Oral health status: relationship to nutrient and food intake among 80‐year‐old Japanese adults

Objectives The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the relationship of oral health status defined on the basis of presence of posterior occluding pairs ( POP s) and adequacy of removable denture fit as determined by self‐report to nutrient and food intake among older Japanese. Methods The subjects were 353 Japanese aged 80 years in 2008 and were classified into four groups according to the number of POP s, defined as pairs of occluding natural, restored, or fixed prosthetic postcanine teeth (range: 0–8) and removable denture status. The groups were: (i) good dentition ( n  =   56; 8 POP s and no removable prosthesis), (ii) well‐fitting dentures ( n  =   158; <8 POP s with self‐reported good‐fitting dentures), (iii) ill‐fitting dentures ( n  =   70; <8 POP s with self‐reported ill‐fitting dentures), and (iv) compromised dentition ( n  =   69; <8 POP s and no removable prosthesis). Multivariable analysis of the differences in nutrient and food intake outcome variables which were collected via validated food frequency questionnaire among the four oral health status groups was conducted using general linear models. Results Intake of multiple nutrients was significantly ( P  <   0.05) lower in the group with ill‐fitting dentures or compromised dentition than in the good dentition group. Vegetable, fish, and shellfish consumption was significantly lower in the ill‐fitting dentures or compromised dentition groups. No significant differences were seen in dietary intake between the well‐fitting dentures and good dentition groups. Conclusions Dietary intake was poorer in those with self‐perceived ill‐fitting dentures or fewer POP s than among those having all POP s. Regular dental care to maintain intact dentition, as well as dental treatment to replace missing teeth and ensure adequate denture fit and function, may be important to the diet intake and subsequent nutritional status of older Japanese.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108691/1/cdoe12100.pd

Effect of lifestyle on 6‐year periodontitis incidence or progression and tooth loss in older adults

AimTo evaluate the longitudinal association of combined healthy lifestyle factors with incidence or progression of periodontitis and tooth loss in older adults.Materials and methodsThis 6‐year study included 374 Japanese 70‐year olds with 7,157 teeth, from a source eligible baseline population of 554 individuals. Four lifestyle factors—cigarette smoking, physical activity, relative weight, and dietary quality—were scored as healthy (1 point) or unhealthy (0 point). Adding the individual scores generated the “healthy lifestyle score” (0–4 points). Multilevel mixed‐effects logistic regression models were applied to evaluate tooth‐specific associations between the baseline healthy lifestyle score and the incidence or progression of periodontitis (increase in clinical attachment loss ≥3 mm) and tooth loss.ResultsAfter 6 years, 19.0% of the teeth exhibited periodontitis incidence or progression and 8.2% were lost. Compared with a healthy lifestyle score of 0–1 (least healthy), the highest score (4 points) was associated with a significantly lower tooth‐specific risk of periodontitis (adjusted odds ratio = 0.32; 95% confidence interval: 0.16–0.62) and tooth loss (adjusted odds ratio = 0.42; 95% confidence interval: 0.23–0.77).ConclusionsSimultaneous adherence to multiple healthy lifestyle factors significantly lowers the risk of incidence or progression of periodontitis and tooth loss in older adults.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145573/1/jcpe12920_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/145573/2/jcpe12920.pd

高齢者への長期ビタミンD投与

Daily １，０００ IU vitamin D was supplemented to ８７ years old female（Case １）and ６８ years old male（Case ２）subjects with sarcopenia and vitamin D insufficiency／deficiency for ２ years and ５ months and ２ years and ７ months, respectively. Before, １ year and ９ months, and ２ years and ５ months after vitamin D supplementation in Case １, serum ２５‐hydroxyvitamin D［２５（OH）D］level was ９ ng/ml, ２３．８ ng/ml and ２３．１ ng/ml, skeletal muscle mass was ８．９５ kg, １０．２ kg and １０．０ kg, handgrip strength was ７．３ kg, ８．９ kg and ９．９ kg, and Barthel index was ４０, ８５ and ９０, respectively. Before, and ２ years and ７ months after vitamin D supplementation in Case ２, serum ２５（OH）D level was ２６ ng/ml and ３４．４ ng/ml, skeletal muscle mass was ２４．６ kg and ２５．１ kg, handgrip strength was ３７．２ kg and ３８．３ kg, and Barthel index was １００ and １００, respectively. Thus, activity of daily living（ADL）markedly improved in Case １ and keep high in Case ２. Therefore, it is suggested that daily １，０００ IU vitamin D supplementation is effective to keep QOL of aged persons higher

Hyposalivation and 10‐year all‐cause mortality in an elderly Japanese population

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143602/1/ger12319.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/143602/2/ger12319_am.pd

Income Related Inequality of Health Care Access in Japan: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to analyze the association between income level and health care access in Japan. Data from a total of 222,259 subjects (age range, 0-74 years) who submitted National Health Insurance claims in Chiba City from April 2012 to March 2014 and who declared income for the tax period from January 1 to December 31, 2012 were integrated and analyzed. The generalized estimating equation, in which household was defined as a cluster, was used to evaluate the association between equivalent income and utilization and duration of hospitalization and outpatient care services. A significant positive linear association was observed between income level and outpatient visit rates among all age groups of both sexes; however, a significantly higher rate and longer period of hospitalization, and longer outpatient care, were observed among certain lower income subgroups. To control for decreased income due to hospitalization, subjects hospitalized during the previous year were excluded, and the data was then reanalyzed. Significant inverse associations remained in the hospitalization rate among 40-59-year-old men and 60-69-year-old women, and in duration of hospitalization among 40-59 and 60-69-year-olds of both sexes and 70-74-year-old women. These results suggest that low-income individuals in Japan have poorer access to outpatient care and more serious health conditions than their higher income counterparts

Exogenous TPRX1 homeoprotein modulates the gene expression of lineage-specific transcription factors in human embryonal carcinoma cells

We reported previously that EGAM1 homeoproteins (EGAM1 and EGAM1N), transcribed from the Crxos gene as splicing variants, are expressed in preimplantation mouse embryos and mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Exogenous expression of these proteins affects the maintenance of an undifferentiated state and the progression of differentiation in mouse ES cells. Human tetrapeptide-repeat homeobox 1 (TPRX1), a member of the eutherian totipotent cell homeobox (ETCHbox) genes, is an ortholog of Crxos. However, the roles of TPRX1 in the differentiation of human pluripotent cells are still unknown. Because the TPRX1 transcripts were undetectable in an undifferentiated state and during the progression of differentiation in wild-type human embryonal carcinoma NT2/D1 cells, it would be advantageous to clarify the relationship between the exogenous expression of TPRX1 and the induction of genes encoding lineage-specific transcription factors in pluripotent cells. The expression of GATA6 and FOXA2, crucial transcription factors for the formation of the primitive endoderm, was upregulated, whereas that of CDX2, a crucial transcription factor for the formation of the trophectoderm, was downregulated by enforced expression of TPRX1. Overall, we suggest that TPRX1 is capable of modulating the expression of lineage-specific transcription factors in pluripotent cells derived from humans

Income-Related Inequalities in Access to Dental Care Services in Japan

Background: This study aimed to evaluate whether income-related inequalities in access to dental care services exist in Japan. Methods: The subjects included beneficiaries of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in Chiba City, Japan, who had been enrolled from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015. The presence or absence of dental visits and number of days spent on dental care services during the year were calculated using insurance claims submitted. Equivalent household income was calculated using individual income data from 1 January to 31 December 2013, declared for taxation. Results: Of the 216,211 enrolled subjects, 50.3% had dental care during the year. Among those with dental visits, the average number of days (standard deviation) spent on dental care services per year was 7.7 (7.1). Low income was associated with a decreased rate of dental care utilization regardless of age and sex. However, there was a significant inverse linear association between the number of days spent on dental care services and income levels for both sexes. Conclusions: There were income-related inequalities in access to dental care services, regardless of the age group or sex, within the Japanese universal health insurance system