Hematocrit and risk for hypertension in middle-aged Japanese male office workers

The association of hematocrit with development of hypertension over 9 years was studied in 784 hypertension-free Japanese men aged 40 to 59 years. The age-adjusted relative risk for hypertension above the borderline level and definite hypertension increased in a dose-dependent manner as hematocrit level increased (P for trend: 0.007 and 0.001, respectively). After controls for other potential factors of hypertension, the test for trend across increasing categories of hematocrit level remained as statistical significance for definite hypertension (P=0.015). The multivariate-adjusted relative risk for definite hypertension compared with less than 43.8% of hematocrit level was 1.29 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.62-2.67] for 43.8 to 45.2% hematocrit level, 1.35 (95% CI: 0.62-2.95) for 45.3 to 46.3% hematocrit level, 1.96 (95% CI: 0.97-3.97) for 46.4 to 48.1% hematocrit level, and 2.06 (95% CI: 1.02-4.15) for 48.2% or more hematocrit level. These results suggest that hematocrit is closely associated with development of hypertension in middle-aged Japanese men.     

Cigarette smoking and risk for hearing impairment: a longitudinal study in Japanese male office workers

The association of cigarette smoking with development of hearing impairment (loss of 30 dB at 1000 Hz and 40 dB at 4000 Hz) over a 5-year follow-up was studied in 1554 non-hearing-impaired Japanese male office workers who ranged in age from 30 to 59 years. After controlling for potential predictors of hearing impairment, the relative risk for low-frequency hearing impairment compared with never smokers was 1.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 2.17) for ever-smokers, 1.21 (95% CI, 0.65 to 2.25) for current smokers of 1 to 20 cigarettes/day, 1.35 (95% CI, 0.70 to 2.61) for current smokers of 21 to 30 cigarettes/day, and 1.82 (95% CI, 0.98 to 3.38) for current smokers of 31 or more cigarettes/day (P for trend = 0.063). The respective multivariate-adjusted relative risks for high-frequency hearing impairment compared with never smokers were 1.70 (95% CI, 0.85 to 3.40), 1.82 (95% CI, 0.92 to 3.59), 2.00 (95% CI, 0.98 to 4.08), and 2.20 (95% CI, 1.09 to 4.42) (P for trend = 0.025). As the number of pack-years of exposure increased, the risk for high-frequency hearing impairment increased in a dose-dependent manner (P for trend = 0.011), but the risk for low-frequency hearing impairment did not (P for trend = 0.172). Our results indicate that cigarette smoking is highly associated with development of high-frequency hearing impairment in Japanese male office workers.     

White blood cell count and clustered features of metabolic syndrome in Japanese male office workers

We assessed the association of white blood cell (WBC) count with different components of metabolic syndrome (MS)-obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, hypertriglyceridemia, high fasting plasma glucose levels and hyperuricemia-in 5275 Japanese male office workers aged 23-59 years. After controlling for age, smoking and alcohol intake, the relative risks for the presence of 1, 2, 3, 4 and > or =5 features of MS compared with the lowest quintile of WBC count increased in a dose-dependent manner as WBC count increased (P for trend < 0.001 for all) and the increased relative risks for clustered features of MS were more pronounced as the number of features of MS increased. The WBC count increments in subjects with 1, 2, 3, 4 and > or =5 features of MS were 0.28, 0.45, 0.68, 0.76 and 1.40 x10(9) cells/l, respectively, compared with the subjects without features of MS (P for trend < 0.001). These findings indicate a strong association between WBC count and clustered features of MS in middle-aged Japanese men.     

