94 research outputs found
A community-based validation study of the short-form 36 version 2 philippines (tagalog) in two cities in the philippines
10.1371/journal.pone.0083794PLoS ONE812-POLN
Lipoprotein‐Associated Phospholipase A2 Activity Is a Marker of Risk But Not a Useful Target for Treatment in Patients With Stable Coronary Heart Disease
Background: We evaluated lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A2 (Lp‐PLA2) activity in patients with stable coronary heart disease before and during treatment with darapladib, a selective Lp‐PLA2 inhibitor, in relation to outcomes and the effects of darapladib in the STABILITY trial. Methods and Results: Plasma Lp‐PLA2 activity was determined at baseline (n=14 500); at 1 month (n=13 709); serially (n=100) at 3, 6, and 18 months; and at the end of treatment. Adjusted Cox regression models evaluated associations between Lp‐PLA2 activity levels and outcomes. At baseline, the median Lp‐PLA2 level was 172.4 μmol/min per liter (interquartile range 143.1–204.2 μmol/min per liter). Comparing the highest and lowest Lp‐PLA2 quartile groups, the hazard ratios were 1.50 (95% CI 1.23–1.82) for the primary composite end point (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke), 1.95 (95% CI 1.29–2.93) for hospitalization for heart failure, 1.42 (1.07–1.89) for cardiovascular death, and 1.37 (1.03–1.81) for myocardial infarction after adjustment for baseline characteristics, standard laboratory variables, and other prognostic biomarkers. Treatment with darapladib led to a ≈65% persistent reduction in median Lp‐PLA2 activity. There were no associations between on‐treatment Lp‐PLA2 activity or changes of Lp‐PLA2 activity and outcomes, and there were no significant interactions between baseline and on‐treatment Lp‐PLA2 activity or changes in Lp‐PLA2 activity levels and the effects of darapladib on outcomes. Conclusions: Although high Lp‐PLA2 activity was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, pharmacological lowering of Lp‐PLA2 activity by ≈65% did not significantly reduce cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary heart disease, regardless of the baseline level or the magnitude of change of Lp‐PLA2 activity
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Safety of the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab: insights from 47 296 patient-years of observation
The ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial, comprising over 47 000 patient-years of placebo-controlled observation, demonstrated important reductions in the risk of recurrent ischaemic cardiovascular events with the monoclonal antibody to proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 alirocumab, as well as lower all-cause death. These benefits were observed in the context of substantial and persistent lowering of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol with alirocumab compared with that achieved with placebo. The safety profile of alirocumab was indistinguishable from matching placebo except for a ∼1.7% absolute increase in local injection site reactions. Further, the safety of alirocumab compared with placebo was evident in vulnerable groups identified before randomization, such as the elderly and those with diabetes mellitus, previous ischaemic stroke, or chronic kidney disease. The frequency of adverse events and laboratory-based abnormalities was generally similar to that in placebo-treated patients. Thus, alirocumab appears to be a safe and effective lipid-modifying treatment over a duration of at least 5 years
Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015: a pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19.1 million participants
AbstractBackground: Raised blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. We estimated worldwide trends in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of, and number of people with, raised blood pressure, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher.Methods: For this analysis, we pooled national, subnational, or community population-based studies that had measured blood pressure in adults aged 18 years and older. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2015 in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of raised blood pressure for 200 countries. We calculated the contributions of changes in prevalence versus population growth and ageing to the increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure.Findings: We pooled 1479 studies that had measured the blood pressures of 19.1 million adults. Global age-standardised mean systolic blood pressure in 2015 was 127.0 mm Hg (95% credible interval 125.7–128.3) in men and 122.3 mm Hg (121.0–123.6) in women; age-standardised mean diastolic blood pressure was 78.7 mm Hg (77.9–79.5) for men and 76.7 mm Hg (75.9–77.6) for women. Global age-standardised prevalence of raised blood pressure was 24.1% (21.4–27.1) in men and 20.1% (17.8–22.5) in women in 2015. Mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure decreased substantially from 1975 to 2015 in high-income western and Asia Pacific countries, moving these countries from having some of the highest worldwide blood pressure in 1975 to the lowest in 2015. Mean blood pressure also decreased in women in central and eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and, more recently, central Asia, Middle East, and north Africa, but the estimated trends in these super-regions had larger uncertainty than in high-income super-regions. By contrast, mean blood pressure might have increased in east and southeast Asia, south Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, central and eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and south Asia had the highest blood pressure levels. Prevalence of raised blood pressure decreased in high-income and some middle-income countries; it remained unchanged elsewhere. The number of adults with raised blood pressure increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1.13 billion in 2015, with the increase largely in low-income and middle-income countries. The global increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure is a net effect of increase due to population growth and ageing, and decrease due to declining age-specific prevalence.Interpretation: During the past four decades, the highest worldwide blood pressure levels have shifted from high-income countries to low-income countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa due to opposite trends, while blood pressure has been persistently high in central and eastern Europe.Abstract
Background: Raised blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. We estimated worldwide trends in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of, and number of people with, raised blood pressure, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher.
