Monitoring Trends And Determinants In Cardiovascular Disease Research Articles

Rationale, Design, and Baseline Characteristics of the Prospective Japan Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry (JAMIR)

BackgroundAntiplatelet therapy is a cornerstone of treatment following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Recently, prasugrel, a new and potent antiplatelet agent, has been introduced in clinical practice. To date, however, real-world in-hospital and follow-up data in Japanese patients with AMI remain limited.ObjectivesTo examine ischemic and bleeding events in Japanese patients with AMI and the association between these events and antiplatelet therapy.MethodsThe Japan AMI Registry (JAMIR) is a multicenter, nationwide, prospective registry enrolling patients with AMI from 50 institutions. The inclusion criterion is spontaneous onset of AMI diagnosed based on either the universal definition or Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular disease (MONICA) criteria. The major exclusion criteria are hospital admission ≥ 24 h after onset, no return of spontaneous circulation on admission following out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, and AMI as a complication of percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. The primary end point of the study is the composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Major safety end points include major bleeding based on Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) criteria and type 3 or type 5 bleeding based on Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) criteria. Between December 2015 and May 2017, a total of 3411 patients (mean age 68.1 ± 13.2 years, 23.4% female) were enrolled in the study. Patients will be followed for 1 year.ConclusionsJAMIR will provide important information regarding contemporary practice patterns in the management of Japanese patients with AMI, their demographic and clinical characteristics, in-hospital and post-discharge outcomes, and how they are related to antiplatelet therapy.

Abstract WP172: Stroke Incidence and Outcomes in Northeastern Greece: the Evros Stroke Registry

Introduction: Data are scarce on both stroke incidence rates and outcomes in Greece and in rural areas in particular. We performed a prospective population-based study evaluating the incidence of first-ever stroke in the Evros perfecture, a region of a total 147,947 residents located in North Eastern Greece. Methods: Adult patients with first ever stroke were registered during a 24-month period (2010-2012) and followed up for 12 months. To compare our stroke incidence with that observed in other studies, we standardized our incidence rate data according to the European Standard Population (ESP) of 2013 and applied criteria of data quality, as proposed by the Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) project. Stroke diagnosis and classification was performed using WHO criteria on the basis of neuroimaging and/or autopsy data. Results: We prospectively documented 703 stroke cases (mean age: 75±12 years; 52.8% males; ischemic stroke (IS): 80.8%, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH): 11.8%, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH): 4.4%, undefined: 3.0%) with a total follow-up time of 119,805 person-years. The unadjusted and ESP adjusted incidences of all strokes were 586.8 (95%CI: 543.4-630.2) and 534.3 (95%CI: 532.3-536.3) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The unadjusted incidence rates for IS, ICH and SAH were 474.1 (95%CI: 435-513), 69.3 (95%CI: 54-84) and 25.8 (95%CI: 25.7-25.9) per 100,000 person-years, respectively. The corresponding ESP-adjusted incidence rates per 100,000 person-years were 425.9 (95%CI: 424-427), 63.3 (95%CI: 63-63.5) and 25.8 (95%CI: 25.7-25.9) for IS, ICH and SAH, respectively. The overall 30-day case fatality rate was 21.3% (95%: 18.3-24.4%) for all strokes, and was higher in hemorrhagic strokes than IS (40.4%, 95%CI: 31.3-49.4% vs 16.2%, 95%CI: 13.2%-19.2%). Conclusion: This is the largest to date population-based study in Greece documenting one of the highest stroke incidences in South-Eastern Europe.

Habitual coffee consumption and changes in measures of adiposity: a comprehensive study of longitudinal associations.

