Arch Intern Med
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There is increasing evidence that C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration, a measure of inflammation, is an independent risk factor for the development of hypertension in older adults. However, it is unknown whether a similar relationship exists in younger individuals. ⋯ C-reactive protein is associated with hypertension in young adults, but in contrast to the finding in older populations, the association is no longer present after adjusting for BMI.
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Multicenter Study
Adipocytokines and incident diabetes mellitus in older adults: the independent effect of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1.
Adipose tissue produces "adipocytokines" of uncertain clinical significance. ⋯ Adipocytokines and glycemia partially account for the relationship between adiposity and risk of type 2 diabetes due to adiposity. Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 may be a useful predictor of diabetes in addition to measurements of body fat.
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Comparative Study
Differences in health care utilization at the end of life among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and patients with lung cancer.
We sought to examine health care resource utilization in the last 6 months of life among patients who died with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) compared with those who died with lung cancer and to examine geographic variations in care. ⋯ In the last 6 months of life, patients with COPD were more likely to have had a primary care visit and been admitted to an ICU but less likely to receive palliative medications compared with patients with lung cancer. We found significant geographic variability in ICU utilization but only for patients with COPD.