Development and validation of a logistic regression model for predicting menstrual irregularity using LDL-C and age in reproductive-aged women: An analysis of NHANES Data

The effect of adding water-soluble fiber to a diet low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol to treat hypercholesterolemic children and adolescents with elevated plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels was assessed. In more than a half-dozen studies, the effect of water-soluble fiber on the LDL cholesterol level ranged from no change to as high as a 23% decrease using oat bran, psyllium, or locust bean gum. The wide range of effects in these studies may be related to the quality of the dietary intervention or to different methods of randomization, blinding, dietary assessment, and laboratory measurement. For example, the addition of supplemented soluble fiber (psyllium) to a step 1 diet may provide additional lowering of LDL cholesterol of 10% to 15%. However, in children consuming the more stringent step 2 diet, the addition of water-soluble fiber may have less additional effects on LDL cholesterol. As recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Blood Cholesterol Levels in Children and Adolescents, dietary therapy, that is, a diet low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, remains the cornerstone of treatment for children and adolescents with elevated LDL cholesterol levels. The use of foods high in water-soluble fiber that contain no cholesterol and are low in saturated fat remains a good choice in children following a step 1 or step 2 diet. Additional clinical trials in larger numbers of well-defined subjects will be needed to assess further the utility of adding water-soluble fiber supplements to the National Cholesterol Education Program step 1 or step 2 diets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Background: Although current cholesterol performance measures define good quality as low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels < 100mg/dl in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients, they provide a snap shot at one time point and do not inform whether an appropriate action was taken to manage elevated LDL-C levels. We assessed frequency and predictors of this appropriate response (AR). Methods: We used administrative data to assess 22,902 CVD patients receiving care in a Veterans Affairs network of 7 hospitals and affiliated clinics. We determined the proportion of CVD patients at LDL-C goal <100 mg/dl, and the proportion of patients with uncontrolled LDL-C levels (>100 mg/dl) who had an AR [defined as the initiation or dosage increase of a lipid lowering medication (LLM), addition of a new LLM, receipt of maximum dosage or >1 LLM, or LDL-C reading <100 mg/dl] at 45 days follow-up. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate facility, provider and patient characteristics associated with AR. Results: LDL-C levels were at goal in 16,350 (71.4%) patients. An additional 2,110 (9.2%) had an AR at 45 days of follow-up. Controlling for clustering between facilities and patient's illness severity, history of diabetes (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03-1.35), hypertension (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.44), patients showing good medication adherence (medication possession ratio > 0.8) [OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.99-2.64] were associated with AR. Older CVD patients (age >75 years) were less likely to receive AR (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.52-0.70). Teaching vs. non-teaching facility (p=0.40), physician vs. non-physician provider (p=0.14), specialist vs. non-specialist primary care provider (p=0.12), and patient's race (p=0.12) were not predictors of AR. Conclusion: Among patients with CVD and LDL-C above guideline recommended levels, only one-third receive AR. Diabetic and hypertensive CVD patients are more likely to receive AR, whereas older Veterans with CVD receive AR less often likely reflecting providers' belief of lack of efficacy from treatment intensification in older CVD patients. Our findings are important for quality improvement and policy making initiatives as they provide more actionable information compared with isolated LDL-C goal attainment as a quality indicator.

To investigate the plasma lipoprotein subclasses in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), a total of 20 Chinese POAG patients on intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering treatment and 20 age-matched control subjects were recruited. Based on the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), the study subjects were divided into elevated- and normal-level subgroups. The plasma lipoprotein, lipoprotein subclasses, and oxidized LDL (oxLDL) levels were quantitatively measured. The discrimination potential of the lipoproteins was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and their correlation with clinical parameters was also evaluated. Compared to the control subjects with elevated TC and/or LDL-C levels, the levels of TC, LDL-C, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL), LDL subclass LDL3 and small dense LDL (sdLDL), and oxLDL were significantly higher in POAG patients with elevated TC and/or LDL-C levels. No differences in any lipoproteins or the subclasses were found between the POAG patients and control subjects with normal TC and LDL-C levels. Moderate-to-good performance of TC, LDL-C, non-HDL, LDL3, sdLDL, and oxLDL was found in discriminating between the POAG patients and control subjects with elevated TC and/or LDL-C levels (AUC: 0.710–0.950). Significant negative correlations between LDL3 and sdLDL with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in the superior quadrant and between LDL3 and average RNFL thickness were observed in POAG patients with elevated TC and/or LDL-C levels. This study revealed a significant elevation of plasma lipoproteins, especially the LDL subclasses, in POAG patients with elevated TC and/or LDL-C levels, providing insights on monitoring specific lipoproteins in POAG patients with elevated TC and/or LDL-C.

Health care practitioners who care for adolescents transitioning to adulthood often face incongruent recommendations from pediatric and adult guidelines for treatment of lipid levels. To compare the proportion of young people aged 17 to 21 years who meet criteria for pharmacologic treatment of elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels under pediatric vs adult guidelines. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) population. Surveys were administered from January 1, 1999, through December 31, 2012, and the analysis was performed from June through December 2014. Participants included 6338 individuals aged 17 to 21 years in the United States. To estimate the number and proportion of individuals aged 17 to 21 years in the NHANES population who were eligible for statin therapy, we applied treatment algorithms from the 2011 Integrated Guidelines for Cardiovascular Health and Risk Reduction in Children and Adolescents of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the 2013 Guideline on the Treatment of Blood Cholesterol to Reduce Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk in Adults from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association. After imputing missing data and applying NHANES sampling weights, we extrapolated the results to 20.4 million noninstitutionalized young people aged 17 to 21 years living in the United States. Of the 6338 young people aged 17 to 21 years in the NHANES population, 2.5% (95% CI, 1.8%-3.2%) would qualify for statin treatment under the pediatric guidelines compared with 0.4% (95% CI, 0.1%-0.8%) under the adult guidelines. Participants who met pediatric criteria had lower mean (SD) LDL-C levels (167.3 [3.8] vs 210.0 [7.1] mg/dL) but higher proportions of other cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension (10.8% vs 8.4%), smoking (55.0% vs 23.9%), and obesity (67.7% vs 18.2%) compared with those who met the adult guidelines. Extrapolating to the US population of individuals aged 17 to 21 years represented by the NHANES sample, 483 500 (95% CI, 482 100-484 800) young people would be eligible for treatment of LDL-C levels if the pediatric guidelines were applied compared with only 78 200 (95% CI, 77 600-78 700) if the adult guidelines were applied. Application of pediatric vs adult guidelines for lipid levels, which consider additional cardiovascular risk factors beyond age and LDL-C concentration, might result in statin treatment for more than 400 000 additional adolescents and young adults.

Cost-Effectiveness of 3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) Reductase Inhibitor Therapy in the Managed Care Era

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with elevated low- density lipoprotein cholesterol level

Progress of diabetes care is a subject of public health concern. To assess changes in quality of diabetes care in the United States by using standardized measures. National population-based, serial cross-sectional surveys. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994 and 1999-2002) and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (1995 and 2002). Survey participants 18 to 75 years of age who reported a diagnosis of diabetes. Glycemic control, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level, annual cholesterol level monitoring, and annual foot and dilated eye examination, as defined by the National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance measures. In the past decade, the proportion of persons with diabetes with poor glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c > 9%) showed a nonstatistically significant decrease of 3.9% (95% CI, -10.4% to 2.5%), while the proportion of persons with fair or good lipid control (LDL cholesterol level < 3.4 mmol/L [<130 mg/dL]) had a statistically significant increase of 21.9% (CI, 12.4% to 31.3%). Mean LDL cholesterol level decreased by 0.5 mmol/L (18.8 mg/dL). Although mean hemoglobin A1c did not change, the proportion of persons with hemoglobin A(1c) of 6% to 8% increased from 34.2% to 47.0%. The blood pressure distribution did not change. Annual lipid testing, dilated eye examination, and foot examination increased by 8.3% (CI, 4.0% to 12.7%), 4.5% (CI, 0.5% to 8.5%), and 3.8% (CI, -0.1% to 7.7%), respectively. The proportion of persons reporting annual influenza vaccination and aspirin use improved by 6.8 percentage points (CI, 2.9 percentage points to 10.7 percentage points) and 13.1 percentage points (CI, 5.4 percentage points to 20.7 percentage points), respectively. Data are self-reported, and the surveys do not have all National Diabetes Quality Improvement Alliance indicators. Diabetes processes of care and intermediate outcomes have improved nationally in the past decade. But 2 in 5 persons with diabetes still have poor LDL cholesterol control, 1 in 3 persons still has poor blood pressure control, and 1 in 5 persons still has poor glycemic control.

The ATP citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor, bempedoic acid, reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 13% in patients at high cardiovascular risk with intolerance of statin and high-intensity statin medications. The effects of bempedoic acid on total cardiovascular events remain unknown. To determine the impact of bempedoic acid on the total incidence of MACE. Included in this prespecified analysis of the Cholesterol Lowering via Bempedoic Acid, an ACL-Inhibiting Regimen (CLEAR) Outcomes trial were patients with, or at high risk for, cardiovascular disease, with hypercholesterolemia and inability to take guideline-recommended statins. Study data were analyzed from December 2016 to November 2022. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment with bempedoic acid or placebo daily. The primary end point was the time to first event for a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or coronary revascularization (MACE-4). The key secondary end point was time to first event for cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and nonfatal stroke (MACE-3). This prespecified analysis compared the total number of cardiovascular events in the treatment groups. A total of 13 970 patients (mean [SD] age, 65 [9] years; 7230 male [51.8%]) were included in the study. A total of 9764 participants (69.9%) had prior atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and a baseline LDL-C level of 139 mg/dL; treatment with bempedoic acid resulted in a 21% reduction in LDL-C level and a 22% reduction in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) level at 6 months. Median (IQR) follow-up was 3.4 (3.1-3.9) years. A total of 1746 positively adjudicated first MACE-4 events and 915 additional MACE events in 612 patients were recorded, with coronary revascularization representing 32.8% (573 of 1746) of first events and 69.4% (635 of 915) of additional events. For the total incidence of cardiovascular events, treatment with bempedoic acid was associated with a reduction in risk of MACE-4 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80; 95% CI, 0.72-0.89; P <.001), MACE-3 (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73-0.93; P = .002), myocardial infarction (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.83; P < .001), and coronary revascularization (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.68-0.89; P <.001), although no statistically significant difference was observed for stroke (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.63-1.03). A lower HR for protection with bempedoic acid was observed with increasing number of MACE events experienced by patients. Lowering LDL-C level with bempedoic acid reduced the total number of cardiovascular events in patients with high cardiovascular risk, statin therapy intolerance, and elevated LDL-C levels.

BackgroundThe liver plays an important role in gonadal steroid hormone metabolism, which can affect reproductive health, including the menstrual cycle. However, evidence from large population-based studies is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between liver function markers and menstrual cycle irregularities in premenopausal Korean women using nationwide data.MethodsThis study analyzed Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010–2011. We investigated 3,045 premenopausal women aged 19–59 years. Liver function markers including serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transferase, and fatty liver index were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between liver function markers and menstrual cycle irregularity while adjusting for confounding factors. Values were presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analysis was also performed.ResultsBaseline characteristic analysis showed that approximately 14.4% of the study population experienced menstrual cycle irregularity. The mean age was 34.5±0.7 years. The highest quartile of serum ALT and AST levels showed significantly higher ORs for menstrual cycle irregularity (adjusted OR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.26–2.64 and adjusted OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17–2.39, respectively). A similar result was observed in the subgroup analysis.ConclusionLiver function markers were positively associated with menstrual cycle irregularities. In clinical settings, women of reproductive age with relatively decreased liver function should be considered for regular follow-up of their reproductive health status.

Excessive fat consumption can lead to increased cholesterol levels in the body, which in turn can trigger various serious health problems, including heart disease, blood vessel blockage, and even stroke. Blood cholesterol consists of two main types: LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol, and HDL (High-Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol, which plays a role in transporting cholesterol from the blood vessels to the liver for excretion. Elevated LDL cholesterol levels can cause plaque buildup on blood vessel walls, which narrows blood flow and increases the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. One method considered effective for lowering LDL cholesterol levels in the blood is by consuming phytosterols, compounds found naturally in various types of plants. Phytosterols have a structure similar to cholesterol and can compete with cholesterol for absorption in the intestine. This results in a decrease in the amount of cholesterol entering the body, thereby reducing total cholesterol levels and especially LDL cholesterol in the blood. Research shows that giving food or supplements containing about 3 grams of phytosterols per day to human subjects can reduce LDL cholesterol levels by up to 15%. Furthermore, phytosterols directly isolated from plants, such as green beans, have also been shown to significantly lower LDL cholesterol levels. Studies in mice fed phytosterols isolated from green beans showed a reduction in blood LDL cholesterol levels of more than 30%. This demonstrates the potential of phytosterols as a natural ingredient that can be used to support cholesterol management in the body. Although phytosterols have significant potential in lowering cholesterol levels, it is important to remember that consuming supplements or foods containing phytosterols should be done under the supervision and recommendation of a medical professional, especially for individuals with certain medical conditions or who are taking medications.

Numerous anecdotal accounts and qualitative research studies have reported on post-vaccination menstrual irregularities in women of reproductive age. However, none have quantified the impact. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify and characterize the menstrual irregularities associated with vaccination for women of reproductive age. A search on July 20, 2022, retrieved articles published between December 1, 2019, and July 1, 2022, from MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science. The included articles were studies with full texts written in English that reported on menstrual irregularities for vaccinated vs. unvaccinated women of reproductive age. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the Study Quality Assessment Tool for Observation Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Four observational studies were included. Review Manager was used to generating a forest plot with odds ratios (ORs) at the 95% confidence interval (CI), finding statistically significant associations between vaccination and menstrual irregularities for 25,054 women of reproductive age (OR = 1.91, CI: 1.76–2.07) with a significant overall effect of the mean (Z = 16.01, p < 0.0001). The studies were heterogeneous with significant dispersion of values (χ2 = 195.10 at df = 3, p < 0.00001, I2 = 98%). The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis are limited by the availability of quantitative data. The results have implications for treating women of reproductive age with menstrual irregularities and informing them about the potential side effects of vaccinations.

Management of hypercholesterolemia: Approach to diet and drug therapy

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a rare, genetic disorder characterized by an absence or impairment of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) function resulting in significantly elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. The cholesterol exposure burden beginning in utero greatly increases the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and premature death. The genetic heterogeneity of HoFH results in a wide range of LDL-C levels among both untreated and treated patients. Diagnosis of HoFH should, therefore, be based on a comprehensive evaluation of clinical criteria and not exclusively LDL-C levels. As treatment goals, the European Atherosclerosis Society and International FH Foundation suggest target LDL-C levels of <100 mg/dL (<2.5 mmol/L) in adults or <70 mg/dL (<1.8 mmol/L) in adults with clinical coronary artery disease or diabetes. The National Lipid Association (NLA) recommends that LDL-C levels be reduced to <100 mg/dL (<2.5 mmol/L) or by at least ≥50 % from pretreatment levels. Conventional therapy combinations that lower atherogenic lipoproteins levels in the blood, such as statins, ezetimibe, bile acid sequestrants and niacin, as well as lipoprotein apheresis, are usually unable to reduce LDL-C levels to recommended targets. Two recently approved agents that reduce lipoprotein synthesis and secretion by the liver are lomitapide, a microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor, and mipomersen, an apolipoprotein B antisense oligonucleotide. The newly approved inhibitor of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), evolocumab, also shows promise for the management of FH. Because of the extremely high risk for ASCVD, HoFH patients should be identified early.

This study was performed to assess the relationship between menstrual irregularity and dental pain or chewing discomfort in women before menopause, using nationally representative data. This study analyzed 4595 participants who were ≥19 years or older, and did not have missing values for outcome variables from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Tooth pain was considered present if the participant felt throbbing discomfort, pain, or sensitivity when eating hot or cold food or drinking hot or cold beverages. Self-reported oral chewing discomfort was obtained. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for tooth pain in the individuals with menstrual cycle irregularity were 1.30 (1.05, 1.62) after adjustment for age, body mass index, drinking, smoking, income, exercise, stress, metabolic syndrome, and the frequency of tooth brushing. Adjusted odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for chewing discomfort in the individuals with menstrual cycle irregularity were 1.33 (1.03, 1.72) after adjustment. The association between menstrual irregularity and dental pain or chewing discomfort in women before menopause was proven—after adjusting for confounding factors—by multiple logistic regression analyses. Menstrual cycle irregularity may be considered a potential risk indicator for dental pain or chewing discomfort in Korean women before menopause.

We evaluated data on blacks and whites with acute ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction treated with either fibrinolysis or primary percutaneous coronary intervention from the National Registry of Myocardial Infarction (NRMI)-4 and -5 participating centers between July 2000 and December 2006 to determine race-related differences in bleeding and outcomes. We found that among patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction receiving fibrinolysis, the bleeding rates were higher for blacks (n2283) than whites (n42 243; 10.9% versus 10.3%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.43). Similarly, in patients receiving primary percutaneous coronary intervention, the bleeding rates were higher in blacks (n2826) than whites (n46 332; 10.3% versus 7.8%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.56). Bleeding was associated with a higher risk of death in both ethnic groups. However, there was no overall racial difference in in-hospital mortality among those with bleeding or without bleeding treated with either fibrinolysis or primary percutaneous coronary intervention. We concluded that race-related differences existed in bleeding risk among patients with ST-segmentelevation myocardial infarction receiving reperfusion therapy that portend poor prognosis. Thus, the efficacy and safety of many new drugs or treatment strategies for any disease observed in clinical trials that enroll predominantly white patients may not be similar in other ethnic groups that are underrepresented in these trials.