Details of a Researcher - Okamura, Tomonori

Papers - Okamura, Tomonori

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Long-term outcome of healthy participants with atrial premature complex

Inohara Taku, Kohsaka Shun, Okamura Tomonori, Watanabe Makoto, Nakamura Yasuyuki, Higashiyama Aya, Kadota Aya, Okuda Nagako, Ohkubo Takayoshi, Miura Katsuyuki, Okayama Akira, Ueshima Hirotsugu

PLoS ONE 8 ( 11 ) e80853 2013.11

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted

Background: Atrial premature complexes (APC) are among the most frequently encountered electrocardiographic abnormalities. However, their prognostic value among healthy individuals is unclear. This study aimed to clarify the role of APC in predicting cardiovascular events in a large Japanese community cohort using long-term follow-up data. Methods: National Integrated Project for Prospective Observation of Non-communicable Disease And its Trends in the Aged, 1990-2005, (NIPPON DATA 90) was a large cohort study of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Japan. A total of 7692 otherwise healthy participants with no history of myocardial infarction, stroke, atrial fibrillation, or atrial flutter were enrolled (men, 41.5%; mean age, 52.5 ± 13.7 years). Results: A total of 64 (0.8%) participants had at least one beat of APC on screening 12-lead electrocardiogram. During the follow-up of 14.0 ± 2.9 years (total, 107,474 patient-years), 338 deaths occurred due to CVD. The association between APC and CVD outcome was assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. Cox regression analysis revealed that the presence of APC was an independent predictor for CVD deaths (HR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.12-3.66, P = 0.019). The association of APC on CVD death was more evident in participants with hypertension (P-value for interaction, 0.03). Conclusions: APC recorded during the screening electrocardiogram are significantly associated with an increased risk of CVD deaths in a Japanese community-dwelling population and are a strong prognostic factor for hypertensive participants. © 2013 Inohara et al.

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HbA_1c and the risks for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the general Japanese population

Sakurai Masaru, Saitoh Shigeyuki, Miura Katsuyuki, Nakagawa Hideaki, Ohnishi Hirofumi, Akasaka Hiroshi, Kadota Aya, Kita Yoshikuni, Hayakawa Takehito, Ohkubo Takayoshi, Okayama Akira, Okamura Tomonori, Ueshima Hirotsugu

Diabetes Care 36 ( 11 ) 3759 - 3765 2013.11

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0149-5992

Objective - Associations between HbA_1c and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have been reported mainly in Western countries. It is not clear whether HbA_1c measurements are useful for assessing CVD mortality risk in East Asian populations. Research Design and Methods - The risk for cardiovascular death was evaluated in a large cohort of participants selected randomly from the overall Japanese population. A total of 7,120 participants (2,962men and 4,158 women; mean age 52.3 years) free of previous CVD were followed for 15 years. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs among categories of HbA_1c (<5.0%, 5.0-5.4%, 5.5-5.9%, 6.0-6.4%, and ≥6.5%) for participants without treatment for diabetes and HRs for participants with diabetes were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results - During the study, there were 1,104 deaths, including 304 from CVD, 61 from coronary heart disease, and 127 from stroke (78 from cerebral infarction, 25 from cerebral hemorrhage, and 24 from unclassified stroke). Relations to HbA_1c with all-cause mortality and CVD death were graded and continuous, and multivariate-adjusted HRs for CVD death in participants with HbA_1c 6.0-6.4% and ≥6.5%were 2.18 (95% CI 1.22-3.87) and 2.75 (1.43-5.28), respectively, compared with participants with HbA_1c <5.0%. Similar associations were observed between HbA_1c and death from coronary heart disease and death from cerebral infarction. Conclusions - High HbA_1c levels were associated with increased risk for all-cause mortality and death from CVD, coronary heart disease, and cerebral infarction in general East Asian populations, as in Western populations. © 2013 by the American Diabetes Association.

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Association of total marine fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, with aortic stiffness in Koreans, whites, and Japanese Americans.

