Norihiro Furusyo

Objectives: To assess the utility of Helicobacter pylori antibody testing, we evaluated the correlation between the H. pylori antibody titre and H. pylori -associated pathogenicity and the changes in antibody titre after H. pylori eradication therapy. Design: A retrospective observational cohort study. Setting and participants: From 2004 to 2016, medical check-ups were performed in different regions of Japan. In total, 324 subjects infected with H. pylori who received H. pylori eradication therapy were enrolled; H. pylori was eradicated in 266 of these subjects. We examined the associations between H. pylori antibody titre with pepsinogen and the presence or absence of H. pylori -associated pathogenic proteins, such as cytotoxin-associated gene A and vacuolating cytotoxin gene A, at baseline and after H. pylori eradication therapy. Results: The H.pylori antibody titre showed a positive correlation with pepsinogen II and a negative correlation with the pepsinogen I/II ratio. Moreover, the H.pylori antibody titre significantly correlated with the positive rates of H. pylori -associated pathogenic protein before eradication therapy. Antibody titres decreased after eradication, the pepsinogen I/II ratio increased and the H. pylori -associated pathogenic protein-positive rate decreased in patients with successful eradication. The determination of eradication using the decline in antibody titre 6 months after eradication therapy was useful (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.98). Conclusions: Our data indicate that the H. pylori antibody titre may represent the degree of pathogenicity. The H. pylori antibody titre was associated with attenuation of pathogenicity in patients with H. pylori eradication, indicating the clinical utility of H. pylori antibody testing.

Objective: Osteoporosis is a major risk factor for fracture later in life; however, few studies have examined the association of lifestyle factors with osteoporosis and fracture. This study aimed to identify factors associated with osteoporosis and fracture in postmenopausal women. Methods: We evaluated the association between baseline characteristics and outcomes (diagnosis of osteoporosis or incidence of fracture) in 4,427 postmenopausal women who participated in the Kyushu University Fukuoka Cohort Study on lifestyle-related diseases (baseline: February 2004 to August 2007; follow-up: February 2010 to December 2012). Among the women, 626 were diagnosed as having osteoporosis without a fracture, 294 sustained a fracture without a diagnosis of osteoporosis, and 137 were diagnosed with both osteoporosis and fracture during the average 5.3-year follow-up period; the remaining 3,370 participants were not diagnosed with osteoporosis or did not sustain a fracture. The association between lifestyle factors and the occurrence of osteoporosis and fracture was evaluated using logistic regression analysis. Results: Skipping breakfast was associated negatively with osteoporosis without fracture (odds ratio [OR] = 0.40, P = 0.009) but positively with fracture without osteoporosis (OR = 2.30, P = 0.0009). Glycated hemoglobin A1c levels were associated negatively with osteoporosis without fracture (OR = 0.81, P = 0.0003) but positively with fracture without osteoporosis (OR = 1.18, P = 0.03). Parental history of fracture and extraversion personality trait were both associated with fracture without osteoporosis. Conclusions: Osteoporosis and fracture showed different association patterns with lifestyle factors, and no factors were correlated with an increase in both osteoporosis and fracture.

Advanced fibrosis/cirrhosis and related biomarkers have been recognized as useful predictors of the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) following hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure by direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). However, it remains unclear if DAAs themselves have an influence on or facilitate the development of HCC. This multicenter cohort study included CHC patients without a history of HCC who achieved HCV elimination by DAAs. Cohorts of 835 patients treated with a sofosbuvir (SOF)-based regimen and 835 treated with a SOF-free regimen were matched 1:1 by propensity scoring with nine variables to evaluate differences in HCC incidence. The median observation period was 3.5 years. Sixty-nine cases of HCC were found during 5483.9 person-years (PY) over the entire follow-up period. The annual incidence was similar for both groups (SOF-based 1.25 and SOF-free 1.27 per 100 PY, respectively: adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75–2.12, p = 0.39). However, the annual incidence within the first two years was higher for patients treated with SOF than for those without, but did not reach significance (1.50 and 0.97 per 100 PY incidence rates, respectively: adjusted HR 2.05, 95% CI 0.98–4.25, p = 0.06). In summary, DAA treatment with SOF was not associated with an increase in the development of de novo HCC.

The association between nutrient patterns and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has not been examined in a Japanese population. A cross-sectional study was performed on 30,108 participants (aged 35–69 years) in the baseline survey of the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort Study. Dietary intake was assessed using a 46-item food frequency questionnaire. MetS was diagnosed according to the Joint Interim Statement Criteria of 2009, using body mass index instead of waist circumference. Factor analysis was applied to energy-adjusted intake of 21 nutrients, and three nutrient patterns were extracted: Factor 1 (fiber, potassium and vitamins pattern); Factor 2 (fats and fat-soluble vitamins pattern); and Factor 3 (saturated fatty acids, calcium and vitamin B₂ pattern). In multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for sex, age, and other potential confounders, Factor 1 scores were associated with a significantly reduced odds ratio (OR) of MetS and all five components. Factor 2 scores were associated with significantly increased prevalence of MetS, obesity, and high blood pressure. Factor 3 scores were significantly associated with lower OR of MetS, high blood pressure, high serum triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol levels. Analysis of nutrient patterns may be useful to assess the overall quality of diet and its association with MetS.

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