A relationship between change in coffee consumption and reduced long-term weight gain has been suggested, but current evidence is inconsistent. To examine longitudinal associations between coffee consumption and changes in body mass index (BMI), fat mass index (FMI), fat-free mass index (FFMI), body fat percentage (BF %) and waist circumference (WC). The study consisted of 2128 participants from the Danish part of the MONICA (Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) cohort with repeated information on coffee consumption, adiposity measures and covariates during an 11-year period. Linear regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations between baseline coffee consumption and subsequent change in adiposity measures. The same analyses were conducted analyzing associations between change in coffee consumption and concurrent as well as subsequent changes in adiposity measures. We found no consistent evidence of associations between baseline coffee consumption and subsequent 6-year changes in adiposity measures. A statistically significant association between increased coffee consumption over a 6-year period and decreased concurrent gain in BMI, FMI, BF % and WC (-0.05 kg m-2 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.07, -0.02), -0.04 kg m-2 (95% CI: -0.06, -0.02), -0.08% (95% CI: -0.13, -0.04) and -0.23 cm (95% CI: -0.34, -0.12), respectively, per 1 cup day-1 increase in coffee consumption) was found. No association was seen between change in coffee consumption and concurrent change in FFMI. Moreover, an initial change in coffee consumption during the first 5-year period was not associated with change in adiposity during the subsequent 6-year period. Increased coffee consumption was associated with a decreased concurrent gain in body weight, fat mass and waist circumference, but the associations were weak. Moreover, a causal relationship could not be established, as we found no evidence of associations between an initial change in coffee consumption and subsequent change in adiposity.

C-Reactive Protein and Cardiovascular Risk: Will the Controversy End after CANTOS?

Featured Article: Koenig W, Sund M, Frohlich M, Fischer HG, Lowel H, Doring A, et al. C-reactive protein, a sensitive marker of inflammation, predicts future risk of coronary heart disease in initially healthy middle-aged men: results from the MONICA (Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) Augsburg Cohort Study, 1984 to 1992. Circulation 1999;99:237–42.3 Rarely in cardiovascular medicine has a molecule split the scientific community for such a long time and provided a topic for many not only scientific but also emotional discussions. C-reactive protein (CRP)4, discovered in 1930 by Tillet and Francis, represents an important component of the innate immune system. In the 1990s, CRP was used to diagnose bacterial infections and to monitor antiinfective treatment. During this time, there was a paradigm change stressing the role of thrombosis and inflammation in triggering acute coronary syndrome events. However, as occasionally happens in science, just by coincidence CRP raised the interest of researchers as a potential predictor of cardiovascular …

Physical activity, obesity and mortality: does pattern of physical activity have stronger epidemiological associations?

BackgroundMost studies of physical activity (PA) epidemiology use behaviour measured at a single time-point. We examined whether ‘PA patterns’ (consistently low, consistently high or inconsistent PA levels over time) showed different epidemiological relationships for anthropometric and mortality outcomes, compared to single time-point measure of PA.MethodsData were the Danish MONICA (MONItoring Trends and Determinants in CArdiovascular Disease) study over three waves 1982–3 (time 1), 1987–8 (time 2) and 1993–4 (time 3). Associations between leisure time single time-point PA levels at time 1 and time 3, and sport and active travel at times 1 and 2 with BMI, waist, hip circumference and mortality (death from coronary heart disease (CHD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD)) were compared to ‘PA patterns’ spanning multiple time points. PA pattern classified participants’ PA as either 1) inactive or low PA at both time points; 2) moderate level PA at time 1 and high activity at time 3; or 3) a ‘mixed PA pattern’ indicating a varying levels of activity over time. Similarly, sport and active travel were also classified as indicating stable low, stable high and mixed patterns.ResultsThe moderately and highly active groups for PA at times 1 and 3 had up to 1.7 cm lower increase in waist circumference compared with the inactive/low active group. Across ‘PA patterns’, ‘active maintainers’ had a 2.0 cm lower waist circumference than ‘inactive/low maintainers’. Waist circumference was inversely related to sport but not active travel. CHD risk did not vary by activity levels at time 1, but was reduced significantly by 43% for high PA at time 3 (vs ‘inactive’ group) and among ‘active maintainers’ (vs ‘inactive/low maintainers’) by 62%. ‘Sport pattern’ showed stronger reductions in mortality for cardiovascular disease and CHD deaths among sport maintainers, than the single time point measures.ConclusionsPA patterns demonstrated a stronger association with a number of anthropometric and mortality outcomes than the single time-point measures. Operationalising PA as a sustained behavioural pattern may address some of the known under-estimation of risk for poor health in PA self-report measurements and better reflect exposure for epidemiological analysis of risk of health outcomes.

Urban and Rural Differences of Acute Cardiovascular Disease Events: A Study from the Population-Based Real-Time Surveillance System in Zhejiang, China in 2012.

