Association of Serum Bisphenol A with Hypertension in Thai Population

Objective. The present study aimed to examine the association between serum BPA and hypertension and evaluated whether it was influenced by estradiol level. Methods. A subsample of 2588 sera randomly selected from the Thai National Health Examination Survey IV, 2009, was measured for serum BPA and estradiol. Logistic regression was used to examine the association controlling for age, sex, diabetes, body mass index, and estradiol level. Results. Compared with the lowest quartile, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of hypertension for the fourth quartile of serum BPA was 2.16 (95% CI 1.31, 3.56) in women and 1.44 (0.99, 2.09) in men. There was no interaction between serum BPA and estradiol level. For analysis using log(BPA) as a continuous variable, the AOR per unit change in log(BPA) was 1.09 (95% CI 1.02, 1.16). Among postmenopausal women, the AOR for the fourth quartile of BPA was 2.33 (95% CI 1.31, 4.15) and, for premenopausal women, it was 2.12 (95% CI 0.87, 5.19). Conclusion. Serum BPA was independently associated with hypertension in women and was not likely to be affected by estrogen; however, its mechanism related to blood pressure needs further investigation

Sentiment and Topic Modeling Analysis on Twitter Reveals Concerns over Cannabis-Containing Food after Cannabis Legalization in Thailand

Objectives Twitter has been used to express a diverse range of public opinions about cannabis legalization in Thailand. The purpose of this study was to observe changes in sentiments after cannabis legalization and to investigate health-related topics discussed on Twitter. Methods Tweets in Thai and English related to cannabis were scraped from Twitter between May 1 and June 13, 2022, during cannabis legalization in Thailand. Sentiment and topic-modeling analyses were used to compare the content of tweets before and after legalization. Health-related topics were manually grouped into categories by their content and rated according to the number of corresponding tweets. Results We collected 21,242 and 6,493 tweets, respectively, for Thai and English search terms. A sharp increase in the number of tweets related to cannabis legalization was detected at the time of its public announcement. Sentiment analysis in the Thai search group showed a significant change (p < 0.0001) in sentiment distribution after legalization, with increased negative and decreased positive sentiments. A significant change was not found in the English search group (p = 0.4437). Regarding cannabis-containing food as a leading issue, topic-modeling analysis revealed public concerns after legalization in the Thai search group, but not the English one. Topics related to cannabis tourism surfaced only in the English search group. Conclusions Since cannabis legalization, the primary health-related concern has been cannabis-containing food. Education and clear regulations on cannabis use are required to strengthen oversight of cannabis in the Thai population, as well as among medical tourists

Work- and Travel-related Physical Activity and Alcohol Consumption: Relationship With Bone Mineral Density and Calcaneal Quantitative Ultrasonometry

AbstractA number of healthy workers rarely exercise because of a lack of time or resources. Physical activity related to work and everyday travel may be more feasible, but evidence of its beneficial effect on bone health is scarce. We assessed if this form of physical activity was associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) and stiffness index (SI) when adjusted for recreational physical activity, age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, education, and serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Healthy workers, aged 25–54 yr, of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand were surveyed. The outcomes were BMD (lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip) and calcaneal SI. Physical activity was estimated using the global physical activity questionnaire and considered active when >600 metabolic equivalent tasks (min). Of 2268 subjects, 74% were men. Active male subjects had significantly higher BMD at the femoral neck and total hip (p < 0.005). However, the association was not significant with male lumbar spine BMD, male SI, or any bone parameters in women (p > 0.05). In men, work and travel physical activity seems beneficial to male bone health; hence, it should be encouraged. Furthermore, smoking appeared harmful while moderate alcohol consumption was beneficial

Regional variation and determinants of vitamin D status in sunshine-abundant Thailand