Associations between white blood cell count and features of the metabolic syndrome in Japanese male office workers

We assessed the association of white blood cell (WBC) count with different components of the metabolic syndrome (MS) in 5275 Japanese male office workers aged 23-59 years. There was a significantly crude correlation between WBC count and body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (negative), triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, and uric acid (all P<0.001). After controlling for potential confounding factors, the adjusted means of WBC count were significantly higher in subjects with each feature of the MS (obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, hypertriglyceridemia, high fasting plasma glucose levels, and hyperuricemia) (all P<0.005). The adjusted WBC count increments in subjects with 1, 2, 3, 4, and > or = 5 features of the MS were 0.28, 0.45, 0.68, 0.76, and 1.40 x 10(9) cells/l, respectively, compared with the subjects without features of the MS (P for trend<0.001). The adjusted means of WBC count increased significantly with the increasing number of features of the MS in both non-smokers and smokers (both P<0.001). These data indicate a strong association between WBC count and a number of disorders characterizing the MS independent of cigarette smoking among Japanese men.     

Multiple risk factor clustering and risk of hypertension in Japanese male office workers

Major risk factors associated with hypertension (a family history of hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia, and increased white blood cell counts) were assessed in 5275 Japanese male office workers aged 23-59 years. After controlling for potential risk factors of hypertension, the odds ratio of hypertension compared with the absence of risk factors was 1.91, 2.65, 3.88, 6.54, and 8.18 for the presence of 1, 2, 3, 4, and > or = 5 risk factors, respectively (P for trend < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels also increased in a dose-dependent manner as the number of risk factors increased. Among men not taking antihypertensive medication, the adjusted mean differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (mmHg) were 11.2 and 9.2 between men with the presence of > or = 5 risk factors and men without risk factors, respectively. These results indicate that the accumulation of risk factors is highly associated with the increased risk of hypertension in Japanese men.     

Metabolic syndrome and risk of isolated ST-T abnormalities and type 2 diabetes in Japanese male office workers

Using a modified National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) definition of the metabolic syndrome (MS) with body mass index instead of waist circumference, we examined the associations of the MS with the risk of developing ST-T abnormalities in 3405 Japanese men aged 35-59 yr who did not have a history of cardiovascular disease or ST-T abnormalities. Of 3405 participants, 3166 men without type 2 diabetes (as diagnosed with the revised criteria of American Diabetes Association) also constituted a non-diabetic cohort. Examinations including electrocardiogram and fasting plasma glucose were repeated annually for 7 subsequent years. The subjects were classified as having ST-T abnormalities or type 2 diabetes when evidence of either of these disorders was found during at least 2 consecutive annual examinations. After adjustment for potential risk factors, the relative risks of ST-T abnormalities were 1.0 (referent), 2.66, 3.07, 4.27, and 8.40 for the presence of 0, 1, 2, 3, and > or =24 components of the MS, respectively (P for trend <0.001). The corresponding results for the risk of type 2 diabetes were 1.0 (referent), 3.49, 7.45, 15.00, and 24.04 (P for trend <0.001). The estimated incident rates for men in the low-WBC count (<7.3 x 10(9) cells/L)/no MS, high-WBC count (> or =7.3 x 10(9) cells/L)/no MS, low-WBC count/yes MS, and high-WBC count/yes MS were 3.4%, 4.6%, 7.4%, and 13.1% for ST-T abnormalities, respectively and were 3.6%, 7.1%, 18.0%, and 27.2% for type 2 diabetes, respectively. The respective multivariate-adjusted relative risks were 1.0 (referent), 1.26, 2.07, and 3.45 for ST-T abnormalities and were 1.0 (referent), 1.75, 5.14, and 6.90 for type 2 diabetes. A modified NCEP MS definition predicts ST-T abnormalities and type 2 diabetes. WBC count adds clinically important information to new-onset ST-T abnormalities and type 2 diabetes.     