Sekikawa A, Shin C, Masaki KH, Barinas-Mitchell EJ, Hirooka N, Willcox BJ, Choo J, White J, Evans RW, Fujiyoshi A, Okamura T, Miura K, Muldoon MF, Ueshima H, Kuller LH, Sutton-Tyrrell K, ERA JUMP Study Group.

American journal of hypertension 26 ( 11 ) 1321 - 7 2013.11

Research paper (scientific journal), ISSN 0895-7061

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Association of total marine fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, with aortic stiffness in Koreans, whites, and Japanese Americans.

American journal of hypertension 26 ( 11 ) 1321 - 7 2013.11

Research paper (scientific journal), ISSN 0895-7061

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Effects of intensive and moderate public education on knowledge of early stroke symptoms among a Japanese population

Morimoto Akiko, Miyamatsu Naomi, Okamura Tomonori, Nakayama Hirofumi, Toyoda Kazunori, Suzuki Kazuo, Toyota Akihiro, Hata Takashi, Yamaguchi Takenori

Stroke 44 ( 10 ) 2829 - 2834 2013.10

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0039-2499

Background and Purpose-To assess the effects of intensive and moderate public education on knowledge of early stroke symptoms among a general Japanese population. Methods-Information on early stroke symptoms was distributed by leaflet 12× and by booklet twice in an intensive intervention area >22 months, and by leaflet and booklet once each in a moderate intervention area. No distribution occurred in the control area. Before and after the intervention, a mailed survey was conducted in the 3 areas. A total of 2734 individuals, aged 40 to 74 years, who did not select all 5 correct symptoms of stroke in the preintervention survey were eligible for our analysis. Results-The numbers of correct answers selected about stroke symptoms did not differ significantly among the 3 areas in the preintervention survey (P=0.156). In the postintervention survey, the proportions of participants who selected sudden 1-sided numbness or weakness (94.2% in the intensive intervention area, 88.3% in the moderate intervention area, and 89.2% in the control area P<0.001) and sudden severe headache (76.8%, 70.1%, and 70.4%, respectively P<0.001) differed significantly among the 3 areas. After adjustment for confounding factors, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for correctly choosing all 5 symptoms were 1.35 (1.07-1.71) in the intensive intervention area and 0.96 (0.74-1.24) in the moderate intervention area compared with the control area. Conclusions-Our findings suggest that frequent distribution of leaflets and booklets significantly improved the short-term knowledge of community residents about early symptoms of stroke. © 2013 American Heart Association, Inc.

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A cross-sectional association of obesity with coronary calcium among Japanese, Koreans, Japanese Americans, and US Whites

Fujiyoshi Akira, Sekikawa Akira, Shin Chol, Masaki Kamal, David Curb J., Ohkubo Takayoshi, Miura Katsuyuki, Kadowaki Takashi, Kadowaki Sayaka, Kadota Aya, Edmundowicz Daniel, Shah Amber, Evans Rhobert W., Bertolet Marianne, Choo Jina, Willcox Bradley J., Okamura Tomonori, Maegawa Hiroshi, Murata Kiyoshi, Kuller Lewis H., Ueshima Hirotsugu

European Heart Journal Cardiovascular Imaging 14 ( 9 ) 921 - 927 2013.09

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 2047-2404

AimsConflicting evidence exists regarding whether obesity is independently associated with coronary artery calcium (CAC), a measure of coronary atherosclerosis. We examined an independent association of obesity with prevalent CAC among samples of multi-ethnic groups whose background populations have varying levels of obesity and coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods and resultsWe analysed a population-based sample of 1212 men, aged 40-49 years free of clinical cardiovascular disease recruited in 2002-06; 310 Japanese in Japan (JJ), 294 Koreans in South Korea (KN), 300 Japanese Americans (JA), and 308 Whites in the USA (UW). We defined prevalent CAC as an Agatston score of ≥10. Prevalent CAC was calculated by tertile of the body mass index (BMI) in each ethnic group and was plotted against the corresponding median of tertile BMI. Additionally, logistic regression was conducted to examine whether an association of the BMI was independent of conventional risk factors. The median BMI and crude prevalence of CAC for JJ, KN, JA, and UW were 23.4, 24.4, 27.4, and 27.1 (kg/m²); 12, 11, 32, and 26 (%), respectively. Despite the absolute difference in levels of BMI and CAC across groups, higher BMI was generally associated with higher prevalent CAC in each group. After adjusting for age, smoking, alcohol, hypertension, lipids, and diabetes mellitus, the BMI was positively and independently associated with prevalent CAC in JJ, KN, UW, but not in JA.ConclusionIn this multi-ethnic study, obesity was independently associated with subclinical stage of coronary atherosclerosis among men aged 40-49 years regardless of the BMI level. © 2013 Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2013.

