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Biomedical subjects

H Ueshima

Publications and source records attributed to H Ueshima.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Relationship between blood pressure and alcohol consumption on the previous day in Japanese men.

An association has been found between high blood pressure (BP) and the regular consumption of alcohol in epidemiological studies, and a repeated withdrawal reaction to alcohol is considered one of the mechanisms of high BP in drinkers. In this study, we investigated the association between BP and alcohol consumption on the previous day in regular male drinkers. The study participants were 551 men aged 20 to 59 yr who drank alcohol regularly. BP was measured and information on daily alcohol intake was obtained from each participant by a questionnaire, which also asked whether alcohol had been consumed on the day before BP measurement. Age-adjusted BP was compared between participants who had (n=504, 91.6%) and those who had not (n=47, 8.4%) consumed alcohol on the previous day. There were no significant differences between the two groups with regard to BP or body mass index. Even after excluding subjects who were receiving anti-hypertensive drugs, there was still no significant difference in age-adjusted BP between the two groups. Our study found no association between BP and alcohol consumption on the previous day in regular male drinkers, which implies that alcohol withdrawal after 1 d of abstinence cannot explain the high blood pressure found in regular drinkers in this Japanese middle-aged population.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Enzyme immunoassay of urinary mevalonic acid and its clinical application.

We have developed an enzyme immunoassay for mevalonic acid (MVA), using a specific monoclonal antibody. The intra- and interassay coefficients of variation calculated on two urine samples were 3.3% and 3.4%, respectively, in the intraassay precision test and 3.5% and 6.9% in the interassay evaluation. Pravastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, was administered to nine healthy men, and in all cases, their MVA excretion rates then decreased. The more MVA that was excreted in the urine before the pravastatin administration, the greater a reduction of MVA excretion was observed. The daily MVA excretions in healthy men (n = 120) and women (n = 105) were 2.32 micromol/day (SD, 0.82 micromol/day) and 1.85 micromol/day (SD, 0.47 micromol/day), respectively. In streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats (n = 14), the plasma cholesterol concentrations and MVA excretion rates were increased, and a positive correlation was observed between the plasma cholesterol and the urinary MVA concentrations.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Reduction of alcohol consumption and its effect on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity of red blood cell membrane].

Fifty-four untreated, mildly hypertensive men who were civil servants and were aged 30-59 years reduced their alcohol consumption as much as possible for three weeks. Then blood pressure and serum gamma GTP decreased significantly, but Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity of the red blood cell membrane did not change significantly. The enzyme activity in twenty subjects (45.5% of total subjects) increased and that in twenty-four subjects (54.5%) decreased or was unchanged. No significant relationship between the ratio of the change of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity and that of blood pressure or serum gamma GTP was observed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Current epidemiology of hypertension in Japan].

In 1960, stroke mortality in Japan was the highest among industrialized countries, while CHD mortality was the lowest. Stroke mortality for men and women aged 30-69 years, however, declined by 80% during the 1965-90 years and CHD mortality also declined during the same period. Among risk factors, trends in blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension were very compatible with those in stroke mortality. Serum total cholesterol level has increased remarkably, however, CHD mortality has not increased. This may be explained by the decline in population blood pressure level and the prevalence of hypertension, and decreased smoking rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Pravastatin reduces restenosis after coronary angioplasty of high grade stenotic lesions: results of SHIPS (SHIga Pravastatin Study).

We conducted a multicenter prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to test whether pravastatin, a hydroxymethyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, can decrease restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Pravastatin 10 mg twice daily was begun at least 10 days prior to elective PTCA in patients with total cholesterol less than 280 mg/dl. The end-point was a between-group comparison of the frequency of restenosis defined as a more than 50% loss of the initial gain in diameter stenosis at the PTCA site at 3 months during follow-up by automated quantitative coronary arteriography. Of 207 patients randomly assigned to study groups, 139 patients underwent PTCA; 133 procedures were successful, and 124 patients underwent follow-up angiography at 3 months, and 179 lesions (85 pravastatin, 94 placebo) in 124 patients (62 pravastatin, 62 placebo) were analyzed. The two groups were comparable for baseline characteristics. Total cholesterol decreased by 19.6% in the pravastatin group (p < 0.001) but not in the placebo group. Although the restenosis rate was not different in the two groups (29.4% in pravastatin vs. 39.4% in placebo, p = 0.215) as a whole, it was reduced to about one fifth (8.8%) in the pravastatin group compared with 44.8% in the placebo group (p = 0.0011) when the comparison was restricted to high grade lesions (> or = 75% diameter stenosis, 34 lesions in pravastatin, 29 lesions in placebo). Pravastatin thus reduces restenosis after PTCA of high grade lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Bronchoalveolar lavage with trypsin in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Two cases of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis were treated with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) via a fibreoptic bronchoscope. Additional clinical improvement was seen when trypsin was added to the lavage fluid. Analysis of effluents in the BAL fluid showed marked reduction of protein constituents with clinical improvement after treatment with trypsin in the lavage. BAL with trypsin was well tolerated.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage↗
PubMed1995

