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Biomedical subjects

J Sabaté

Publications and source records attributed to J Sabaté.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effects of walnuts on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in normal men.

BACKGROUND: In a recent six-year follow-up study, we found that frequent consumption of nuts was associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease. To explore possible explanations for this finding, we studied the effects of nut consumption on serum lipids and blood pressure. METHODS: We randomly placed 18 healthy men on two mixed natural diets, each diet to be followed for four weeks. Both diets conformed to the National Cholesterol Education Program Step 1 diet and contained identical foods and macronutrients, except that 20 percent of the calories of one diet (the walnut diet) were derived from walnuts (offset by lesser amounts of fatty foods, meat, and visible fat [oils, margarine, and butter]). RESULTS: With the reference diet, the mean (+/- SD) serum values for total, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were, respectively, 182 +/- 23, 112 +/- 16, and 47 +/- 11 mg per deciliter (4.71 +/- 0.59, 2.90 +/- 0.41, and 1.22 +/- 0.28 mmol per liter). With the walnut diet, the mean total cholesterol level was 22.4 mg per deciliter (0.58 mmol per liter) lower than the mean level with the reference diet (95 percent confidence interval, 28 to 17 mg per deciliter [0.72 to 0.44 mmol per liter]); the LDL and HDL cholesterol levels were, respectively, 18.2 mg per deciliter (0.47 mmol per liter) (P < 0.001) and 2.3 mg per deciliter (0.06 mmol per liter) (P = 0.01) lower. These lower values represented reductions of 12.4, 16.3, and 4.9 percent in the levels of total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, respectively. The ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol was also lowered (P < 0.001) by the walnut diet. Mean blood-pressure values did not change during either dietary period. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating moderate quantities of walnuts into the recommended cholesterol-lowering diet while maintaining the intake of total dietary fat and calories decreases serum levels of total cholesterol and favorably modifies the lipoprotein profile in normal men. The long-term effects of walnut consumption and the extension of this finding to other population groups deserve further study.

Adult↗

Does nut consumption protect against ischaemic heart disease?

Nuts are part of the Mediterranean tradition. For millennia, tree nuts have been in the region. Results of an epidemiological study conducted among California Adventists provide strong evidence that frequent consumption of nuts have a protective effect on both fatal and non-fatal ischaemic heart disease events. The unique nutrient composition of nuts makes it plausible that nuts favourably affect heart disease risk factors and interfere with the process of atherogenesis. Results of recently conducted human nutritional studies, with varying degrees of methodological rigour, all seem to indicate that eating nuts lowers serum cholesterol and favourably modifies the lipoprotein profile. The effects of nut consumption on other cardiovascular disease risk factors deserve further exploration.

Cholesterol↗

Effects of traditional coronary risk factors on rates of incident coronary events in a low-risk population. The Adventist Health Study.

BACKGROUND: California Seventh-Day Adventists have lower mortality rates from coronary heart disease (CHD) than other Californians. Associations between traditional risk factor and CHD events have not been reported previously for Adventists. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cohort study allowed 6 years of follow-up of 27,658 male and female California Seventh-Day Adventists. Data collected included age, sex, physician-diagnosed hypertension and diabetes mellitus, body height, weight, previous and current cigarette smoking habits, and current exercise habits. Incident cases of definite myocardial infarction (MI) and definite fatal CHD were diagnosed according to recognized criteria. Both stratified and proportional hazards analyses demonstrated that in this low-risk population, the above traditional coronary risk factors exhibit their usual associations with risk of CHD events. It was noted that exercise had a strong negative association with fatal CHD events (relative risks [RR], 1.0, 0.66, and 0.50 with increasing exercise) but no association with risk of MI (either nonfatal or all cases). Conversely, obesity was much more clearly associated with MI (RR, 1.0, 1.18, and 1.83 with increasing tertiles of obesity) than with fatal events. The importance of the risk factors was similar in both sexes, except that the effect of cigarette smoking seemed more pronounced in women. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemiology of coronary heart disease in this low-risk California population appears to be at least qualitatively similar to that seen in other groups. There was evidence that the effects of exercise and obesity may differ depending on whether fatal CHD and MI (either all MI or nonfatal alone) is the end point.

California↗

A possible protective effect of nut consumption on risk of coronary heart disease. The Adventist Health Study.

BACKGROUND: Although dietary factors are suspected to be important determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, the direct evidence is relatively sparse. METHODS: The Adventist Health Study is a prospective cohort investigation of 31,208 non-Hispanic white California Seventh-Day Adventists. Extensive dietary information was obtained at baseline, along with the values of traditional coronary risk factors. These were related to risk of definite fatal CHD or definite nonfatal myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Subjects who consumed nuts frequently (more than four times per week) experienced substantially fewer definite fatal CHD events (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36 to 0.76) and definite nonfatal myocardial infarctions (relative risk, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28 to 0.85), when compared with those who consumed nuts less than once per week. These findings persisted on covariate adjustment and were seen in almost all of 16 different subgroups of the population. Subjects who usually consumed whole wheat bread also experienced lower rates of definite nonfatal myocardial infarction (relative risk, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.89) and definite fatal CHD (relative risk, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.60 to 1.33) when compared with those who usually ate white bread. Men who ate beef at least three times each week had a higher risk of definite fatal CHD (relative risk, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.11 to 4.78), but this effect was not seen in women or for the nonfatal myocardial infarction end point. CONCLUSION: Our data strongly suggest that the frequent consumption of nuts may protect against risk of CHD events. The favorable fatty acid profile of many nuts is one possible explanation for such an effect.

