EPID 9232 – Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology

This course is designed to enhance understanding about the determinants of cardiovascular diseases in populations and how to intervene most effectively to reduce morbidity and mortality due to stroke and heart disease. Emphasis is placed on the social determinants, behavioral risk factors, nutritional and dietary influences, and policy intervention of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the course provides students with hands on experience to characterize the frequency and impact of chronic diseases and their risk factors from global, national and local perspective using public data available through the Center of Disease Control and Prevention and other sources

EPID 9232 – Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (3 Credits)

This course is designed to enhance understanding about the determinants of cardiovascular diseases in populations and how to intervene most effectively to reduce morbidity and mortality due to stroke and heart disease. Emphasis is placed on the social determinants, behavioral risk factors, nutritional and dietary influences, and policy intervention of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, the course provides students with hands on experience to characterize the frequency and impact of chronic diseases and their risk factors from global, national and local perspective using public data available through the Center of Disease Control and Prevention and other sources

Seaweed as novel food for prevention and therapy for life style related disease

Seaweed has long been known and consumed as a functional food and folk medicine, especially in people who live in coastal areas. Research on seaweed has recently increased with the surge need for alternative sources of functional food to deal with health problems related to lifestyle, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Epidemiology studies have found that population consumed seaweed is on a regular basis have significantly less diet-related diseases.1,2 Even the largest population of old age is in Japan, which consumes the most seaweed in the world.1,3 In countries such as Japan, China, and Korea, approximately 66% of algae species have been used as a daily ingredient in their dishes for many years

The Metabolic Syndrome among Postmenopausal Women in Gorgan

In this study, we aimed to assess levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in relation to metabolic syndrome among postmenopausal women in Gorgan. The study group included 100 postmenopausal women who were referred to the different Health Centers in Gorgan. Body mass index, waist circumference, Hip, waist to hip ratio, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were significantly higher in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome, but HDL-cholesterol was lower. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 31%. There were significant differences in 25-hydroxy vitamin D of postmenopausal women with and without vitamin D deficiency. Prevalence of the vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal women was 30%. There were significant differences in 25-hydroxy vitamin D of postmenopausal women with and without vitamin D deficiency who had metabolic syndrome. Our results show that postmenopausal status might be a predictor of metabolic syndrome in this area. Our findings suggested that vitamin D levels have no association with metabolic syndrome. There were no significant differences in vitamin D levels in postmenopausal women with and without metabolic syndrome. Vitamin D deficiency is not associated with the metabolic syndrome

A retrospective review of great ape cardiovascular disease epidemiology and pathology

Cardiovascular disease is associated with significant mortality in zoo‐housed great apes, yet little is known about its epidemiology and aetiopathogenesis, and therefore its diagnosis, treatment and prevention. In this retrospective study, the frequency and patterns of cardiovascular disease‐associated mortality in zoo‐housed great apes is explored. Data relating to 71 great apes [Bonobos Pan paniscus (n = 13), Chimpanzees Pan troglodytes (n = 37), Western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla (n = 15), and Bornean orangutans Pongo pygmaeus and Sumatran orangutans Pongo abelii (n = 6)], which died between 2004 and 2014, were studied and key information relating to their signalment (taxa, age, sex), and manner and cause of death analysed. Male sex and increasing age were found to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease‐associated death. Relative to the other taxa, orangutans appeared to be less at risk of heart disease‐associated mortality. Deaths were often found to be sudden and unexpected. Cardiomyopathies were the most frequently diagnosed cardiovascular disorder. Of these, a group of cardiomyopathies characterized by the presence of myocardial fibrosis were most common, although there were inconsistencies with regards the reporting of other histopathological features. The study identified potential risk factors involved in great ape cardiovascular disease aetiopathogenesis which warrant further exploration. The findings also suggest a need for proactive screening to identify those affected earlier in the disease course. Finally, the study highlights a critical need for improvements to be made to the current approach to post‐mortem investigation of great ape heart disease and the subsequent reporting of cardiovascular lesions

Common mental disorders and mortality in the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study: comparing the General Health Questionnaire and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Background While various measures of common mental disorders (CMD) have been found to be associated with mortality, a comparison of how different measures predict mortality may improve our understanding of the association. This paper compares how the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) predict all cause and cause-specific mortality. Methods Data on 2547 men and women from two cohorts, aged approximately 39 and 55 years, from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study who were followed up for mortality over an average of 18.9 (SD 5.0) years. Scores were calculated for HADS depression (HADS-D), HADS Anxiety (HADS-A) and GHQ-30. Cox Proportional Hazards Models were used to determine how each CMD measure predicted mortality. Results After adjusting for serious physical illness, smoking, social class, alcohol, obesity, pulse rate and living alone, HRs (95% CI) per SD increase in score for all-cause mortality were: 1.15 (1.07 to 1.25) for HADSD; 1.13 (1.04 to 1.23) for GHQ-30 and 1.05 (0.96 to 1.14) for HADS-A. After the same adjustments, cardiovascular disease mortality was also related to HADS-D (HR 1.24 (1.07 to 1.43)), to GHQ-30 (HR 1.24 (1.11 to 1.40)) and to HADS-A (HR 1.15 (1.01 to 1.32)); respiratory mortality to GHQ-30 (HR 1.33 (1.13 to 1.55)) and mortality from other causes, excluding injuries, to HADS-D (HR 1.28 (1.05 to 1.55)). Conclusions There were associations between CMD and both all-cause and cause-specific mortality which were broadly similar for GHQ-30 and HADS-D and were still present after adjustment for important confounders and mediators

Peri-implant diseases and metabolic syndrome components: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is defined as a spectrum of conditions associated with an increased risk of developing CVD and type 2 diabetes. MetS include: hyperglycemia, hypertension, visceral obesity, dyslipidemia with elevated values of triglycerides (TG) and low levels of HDL. The aim of this review is to provide current knowledge of the relationship between MetS, its components and peri-implant diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic literature search was conducted in the English language in several databases. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment of cohort and cross-sectional studies; while systematic reviews were evaluated through AMSTAR; results were reported according to the PRISMA Statement. RESULTS: A total of 272 records were identified through database searching, six studies were included for qualitative analysis. No study directly related to MetS was found, there was inconsistent and controversial evidence regarding association with cardiovascular disease. A higher risk of peri-implantitis was detected in people with hyperglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should be orientated in assessing the risk of peri-implant diseases, evaluating patient's therapeutic response, analyzing directionality of the relationship between MetS, its components and biologic implant complications. Few studies have investigated the possible relationship between systemic conditions and peri-implant diseases. The aim of this review is to present, in a systematic manner, current evidence and knowledge regarding possible association between cardiovascular disease and implant biologic complications. Out of the one-hundred-eighty-nine studies screened, just five studies were selected for qualitative analysis: three cohort studies (one prospective and two retrospectives) and two cross-sectional studies. According to their results, there is inconsistent and controversial evidence regarding association of cardiovascular disease and implant biologic complications. Future research should be orientated in conducting longitudinal studies, evaluating patients affected by cardiovascular disease rehabilitated with dental implants