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vitamin D insufficiency is highly prevalent. Most of the studies concerning vitamin D status were generated from countries situated at temperate latitudes. It is less clear what the extent of vitamin D insufficiency is in countries situated in the tropics and how geographical regions within country would affect vitamin D status. In the present study, we investigated vitamin D status in Thais according to geographical regions and other risk factors.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects consisted of 2,641 adults, aged 15 - 98 years, randomly selected from the Thai 4th National Health Examination Survey (2008-9) cohort. Serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D were measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Data were expressed as mean ± SE.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Subjects residing in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, had lower 25(OH)D levels than other parts of the country (Bangkok, central, northern, northeastern and southern regions: 64.8 ± 0.7, 79.5 ± 1.1, 81.7 ± 1.2, 82.2 ± 0.8 and 78.3 ± 1.3 nmol/L, respectively; <it>p </it>< 0.001). Within each region, except for the northeastern part of the country, subjects living inside municipal areas had lower circulating 25(OH)D (central, 77.0 ± 20.9 nmol/L vs 85.0 ± 22.1 nmol/L, <it>p </it>< 0.001; north 79.3 ± 22.1 nmol/L vs 86.8 ± 21.8 nmol/L, <it>p </it>< 0.001; northeast 84.1 ± 23.3 nmol/L vs 87.3 ± 20.9 nmol/L, <it>p </it>= 0.001; south, 76.6 ± 20.5 nmol/L vs 85.2 ± 24.7 nmol/L, <it>p </it>< 0.001). Overall, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was 64.6%, 46.7%, and 33.5% in Bangkok, municipal areas except Bangkok, and outside municipal area in other parts of the country, respectively. In addition, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency according to geographical regions was 43.1%, 39.1%, 34.2% and 43.8% in the central, north, northeast and south, respectively. After controlling for covariates in multiple linear regression analysis, the results showed that low serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with being female, younger age, living in urban and Bangkok.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Vitamin D insufficiency is common and varies across geographical regions in Thailand.</p

Hypogonadism in thalassemia major patients

Despite recent advances in iron chelation therapy, excess iron deposition in pituitary gonadotropic cells remains one of the major problems in thalassemic patients. Hypogonadism, mostly hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, is usually detected during puberty. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for normal pubertal development and to reduce the complications of hypogonadism. The risks and benefits of hormonal replacement therapy, especially regarding the thromboembolic event, remain a challenge for providers caring for thalassemic patients

The Association of Serum Bisphenol A with Thyroid Autoimmunity

Introduction: Data on the association of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and autoimmunity in humans is unclear. Objective: To elucidate the influence of BPA on thyroid autoimmunity, in the present study we assessed the association between serum BPA and thyroid autoantibodies. Methods: Serum samples from 2361 subjects, aged ≥15 years, from the Thai 4th National Health Examination Survey were measured for BPA, antithyroglobulin (TgAb), antithyroperoxidase (TPOAb) and antithyrotrophin receptor (TRAb) antibodies. Results: The proportion of subjects positive for TgAb, TPOAb and TRAb were 11.1%, 14.9% and 1.9%, respectively. With regard to BPA, 51.9% had serum BPA levels exceeding the detection limit of the assay (0.3). There was a significant increasing trend for subjects with TgAb (p &lt; 0.05) and TPOAb (p &lt; 0.001) positivity as BPA quartiles increased, particularly in the highest quartile. In contrast, no relationship between BPA quartiles and TRAb was found. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender and BPA quartiles were determinants of TPOAb or TgAb positivity, independent of BMI. However, only the association between BPA and TPOAb positivity was consistent in both men and women. Conclusions: BPA was independently associated with TPOAb positivity. However, its mechanism related to TPOAb positivity, subsequently leading to autoimmune thyroid disease, needs further investigation

Association of serum bisphenol A with hypertension in Thai population

Objective. The present study aimed to examine the association between serum BPA and hypertension and evaluated whether it was influenced by estradiol level. Methods. A subsample of 2588 sera randomly selected from the Thai National Health Examination Survey IV, 2009, was measured for serum BPA and estradiol. Logistic regression was used to examine the association controlling for age, sex, diabetes, body mass index, and estradiol level. Results. Compared with the lowest quartile, the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of hypertension for the fourth quartile of serum BPA was 2.16 (95% CI 1.31, 3.56) in women and 1.44 (0.99, 2.09) in men. There was no interaction between serum BPA and estradiol level. For analysis using log(BPA) as a continuous variable, the AOR per unit change in log(BPA) was 1.09 (95% CI 1.02, 1.16). Among postmenopausal women, the AOR for the fourth quartile of BPA was 2.33 (95% CI 1.31, 4.15) and, for premenopausal women, it was 2.12 (95% CI 0.87, 5.19). Conclusion. Serum BPA was independently associated with hypertension in women and was not likely to be affected by estrogen; however, its mechanism related to blood pressure needs further investigation

Factors affecting health-care costs and hospitalizations among diabetic patients in Thai public hospitals

Diabetes mellitus is likely to have a major effect on vision, and adequate knowledge of its ocular manifestations is of substantial importance to diabetic patients. The study aimed to assess the ocular knowledge and practices among Type 2 diabetic patients of Bangladesh