Fasting insulin level is positively associated with incidence of hypertension among American young adults: a 20-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE

Although hyperinsulinemia, a surrogate of insulin resistance, may play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension (HTN), the longitudinal association between fasting insulin level and HTN development is still controversial. We examined the relation between fasting insulin and incidence of HTN in a large prospective cohort.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A prospective cohort of 3,413 Americans, aged 18–30 years, without HTN in 1985 (baseline) were enrolled. Six follow-ups were conducted in 1987, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005. Fasting insulin and glucose levels were assessed by a radioimmunoassay and hexokinase method, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of incident HTN (defined as the initiation of antihypertensive medication, systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg).

RESULTS

During the 20-year follow-up, 796 incident cases were identified. After adjustment for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of insulin levels had a significantly higher incidence of HTN (HR 1.85 [95% CI 1.42–2.40]; P_trend < 0.001) compared with those in the lowest quartile. The positive association persisted in each sex/ethnicity/weight status subgroup. A similar dose-response relation was observed when insulin-to-glucose ratio or homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance was used as exposure.

CONCLUSIONS

Fasting serum insulin levels or hyperinsulinemia in young adulthood was positively associated with incidence of HTN later in life for both men and women, African Americans and Caucasians, and those with normal weight and overweight. Our findings suggested that fasting insulin ascertainment may help clinicians identify those at high risk of HTN.Hypertension (HTN), a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, has become an important public health burden worldwide (1). It has been well established that HTN tends to coexist with diabetes (2,3), either preceding or being the complication of diabetes. In addition, the risk factors for HTN and diabetes are prone to cluster together, and it has been hypothesized that hyperinsulinemia, a surrogate measure of insulin resistance, might provide the pathophysiological mechanism underlying these observations (4).Some epidemiological studies, including both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, have indicated that insulin levels are associated with blood pressure (BP) as well as incidence of HTN (5–7). However, inconsistent findings (8,9), especially in a specific sex or ethnic subgroup (10,11), made this topic a controversy. In addition, among the limited prospective studies on the association of insulin level with incidence of HTN (5,6,9,12–14), most have been conducted in only one sex or one ethnic group (9,12–14). Few studies have examined the association in both men and women, and African Americans (AAs) and Caucasians (5,6). Therefore, we prospectively examined fasting insulin level in relation to incidence of HTN in a large biracial cohort of American men and women over 20 years of follow-up using data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study.     

Sex differentials in predictors of mortality for patients with adult-onset diabetes: a population-based follow-up study in Beer-Sheva, Israel

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that factors predicting mortality differ between diabetic men and women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 498 known patients with diabetes residing in a well-defined geographical area and receiving primary health care in 3 primary care community clinics were interviewed and examined between 1988 and 1990. RESULTS: By 31 July 1998, after a mean follow-up period of 7.8 years, 148 patients (68 men and 80 women) had died (29.7%). No statistical differences in survival rate or in the specific causes of death were found between men and women. In the univariate analysis of factors examined at baseline, GHb levels were significantly higher among women who died compared with women who survived, but this was not the case for men. Conversely, a trend of higher triglyceride and uric acid levels was found for men who died compared with men who survived, but this was not the case for women. Multivariate Poisson regression analysis showed significantly higher risk ratios for mortality in men > or = 63 years of age, men with microalbumin excretion > or = 30 mg/l, and men with higher triglyceride levels. In contrast, the analysis in women showed that higher GHb and creatinine levels and a reported history of heart disease were the only factors at the baseline examination significantly and independently associated with an increased risk ratio of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest the existence of sex-specific interactions with various metabolic factors associated with diabetes that may have a different effect on mortality for each sex.     

Impact of incident diabetes and incident nonfatal cardiovascular disease on 18-year mortality: the multiple risk factor intervention trial experience

OBJECTIVE: To report long-term risks for total, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality associated with incident diabetes (using current diagnostic criteria) and with incident nonfatal CVD (NF-CVD). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 11645 participants without diabetes or CVD at baseline from the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial who survived to the end of the trial were grouped by during-trial incident diabetes and/or NF-CVD events: neither diabetes nor NF-CVD, diabetes only, NF-CVD only, or both diabetes and NF-CVD. Incident diabetes was defined by use of hypoglycemic agents or fasting glucose >or=126 mg/dl at any time over the 6 trial years. Proportional hazards models tested group differences in mortality over 18 post-trial years. RESULTS: Among 3859 total deaths were 1846 from CVD and 1277 from CHD, with death rates per 10000 person-years of 203, 97, and 67, respectively. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for total mortality were 2.75 (P < 0.0001) for those with NF-CVD and diabetes both, 1.92 (P < 0.0001) for those with NF-CVD only, and 1.49 (P < 0.0001) for those with diabetes only, relative to neither diabetes nor NF-CVD. NF-CVD was associated with a higher hazard of death than diabetes for total (HR 1.29, P = 0.0004), CVD (HR 1.76, P < 0.0001), and CHD (HR 1.88, P < 0.0001) mortality. Only the subgroup of participants on hypoglycemic agents showed an equivalent risk of total mortality relative to participants with NF-CVD (HR 0.93, P = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS: Current diabetes diagnostic criteria conferred significantly increased total, CVD, and CHD mortality risks independent of the impact of NF-CVD. NF-CVD was more strongly predictive of mortality.     

