Asia Pacific journal of clinical nutrition
-
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr · Jan 2007
Determinants of plasma homocysteine levels and carotid intima-media thickness in Japanese.
Although hyperhomocysteinemia is considered to be a key risk factor for atherosclerosis, especially in Western countries, its role in the Asian population is still controversial. In this study, we evaluated the determinants of homocysteine and carotid intima-media thickness, a clinical marker for the detection of atherosclerosis, in Japanese. In 289 Japanese adults (age 37-86 yrs), we screened plasma total homocysteine by high performance liquid chromatography and evaluated maximum carotid intima-media thickness by ultrasound. ⋯ Maximum carotid intima-media thickness was higher in men than in women and increased with age. When adjusted for age and sex, systolic blood pressure was independently correlated with maximum carotid intima-media thickness (beta = 0.001, p < 0.01). Our current results support previous findings that in addition to age and sex, serum creatinine and systolic blood pressure are independent determinants of homocysteine and carotid intima-media thickness, respectively.
-
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr · Jan 2007
Effects of gastrodin on amino acids after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat striatum.
The aim of this study was to explore the effect of gastrodin on the level of amino acids in the striatum in the rats of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. 30 male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: the group of pseudo-operation (normal control group, NC group), the group of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI group), and the group of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury treated with gastrodin (G group). Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury was induced through middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). 10 minutes before the operation, the rats in the G group were injected with gastrodin (50 mg/kg) intraperitoneally once. The rats in the CIRI and NC group were injected with the same volume of 10% propylene glycol normal saline intraperitoneally once. ⋯ The volume of cerebral infarction was quantified. This study showed that gastrodin can decrease the volume of cerebral infarction, ameliorate the cerebral injury in the rats of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The mechanisms might be that gastrodin can improve the level of amino acids in striatum.
-
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr · Jan 2007
The validity of the World Health Organisation's obesity body mass index criteria in a Turkish population: a hospital-based study.
Our aim was to determine the relationship between body fat percentage (BF%) and body mass index (BMI) and to evaluate the validity of World Health Organisation's BMI cut-off values for obesity. Adult out-patients (n=909, 249 men, 660 women), mean age; 40.5 +/- 14.1 years were included. According to WHO's BMI criteria, 440 subjects were obese (79 men, 361 women). ⋯ The increase was more pronounced in men (67.1% vs. 26.6%). The WHO cut-off values underestimated the frequency of obesity in this population. Further studies are warranted for different ethnic groups.