Zhejiang province, China, has implemented a population based, real-time surveillance system that tracks acute cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) events since 2001. This study aimed to describe the system and report CVD incidence, mortality and case-fatality between urban and rural areas in Zhejiang in 2012. The surveillance system employs a stratified random sampling method covering all permanent residents of 30 counties/districts in Zhejiang. Acute CVD events such as coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke were defined, registered and reviewed based on the adapted MONICA (Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) definitions. Data were collected from health facilities, vital registries, supplementary surveys, and additional investigations, and were checked for data quality before input in the system. We calculated the rates and compared them by gender, age and region. In 2012, the incidence, mortality and case-fatality of total acute CVD events were 367.0 (CHD 59.1, stroke 307.9), 127.1 (CHD 43.3, stroke 83.8) per 100,000 and 34.6% (CHD 73.2%, stroke 27.2%), respectively. Compared with rural areas, urban areas reported higher incidence and mortality but lower case-fatality rates for CHD (P<0.001), while lower incidence but higher mortality and case-fatality rates for stroke (P<0.001). We found significant differences on CHD and stroke epidemics between urban and rural areas in Zhejiang. Special attentions need to be given to stroke control, especially in rural areas.

Symptoms of Insomnia and Sleep Duration and Their Association with Incident Strokes: Findings from the Population-Based MONICA/KORA Augsburg Cohort Study.

ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between symptoms of insomnia and sleep duration and incident total (non-fatal plus fatal) strokes, non-fatal strokes, and fatal strokes in a large cohort of men and women from the general population in Germany.MethodsIn four population-based MONICA (monitoring trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease)/KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) surveys conducted between 1984 and 2001, 17,604 men and women (aged 25 to 74 years) were asked about issues like sleep, health behavior, and medical history. In subsequent surveys and mortality follow-ups, incident stroke cases (cerebral hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, unknown stroke type) were gathered prospectively until 2009. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using sequential Cox proportional hazards regression models.ResultsDuring a mean follow-up of 14 years, 917 strokes (710 non-fatal strokes and 207 fatal strokes) were observed. Trouble falling asleep and difficulty staying asleep were not significantly related to any incident stroke outcome in either sex in the multivariable models. Among men, the HR for the association between short (≤5 hours) and long (≥10 hours) daily sleep duration and total strokes were 1.44 (95% CI: 1.01–2.06) and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.16–2.29), after adjustment for basic confounding variables. As for non-fatal strokes and fatal strokes, in the analyses adjusted for age, survey, education, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, the increased risks persisted, albeit somewhat attenuated, but no longer remained significant. Among women, in the multivariable analyses the quantity of sleep was also not related to any stroke outcome.ConclusionIn the present study, symptoms of insomnia and exceptional sleep duration were not significantly predictive of incident total strokes, non-fatal strokes, and fatal strokes in either sex.

Associations between Initial Change in Physical Activity Level and Subsequent Change in Regional Body Fat Distributions

Background: Few studies have examined which lifestyle factors relate to the development of fat distribution. Therefore, the identification of the determinants of changes in fat deposition is highly relevant. Methods: The association between the change in physical activity (PA) and the subsequent changes in regional body fat distributions was examined. In total, 1,236 men and 1,201 women were included at baseline and participated in the Danish MONICA (MONItoring Trends and Determinants in CArdiovascular Disease) study. A questionnaire was used to assess PA at 5 and 11 years after baseline examination, while waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC) were measured at both follow-ups. Results: Among men, WC increased in the constant active group to a lesser extent than in the non-constant active group (3.4 vs. 4.1 cm; p = 0.03) concerning leisure time physical activities (LTPA). A similar pattern was observed for both WC and HC in relation to occupational physical activities (OPA) (p = 0.02). Among women, the results went in the same direction for LTPA, whereas the associations with OPA were in the opposite direction (p = 0.001). Conclusion: LTPA and OPA were associated with reduced subsequent 6-year changes in regional fat distribution for men. For women, no associations were observed in relation to WC; however, OPA seemed to increase HC among women.

Long-term prediction of major coronary or ischaemic stroke event in a low-incidence Southern European population: model development and evaluation of clinical utility

ObjectiveTo develop a long-term prediction model of first major cardiovascular event and to assess its clinical utility in a low-incidence European population.SettingFour independent population-based cohorts enrolled between 1986 and 1993...

