Impact of physical activity category on incidence of cardiovascular disease:Results from the 10-year follow-up of the ATTICA Study (2002–2012)

The aim of the study was to examine the effects of physical activity (PA) level on 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, taking into consideration several clinical and lifestyle risk factors along with the potential moderating role of gender. An analysis was undertaken on data from the ATTICA prospective cohort study (10-year follow-up, 2002–2012), which followed a Greek adult population (aged 18–89 years). A total n = 317 of fatal and nonfatal CVD events occurred among the 2020 participants. After adjusting for the lifestyle and clinical risk factors as potential confounders, odds ratio (ORs) of CVD risk of individuals who reported being sufficiently active and highly active were decreased by 58% (95% CI: 0.30, 0.58) and 70% (95% CI: 0.15, 0.56), when compared to those who were inactive/insufficiently active, respectively. Men had nearly two-fold increase in risk of CVD (95% CI: 1.62, 2.18) versus women. Stratified analysis by gender, revealed that sufficiently active men, had 52% (95% CI: 0.24, 0.97) reduced risk of CVD incidence when compared to inactive males, while, for women, the role of PA lost significance following adjusting for lifestyle factors. The current data suggests a beneficial effect of even moderate physical activity levels on 10-year incidence of CVD, reinforcing the importance of physically activity, especially for men

Exposure to second hand smoke and 10-year (2002–2012) incidence of cardiovascular disease in never smokers: The ATTICA cohort study

Background: Despite WHO Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) adoption, effective implementation of national smoking bans remains pending in several countries. This study quantified the association of second hand smoke (SHS) exposure and 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) among never smokers in such settings. Methods: In 2001–2002, a sample of 1514 males and 1528 females (range: 18–89 years old) were randomly selected in Greece. Frequency and duration of SHS exposure (i.e. exposure extending >30 min/day) within the home and/or workplace were assessed by interview. Following a 10-year follow-up period (2002–2012), incidence of non-fatal and fatal CVD (ICD-10) was evaluated among n = 2020 participants. The analytic study sample consisted of all never smokers (n = 910). Results: Despite national smoking ban implementation (2009), 44.6% (n = 406) of never smokers reported SHS exposure. While SHS exposed never smokers exhibited a more favorable profile of CVD-related risk factors at baseline, they subsequently developed similar 10-year CVD incidence rates, at a younger mean age (p = 0.001), than their non-exposed counterparts. Following adjustment for several lifestyle and clinical factors, SHS exposed never smokers exhibited a two-fold elevated 10-year CVD risk (adj. HR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.43–2.92), particularly among women (adj. HR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.45–4.06). SHS exposure accounted for 32% excess Population Attributable Risk (PAR) for 10-year CVD events in never smokers, with highest rates (PAR: 52%) being among those exposed in the workplace. Conclusion: The prevention of SHS associated CVD and related healthcare costs mandates additional strategies for securing the effective implementation of comprehensive WHO FCTC based national smoking bans. © 2019 Elsevier B.V

Single and combined effects of inflammatory markers on 10 year diabetes incidence: The mediating role of adiposity—Results from the ATTICA cohort study

Background: The role of inflammation in diabetes development is not fully elucidated. The aim of this work was to investigate the independent effect of individual inflammatory markers and combinations of them on diabetes incidence and the potential mediating role of obesity. Methods: In 2001 to 2002, a random sample of 1514 men (18-87 years old) and 1528 women (18-89 years old) was selected to participate in the ATTICA study, where Athens is a major metropolis. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumour necrosis factor-alpha, serum amyloid alpha, fibrinogen, and homocysteine were measured. Covariates included various clinical, demographic, and lifestyle characteristics, assessed with standard procedures. In 2012, the 10 year follow-up was performed. Diabetes diagnosis was defined according to American Diabetes Association criteria among n = 1485 participants. Results: One hundred ninety-one incident cases of diabetes were documented, yielding an incidence of 12.9% (13.4% in men and 12.4% in women). After adjustments, only elevated IL-6 increased by 2.2 times the 10 year diabetes risk (third vs first tertile, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.28). After investigating combinations of inflammatory markers, combined elevated levels of CRP and IL-6 or CRP and fibrinogen (both markers ≥75th percentile vs <75th percentile) increased the risk by 1.93 times (95% CI: 1.20, 3.08) and 2.37 times (95% CI: 1.37, 4.16), respectively. Body mass index was found to significantly mediate the aggravating effect of inflammation. Conclusions: The reported results underline the significant role of individual IL-6 or combinations of CRP-IL-6 and CRP-fibrinogen in diabetes prediction. Adiposity seems to be primarily responsible for an increase in inflammatory markers, leading through this mechanism to insulin resistance and increasing diabetes risk. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Stage 1 hypertension, but not elevated blood pressure, predicts 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD events in healthy adults: the ATTICA Study