Different trends in serum cholesterol levels among rural and urban populations aged 40-59 in Japan from 1960 to 1990.

In Japan, coronary heart disease mortality is low and has been declining since 1970, despite recent increases in serum cholesterol levels which have been reported in nationwide surveys. Longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys of serum cholesterol levels in rural and urban populations from 1960 to 1990 were reviewed. In the surveys in the 1960s, serum cholesterol levels in urban populations were higher than those in rural populations. An increase in serum cholesterol levels for men and women was observed in all longitudinal studies among rural populations; mean increases in serum cholesterol levels per year were 0.034 mmol/l (p < 0.001) and 0.033 mmol/l (p < 0.001), respectively. These trends were still observed after combining the data from the longitudinal and cross-sectional studies in both men and women (0.027 and 0.028 mmol/l per year, respectively), while there was no significant increase among urban populations. The results of National Nutrition Surveys are consistent with these findings and show that meat consumption per day per capita increased from 23.9 to 66.2 g in rural populations and 51.2 to 77.6 g in urban populations in the 1966 and 1990 surveys. It is suggested that different trends in coronary heart disease mortality should also be apparent in rural and urban populations over this period.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The associations between alcohol drinking and dietary habits and blood pressure in Japanese men.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationships between blood pressure and alcohol, nutrients and electrolytes intakes in Japanese men. DESIGN AND METHOD: A dietary survey was conducted in a rural population of Japan by the 2-day dietary record method, and blood pressure was measured with a standard sphygmomanometer. Blood pressure levels, nutrients and electrolytes intakes were compared among the non-drinkers and the tertiles of the alcohol-drinking subjects. The relationships between blood pressure and nutrients, electrolytes and alcohol intakes were also determined by multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Age and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were positively, and percentage of energy from fat and carbohydrates was negatively, related to the drinking categories. Univariate analysis showed that SBP was significantly related to age, body mass index (BMI) and alcohol intake, and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was also significantly related to age, BMI and alcohol intake. Both SBP and DBP had a significant inverse relationship with the percentage of energy from fat (P < 0.01). Both SBP and DBP were significantly related to drinking categories when the effects of age, BMI and percentage energy from fat intake on blood pressure were adjusted for (P < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis revealed SBP to be significantly and positively associated with age, BMI and alcohol intake, and negatively associated with potassium intake, whereas DBP was significantly and positively associated with BMI and total energy intake, and was negatively associated with potassium and the percentage of energy intake from fat and carbohydrates. CONCLUSION: The positive association between alcohol drinking and blood pressure persisted even after consideration of the effects of age, BMI and other macronutrient and electrolytes intakes. The reduction of alcohol intake should be an important public health strategy in the primary prevention of hypertension in this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Comparison of activities of daily living (ADL), medical treatment and blood pressure of elderly participants and non-participants in health examinations].

A study was conducted to determine the characteristics of the elderly who do not participate in health examinations, and to obtain basic health data on the elderly for developing a community health care plan. Elderly persons aged 60 or over who had not participated in mass health examinations in 1991 were interviewed regarding their conditions of activities of daily living (ADLs), and medical treatment, and their blood pressure was measured. Participation rate for health examinations in the elderly was 66%. Of the total 245 elderly who did not participate in health examinations, data from 215 (88%; 92 men and 123 women) were obtained. 1) The average age of the elderly who did not participate in health examinations was 3 years higher in men and 5 years higher in women than that of those who did participate (p < 0.01), and there were a larger number of persons aged 80 years or over. 2) The percentage of persons with a history of adult diseases such as cardiovascular disease was 63% which was 10% higher than those who participated in examinations (p < 0.01). 3) The percentage of persons requiring help in walking and/or mobility (13%) and bathing (10%) was higher than those who participated in examinations (p < 0.01). For seeing and hearing there were no differences between groups in the percentage of disabled persons. 4) There were more hypertensive people (> 160/95 mmHg) in those who did not participate in examinations (p < 0.01), but the percentage of the people who needed treatment (> 180/100 mmHg) was not different.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Clinicopathological characteristics of p53 overexpression in endometrial cancers.

