533 692 person-years of follow-up, 1321 incident cases of stroke (664 ischemic, 425 intraparenchymal hemorrhage, and 217 subarachnoid hemorrhage) and 322 of coronary heart disease were documented. Total calcium intake showed an inverse association with the risk of total stroke; the multivariable hazard ratio and 95% CIs for the highest versus the lowest quintile were 0.70 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.88; P for trend=0.02). Dairy calcium intake was inversely associated with risks of total and ischemic stroke with respective multivariable hazard ratios (95% CIs) of 0.69 (0.56 to 0.85; P for trend=0.007) and 0.69 (0.52 to 0.93; P for trend=0.05). Dietary calcium intake was not significantly associated with risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary calcium intake, especially calcium from dairy products, was found to be associated with a reduced incidence of stroke among middle-aged Japanese.

Serum total homocysteine concentrations and risk of mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease in Japanese: The JACC study

Evidence for association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) level and cardiovascular disease is limited in Asian populations. We conducted a nested case–control study under JACC Study. A total of 39,242 subjects aged 40–79 years provided serum samples at baseline surveys between 1988 and 1990. Control subjects were selected by matching for sex, age, community and year of serum storage. Serum tHcy levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. During the 10-year follow-up, there were 444 deaths due to total cardiovascular disease, including 310 total stroke (131 hemorrhage and 101 ischemic strokes) and 134 coronary heart diseases. The risks of mortality from ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease, and total cardiovascular disease were significantly higher in individuals with the highest serum tHcy quartile (≥15.3 μmol/L) than in those with the lowest quartile (<10.5 μmol/L); the respective multivariable odds ratios (95% CI) were 4.35 (1.12–16.9), 3.40 (1.17–9.86), and 1.68 (1.02–2.77). The multivariable odds ratios associated with a 5-μmol/L increase in tHcy were 1.49 (1.01–2.18), 2.01 (1.21–3.35), and 1.15 (1.00–1.32), respectively. High serum tHcy levels were associated with increased mortality from ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease and total cardiovascular disease among Japanese.

Less Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Japanese Men in Japan than in White Men in the United States in the Post-World War II Birth Cohort

Coronary heart disease incidence and mortality remain very low in Japan despite major dietary changes and increases in risk factors that should have resulted in a substantial increase in coronary heart disease rates (Japanese paradox). Primary genetic effects are unlikely, given the substantial increase in coronary heart disease in Japanese migrating to the United States. For men aged 40-49 years, levels of total cholesterol and blood pressure have been similar in Japan and the United States throughout their lifetimes. The authors tested the hypothesis that levels of subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary artery calcification, and intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in men aged 40-49 years are similar in Japan and the United States. They conducted a population-based study of 493 randomly selected men: 250 in Kusatsu City, Shiga, Japan, and 243 White men in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in 2002-2005. Compared with the Whites, the Japanese had a less favorable profile regarding many risk factors. The prevalence ratio for the presence of a coronary calcium score of > or =10 for the Japanese compared with the Whites was 0.52 (95% confidence interval: 0.35, 0.76). Mean intima-media thickness was significantly lower in the Japanese (0.616 mm (standard error, 0.005) vs. 0.672 (standard error, 0.005) mm, p < 0.01). Both associations remained significant after adjusting for risk factors. The findings warrant further investigations.

Serum total cholesterol levels and risk of mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease in Japanese: The JACC study

The relation between serum total cholesterol and coronary heart disease is well established, but the relations with total stroke and stroke subtypes are controversial. We conducted a nested case–control study as part of the JACC study. A total of 39,242 subjects, 40–79 years of age, provided serum samples at baseline between 1988 and 1990. During the 10-year follow-up, 345 deaths from total strokes (including 76 intraparenchymal hemorrhages) and 150 deaths from coronary heart diseases were recorded. The control subjects were matched for sex, age, community, and year of serum storage, and further adjusted for systolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, ethanol intake category, smoking status, and diabetes. Serum total cholesterol levels were measured using an enzymatic method. Cases with total stroke and more specifically intraparenchymal hemorrhage had lower mean values of serum total cholesterol levels compared with control subjects. The risk of mortality from intraparenchymal hemorrhage was significantly higher for persons with low total cholesterol levels [less than 4.14 mmol/l (160 mg/dl)] than with those with higher levels. The risk of mortality from coronary heart disease for persons with serum total cholesterol levels more than or equal to 6.72 mmol/l (260 mg/dl) was significantly higher than those with levels less than 4.14 mmol/l (160 mg/dl). Low serum total cholesterol levels are associated with high mortality from intraparenchymal hemorrhage while high levels are associated with high mortality from coronary heart disease among Japanese.

Molecular scanning of susceptibility genes for the development of coronary heart disease in Japanese

Genetic predisposition has been implicated in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). We made a molecular scanning of several genetic polymorphisms to see whether they are associated with CHD in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among several polymorphisms, only a polymorphism of paraoxonase gene was confirmed to be associated with CHD in this population. This polymorphism seems to be important in the development of CHD in Japanese as well as in Caucasian population.

Changes in incidence and mortality of stroke and risk factors in a Japanese general population: the Hisayama study

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Japan, but it is more common than coronary heart disease in Japanese. Our autopsy-based, long-term prospective cohort study, the Hisayama study, demonstrated that stroke incidence and mortality markedly decreased from the 1960s to 1970s mainly due to treatment of hypertension. Thereafter, the reduction of stroke incidence became smaller and almost ceased in 1980 to 1990s in Japan. Stroke risk factors other than hypertension, such as obesity, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, have been increasing in recent years probably due to the westernization of lifestyle. They become more important risk factors for ischemic stroke and seem to be responsible for the recent decline in the reduction of stroke incidence.