Plasma insulin and all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality: the 22-year follow-up results of the Helsinki Policemen Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of plasma insulin with all-cause, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied 22-year mortality data from the Helsinki Policemen Study The study population comprised 970 men, 34-64 years of age, who were free of coronary heart disease, other cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Area under the insulin response curve (AUC insulin) during an oral glucose tolerance test was used to reflect plasma insulin levels. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 276 men died: 130 from cardiovascular and 146 from noncardiovascular causes. The hazard ratio (HR) for hyperinsulinemia (highest AUC insulin quintile vs. combined lower quintiles) with regard to all-cause mortality adjusting for age, was 1.94 (95% CI 1.20-3.13) during the first 10 years of the follow-up period and 1.51 (1.15-1.97) during the entire 22 years; adjusting for other risk factors, the HR was 1.88 (1.08-3.30) and 1.37 (1.00-1.87) during 10 and 22 years, respectively The corresponding HRs for cardiovascular mortality during 10 and 22 years were 2.67 (1.35-5.29) and 1.73 (1.19-2.53), respectively, for age-adjusted and 2.30 (1.03-5.12) and 1.39 (0.90-2.15), respectively, for multiple-adjusted HRs. A U-shaped association was observed between insulin and noncardiovascular mortality, multiple-adjusted HRs for lowest and highest versus middle AUC insulin quintiles were 1.85 (1.20-2.86) and 1.43 (0.91-2.24), respectively CONCLUSIONS: Hyperinsulinemia was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in Helsinki policemen independent of other risk factors, although these associations weakened with the lengthening of the follow-up period. The association of insulin with noncardiovascular mortality was U-shaped.     

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein and coronary heart disease mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: a 7-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate in a follow-up study whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) events in subjects with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The original study population consisted of 1,059 patients with type 2 diabetes (age 45-64 years). Mean duration of diabetes was 8 years. CRP values were available from 1,045 subjects, of whom 878 were free of myocardial infarction (MI) at baseline. CHD mortality and the incidence of nonfatal MI were assessed in a 7-year follow-up. RESULTS: Altogether, 157 patients died from CHD and 254 had a nonfatal or fatal CHD event. Patients with hs-CRP >3 mg/l had a higher risk for CHD death than patients with hs-CRP < or =3 mg/l (19.8 and 12.9%, respectively, P = 0.004). In Cox regression analysis, patients with high hs-CRP had a relative risk of 1.72 for CHD death even after the adjustment for confounding factors (P = 0.002). Among subjects who were free from MI at baseline, those with a high hs-CRP level had relative risks of 1.83 (P = 0.003) and 1.84 (P = 0.004) for CHD death in univariate and multivariate analyses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this large cohort of type 2 diabetic patients, hs-CRP was an independent risk factor for CHD deaths.     

Senile cataract and glucose intolerance: the Israel Study of glucose Intolerance Obesity and Hypertension (The Israel GOH Study)

Association of "senile" cataract (SC) with glucose intolerance (impaired tolerance and diabetes) was assessed by sex and age in a random population sample comprising 930 individuals aged 40-70 yr, who underwent concurrent oral glucose tolerance test and ophthalmoscopy. The eye examination was performed without knowledge of the glucose tolerance status. SC was defined as lens opacification preventing visualization of the eyeground or as surgical aphakia due to SC. To assess the independent effect of hyperglycemia, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1) was determined in 769 participants. In men, no association was found between SC, glucose intolerance, and HbA1. In women of all ages, glucose intolerance was associated with an SC risk ratio of 6.1 (95% confidence limits 3.3-11.1; P less than 0.001). Furthermore, SC was associated in women with increased HbA1 independently of the effect of glucose intolerance (P less than 0.01). These findings confirm the reported association of SC with diabetes (although unlike the Framingham and HANES population studies, the association was confined in women), indicate its presence at all degrees of glucose intolerance, and suggest a possible independent role of nonenzymatic glycosylation in its pathogenesis.     

Alcohol intake among women and its relationship to diabetes incidence and all-cause mortality: the 32-year follow-up of a population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to explore the predictive value of women's alcohol habits in relation to incidence of diabetes and all-cause mortality. Special attention was paid to potential confounding factors such as age, heredity, education, socioeconomic group, physical inactivity, smoking, blood pressure, serum lipids, and, in particular, obesity. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A longitudinal population study consisting of a representative sample of 1,462 women aged 38-60 started in G?teborg, Sweden, in 1968-1969 monitoring for diabetes and mortality over 32 years. RESULTS: Alcohol intake, expressed as intake of wine, hard liquor, or total grams of alcohol, was significantly negatively associated to 32-year diabetes incidence independent of age. However, the apparently protective effect of the alcohol variables was attenuated when BMI was included as a covariate. The inverse relationship between wine intake and diabetes did not remain after adjustment for physical activity or socioeconomic group. Beer and wine intake were significantly negatively associated to mortality. Increase of alcohol intake between the examination in 1968-1969 and 1980-1981 was significantly inversely related to the mortality between 1980-1981 and 2000-2001 and independent of all covariates. No relationship was observed between an increase in alcohol intake and diabetes incidence. However, after adjustment for age, family history, and basal alcohol consumption altogether, a significant inverse relationship was observed between increase of alcohol and diabetes incidence. CONCLUSIONS: The initially significant inverse associations observed between alcohol and diabetes as well as mortality were dependent on a number of confounding factors, of which BMI seems to be the most important.     

Goal-directed therapy in high-risk surgical patients: a 15-year follow-up study

Purpose

Goal-directed therapy in the perioperative setting has been shown to be associated with short-term improvements in outcome. This study assesses the longer-term survival of patients from a previous randomized controlled trial of goal-directed therapy in high-risk surgical patients.

Methods

All patients from a previous randomized controlled study were followed up for 15 years following randomization to ascertain their length of survival following surgery. Factors that may be associated with increased survival were evaluated to determine what influenced long-term outcomes.

Results

Data from 106 of the original 107 patients (99%) were available for analysis. At 15 years, 11 (20.7%) of the goal-directed therapy patients versus 4 (7.5%) of the control group were alive (p = 0.09). Median survival for the goal-directed group was increased by 1,107 days (1,781 vs. 674 days, p = 0.005). Long-term survival was associated with three independent factors: age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.04 (1.02–1.07), p < 0.0001], randomization to the goal-directed group of the study [HR 0.61 (0.4–0.92), p = 0.02], and avoidance of a significant postoperative cardiac complication [HR 3.78 (2.16–6.6), p = 0.007].

Conclusions

Long-term survival after major surgery is related to a number of factors, including patient age and avoidance of perioperative complications. Short-term goal-directed therapy in the perioperative period may improve long-term outcomes, in part due to its ability to reduce the number of perioperative complications.     

Alcohol consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes: a 20-year follow-up of the Finnish twin cohort study

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate alcohol consumption in relation to the incidence of type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 22778 twins of the Finnish Twin Cohort. This cohort was compiled in 1975 and includes all same-sexed twins born in Finland before 1958. Information on alcohol, smoking, diet, physical activity, medical, and social conditions was obtained by questionnaires administered in 1975, 1981, and 1990. By record linkage to national registers of hospital discharge and prescribed medication, 580 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified during 20 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Moderate alcohol consumption (5-29.9 g/day in men and 5-19.9 g/day in women) tended to be associated with a reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes compared with low consumption (<5 g/day). The estimates were lower in overweight (BMI >or=25.0 kg/m(2)) subjects (relative risk 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-1.0 [men]; 0.6, 0.3-1.1 [women]). High alcohol consumption (>or=20 g/day) was associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes in lean women (2.9, 1.1-7.5) but not in overweight women or in men. In women, binge drinking was associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes (2.1, 1.0-4.4). Analyses of alcohol-discordant twin pairs supported a reduced risk in moderate consuming twins compared with their low-consuming cotwins (odds ratio 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.5). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, binge drinking and high alcohol consumption may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in women.     