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Serum leptin and total dietary energy intake

Nakamura Yasuyuki, Ueshima Hirotsugu, Okuda Nagako, Murakami Yoshitaka, Miura Katsuyuki, Kita Yoshikuni, Okamura Tomonori, Okayama Akira, Turin Tanvir C., Choudhry Sohel R., Rodriguez Beatriz, Curb J. David, Stamler Jeremiah

European Journal of Nutrition 52 ( 6 ) 1641 - 1648 2013.09

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1436-6207

Purpose: It has been hypothesized that leptin-induced appetite suppression is impaired in obese individuals, but little human evidence is available documenting this. We investigated relations between serum leptin and total energy intake using INTERLIPID/INTERMAP data on Japanese-Americans in Hawaii and Japanese in Japan. Methods: Serum leptin and nutrient intakes were examined by standardized methods in men and women aged 40-59 years from two population samples, one Japanese-American in Hawaii (88 men, 94 women), the other Japanese in central Japan (123 men, 111 women). Multiple linear regression analyses stratified by BMI category (<25 kg/m², 25-29.9 kg/m², and ≥30 kg/m²) with adjustment for possible confounders were used to examine the relation between log-leptin and total dietary energy intake. Results: In multivariate regression analyses, in those with BMI < 25 kg/m² and in those with BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m², log-leptin was not significantly related to total dietary energy intake; in those with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², it was significantly inversely related to total dietary energy intake (P = 0.029), independent of body weight and physical activity. Physical activity score was significantly positively related to total dietary energy intake only in participants with BMI < 25 kg/m ² (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Leptin was significantly inversely associated with dietary energy intake in obese persons, but not in overweight and normal-weight persons. © Springer-Verlag 2012.

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Correlation of a self-report and direct measure of physical activity level in the electron-beam tomography and risk assessment among Japanese and US men in the post World War II birth cohort (ERA JUMP) study

Berger Marie A., Shin Chol, Storti Kristi L., David Curb J., Kriska Andrea M., Arena Vincent C., Choo Jina, Ueshima Hirotsuga, Okamura Tomonori, Miura Katsuyuki, Seto Todd B., Masaki Kamal, El-Saed Aiman, Sekikawa Akira

Journal of Epidemiology 23 ( 6 ) 411 - 417 2013.08

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0917-5040

Background: Physical activity (PA) is complex and a difficult behavior to assess as there is no ideal assessment tool(s) that can capture all contexts of PA. Therefore, it is important to understand how different assessment tools rank individuals. We examined the extent to which self-report and direct assessment PA tools yielded the same ranking of PA levels. Methods: PA levels were measured by the Modifiable Activity Questionnaire (MAQ) and pedometer at baseline among 855 white (W), African-American (AA), Japanese-American (JA), and Korean (K) men (mean age 45.3 years) in 3 geographic locations in the ERA JUMP study. Results: Korean men were more active than W, AA, and JA men, according to both the MAQ and pedometer (MAQ total PA [mean ± SD]: 41.6 ± 17.8, 20.9 ± 9.9, 20.0 ± 9.1, and 29.4 ± 10.3 metabolic equivalent [MET] hours/week, respectively; pedometer: 9584.4 ± 449.4, 8363.8 ± 368.6, 8930.3 ± 285.6, 8335.7 ± 368.6 steps/day, respectively). Higher levels of total PA in Korean men, as shown by MAQ, were due to higher occupational PA. Spearman correlations between PA levels reported on the MAQ and pedometer indicated positive associations ranging from rho = 0.29 to 0.42 for total activity, rho = 0.13 to 0.35 for leisure activity, and rho = 0.10 to 0.26 for occupational activity. Conclusions: The 2 assessment methods correlated and were complementary rather than interchangeable. The MAQ revealed why Korean men were more active. In some subpopulations it may be necessary to assess PA domains other than leisure and to use more than 1 assessment tool to obtain a more representative picture of PA levels. © 2013 Marie A. Berger et al.