Cigarette smoking and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus among middle-aged and elderly Japanese men and women

For examination of sex- and age-specific relations between smoking and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, 39,528 nondiabetic men and 88,613 nondiabetic women aged 40-79 years who underwent health checkups in Ibaraki-ken, Japan, in 1993 were followed through 2002. Risk ratios for diabetes according to smoking habits were calculated using a Cox proportional hazards model. Compared with never smokers, the risk ratio for diabetes among current smokers, after adjustment for age, systolic blood pressure, antihypertensive mediation use, alcohol intake, parental history of diabetes, body mass index, fasting status, blood glucose concentration, total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and log-transformed triglyceride level, was 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16, 1.38) in men and 1.39 (95% CI: 1.20, 1.61) in women. The excess risk was more pronounced among men with a parental history of diabetes than among men without one. The excess risk among current smokers was observed in both age subgroups (40-59 and 60-79 years). Respective multivariate risk ratios for the age subgroups were 1.37 (95% CI: 1.18, 1.60) and 1.20 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.34) in men and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.18, 1.79) and 1.34 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.66) in women. Smoking was independently associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes among both middle-aged and elderly men and women.     

Lifestyle and the development of hypertension: a 3-year follow-up study of middle-aged Japanese male office workers.

The association of lifestyle factors with the development of hypertension (blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg) over a 3-year follow-up period was studied in 949 hypertension-free Japanese male office workers aged 35 to 54 years. From the Cox proportional hazards model, age, alcohol intake, body mass index (BMI) and hours of work were independent factors associated with the development of hypertension. Adjusted hazard ratios for 5-year increases in age, daily consumption of alcohol, 5-kg/m2 increases in BMI and working 10 hours per day or more were 1.18 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.35]; 1.53 (CI = 1.14-2.05); 1.79 (CI = 1.38-2.33) and 0.58 (CI = 0.41-0.82), respectively. In the analysis using logistic regression, BMI was independently related to working 10 hours per day or more, controlling for other lifestyle factors. Adjusted odds ratio for 5-kg/m2 increase in BMI was 0.66 (CI = 0.49-0.88). These results suggest that the influences of long working hours on blood pressure are likely to be indirectly mediated through less overall obesity.     

Common risk factors for changes in body weight and psychological well-being in Japanese male middle-aged workers

Objectives  

Overweight and poor psychological well-being are becoming serious health issues in the Japanese workplace. Concurrence of those physical and mental conditions has been pointed out, especially in middle-aged workers. Therefore, we tried to determine common risk factors for body weight gain and the deterioration of psychological well-being in male middle-aged office workers using a five-year follow-up study.     

Relation of body weight change to changes in atherogenic traits; a study of middle-aged Japanese obese male office workers

We examined the effect of body weight change on the modification of atherogenic risk factors in 296 middle-aged obese male office workers without medication for hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia or diabetes mellitus. During a 1-year education program, 39.2% of the participants could reduce their weight, and the percentage of those who lost 2 kg or more was only 17.7%. Concomitant with the decrease of weight, however, the levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, total cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid and hemoglobin A1c and the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol decreased significantly, whereas the HDL cholesterol level increased significantly. In a multivariate regression analysis, in addition to the initial risk-factor level, weight change was an important factor determining the changes in atherogenic risk factors. Changes in alcohol consumption were significantly associated with the changes in systolic blood pressure and HDL cholesterol levels. Changes in cigarettes smoking also showed significant associations with the changes in triglyceride level and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol. These results suggest that although the education program for controlling weight may have limited success, weight reduction exhibits beneficial changes in the atherogenic risk-factor profile in middle-aged obese men.     

Factors associated with metabolic syndrome among Korean office workers

To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and identify risk factors associated with MetS among Korean office workers, this cross-sectional study was conducted with 776 office workers. The prevalence of MetS was 13.5%; elevated waist circumference (27.5%), elevated fasting glucose (23.1%), elevated triglycerides (22.2%), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (13.4%), and elevated BP (9.4%). Having any medical health problems (OR = 3.98, 95% CI: 2.01–7.85), more knowledge of MetS (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.02–1.56), higher BMI (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.30–1.57), current smoking (OR = 3.78, 95% CI: 1.04–13.73), and physical inactivity (OR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.21–8.58) were significantly associated with increased likelihood of MetS. Addressing the influence of these factors on MetS could lead to the development of workplace-based intervention strategies to encourage lifestyle changes and prevent the risk of MetS among Korean office workers.     