Using immunohistochemical methods, we analyzed the association between nuclear p53 overexpression and various clinicopathological parameters in patients with endometrial cancers. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 139 cases of endometrial cancer (endometrioid type, 126; serous papillary type, 12; and clear-cell type, 1) were stained with anti-p53 monoclonal antibody (MAb) DO7. Overexpression of p53 was associated with high malignant potential, including extensive muscular invasion, advanced surgical stage, high histological grade, serous papillary type and a personal history of cancer. Lymph-node metastasis was also related to p53 overexpression with marginal significance. Survival curves determined by the Kaplan-Meier method and univariate analysis showed p53 overexpression to be associated with a poor outcome in endometrial cancer patients. However, multivariate analysis using the stepwise Cox proportional-hazard model showed that whereas lymph-node metastasis, a personal history of cancer and muscular invasion were related to poor survival rates, p53 overexpression was not. Consequently, p53 overexpression itself does not appear to be an independent prognostic factor in endometrial cancer, although a still larger sample of patient material would be required to assess this issue definitively.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol and blood pressure: the INTERSALT study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the relation between alcohol intake and blood pressure in men and women and in men at younger and older ages; to examine the influence of amount and pattern of alcohol consumption, as well as of acute effects, taking into account body mass index, smoking, and urinary sodium and potassium excretion. DESIGN: Subjects reported alcohol consumption for each of seven days before standardised blood pressure measurement, and whether they had consumed any alcohol in the 24 hours before measurement. SETTING: 50 centres worldwide. SUBJECTS: 4844 men and 4837 women aged 20-59. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Effect of alcohol on blood pressure estimated by taking a weighted average of regression coefficients from centres. Acute effect assessed by examining mean differences in blood pressure of non-drinkers and of heavy drinkers who had and had not consumed alcohol in the 24 hours before measurement. Effect of pattern of consumption assessed by examining mean differences in blood pressure of non-drinkers compared with drinkers (i) whose intake was concentrated in fewer days or who were drinking more frequently, and (ii) whose alcohol intake varied little over the seven days or varied more substantially, as indicated by the standard deviation of daily consumption. RESULTS: Of the 48 centres in which some people reported consuming at least 300 ml/week of alcohol, 35 had positive regression coefficients linking heavy alcohol consumption to blood pressure. Overall, alcohol consumption was associated with blood pressure, significantly at the highest intake. After account was taken of key confounders, men who drank 300-499 ml alcohol/week had systolic/diastolic blood pressure on average 2.7/1.6 mmHg higher than non-drinkers, and men who drank > or = 500 ml alcohol/week had pressures of 4.6/3.0 mmHg higher. For women, heavy drinkers (> or = 300 ml/week) had blood pressures higher by 3.9/3.1 mmHg than non-drinkers. Heavy drinking and blood pressure were strongly associated in both sexes, and in men at both younger (20-39 years) and older (40-59 years) ages. In men who were heavy drinkers, episodic drinkers (those with great variation in daily alcohol consumption) had greater differences in blood pressure compared with non-drinkers than did regular drinkers of relatively constant amounts. CONCLUSION: The significant relation of heavy drinking (3-4 or more drinks/day) to blood pressure, observed in both men and women, and in younger and older men, was independent of and added to the effect on blood pressure of body mass index and urinary excretion of sodium and potassium. The findings indicate the usefulness of targeting those at high risk as well as the general population to reduce the adverse effects of alcohol on blood pressure.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Alcohol intake and serum lipids in a Japanese population.