Methods: For this analysis, we pooled national, subnational, or community population-based studies that had measured blood pressure in adults aged 18 years and older. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2015 in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of raised blood pressure for 200 countries. We calculated the contributions of changes in prevalence versus population growth and ageing to the increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure.
Findings: We pooled 1479 studies that had measured the blood pressures of 19.1 million adults. Global age-standardised mean systolic blood pressure in 2015 was 127.0 mm Hg (95% credible interval 125.7–128.3) in men and 122.3 mm Hg (121.0–123.6) in women; age-standardised mean diastolic blood pressure was 78.7 mm Hg (77.9–79.5) for men and 76.7 mm Hg (75.9–77.6) for women. Global age-standardised prevalence of raised blood pressure was 24.1% (21.4–27.1) in men and 20.1% (17.8–22.5) in women in 2015. Mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure decreased substantially from 1975 to 2015 in high-income western and Asia Pacific countries, moving these countries from having some of the highest worldwide blood pressure in 1975 to the lowest in 2015. Mean blood pressure also decreased in women in central and eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and, more recently, central Asia, Middle East, and north Africa, but the estimated trends in these super-regions had larger uncertainty than in high-income super-regions. By contrast, mean blood pressure might have increased in east and southeast Asia, south Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, central and eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and south Asia had the highest blood pressure levels. Prevalence of raised blood pressure decreased in high-income and some middle-income countries; it remained unchanged elsewhere. The number of adults with raised blood pressure increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1.13 billion in 2015, with the increase largely in low-income and middle-income countries. The global increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure is a net effect of increase due to population growth and ageing, and decrease due to declining age-specific prevalence.
Interpretation: During the past four decades, the highest worldwide blood pressure levels have shifted from high-income countries to low-income countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa due to opposite trends, while blood pressure has been persistently high in central and eastern Europe
Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol
High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries(1,2). However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world(3) and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health(4,5). However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol-which is a marker of cardiovascular riskchanged from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million-4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world.Peer reviewe
Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults
Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We
estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from
1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories.
Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and
weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate
trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children
and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the
individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference)
and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median).
Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in
11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed
changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and
140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of
underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and
countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior
probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse
was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of
thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a
posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%)
with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and
obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for
both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such
as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged
children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls
in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and
42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents,
the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining
underweight or thinness.
Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an
increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy
nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of
underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit
Trends in adult body-mass index in 200 countries from 1975 to 2014: a pooled analysis of 1698 population-based measurement studies with 19.2 million participants
Background Underweight and severe and morbid obesity are associated with highly elevated risks of adverse health outcomes. We estimated trends in mean body-mass index (BMI), which characterises its population distribution, and in the prevalences of a complete set of BMI categories for adults in all countries. Methods We analysed, with use of a consistent protocol, population-based studies that had measured height and weight in adults aged 18 years and older. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to these data to estimate trends from 1975 to 2014 in mean BMI and in the prevalences of BMI categories (<18.5 kg/m(2) [underweight], 18.5 kg/m(2) to <20 kg/m(2), 20 kg/m(2) to <25 kg/m(2), 25 kg/m(2) to <30 kg/m(2), 30 kg/m(2) to <35 kg/m(2), 35 kg/m(2) to <40 kg/m(2), = 40 kg/m(2) [morbid obesity]), by sex in 200 countries and territories, organised in 21 regions. We calculated the posterior probability of meeting the target of halting by 2025 the rise in obesity at its 2010 levels, if post-2000 trends continue. Findings We used 1698 population-based data sources, with more than 19.2 million adult participants (9.9 million men and 9.3 million women) in 186 of 200 countries for which estimates were made. Global age-standardised mean BMI increased from 21.7 kg/m(2) (95% credible interval 21.3-22.1) in 1975 to 24.2 kg/m(2) (24.0-24.4) in 2014 in men, and from 22.1 kg/m(2) (21.7-22.5) in 1975 to 24.4 kg/m(2) (24.2-24.6) in 2014 in women. Regional mean BMIs in 2014 for men ranged from 21.4 kg/m(2) in central Africa and south Asia to 29.2 kg/m(2) (28.6-29.8) in Polynesia and Micronesia; for women the range was from 21.8 kg/m(2) (21.4-22.3) in south Asia to 32.2 kg/m(2) (31.5-32.8) in Polynesia and Micronesia. Over these four decades, age-standardised global prevalence of underweight decreased from 13.8% (10.5-17.4) to 8.8% (7.4-10.3) in men and from 14.6% (11.6-17.9) to 9.7% (8.3-11.1) in women. South Asia had the highest prevalence of underweight in 2014, 23.4% (17.8-29.2) in men and 24.0% (18.9-29.3) in women. Age-standardised prevalence of obesity increased from 3.2% (2.4-4.1) in 1975 to 10.8% (9.7-12.0) in 2014 in men, and from 6.4% (5.1-7.8) to 14.9% (13.6-16.1) in women. 