Effects of coffee consumption against the development of liver dysfunction: a 4-year follow-up study of middle-aged Japanese male office workers

The association of coffee consumption with the development of increased serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and/or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities over 4 years was studied in 1221 liver dysfunction-free (serum AST and ALT < or = 39 IU/l and no medical care for or no past history of liver disease) Japanese male office workers aged 35 to 56 years. From the analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method, the estimated incidence of serum AST and/or ALT > or = 40 IU/l, > or = 50 IU/l, and > or = 60 IU/l decreased with an increase in coffee consumption. From the Cox proportional hazards model, coffee drinking was independently inversely associated with the development of serum AST and/or ALT > or = 40 IU/l (p = 0.019 by test for tendency), > or = 50 IU/l (p = 0.002), and > or = 60 IU/l (p = 0.007), controlling for age, body mass index, alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking. These results suggest that coffee may be protectively against the liver dysfunction in middle-aged Japanese men.     

The effect of alcoholic beverage type on hyperuricemia in Japanese male office workers

BACKGROUND: The association between alcohol consumption and risk of hyperuricemia has been pointed out. However, the potential difference in the risk of hyperuricemia according to types of alcoholic beverage has not been assessed. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed using data from 715 men who had regular medical examinations in their workplace in 2001. Subjects were interviewed using a questionnaire about their lifestyle including types of alcoholic beverages and quantity of alcohol consumed per day. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the types of alcoholic beverage and high serum uric acid level. RESULTS: Compared with subjects who did not drink alcohol, the odds ratio (OR) of hyperuricemia (serum uric acid = 7.0+ mg/dL) was 2.89 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.46-5.71) for subjects who consumed 50+ g/day of ethanol, and 2.64 (95% CI: 1.33-5.24) for subjects who consumed 25-49g/day. Compared with subjects who drank Japanese sake, subjects who drank beer (OR=1.24, 95% CI: 0.55-2.80) or shochu (OR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.44-2.51) did not have a statistically significant difference in risk for hyperuricemia. CONCLUSION: These findings from a cross-sectional study of Japanese male office workers suggested that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of hyperuricemia and that this increased risk does not vary according to the types of alcoholic beverage.     

Hours of work and the risk of developing impaired fasting glucose or type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese male office workers

OBJECTIVE—To investigate the association between duration of overtime and the development of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).
METHODS—A cohort of 1266 Japanese male office workers aged 35-59 years and free of IFG (fasting plasma glucose concentration 6.1-6.9 mmol/l), type 2 DM (fasting plasma glucose concentration of 7.0 mmol/l or more or taking hypoglycaemic medication), history of diabetes, or medication for hypertension were re-examined over 5 successive years after their initial examinations in 1994.
RESULTS—138 men developed IFG or type 2 DM during the 5736 person-years of follow up. After controlling for potential predictors of diabetes, the relative risks of IFG or type 2 DM, compared with those who worked <8.0 hours a day, were 0.82 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.54 to 1.26), 0.69 (95% CI 0.38 to 1.26), 0.63 (95% CI: 0.37 to 1.09), and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.25 to 0.98) for those who worked 8.0-8.9, 9.0-9.9, 10.0-10.9, and of 11.0 hours or more a day, respectively (p for trend=0.020). 87 and 54 men developed IFG and type 2 DM during the 5817 and 5937 person-years of follow up, respectively. The multivariate adjusted relative risks of IFG tended to decrease with an increase in hours of overtime work a day, but did not reach significance (p for trend=0.202). On the other hand, the multivariate adjusted relative risks of type 2 DM significantly decreased with an increase in hours of overtime work a day (p for trend=0.014).
CONCLUSION—Longer overtime is a negative risk factor for the development of IFG or type 2 DM in Japanese male office workers.