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The prevalence of aortic calcification in Japanese compared to white and Japanese-American middle-aged men is confounded by the amount of cigarette smoking

El-Saed Aiman, Curb J. David, Kadowaki Takashi, Okamura Tomonori, Sutton-Tyrrell Kim, Masaki Kamal, Seto Todd B., Takamiya Tomoko, Choo Jina, Edmundowicz Daniel, Evans Rhobert W., Fujiyoshi Akira, Nakamura Yasuyuki, Miura Katsuyuki, Shin Chol, Kuller Lewis H., Ueshima Hirotsugu, Sekikawa Akira

International Journal of Cardiology 167 ( 1 ) 134 - 139 2013.07

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0167-5273

Background: The prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in Japanese men is lower than in white and Japanese-American men. It is unclear if aortic calcification (AC) strongly linked to smoking is also lower in Japanese men who have many times higher smoking prevalence compared to US men. Methods: We conducted a population-based study of 903 randomly-selected men aged 40-49 years: 310 Japanese men in Kusatsu, Japan, 301 white men in Allegheny County, US, and 292 Japanese men in Hawaii, US (2002-2006). The presence of AC was assessed by electron-beam tomography. AC was defined as Agatston aortic calcium scores (AoCaS) > 0 and ≥ 100. Results: Japanese (35.8%) had significantly less AoCaS > 0 compared to both white (68.8%, p < 0.001) and Japanese-American (62.3%, p < 0.001) but similar AoCaS ≥ 100 (19.4%, 18.3%, 22.6%, respectively, p = 0.392). The pack-years of smoking, which was highest in Japanese, was the most important single associate of AC in all populations. Additionally age, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides in Japanese; body-mass index (BMI) in white; and BMI, LDL-C, hypertension, diabetes, and lipid medications in Japanese-American were independent associates of AC. The risk of AC using either cut points adjusted for pack-years of smoking and additional risk factors was lower in Japanese compared to both white and Japanese-American. AC and CAC had moderately positive and significant correlations in Japanese (r = 0.26), white (r = 0.39), and Japanese-American (r = 0.45). Conclusions: The prevalence of AC defined both > 0 and ≥ 100 was significantly lower in Japanese than in white and Japanese-American men after adjusting for cigarette smoking and additional risk factors. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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Prediction of cardiovascular disease mortality by proteinuria and reduced kidney function

Nagata Masaharu, Ninomiya Toshiharu, Kiyohara Yutaka, Murakami Yoshitaka, Irie Fujiko, Sairenchi Toshimi, Miura Katsuyuki, Okamura Tomonori, Ueshima Hirotsugu

American Journal of Epidemiology 178 ( 1 ) 1 - 11 2013.07

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0002-9262

There are limited studies addressing whether proteinuria and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are independently associated with cardiovascular disease in Asia. Using data from 7 prospective cohorts recruited between 1980 and 1994 in Japan, we assessed the influence of proteinuria (≥1+ on dipstick) and reduced eGFR on the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in 39,405 participants (40-89 years) without kidney failure. During a 10.1-year follow-up, 1,927 subjects died from cardiovascular disease. Proteinuria was associated with a 1.75-fold (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44, 2.11) increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Additionally, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio of cardiovascular disease mortality increased linearly with lower eGFR levels (P_trend < 0.001): Subjects with eGFR of <45 mL/minute/1.73 m² had a 2.22-fold (95% CI: 1.60, 3.07) greater risk of cardiovascular disease mortality than those with eGFR of ≥90 mL/minute/1.73 m². Subjects with both proteinuria and eGFR of <45 mL/minute/1.73 m² had a 4.05-fold (95% CI: 2.55, 6.43) higher risk of cardiovascular disease mortality compared with those with neither of these risk factors. There was no evidence of interaction in the relationship between proteinuria and lower eGFR (P_interaction = 0.77). The present results suggest that proteinuria and lower eGFR are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease mortality in the Japanese population. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved.