2.3% (2.0-2.7) of the world's men and 5.0% (4.4-5.6) of women were severely obese (ie, have BMI = 35 kg/m(2)). Globally, prevalence of morbid obesity was 0.64% (0.46-0.86) in men and 1.6% (1.3-1.9) in women. Interpretation If post-2000 trends continue, the probability of meeting the global obesity target is virtually zero. Rather, if these trends continue, by 2025, global obesity prevalence will reach 18% in men and surpass 21% in women; severe obesity will surpass 6% in men and 9% in women. Nonetheless, underweight remains prevalent in the world's poorest regions, especially in south Asia.Wellcome Trust, Grand Challenges Canada
Reducing the Clinical and Public Health Burden of Familial Hypercholesterolemia A Global Call to Action
Q1Q1Artículo completoE1-E13IMPORTANCE Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an underdiagnosed and undertreated
genetic disorder that leads to premature morbidity and mortality due to atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease. Familial hypercholesterolemia affects 1 in 200 to 250 people around
the world of every race and ethnicity. The lack of general awareness of FH among the public
and medical community has resulted in only 10% of the FH population being diagnosed and
adequately treated. The World Health Organization recognized FH as a public health priority
in 1998 during a consultation meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Health Organization
report highlighted 11 recommendations to address FH worldwide, from diagnosis and
treatment to family screening and education. Research since the 1998 report has increased
understanding and awareness of FH, particularly in specialty areas, such as cardiology and
lipidology. However, in the past 20 years, there has been little progress in implementing the
11 recommendations to prevent premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in an entire
generation of families with FH.
OBSERVATIONS In 2018, the Familial Hypercholesterolemia Foundation and the World Heart
Federation convened the international FH community to update the 11 recommendations.
Two meetings were held: one at the 2018 FH Foundation Global Summit and the other during
the 2018 World Congress of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Health. Each meeting served as
a platform for the FH community to examine the original recommendations, assess the gaps,
and provide commentary on the revised recommendations. The Global Call to Action on
Familial Hypercholesterolemia thus represents individuals with FH, advocacy leaders,
scientific experts, policy makers, and the original authors of the 1998 World Health
Organization report. Attendees from 40 countries brought perspectives on FH from low-,
middle-, and high-income regions. Tables listing country-specific government support for
FH care, existing country-specific and international FH scientific statements and guidelines,
country-specific and international FH registries, and known FH advocacy organizations
around the world were created.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE By adopting the 9 updated public policy recommendations
created for this document, covering awareness; advocacy; screening, testing, and diagnosis;
treatment; family-based care; registries; research; and cost and value, individual countries
have the opportunity to prevent atherosclerotic heart disease in their citizens carrying a gene
associated with FH and, likely, all those with severe hypercholesterolemia as well
Contributions of mean and shape of blood pressure distribution to worldwide trends and variations in raised blood pressure: a pooled analysis of 1018 population-based measurement studies with 88.6 million participants
Background
Change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure could be due to both shifts in the entire distribution of blood pressure (representing the combined effects of public health interventions and secular trends) and changes in its high-blood-pressure tail (representing successful clinical interventions to control blood pressure in the hypertensive population). Our aim was to quantify the contributions of these two phenomena to the worldwide trends in the prevalence of raised blood pressure.
Methods
We pooled 1018 population-based studies with blood pressure measurements on 88.6 million participants from 1985 to 2016. We first calculated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and prevalence of raised blood pressure by sex and 10-year age group from 20–29?years to 70–79?years in each study, taking into account complex survey design and survey sample weights, where relevant. We used a linear mixed effect model to quantify the association between (probit-transformed) prevalence of raised blood pressure and age-group- and sex-specific mean blood pressure. We calculated the contributions of change in mean SBP and DBP, and of change in the prevalence-mean association, to the change in prevalence of raised blood pressure.
Results
In 2005–16, at the same level of population mean SBP and DBP, men and women in South Asia and in Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa would have the highest prevalence of raised blood pressure, and men and women in the high-income Asia Pacific and high-income Western regions would have the lowest. In most region-sex-age groups where the prevalence of raised blood pressure declined, one half or more of the decline was due to the decline in mean blood pressure. Where prevalence of raised blood pressure has increased, the change was entirely driven by increasing mean blood pressure, offset partly by the change in the prevalence-mean association.
Conclusions
Change in mean blood pressure is the main driver of the worldwide change in the prevalence of raised blood pressure, but change in the high-blood-pressure tail of the distribution has also contributed to the change in prevalence, especially in older age groups
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