BACKGROUND: Previous epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that alcohol, which increases high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, has an anti-atherogenic effect. But data on the effects of alcohol on low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are scarce. In this paper a cross-sectional study on the associations of alcohol in graded doses with serum lipids in a Japanese population is presented. METHODS: The daily alcohol intake of 832 Japanese men aged 35-59 was determined and the subjects were divided into five categories according to their daily alcohol consumption. The associations of alcohol intake and the kind of alcoholic beverage with serum lipids were determined by multiple regression analyses taking into consideration the differences of other confounding factors, i.e. age, body mass index (BMI) and smoking. RESULTS: Serum triglycerides and HDL-cholesterol were higher (P < 0.001) with higher alcohol intake while LDL-cholesterol was lower (P < 0.01). In multiple regression analysis, after adjusting for age, BMI and number of cigarettes smoked per day, HDL-cholesterol and the ratio of HDL-cholesterol to LDL-cholesterol were found to have a significant positive relationship with daily alcohol consumption (P < 0.001) and LDL-cholesterol to have a significant negative relationship (P < 0.001). The kind of alcoholic beverage had no significant relationship with serum HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol; however, serum triglycerides were found to be significantly lower in those who drank beer (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol drinkers have a higher HDL-cholesterol level and lower LDL-cholesterol level than non-drinkers. This anti-atherogenic lipid profile in alcohol drinkers may be explained by the effect of alcohol on serum lipids independent of age, BMI and smoking.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A case-control study on risk factors for uterine endometrial cancer in Japan.

A case-control study of 143 Japanese women with uterine endometrial cancer and 143 individually age-matched controls was conducted to assess the risk factors for endometrial cancers in Japan. Among the characteristics studied, the following factors were significantly greater in the cases than in the controls: nulliparity (odds ratio for parity 1-3 and > or = 4 versus nullipara are 0.40 and 0.02, respectively), obesity (odds ratio: 2.73), hypertension (odds ratio: 2.4), diabetes mellitus (odds ratio: 6.30), and a personal medical history of cancer (odds ratio: 3.06). The present study showed that Japanese women have the same risk factors for endometrial cancer as those reported in Western countries. The recent increase in the incidence of endometrial cancer in Japan may be largely attributed to the decrease in parity.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

[Survey of activities of daily living in non-institutionalized elderly residents].

To investigate the states of activities of daily living (ADLs) in the elderly, non-institutionalized residents-aged 65 and over living in Azuchi (population of approximately 12,000) were interviewed. Data was collected from 1,287 subjects (509 men and 778 women; 92.1%) for the 3 years, 1990 to 1992. Differences in difficulties with the 6 basic ADLs (BADLs) and the 7 instrumental ADLs (IADLs) were analyzed according to gender and age. For the BADLs (eating, dressing, bathing, using the toilet, mobility, and incontinence), only the percentage of incontinence was significantly higher in women than in men (p < 0.01). The percentage of those fully independent in the 6 BADLs in men was 87%, which was higher than that in women (77%), but except for incontinence there were no significant differences between the sexes. The percentages of disability in the BADLs for women and for both sexes combined were higher according to age (p < 0.01), but for men, only those of dressing (p < 0.05) and of incontinence (p < 0.01) were related with age. The disability percentage for cooking was the only activity among the IADLs (cooking, using the telephone, cleaning house, walking, shopping, going up and down steps, and using transportation) which was significantly higher in men (p < 0.01), but those for walking, going up and down steps, and using transportation were higher in women (p < 0.01). The percentage of those who were fully independent was 74% in both sexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Low-Km aldehyde dehydrogenase deficiency does not influence the elevation of blood pressure by alcohol.

Increased alcohol consumption causes hypertension and leads to higher death rates by hemorrhagic strokes. About half of the Japanese population have inactive low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), which metabolizes acetaldehyde to acetic acid at very low concentrations, leading to severe pharmacological effects of aldehyde when drinking alcohol. We determined persons with inactive ALDH2 using a ethanol patch test. All male workers (n + 163), aged from 21 to 62 years in one factory in Japan took part. They were divided into two groups by alcohol consumption (nondrinkers, light drinkers of < 32 ml/l ethanol per day and moderate to heavy drinkers of > or = 32 ml ethanol per day). The prevalence of persons with inactive ALDH2 was 52.1%. The prevalence of moderate to heavy drinkers among persons with inactive ALDH2 was significantly lower than that among those with active ALDH2 (23% and 41%, respectively: P < 0.05). No significant differences of BP were observed between ALDH2 inactive and active groups at the same consumption of alcohol. This study showed a significant relationship between categories of alcohol use and SBP and DBP (P < 0.05, respectively) controlled for age and body mass index. The mechanism by which alcohol use elevates BP is unlikely to be related to the inactive ALDH2. However, inactive ALDH2 may act as a protective factor against hypertension by reducing alcohol consumption.

Adult↗