The study evaluated the extent to which high normal blood pressure (HNBP), elevated BP, and Stage 1 hypertension predict 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A population-based, prospective cohort study was conducted among 3042 randomly selected Greek adults, aged 18–89 years. Following 10-years follow-up (2002–2012), incidence of non-fatal and fatal CVD (ICD-10) was achieved in 2020 participants. The analytic sample (n = 1403) excluded hypertensive patients. At baseline, the prevalence rate of HNBP, elevated BP, and Stage 1 hypertension was 44.6% (n = 626), 29.0% (n = 408), and 15.5% (n = 218), respectively. During follow-up, the 10-year combined (fatal or non-fatal) CVD incidence rates in HNBP, elevated BP, and Stage 1 hypertensive individuals were 15.6% (n = 98), 12.0% (n = 49), and 22.5% (n = 49), respectively, as compared to 6.3% (n = 49) in normotensives (all p’s < 0.0001). As compared to normotensives (and following the adjustment for known demographic, lifestyle and clinical confounding factors), HNBP participants had a 1.5-fold (Adjusted Hazard Ratio, Adj. HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.00–2.20) increased risk of 10-year CVD events. Similarly, Stage 1 hypertensive participants had an approximately twofold (Adj. HR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.16–3.08) increased risk for 10-year CVD, particularly among males (Adj. HR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.08–3.83). However, individuals with elevated BP did not exhibit a differential risk for developing 10-year CVD events (Adj. HR: 1.28; 95% CI: 0.82–2.02). Therefore, since HNBP and Stage 1 hypertension individuals exhibit a notable increased risk of 10-year fatal and non-fatal CVD, the implementation of targeted primary and secondary prevention interventions may deter both CVD and related adverse health outcomes. © 2019, Springer Nature Limited

10-year incidence of diabetes and associated risk factors in Greece: the ATTICA study (2002-2012)

BACKGROUND: The incidence of diabetes in the general population is increasing world-wide. The increase is attributed to the consumption of saturated fatty acids, obesity, lack of physical activity, genetic predisposition, and other factors, but knowledge about the reasons, biological mechanisms, and late complications is insufficient. It is therefore important to clarify the reasons more exactly through long-term clinical trials to stop the rise of diabetes and its complications. AIM: To evaluate the 10-year incidence of type 2 diabetes in apparently healthy Greek adults. METHODS: In 2001-2002, a random sample of 1514 men (18-87 years old) and 1528 women (18-89 years old) was selected to participate in the ATTICA study. During 2011-2012, the 10-year follow-up was performed. Patients diagnosed with diabetes at baseline (n = 210) and those lost at the 10-year follow-up (n = 1347) were excluded, yielding a final sample of 1485 participants. RESULTS: During the period of investigation, diabetes was diagnosed in 191 cases corresponding to a 12.9% incidence (95%CI: 10.4-15.4), with 13.4% (95%CI: 10.8-16) in men and 12.4% (95%CI: 10.1-14.7) in women. A relative increase was observed in the second half of the 10-year follow-up when age became significant. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR = 1.14, 95%CI: 1.09-1.19), abnormal waist-to-height ratio (OR = 3.27, 95%CI: 1.07-10.0), fasting blood glucose (OR per 1 mg/dl = 0.05, 95%CI: 1.02-1.08), energy intake (OR per 500 kcal = 1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.35), and family history of diabetes (OR = 2.8, 95%CI: 1.30-6.03) were the most significant baseline predictors for diabetes, after adjusting for potential confounders. Waist-to-height ratio showed the best explanatory power of all anthropometric variables. Physical activity exerts an effect on risk factors. Being active was found to eliminate the aggravating effect of diabetes family history and fasting blood glucose. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm the escalating increase of type 2 diabetes incidence in Greece, which is in line with global trends. A lifestyle change in individuals at risk of developing diabetes towards healthier eating and increased physical activity would be an effective and inexpensive means of reducing diabetes