Impact of a Partial Smoke-Free Legislation on Myocardial Infarction Incidence, Mortality and Case-Fatality in a Population-Based Registry: The REGICOR Study

Background and ObjectiveCoronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death, and smoking its strongest modifiable risk factor. Our aim was to determine the impact of the Spanish 2006 partial smoke-free legislation on acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence, hospitalization and mortality rates, and 28-day case-fatality in Girona, Spain.MethodsUsing a population-based registry (the REGICOR Study), we compared population incidence, hospitalization, and mortality rates, and 28-day case-fatality in the pre- and post-ban periods (2002–2005 and 2006–2008, respectively) by binomial regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors. We also analyzed the ban's impact on the outcomes of interest using the AMI definitions of the American Heart Association (AHA)/European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the World Health Organization (WHO)-Monitoring trends and determinants in cardiovascular diseases (MONICA).ResultsIn the post-ban period, AMI incidence and mortality rates significantly decreased (relative risk [RR] = 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81–0.97 and RR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.71–0.94, respectively). Incidence and mortality rates decreased in both sexes, especially in women, and in people aged 65–74 years. Former and non-smokers (passive smokers) showed diminished incidence rates. Implementation of the ban was not associated with AMI case-fatality. Models tended to be more significant with the WHO-MONICA than with the AHA/ESC definition.ConclusionsThe 2006 Spanish partial smoke-free legislation was associated with a decrease in population AMI incidence and mortality, particularly in women, in people aged 65–74 years, and in passive smokers. These results clarify the association between AMI mortality and the enactment of a partial smoke-free legislation and reinforce the effectiveness of smoking regulations in preventing CHD.

Women develop diabetes at higher BMIs than men

Keywords BMI.Diabetesmellitus.SexdifferencesTo the Editor: In their analysis of the British Regional HeartStudy and the British Women´s Heart Health Study,Wannamethee and colleagues report that women developdiabetes at higher BMIs than men [1]. This is a well-recognised finding. In 1988 the UK Prospective DiabetesStudy (UKPDS) demonstrated, in 1,857 Caucasian, Afro-CaribbeanandAsianpatients,thatmenwithnewlydiagnosedtype 2 diabetes were significantly less obese than theirfemale counterparts, being 120.8±19.7% vs 140.9±29.1%(mean±SD) of ideal body weight, respectively [2]. Thisresult was subsequently confirmed by a study using aUS database, which also showed that BMI was higherfor women with newly diagnosed diabetes than for men,although this difference declined with age [3].More recently, a prospective analysis of the MonitoringTrends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases(MONICA) Augsburg cohort study showed that the diabetesincidence rate per 10,000 person-years was substantiallyhigher in men below the lowest BMI quartile (<25.1 kg/m

The Rise and Fall of Hypertension: Lessons Learned from Eastern Europe

Hypertension is a progressive cardiovascular syndrome that arises from many differing, but interrelated, etiologies. Hypertension is the most prevalent cardiovascular disorder, affecting 20% to 50% of the adult population in developed countries. Arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and death. Epidemiologic data have shown that control of hypertension is achieved in only a small percentage of hypertensive patients. Findings from the World Health Organization project Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Diseases (MONICA) showed a remarkably high prevalence (about 65%) of hypertension in Eastern Europeans. There is virtually no difference however, between the success rate in controlling hypertension when comparing Eastern and Western European populations. Diagnosing hypertension depends on both population awareness of the dangers of hypertension and medical interventions aimed at the detecting elevated blood pressure, even in asymptomatic patients. Medical compliance with guidelines for the treatment of hypertension is variable throughout Eastern Europe. Prevalence of hypertension increases with age, and the management of hypertension in elderly is a significant problem. The treatment of hypertension demands a comprehensive approach to the patient with regard to cardiovascular risk and individualization of hypertensive therapy.

Effect of Blood Glucose Concentrations on Admission in Non-Diabetic Versus Diabetic Patients With First Acute Myocardial Infarction on Short- and Long-Term Mortality (from the MONICA/KORA Augsburg Myocardial Infarction Registry)

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between increased admission glucose in nondiabetic (ND) patients and in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with first acute myocardial infarctions (AMIs) and 28-day as well as 1- and 3-year case fatality. The Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA)/Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) myocardial infarction registry database in Augsburg, Germany, was used, and 1,631 patients without and 659 patients with T2DM (aged 25 to 74 years) who were admitted from 1998 to 2003 with first AMIs were included. Mortality follow-up was carried out in 2005. ND patients with AMIs with admission glucose >152 mg/dl (top quartile) compared with those in the bottom quartile had an odds ratio of 2.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30 to 6.12) for death within 28 days after multivariate adjustment; correspondingly, patients with T2DM with admission glucose >278 mg/dl (top quartile) compared with those in the bottom quartile (<152 mg/dl) showed a nonsignificantly increased odds ratio of 1.45 (95% CI 0.64 to 3.31). After the exclusion of patients who died within 28 days, a nonsignificantly increased relative risk (RR) was seen between admission blood glucose and 1-year mortality in ND subjects (RR 2.71, 95% CI 0.90 to 8.15), whereas no increased RR was found in subjects with diabetes (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.34 to 2.82). After 3 years, there was no increased risk for death in patients with high admission blood glucose levels, neither for ND patients nor for those with T2DM. In conclusion, elevated admission blood glucose is associated with increased short-term mortality risk in patients with AMIs, particularly in ND subjects. These patients constitute a high-risk group needing aggressive, comprehensive polypharmacotherapy.

Association between Different Domains of Physical Activity and Markers of Inflammation

Physical activity has recently been established as a potential modifier of the inflammatory process, suggesting that it mitigates inflammation and consequently reduces the incidence of several chronic diseases such as cardiovascular events. This study examined the association between different domains ofself-reported physical activity (work, transportation, household, and leisure time) and three inflammatory markers (fibrinogen, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6)). Study subjects included 796 men and women aged 35-74 yr with complete data for the main study variables who participated in the 1989/1990 MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease (MONICA) Augsburg Survey. Data were collected using the MONICA Optional Study on Physical Activity (MOSPA) questionnaire, and activity levels were classified into low, moderate, and vigorous physical activities. Fibrinogen showed an inverse relationship with higher levels of work (Ptrend = 0.038), transportation (Ptrend = 0.025), leisure time (Ptrend = 0.013), and summary physical activity (Ptrend< 0.001). This relationship was still observed after adjusting for age and sex and further correction for body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes, total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, education, and self-reported limited physical activity due to health problems. IL-6 showed significant results for transportation (Ptrend = 0.031), leisure time (Ptrend = 0.016), and summary physical activity (Ptrend < 0.001), whereas CRP was inversely related with the summary activity (Ptrend = 0.003) in the fully adjusted model. No statistically significant inverse association between household physical activity and any of the investigated markers was found. We observed interactions between summary physical activity and smoking (fibrinogen: P = 0.003) as well as ex-smoking (CRP: P < 0.001; IL-6: P = 0.049). These data indicate that beyond leisure time, work and transportation physical activity may reduce inflammation.

ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION IN ISFAHAN, IRAN: HOSPITALIZATION AND 28TH DAY CASE-FATALITY RATE

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate 28-day case fatality rate due to acute myo- cardial infarction (MI) in Isfahan using a standardized surveillance system. METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was performed on hospitalized myocardial infarc- tion patients in Isfahan, Iran from 2000 to 2004. All hospitalizations due to myocardial infarc- tion (MI) events were recorded via a system adopted from World Health Organization Monitor- ing Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) project, with ignoring MONICA age limitation. Patients were followed and their families enquired about their patients survival status at 28 th day with phone calls and if not available at home visits. RESULTS: Age-adjusted hospital admission rate showed an increase during the study period, rising from 131.67 to 209.27 per 100000, but slowed toward the end of the study. Patients' mean age was 62.35±12.64, with one third of events documented among female patients. Young pa- tients (< 45 years old) comprised 8.6% of hospitalizations which remained nearly constant through the study. The corresponding figure was about 28% for patients aged less than 55 years. The 28-day case fatality rate was 23.1% for women and 13.2% for men. For individuals aged 35-64 years, the fatality rate was 13.0% for women and 7.7% for men. CONCLUSION: This study showed an increase in myocardial infarction hospital admission rate in Isfahan but the rate of increase is decreasing. A multi-centric community-based myocardial infarction incidence study is needed to elucidate myocardial infarction epidemiology in Iran.

Long term survival after evidence based treatment of acute myocardial infarction and revascularisation: follow-up of population based Perth MONICA cohort, 1984-2005

Objective To examine trends in long term survival in patients alive 28 days after myocardial infarction and the impact of evidence based medical treatments and coronary revascularisation during or near...

Decline in Incident Coronary Heart Disease

In the fall of 1979, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute held a conference on the decline in coronary heart disease (CHD) death rates. It was apparent that in the previous 10 to 15 years, the epidemic crested and began to fall.1 The reasons for this decline were unclear, but many hypotheses were offered. Explanations ranged from death classification artifact, new coronary care units, and coronary surgery to broad social change. Many were more than willing to take credit for this change, but few data were available. A search for explanations began. Article p 598 Three major themes emerged as possible explanations: (1) primary prevention through risk factor reduction, including public health measures such as reduction in cigarettes and clinical approaches such as lipid and blood pressure management; (2) modern care for acute coronary syndromes, including emergency services, coronary care units, and revascularization strategies; and (3) secondary prevention in those with known CHD, including revascularization, medications, and lifestyle approaches. Each of these has substantial clinical trial evidence to support its utility in reducing new cases (incidence), recurrent events, and/or death. Early attempts to understand the causes were hampered by a lack of data. Stern2 suggested that a decline in mortality was related to improved diet, reduced smoking, …

Non-invasive screening for coronary artery disease: calcium scoring

Despite the decrease in overall mortality from coronary artery disease, the number of out-of-hospital deaths from myocardial infarction is in the range of 60% of all infarct related case fatalities.1...

Stroke in Isfahan, Iran: Hospital Admission and 28-Day Case Fatality Rate

Background: In Isfahan, a city in the middle of Iran, a community intervention trial has been started for cardiovascular disease prevention and control via reducing its risk factors and improvement of relevant healthy behavior. A surveillance system was needed to monitor vascular diseases, especially stroke, during and following this community intervention program. Methods: A prospective study on hospitalized stroke patients was done in Isfahan, Iran, from 2000 to 2003. All hospitalized stroke events were recorded via a system adopted from the World Health Organization Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) project, yet ignoring the MONICA age limitation. The age-adjusted hospital admission rate was calculated. Patients and/or their families were followed and asked regarding the patients’ survival status. Results: The age-adjusted hospital admission rate in Isfahan was increasing from 2000 to 2003 (rising from 84.16 to 103.23/100,000). The 28-day case fatality rates were nearly the same during these years and were about 32%. Ischemic stroke events made up the majority of cases (about 70%), and intracerebral hemorrhage events had the second highest prevalence (25%). Conclusions: This study showed that the stroke hospital admission rate might be increasing in Isfahan. A community-based stroke incidence study is needed to elucidate stroke epidemiology in Isfahan, Iran, as a Middle East country.

No association of the CYP3A5*1 allele with blood pressure and left ventricular mass and geometry: the KORA/MONICA Augsburg echocardiographic substudy

A polymorphism in the cytochrome P450 3A CYP3A5 enzyme has been implicated in BP (blood pressure) control and arterial hypertension. Carriers of the CYP3A5*1 allele had high, whereas homozygous carriers of the CYP3A5*3 allele exhibit low, CYP3A5 expression in the kidney, where CYP3A5 represents the major CYP3A enzyme. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the CYP3A5*1 allele with BP, arterial hypertension, LVM [(left ventricular) mass] and LV geometry in a large Caucasian-population-based cohort. We compared BP, LVM and the prevalence of hypertension between carriers (CYP3A5*1/*1 and CYP3A5*1/*3 genotypes) and non-carriers (CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype) of the CYP3A5*1 allele in the echocardiographic substudy of the third MONICA (MONItoring trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) Augsburg survey. After exclusion of 269 individuals who were taking antihypertensive medication, 530 women and 554 men were available for analysis, revealing allele frequencies of 5.8 and 94.2% for the CYP3A5*1 and CYP3A5*3 alleles respectively. Overall, the presence of the CYP3A5*1 allele exhibited no effect on systolic or diastolic BP in either gender. One-third of the individuals in this cohort were hypertensive (BP > or =140/90 mmHg), and the genotype distribution between normotensive and hypertensive individuals revealed no association between CYP3A5*1 and hypertension after adjustment for age, BMI and gender (odds ratio, 1.02; P=0.92). Moreover, no effect of CYP3A5*1 on LVM, thickness of the septal and posterior wall and LV end-diastolic diameter was found. We conclude that CYP3A5*1 exhibits no significant effect on BP, LVM and LV geometry in the KORA/MONICA echocardiographic substudy.