Keywords: long overtime; impaired fasting glucose; type 2 diabetes mellitus     

Cigarette smoking,proteinuria, and renal function in middle-aged Japanese men from an occupational population

Objectives  

To clarify the renal effects of cigarette smoking in a middle-aged occupational population because the effects have previously been demonstrated mainly in community populations that included many elderly people who are thought to be vulnerable to such effects.     

Incidence and risk factors for metabolic syndrome in Korean male workers, ages 30 to 39

PURPOSE: There are few prospective data on the incidence of metabolic syndrome. The goals of this study were to define the incidence of and specific risk factors for metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Korean male workers 30 to 39 years of age. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was undertaken involving 4,779 male workers, 30 to 39 years of age, who did not take medication for dyslipidemia or have a history of any malignancy at study entry. Subjects were reexamined annually at a university hospital in Seoul, Korea, over a 3-year period between 2002 to August 2005. A modified National Cholesterol Education Program definition of MetS with body mass index was used instead of waist circumference. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios in separate models for MetS. RESULTS: At the end of the 3-year follow-up period, MetS developed in 708 individuals. The unadjusted incidence density of MetS was 70.5 (95% CI, 65.3 approximately 75.37), and the age-adjusted incidence density of MetS was 76.9 per 1,000 person-years (95% CI, 67.8 approximately 86.1). Among a variety of candidate risk factors, uric acid, weight change, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, and alanine aminotransferase were independent risk predictors for MetS. CONCLUSIONS: The high-incidence density of this MetS in Korea may be an indicator of future increases in diabetes and cardiovascular disease.     

吸烟和有氧运动对男大学生代谢综合征相关指标的影响

目的探讨吸烟和有氧运动对男大学生代谢综合征危险因素的影响,为制定针对吸烟人群的特异性运动处方提供参考。方法使用"全球青少年烟草调查问卷(Global Youth Tobacco Survey)"在郑州航空工业管理卫生学院选取40名既往无吸烟史以及40名经常吸烟者,随机分为运动吸烟组(exercise smoker,ES)、非运动吸烟组(non-exercise smoker,NES)、运动非吸烟组(exercise non-smoker,ENS)和非运动非吸烟组(non-exercise non-smoker,NENS),每组20名。NES组和NENS组维持日常生活习惯,ES和ENS组进行强度为50%～80%心率储备、5次/周、共8周的有氧运动。实验前后测定受试者各代谢综合征相关指标,包括收缩压(systolic blood pressure,SBP)、舒张压(diastolic blood pressure,DBP)、腰围(waist sircumference,WC)、空腹血糖(fasting plasma glucose,FPG)以及血浆三酰甘油(triglyceride,TG)...     

焦炉作业工人代谢综合征及其危险因素分析

目的 分析焦炉作业工人代谢综合征(MS)患病情况及其危险因素,为其防治提供依据.方法 选取某焦化厂 267名男性焦炉作业工人为暴露组,同厂171名库工、材料工、机电工人为对照组,调查表收集个人基本信息,检测身高、体重、血压、空腹血糖、胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白、甘油三酯水平,按照中华医学会糖尿病分会建议的标准诊断MS.结果 暴露组MS和高血压患病率分别为10.5%和25.5%,其中炉顶、炉侧、炉底组MS和高血压患病率分别为11.2%、8.5%、11.5%和31.8%、20.7%、21.8%,均明显高于对照组(2.3%和10.5%),差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).炉顶、炉侧、炉底3组之间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);多因素Logistic回归分析显示,焦炉暴露和年龄为MS和高血压的危险因素,调整OR(95%CI)值分别为6.798(2.021～21.793)、1.184 1(0.087～1.290)和3.161(1.737～5.752)、1.085(1.026～1.147).结论 焦炉作业可增加焦炉工人MS和高血压患病危险性,年龄与MS升高有关联.