The Framingham scores overestimated the risk for coronary heart disease in Japanese, Hispanic, and Native American cohorts

The Framingham scores overestimated the risk for coronary heart disease in Japanese, Hispanic, and Native American cohorts

The Framingham scores overestimated the risk for coronary heart disease in Japanese, Hispanic, and native American cohorts

Source Citation D’Agostino RB Sr, Grundy S, Sullivan LM, Wilson P, for the CHD Risk Prediction Group. Validation of the Framingham coronary heart disease prediction scores. Results of a multiple...

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and apolipoprotein E polymorphisms are independent risk factors for coronary heart disease in Japanese: a case-control study

A missense variant of the C677T (Ala→Val) polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene ( MTHFR) (the T allele) may increase levels of plasma homocysteine. Apolipoprotein E4 increases plasma LDL-cholesterol levels. Increased levels of homocysteine and LDL-cholesterol have been recognized as risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). To examine whether the polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene and the APOE gene are associated with CHD in the Japanese, we analyzed 214 CHD patients with an onset age before 65 and 310 apparently healthy persons. In the controls, significantly higher plasma concentrations of homocysteine were observed in the MTHFR TT genotype (15.1±6.0 mmol/l) compared with the CT genotype (11.2±1.9 mmol/l) and the CC genotype (10.5±3.3 mmol/l). The MTHFR TT genotype was significantly more frequent in the CHD patients (28.5%) compared with the control subjects (13.5%); the odds ratio was 2.54 ( P<0.00003). Subjects with the apo E4 allele were significantly more frequent in the CHD group (22.9%) than in the control group (10.0%); the odds ratio was 2.74 ( P<0.00004). Multivariate analysis showed that the TT genotype of MTHFR and the apoE4 allele are independent risk factors for CHD in the Japanese.

Polymorphism of the apolipoprotein A-IV gene and its significance in lipid metabolism and coronary heart disease in a Japanese population.

Apolipoprotein A-IV (apo A-IV) is involved in the metabolism of both triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). Apo A-IV has been suggested as participating in several stages of reverse cholesterol transport. Uncertainty about the exact biochemical function of apo A-IV has made the use of genetic apo A-IV polymorphism (variants) attractive in evaluating its physiological role. To date, although some reports indicate that DNA polymorphisms at this locus play an important role in the metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins in western (Caucasian) populations, no similar comprehensive analysis has been performed in a distinct Japanese population. Using DNA sequencing and a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) study with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the following allele frequencies were established: (a) codon -8 (G-->A, non-synonymous) allele 2 = 0 (n = 105); (b) codon 9 (A-->G, synonymous) allele 2 = 0.388 (n = 152); (c) codon 347 (A-->T, non-synonymous) allele 2 = 0 (n = 900); (d) codon 360 (T-->G, non-synonymous) allele 2 = 0 (n = 800); (e) VNTR exon 3 [(CTGT)3 and (CTGT)4] (CTGT)3 = 0.262 (n = 105); and (f) MspI (newly detected polymorphic site) polymorphism (C C/T GG) within intron 2, allele 2 = 0.096 (n = 193). The frequencies of these polymorphisms, except for that of the newly identified MspI site, are completely different from those reported in western populations. Among the 900 subjects examined, we found one ACT (Thr) to ACG (Thr) synonymous mutation at codon 347, which does not change the primary structure of apo A-IV. The apo A-IV allele frequency in patients (166 men and 56 women) with angiographically proven coronary heart disease (CHD) was also studied [codon 9 allele 2 = 0.329 (n = 217); VNTR exon 3 (CTGT)3 = 0.262 (n = 84); MspI within intron 2, allele 2 = 0.092 (n = 222)]. Furthermore, we evaluated serum lipid and lipoprotein levels quantitatively in control subjects and Japanese CHD patients. These polymorphisms did not show any consistent and significant association with lipid and lipoprotein parameters. In addition, no gender-specific effects of apo A-IV polymorphisms on lipid parameters adjusted for confounding factors were observed in either CHD patients or control subjects. Our results indicate that the apo A-IV gene is not a major determinant of the risk for CHD in Japanese.

Earlobe crease and coronary heart disease in Japanese.

To evaluate whether a significant statistical correlation exists between earlobe crease (EC) and coronary heart disease (CHD), 1000 Japanese adult patients (573 males, 427 females) were examined for the presence or absence of EC, clinical or angiographic evidence of CHD, and the following coronary risk factors: male sex, age over 50 years, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, and hyperlipidemia. Patients were divided into two groups according to clinical evidence of CHD: 237 patients with angina pectoris and/or myocardial infarction (CHD+ group); 720 patients without evidence of CHD (CHD- group). Coronary angiography was performed on 200 patients from this sample population; these patients were also divided into two groups: 119 patients with greater than 50% luminal narrowing of at least one major coronary artery (stenosis+ group); 81 patients with no significant atherosclerotic changes in the coronary arteries (stenosis- group). EC was present in 58 of 237 CHD+ patients (24.5%) but in only 35 of 720 CHD- patients (4.8%; P less than 0.001); it was present in 31 of 199 stenosis+ patients (26.1%) but in only 3 of 81 stenosis- patients (3.7%; P less than 0.01). EC was also found to correlate significantly with some coronary risk factors; the correlations between the presence of EC and the presence of CHD and coronary risk factors were investigated by multivariate analysis. In a multivariate setting, the existence of CHD and an age of over 50 years was significantly related to the presence of EC. To investigate the relationship between EC and advancing age, all patients were separated into age-groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Studies on Serum Lipid and Lipoprotein Patterns in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease in Japanese

Studies on Serum Lipid and Lipoprotein Patterns in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease in Japanese