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LOX-1 ligands containing apolipoprotein B and carotid intima-media thickness in middle-aged community-dwelling US Caucasian andJapanese men

Okamura Tomonori, Sekikawa Akira, Sawamura Tatsuya, Kadowaki Takashi, Barinas-Mitchell Emma, Mackey Rachel H., Kadota Aya, Evans Rhobert W., Edmundowicz Daniel, Higashiyama Aya, Nakamura Yasuyuki, Abbott Robert D., Miura Katsuyuki, Fujiyoshi Akira, Fujita Yoshiko, Murakami Yoshitaka, Miyamatsu Naomi, Kakino Akemi, Maegawa Hiroshi, Murata Kiyoshi, Horie Minoru, Mitsunami Kenichi, Kashiwagi Atsunori, Kuller Lewis H., Ueshima Hirotsugu

Atherosclerosis 229 ( 1 ) 240 - 245 2013.07

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0021-9150

Objective: The serum level of LOX-1 ligand containing ApoB (LAB) may reflect atherogenicity better than LDL cholesterol (LDLC), total LDL particles and usual measurement of oxidized LDL. The association between LAB and intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid artery was investigated by ultrasound in US and Japan men. Methods: Participants were 297 US Caucasian and 310 Japanese men, aged 40-49 years without past history of cardiovascular disease. Serum LAB levels were measured by ELISAs with recombinant LOX-1 and monoclonal anti-apolipoprotein B antibody. Results: Serum LAB levels [median (interquartile range), μg/L] were 1321 (936, 1730) in US Caucasians and 940 (688, 1259) in Japanese. For Caucasian men, average IMT was higher in higher LAB quartile, which was 0.653, 0.667, 0.688, and 0.702. mm, respectively (p for trend. =. 0.02). Linear regression analysis showed serum LAB was significantly associated with IMT after adjustment for LDLC or total LDL particles in addition to other traditional or novel risk factors for atherosclerosis such as C-reactive protein. However, there was no significant relationship between LAB and IMT in Japanese men. Conclusion: Serum LAB, a new candidate biomarker for residual risk, was associated with an increased carotid IMT in US Caucasian men independently of various risk factors; however, ethnic difference should be clarified in the future. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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Prognostic values of bundle branch blocks for cardiovascular mortality in Japanese (24 year follow-up of NIPPON DATA80)

Nakamura Yasuyuki, Okamura Tomonori, Inohara Taku, Kohsaka Shun, Watanabe Makoto, Higashiyama Aya, Kadota Aya, Okuda Nagako, Ohkubo Takayoshi, Nagasawa Shin Ya, Miura Katsuyuki, Okayama Akira, Ueshima Hirotsugu

Journal of Electrocardiology 46 ( 4 ) 360 - 365 2013.07

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0022-0736

Aims Left bundle branch block (LBBB) is generally considered to be associated with a poorer prognosis in comparison with normal controls. However, there are some studies that showed no difference in prognosis of LBBB in comparison with normal controls. Methods and Results We studied prognostic values of BBBs on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and total mortality using the NIPPON DATA80 database with a 24-year follow-up. At the baseline in 1980, data were collected on study participants, ages 30 years and over, from randomly selected areas in Japan. We followed 9,090 participants (44% men, mean age 51). During the 24 year follow-up, there were 886 CVD, and 2,597 total mortality cases. Among participants, 0.2% of them were in LBBB, 1.3% in RBBB, 4.3% in other ventricular conduction defect (VCD) groups. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) using the Cox model including biochemical and other ECG variables revealed that LBBB was significantly positively associated with CVD (HR = 2.71, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.35-5.45, P = 0.005), and total (HR = 2.07, 95%CI: 1.26-3.39, P = 0.004) mortality in men and women combined compared to participants without VCD. RBBB and other VCDs did not carry any significant risk for CVD or total mortality. Conclusions We found significant positive associations of LBBB with CVD and total mortality independent of confounding factors including other ECG changes. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