Ten-year (2002-2012) cardiovascular disease incidence and all-cause mortality, in urban Greek population: The ATTICA Study

Aim The 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality, as well as its determinants, in a sample of men and women from Greece, was evaluated. Methods From May 2001 to December 2002, 1514 men and 1528 women (> 18 y) without any clinical evidence of CVD or any other chronic disease, at baseline, living in greater Athens area, in Greece, were enrolled. In 2011-12, the 10-year follow-up was performed in 2583 participants (15% of the participants were lost to follow-up). Incidence of fatal or non-fatal CVD (coronary heart disease, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, or other CVD) was defined according to World Health Organization (WHO)-International Coding Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria. Results The 10-year CVD incidence was 19.7% in men and 11.7% in women (p < 0.001). Multi-adjusted analysis revealed that the determinants of CVD events were increased age (Hazard ratio (HR) per year = 1.06, 95%Confidence Interval (CI): 1.04, 1.08), male sex (HR = 1.40, 95%CI: 0.90, 2.19), smoking (HR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.03, 2.27), C-reactive protein levels (HR per 1 mg/L = 1.06, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.15), as well as adherence to Mediterranean diet (protective) (HR per 1/55 units = 0.98, 95%CI: 0.95, 1.01). Conclusion The burden of CVD and its related risk factors is at emerging rates, in Greece, making the need for effective public health actions, more necessary than ever before. © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Visceral adiposity index outperforms common anthropometric indices in predicting 10-year diabetes risk: Results from the ATTICA study

Background: Visceral adiposity index (VAI) is a novel marker of visceral adipose tissue accumulation and dysfunction. The study aim was to explore the association of VAI with the 10-year type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) incidence in apparently healthy individuals and compare its T2DM predictive ability against common anthropometric indices. Methods: In 2001 to 2002, the ATTICA study (Greece) recruited a random sample of 1514 and 1528 CVD-free men (18-87 years old) and women (18-89 years old), respectively. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, clinical, and biochemical characteristics of participants were measured at baseline, and the 10-year follow-up was performed during 2011 to 2012. After excluding participants with diabetes at baseline and participants without complete follow-up information regarding diabetes status and/or baseline VAI values, the working sample consisted of 1049 participants. In this sample, the predictive value of baseline VAI value was studied in relation to 10-year diabetes incidence. Results: One hundred thirty-three incident cases of diabetes were documented (10-year incidence: 12.7%). In the fully adjusted model, VAI significantly increased diabetes risk by 22% (OR per 1-unit increase =1.22; 95%CI, 1.09-1.37). Markers of oxidative stress and inflammation were found to, at least partly, mediate this relationship. Also, a moderating effect of menstruation status was revealed among women. VAI showed the highest predictive ability and contributed the most, along with waist-to-height ratio, to the correct classification of participants who developed diabetes. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that VAI may be a useful index for predicting long-term diabetes development and may exhibit better predictive ability to commonly used anthropometric indices. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Moderate physical activity reduces 10-year diabetes incidence: the mediating role of oxidative stress biomarkers