Adult↗

Attained height of lacto-ovo vegetarian children and adolescents.

The relationship between diet and attained height was studied in children and adolescents in Southern California. Diet pattern was determined from an extensive food frequency questionnaire in 1765 Caucasian children of 7-18 years, attending state schools (452 m and 443 f) and Seventh-day Adventist schools (427 m and 443 f). The major difference in diet pattern between state and Adventist school children was in meat consumption. The Adventist children were split evenly between three categories of frequency in meat consumption (less than 1/week, 1/week-less than 1/d, and greater than or equal to 1/d), while 92 percent of state school children consumed meat daily. Vegetarians (those consuming meat less than 1/week) differed significantly in the consumption of other major food groups, such as fruit and vegetables. All school and diet subgroups were at or above the 50th percentile of the National Center for Health Statistics. Age-adjusted regression analysis showed that on average Adventist vegetarian children were taller than their meat-consuming classmates (2.5 and 2.0 cm for boys and girls, respectively). These results did not change materially when adjusting for other food groups. Nor did adjustment for parental height and socioeconomic factors in a sub-sample of 518 children. The results indicate that vegetarian children and adolescents on a balanced diet grow at least as tall as children who consume meat.

Adolescent↗

Anthropometric parameters of schoolchildren with different life-styles.

Height and weight data obtained from a 2-year longitudinal survey were analyzed for 2272 children aged 6 through 18 years who were attending public schools or Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) schools in southern California. The SDAs do not use alcohol or tobacco, and many adhere to a lacto-ovovegetarian diet. For both sexes, in each school group, the mean height and weight were at or above national reference values. Age-adjusted regression analysis showed that SDA school-boys were 1.6 cm taller than public schoolboys. There were no significant differences in height for girls. After controlling for height, boys and girls in the SDA schools were found to be leaner than their public school peers, ie, 1.27 and 1.16 kg, respectively. These results suggest that a health-oriented life-style in childhood and adolescence, such as the one followed by SDAs, is compatible with adequate growth and associated with a lower weight for height.

Adolescent↗

Obstruction of aortocoronary bypass due to blunt chest trauma.

We report the first case in the literature of acute myocardial infarction due to blunt chest trauma in a patient with saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass to the anterior descending coronary artery. Angiograms demonstrated two stumps - aortic and coronary - suggesting that the primary obstruction was at the graft level with subsequent anterior descending occlusion. A large left ventricular aneurysm developed. As his clinical situation was stable, early aneurysmectomy was not done, and the patient is asymptomatic 15 months after the trauma.

Adult↗

[Angiographic mitral regurgitation in patients with chronic ischemic cardiopathy. Coronarioangiographic and ventriculographic correlations (author's transl)].

Mitral regurgitation in patients with chronic ischemic cardiopathy may occur following dysfunction of the papillary muscles and left ventricular impairment. A total of 291 patients with significant coronary lesions and absence of associated cardiopathies are reviewed. Patients were divided into three groups: Group A, formed by 241 cases without mitral regurgitation; group B, including 42 patients with slight mitral regurgitation, and group C, formed by eight patients with moderate or severe mitral regurgitation. Significant differences between groups A and B in relation to the number of affected coronary arteries, inferior or anterolateral akinesia-dyskinesia, and left ventricular enlargement were observed. There were no significant differences between groups B and C, though all patients of the last group had two or three affected coronary arteries. Angiographic mitral regurgitation following chronic ischemic cardiopathy is uncommon, especially moderate or severe degrees of regurgitation. Mitral regurgitation is related to the number of affected coronary arteries, presence of inferior or anterolateral akinesia-dyskinesia, and enlargement of the left ventricle. Clinical signs of significant mitral regurgitation may suggest the existence of coronary lesions, at least in two vessels.

Angiocardiography↗

[Left ventricular function and state of the coronary tree in patients with significant coronary lesions (author's transl)].

The prognosis of patients with ischemic cardiopathy is mainly based upon the number of affected vesssels, the state of the distal coronary tree, and the left ventricular function. Coronary arteriographies and ventriculographies corresponding to 274 consecutive patients (January, 1975-October, 1978) with significant coronary lesions are reviewed. A singles vessel obstruction was registered in 36.5 percent of the patients; obstruction of two vessels was present in 28.5 percent, and of three vessels in 29.9 percent. The common left trunk was obstructed in 5.1 percent of the cases. The anterior descending coronary artery was affected in 78 percent of the patients, and the left coronary artery, circumflex, first marginal branch, and first diagonal branch showed narrowing in 62, 34, 36, and 26 percent, respectively. The distal tree of the above mentioned arteries was appropriate for coronary bypass operations in 51, 49, 50, 38, and 10 percent of the arteries, respectively. On the basis of coronary angiographic and ventriculographic criteria 117 patients (43 percent) were not candidates to coronary bypass surgery. The ejection fraction was less than 0.40 in 22 percent of the cases, and below to 0.30 in 12 percent (34 patients). The outstanding finding in the present series was the impairment of the distal coronary tree due to advanced atherosclerosis.

Adult↗