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Interaction between dietary marine-derived n-3 fatty acids intake and J-point elevation on the risk of cardiac death

Hisamatsu Takashi, Miura Katsuyuki, Ohkubo Takayoshi, Yamamoto Takashi, Fujiyoshi Akira, Miyagawa Naoko, Kadota Aya, Takashima Naoyuki, Okuda Nagako, Matsumura Yasuhiro, Yoshita Katsushi, Kita Yoshikuni, Murakami Yoshitaka, Nakamura Yasuyuki, Okamura Tomonori, Horie Minoru, Okayama Akira, Ueshima Hirotsugu

Heart 99 ( 14 ) 1024 - 1029 2013.07

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1355-6037

Objective: Higher marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (MDn3FAs) intake reduces the risk of sudden cardiac death via antiarrhythmic effects. The article evaluates whether MDn3FAs intake attenuates the increased risk of cardiac death associated with J-point elevation (JPE), characterised by an elevation of QRS-ST junction (J-point) ≥0.1 mV on electrocardiography. Design: A prospective population-based cohort study. Setting: The National Survey on Circulatory Disorders and the National Nutrition Survey of Japan. Participants: A total of 4348 community-dwelling men (mean age 49.3 years), without cardiovascular diseases at baseline, from randomly selected areas across Japan. Main outcome measures: Cardiac death (200 men) during the 24-year follow-up. Results: Dietary MDn3FAs intake was assessed using a dietary method to estimate individual intake of household-based weighed food records for 3 days. Cox models were used to calculate HRs and 95% CIs adjusted for possible confounding factors. JPE was present in 340 participants (7.8%). The median daily intake of MDn3FAs was 0.35%kcal (0.92 g/day). The risk of cardiac death was significantly higher in participants with JPE than in those without JPE in the low intake group (<0.35%kcal; adjusted HR 3.51; 95% CI 1.84 to 6.73; p<0.001), but not in the high intake group (≥0.35%kcal; adjusted HR 1.09; 95% CI 0.56 to 2.16; p=0.795). The interaction between dietary MDn3FAs intake and JPE on the risk of cardiac death was statistically significant (p=0.006). Conclusions: The increased risk of cardiac death associated with JPE may be attenuated by higher dietary MDn3FAs intake.

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Concordance of CKD stages in estimation by the CKD-EPI equation and estimation by the MDRD equation in the Japanese general population

Ohsawa Masaki, Tanno Kozo, Itai Kazuyoshi, Turin Tanvir Chowdhury, Okamura Tomonori, Ogawa Akira, Ogasawara Kuniaki, Fujioka Tomoaki, Onoda Toshiyuki, Yoshida Yuki, Omama Shin Ichi, Ishibashi Yasuhiro, Nakamura Motoyuki, Makita Shinji, Tanaka Fumitaka, Kuribayashi Toru, Koyama Tomiko, Sakata Kiyomi, Okayama Akira

International Journal of Cardiology 165 ( 2 ) 377 - 379 2013.05

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0167-5273

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Treated and untreated hypertension, hospitalization, and medical expenditure

Nakamura Koshi, Miura Katsuyuki, Nakagawa Hideaki, Okamura Tomonori, Okuda Nagako, Nishimura Kunihiro, Yasumura Seiji, Sakata Kiyomi, Hidaka Hideki, Okayama Akira

Journal of Hypertension 31 ( 5 ) 1032 - 1042 2013.05

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0263-6352

Lippincott Williams &Wilkins.OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of hypertension on hospitalization risk and medical expenditure according to treatment status in a Japanese population. METHODS: A total of 314 622 beneficiaries of the medical insurance system in Japan, aged 40-69 years, without a history of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or end-stage renal disease were classified into seven blood pressure categories. These categories were used to compare the risk of undergoing hospitalization in the 1 year after the baseline survey and to examine the percentage of inpatient medical expenditure attributable to overall hypertension relative to total medical expenditure in the study population. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 6.6% of men and 5.1% of women were hospitalized. In men and women aged 40-54 years, cases of hypertension, especially grade 3 untreated hypertension, led to more frequent hospitalization, compared with optimal blood pressure. Individuals who were hospitalized, especially long-term, incurred considerably higher medical expenditure compared with those who were not hospitalized, regardless of their hypertension status. In women aged 55-69 years, there was little variation in hospitalization risk across blood pressure categories. The inpatient medical expenditure attributable to overall hypertension represented 7.2 and 6.9% of the total medical expenditure for men aged 40-54 and 55-69 years, whereas it represented 2.8 and 3.8% for women, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although cases of hypertension were an economic burden especially in men, grade 3 untreated hypertension was more likely to incur extremely high medical expenditure as a result of hospitalization, compared with other cases. © 2013 Wolters Kluwer Health

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Ethnic difference in liver fat content

Azuma Koichiro, Curb J. David, Kadowaki Takashi, Edmundowicz Daniel, Kadowaki Sayaka, Masaki Kamal H., El-Saed Aiman, Nishio Yoshihiko, Seto Todd B., Okamura Tomonori, Cetinel Cemal, Kadota Aya, Sutton-Tyrrell Kim, Miura Katsuyuki, Evans Rhobert W., Takamiya Tomoko, Maegawa Hiroshi, Miljkovic Iva, Kuller Lewis H., Ueshima Hirotsugu, Kelley David E., Sekikawa Akira

Obesity Research and Clinical Practice 7 ( 3 ) 2013.05

Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1871-403X

Background: We recently reported that Japanese had higher liver fat at a lower level of BMI compared with non-Hispanic whites (NHW). Objective: We hypothesize that ethnic difference in fat storage capacity contributes to this ethnic difference in liver fat. Design: To examine this, we assessed liver fat among 244 Japanese-American aged 40-49, using regional computed-tomography images, along with metabolic variables. Results: Despite the similar BMI between Japanese-Americans and NHW men, Japanese-Americans had more liver fat (liver to spleen attenuation ratio: 1.03 ± 0.22 for Japanese-Americans, and 1.07 ± 0.15 for NHW men; p < 0.05) and tended to have a greater disposition for fatty liver with an increase in BMI than NHW, indicating a clear difference between the two groups. In addition, liver fat is less in Japanese-Americans compared with Japanese men (1.03 ± 0.22 vs. 1.01 ± 0.16; p < 0.05), despite of a much higher BMI. These ethnic differences support the hypothesis that higher fat storage capacity indeed seems to be associated with less liver fat. In all the groups, liver fat content strongly correlated with triglycerides, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Nevertheless, these metabolic variables were worse in Japanese-Americans, despite of less liver fat, compared with Japanese. Moreover, CRP levels were least among Japanese with highest liver fat, and highest among NHW men with least liver fat, despite of a strong positive association between CRP and fatty liver within each population. Conclusions: Fat content in the liver is intermediate for Japanese-Americans compared with Japanese and NHW men, which supports the hypothesis of less fat storage capacity among Japanese, closely linked to ethnic difference in predisposition to fatty liver. © 2011 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Public awareness of early symptoms of stroke and information sources about stroke among the general japanese population

Miyamatsu Naomi, Okamura Tomonori, Nakayama Hirofumi, Toyoda Kazunori, Suzuki Kazuo, Toyota Akihiro, Hata Takashi, Hozawa Atsushi, Nishikawa Tomofumi, Morimoto Akiko, Ogita Mihoko, Morino Ayumi, Yamaguchi Takenori