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of physical activity levels on 10-year diabetes incidence and investigate the potential mechanism. Methods: In 2001–2002, a random sample of apparently healthy 3042 men and women (18–89 years) was selected to participate in the ATTICA study. Several socio-demographic, clinical and lifestyle characteristics were recorded. Physical activity level was recorded through a translated, validated, version of International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); MET min/week was calculated and quartiles constructed. Diabetes diagnosis was defined according to the ADA criteria. During 2011–2012, a 10-year follow-up was performed. Results: n = 191 cases were recorded, yielding an incidence of 12.9%. In multivariable analysis, moderate physical activity level (331–1484 MET min/week) was found to decrease 10-year diabetes incidence by 53% compared to very low physical activity (< 150 MET min/week) (OR = 0.47; 95% CI 0.24, 0.93). For high physical activity level (> 1484 MET min/week), the results were not significant. The antidiabetic effect was found to be mediated by oxidized LDL and total antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: The current work revealed the significant beneficial role of moderate physical activity against diabetes development, potentially through attenuating oxidative stress. © 2017, Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+)

Adiponectin circulating levels and 10-year (2002–2012) cardiovascular disease incidence: the ATTICA Study

Purpose: Adiponectin is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular-protective properties. Existing epidemiological evidence is conflicting on the exact relationship between adiponectin and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Our aim was to prospectively assess whether circulating adiponectin is associated with long-term incident CVD. Methods: A population-based, prospective study in adults (>18 years) without previous CVD history (ATTICA study). Circulating total adiponectin levels were measured at baseline (2001–2002) in a sub-sample (n = 531; women/men: 222/309; age: 40 ± 11 years) of the ATTICA cohort and complete 10-year follow-up data were available in 366 of these participants (women/men: 154/212; age: 40 ± 12 years). Results: After adjusting for multiple factors, including age, sex, body mass index, waist circumference, smoking, physical activity, Mediterranean diet adherence, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, our logistic regression analysis indicates that an increase in circulating total adiponectin levels by 1 unit was associated with 36% lower CVD risk (relative risk [RR]: 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42–0.96; p = 0.03). Further adjusting for interleukin-6 plasma levels had no significant impact (RR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.38–0.94; p = 0.03), while additional adjustment for circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) modestly attenuated this association (RR: 0.63, 95% CI 0.40–0.99; p = 0.046). Conclusions: In our study, elevated circulating total adiponectin levels were associated with lower 10-year CVD risk in adults without previous CVD, independently of other established CVD risk factors. This association appeared to be modestly attenuated by CRP, yet was not mediated by interleukin-6 which is the main endocrine/circulating pro-inflammatory cytokine. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

Adherence to Mediterranean diet and 10-year incidence (2002-2012) of diabetes: Correlations with inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in the ATTICA cohort study

Background: The purpose of this work was to investigate the links between oxidative stress, inflammation and coagulation and their effect on Mediterranean diet-diabetes relationship. Methods: In 2001-2002, a random sample of 1514 men (18-87 years old) and 1528 women (18-89 years old) was selected to participate in the ATTICA study, where Athens is the major metropolis. A validated questionnaire was used to assess lifestyle and dietary factors. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was recorded using MedDietScore. Among others, oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers were recorded. During 2011-2012, the 10-year follow-up was performed. Diabetes incidence was defined according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. Results: A total of 191 incident cases of diabetes were documented, yielding an incidence of 12.9% (13.4% in men and 12.4% in women). Medium and high adherence was found to decrease diabetes risk by 49% (95% CI: 0.30, 0.88) and 62% (95% CI: 0.16, 0.88), respectively, compared with low adherence. A logarithmic trend between Mediterranean diet and diabetes incidence was also revealed (p for trend=0.042). Individuals with abnormal waist circumference (>94 for men, >80 for women) were benefited the most. Wholegrain cereals, fruits and legumes had the greatest predictive ability. The anti-diabetic effect of Mediterranean diet correlated with measurements of tumour necrosis factor-α, homocysteine and total antioxidant capacity. Conclusions: The reported results support the role of Mediterranean diet as a promising dietary tool for the primary prevention of diabetes, by attenuating inflammation and fostering total antioxidant capacity. This dietary pattern may have therapeutic potential for many cardiometabolic disorders associated with inflammation and/or oxidative stress. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd