Biomedical subjects

Andrew Grandinetti

Publications and source records attributed to Andrew Grandinetti.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

Healthy people in Hawaii?: an overview of ethnic health disparities in Hawaii for the Healthy People 2010 initiative targeted health concerns.

Significant health disparities exist between ethnic groups in the United States. The authors reviewed literature examining the epidemiology of health disparities in Hawaii's multiethnic population. One of the primary goals of the Healthy People 2010 initiative is to eliminate health disparities, specifically cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infant mortality, child and adult immunizations and HIV/AIDS. However, the research on ethnic health disparities is fragmented, especially in Asian/Pacific Islanders. Unclear definitions of ethnicity (i.e., self-report, mixed ethnicity, etc) and aggregated study populations (i.e., combining multiple ethnic groups into one category) obscure the true health status of ethnic minorities in Hawaii. This paper presents an overview of the state of the literature on Hawaii ethnic health disparities.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2002

Green tea catechins decrease apolipoprotein B-100 secretion from HepG2 cells.

To understand the hypocholesterolemic activity of green tea, our in vitro studies screened the relative efficacy of two structurally distinct green tea catechins, epicatechin (EC) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), on apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB) and lipid production using a well established human hepatoma cell-line, HepG2, as the model system. This study showed that HepG2 cells pretreated with EC and EGCG for 8 h exerted a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on apoB secretion. Total protein and albumin synthesis and secretion were unaffected indicating the effects on apoB secretion to be specific. Under lipid-rich conditions, apoB secretion was markedly reduced by EGCG and to a lesser extent by EC at 50 microM. Mechanistic study showed that tea catechins inhibited apoB secretion via a proteasome-independent pathway as indicated by a lack of response to N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (ALLN), a proteasome inhibitor. The effect on apoB secretion was also found to be independent of lipid biosynthesis. In summary, the data suggest that EGCG in contrast to EC is a potent inhibitor of apoB secretion. The results indicate that the gallate moiety in the catechin molecule may result in a beneficial effect on lipid metabolism in terms of apoB secretion.

Anticholesteremic Agents↗

PubMed2002

Ethnic differences in risk for pediatric rheumatic illness in a culturally diverse population.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the differences of occurrence of pediatric rheumatic disease among various ethnic groups in a culturally diverse isolated geographic area. METHODS: A retrospective study of pediatric rheumatic diseases in a multiethnic area during a 6 year period. RESULTS: A group of 922 patients was categorized based on predominant ethnicity, and their risk of having acute rheumatic fever (ARF), juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was studied. Odds ratios (OR) were computed for each illness with Caucasians as the reference group. Results indicated that Polynesians were overrepresented among patients with ARF, having elevated OR that were significantly different from Caucasians (22.5-120.7, p < 0.0001). For SLE, the highest OR were obtained for Samoans, Filipinos, and Japanese. In contrast, for JRA, Filipinos and Japanese had OR less than one, and no Samoans were diagnosed with JRA, possibly indicating a protective effect against developing JRA. CONCLUSION: This unique retrospective study examined the ethnic variations of expression of certain rheumatic diseases in an isolated region. Results reveal that certain ethnic groups are at risk for ARF and SLE, but are protected against JRA. These findings suggest investigating possible immunogenetic similarities and differences in these illnesses.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2002

Relationship of blood pressure with degree of Hawaiian ancestry.

Native Hawaiians have been reported to experience high mortality from heart disease. Hypertension is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The authors report a cross-sectional study of the relationship of blood pressure and degree of Hawaiian ancestry (DHA) among 572 participants, aged 30 and older. Blood pressure was measured using the mean of the second and third of 3 measurements; hypertension was defined as either SBP> or =140, or DBP> or =90, or having a previous history of hypertension. Degree of Hawaiian ancestry (DHA) (<25%, 25%-49%, 50%-74%, 75%-99% and 100%) was assessed by a brief genealogical interview. Multiple logistic and linear regression techniques were used to adjust for potential confounding from age, body weight, central adiposity, metabolic factors, dietary factors, level of physical activity, social support, and depression symptoms. The prevalence of hypertension by DHA groups was 23.4%, 42.2%, 46.0%, 51.8%, and 34.6%, after adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index. Likewise, mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly associated with DHA. The association between diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and DHA persisted after adjustment for all demographic, biochemical, and behavioral risk factors. These results suggest that percentage of Hawaiian ancestry may act as a marker for important cultural or genetic risk factors for hypertension.

Adult↗