Cerebrovascular Diseases 35 ( 3 ) 241 - 249 2013.04

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 1015-9770

Background: It is important that the general population be aware of the early symptoms, since it has been shown that early arrival to hospitals leads better prognosis of stroke patients. However, the general population is not well informed about the early symptoms of stroke. This study was conducted to clarify which stroke symptoms are less well known and which information sources are related to awareness of stroke symptoms. Methods: A multiple-choice, mail-in survey involving 5,540 randomly selected residents, aged 40-74 years, of 3 cities in Japan was conducted. Their knowledge about stroke symptoms and their information sources were surveyed; information sources were classified as mass media (television/newspaper/radio) and personal communication sources (posters/leaflets/internet/health professionals/family and/or friends). 'Awareness' was defined as selecting all 5 of the correct stroke symptoms from among 10 listed symptoms with decoy choices. The estimated fraction of the possible impact due to each source on the whole population was also calculated by odds ratios (ORs) and the proportion of respondents who selected each source (Pe). The combined effects of mass media and personal communication sources on awareness were also assessed. Results: Of the 5,540 residents, only 23% selected all 5 correct symptoms. Visual disturbance was the least known of the 5 symptoms (35%). All sources were positively related to awareness, with ORs (Pe) of: television, 1.58 (72.5%); newspaper, 1.79 (48.0%); radio, 1.74 (13.3%); posters, 1.73 (7.6%); leaflets, 1.50 (24.7%); Internet, 1.66 (5.6%); health professionals, 1.33 (34.8%), and family/friends, 1.21 (44.6%). The estimated fraction of the possible impact due to each source was higher for mass media (television, 0.31 and newspaper, 0.28) than personal communication sources (Internet, 0.04 and leaflets, 0.12). Mass media only and mass media/personal communication sources were significantly associated (ORs: 1.66, 2.75, respectively). Conclusions: As a single method of public education, television could be the most effective strategy. Moreover, the combined approach involving mass media and personal communication sources might have a synergistic effect. Less well-known symptoms, such as visual disturbances, should be noted in public education campaigns. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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Alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease incidence in men with and without hypertension

Higashiyama Aya, Okamura Tomonori, Watanabe Makoto, Kokubo Yoshihiro, Wakabayashi Ichiro, Okayama Akira, Miyamoto Yoshihiro

Hypertension Research 36 ( 1 ) 58 - 64 2013.01

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted, ISSN 0916-9636

The relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is U-shaped, whereas alcohol drinking is linearly associated with blood pressure, and the CVD risk also increases linearly according to blood pressure level. Accordingly, we investigated the net effect of alcohol consumption and hypertension on CVD and its subtypes in this study. A 13-year prospective study of 2336 Japanese men who were free from CVD was performed; ex-drinkers were excluded. The participants were divided into eight groups classified by the combination of the presence of hypertension (systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mm Hg) and alcohol consumption (never-, current-(light, moderate and heavy) drinkers). Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for the incidence of CVD, coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke due to the combination of hypertension and alcohol consumption were calculated and compared with non-hypertensive never-drinkers. The HRs for CVD and its subtypes were higher in hypertensives than those in non-hypertensives; in hypertensives without medication for hypertension, the relationship between alcohol consumption and the risks for CVD and CAD was U-shaped, with the highest and most significant increase in never-drinkers. The risk for total stroke was the highest in heavy-drinkers, which was significant. In non-hypertensives, there was no evident increase or decrease in the HRs for CVD and its subtypes in drinkers. Accordingly, controlling blood pressure is important to prevent CVD. In hypertensives, heavy drinking should be avoided to prevent CVD, although light-to-moderate drinking could be protective for CAD. Furthermore, in non-hypertensives, drinkers may need to continuously monitor their blood pressure. © 2013 The Japanese Society of Hypertension All rights reserved.

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The clustering of cardiovascular disease risk factors and their impacts on annual medical expenditure in Japan: community-based cost analysis using Gamma regression models.

Murakami Y,Okamura T,Nakamura K, Miura K, Ueshima H.

BMJ Open 3 ( 3 ) e002234 2013

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted

Ethnic difference in liver fat content: A cross-sectional observation among Japanese American in Hawaii, Japanese in Japan, and non-Hispanic whites in United States.

Azuma K, Curb JD, Kadowaki T, Edmundowicz D, Kadowaki S, Masaki KH, El-Saed A, Nishio Y, Seto TB, Okamura T, Cetinel C, Kadota A, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Miura K, Evans RW, Takamiya T, Maegawa H, Miljkovic I, Kuller LH, Ueshima H, Kelley DE, Sekikawa A.

Obes Res Clin Pract 7 ( 3 ) e198-205 2013

Research paper (scientific journal), Joint Work, Accepted

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