Remission in IDDM: prospective study of basal C-peptide and insulin dose in 268 consecutive patients

To elucidate beta-cell function, insulin requirement, and remission period in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), a study was undertaken comprising 268 patients consecutively admitted to Steno Memorial Hospital with newly diagnosed IDDM. The patients were characterized by sex, age, and seasonal variation at onset of diabetes mellitus. During the first 36 mo of the disease, an evaluation was performed for basal C-peptide, HbA1c, and insulin dose per kilogram. Total remission was interpreted as complete discontinuation of insulin therapy for at least 1 wk while still metabolically well controlled, and partial remission was interpreted as an insulin need that was less than or equal to 50% of the insulin dose at discharge from the hospital. During the first 18 mo of the disease, 12.3% of the patients entered total remission (median 6 mo), and 18.3% of the patients entered partial remission (median 6 mo). Patients entering remission had significantly higher basal C-peptide levels than those who did not. Sex, age, and initial HbA1c levels did not influence the frequency of remission.     

Quality of care and mortality among patients with stroke: a nationwide follow-up study

BACKGROUND: The relationship between process and outcome measures among patients with stroke is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between quality of care and mortality among patients with stroke in a nationwide population-based follow-up study. METHODS: Using data from The Danish National Indicator Project, a quality improvement initiative with participation of all Danish hospital departments caring for patients with stroke, we identified 29,573 patients hospitalized with stroke between January 13, 2003 and October 31, 2005. Quality of care was measured in terms of 7 specific criteria: early admission to a stroke unit, early initiation of antiplatelet or oral anticoagulant therapy, early examination with computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scan, and early assessment by a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, and of nutritional risk. Data on 30- and 90-day mortality rates were obtained through the Danish Civil Registration System. RESULTS: Six of 7 of these criteria were associated with lower 30- and 90-day mortality rates. Adjusted mortality rate ratios corrected for clustering by department ranged from 0.41 to 0.83. We found indication of an inverse dose-response relationship between the number of quality of care criteria met and mortality; the lowest mortality rate was found among patients whose care met all criteria compared with patients whose care failed to meet any criteria (ie, adjusted 30-day mortality rate ratios: 0.45, 95% confidence interval: 0.24-0.66). When analyses were stratified by age and sex, the dose-response relationship was found in all subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Higher quality of care during the early phase of stroke was associated with substantially lower mortality rates.     

药物与非药物干预对糖耐量减低者结局的影响:5年随访

目的:观察药物与非药物干预对糖耐量减低(impairedglucosetolerance,IGT)人群结局的影响,比较哪种干预措施能更有效地防止IGT向糖尿病发展。方法:以1998年揭阳市区1549例糖尿病普查的自然人群、揭阳市人民医院职工健康体检及处级以上干部健康体检和门诊患者并自愿参加研究者为研究对象。纳入标准:符合1985年WHO糖尿病诊断标准;自愿接受检查。排除标准:患有其他严重的躯体性疾病;有精神疾病或精神疾病家族史;有严重智力或认知障碍患者;有药物或酒精依赖史者。实际纳入IGT患者178例,男98例,女80例。按随机数字法将178例患者分为4组,对照组40例,饮食运动组40例,阿卡波糖组50例,二甲双胍组48例。对照组行一般糖尿病防治教育;运动饮食组行糖尿病教育并按个体行饮食及运动指导;阿卡波糖组给予阿卡波糖治疗;二甲双胍组给予二甲双胍治疗。每半年检查一次空腹血糖、餐后2h血糖,以及身高、体质量指数、血压、血脂。结果:随访5年后阿卡波糖组及二甲双胍组患者空腹血糖犤(5.7±0.1),(5.9±0.1)mmol/L犦、餐后2h血糖犤(7.0±1.8),(7.5±1.9)mmol/L犦明显低于对照组和饮食运动组犤(6.3±0.2),(6.2±0.1)mmol/L(9.5±2.2),(8.4±2.4)mmol/L犦(t=1.92～2.30,P<0.05)。5年随访结果:对照组发展为糖尿病15例(43%),转为正常1     

Plasma catecholamines: follow-up on 10-year study in health and cardiovascular disease

The predictive value of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and catecholamines in terms of any subsequent development of cardiovascular disease was investigated. Systolic (S) and diastolic (D) BP, HR, epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) were measured three times a year in 1980, 1984, and 1989 on 20 clinically healthy subjects, 18 patients with ‘essential hypertension’, and 22 patients with angina pectoris. Of the 22 patients in the latter group, 15 died during a 2-year follow-up (1990–1991). Each individual data series was analyzed by single cosinor to assess the circannual variation. Results were summarized by population-mean cosinor for each group. Parameter tests were used to compare the circannual rhythm characteristics among the different patient groups. A circannual rhythm was invariably demonstrated on a group basis (P < 0.05). Differences in MESOR and/or circannual amplitude were found among the different groups. In particular, patients with angina pectoris who will die within the 2-year follow-up differ in terms of their E and NE from all other patient groups, a difference already detected at the beginning of the study, more than 10 years before they die. A similar separation is not achieved in terms of BP or HR.