scholarly journals Influence of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Gene Polymorphism on the Correlation between Alexithymia and Hypervigilance to Pain

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13265
Author(s):  
Hitomi Ikarashi ◽  
Naofumi Otsuru ◽  
Hirotake Yokota ◽  
Kazuaki Nagasaka ◽  
Kazuki Igarashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Pain Sensitivity ◽  
Significant Positive Correlation ◽  
Dopamine Metabolism ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Psychological Characteristic ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Methyltransferase Gene ◽  
Comt Polymorphism

The psychological characteristic of having difficulty expressing emotions, known as alexithymia, is associated with hypervigilance to pain and is considered one of the risk factors for chronic pain. The correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain can be observed even in healthy individuals. However, the factors influencing this correlation remain unknown. We explored the dopamine system, which is known to be involved in emotion and pain. The dopamine-degrading enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) has a genetic polymorphism known to influence dopamine metabolism in the prefrontal cortex. COMT polymorphism reportedly affects various aspects of pain and increases pain sensitivity in Met allele carriers. Therefore, we investigated whether the correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain is influenced by COMT polymorphism in healthy individuals. The results revealed a significant positive correlation between the “difficulty describing feelings” of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the “attention to changes in pain” of the pain vigilance and awareness questionnaire in COMT Met carriers but not in Val/Val individuals. This finding suggests that the correlation between alexithymia and hypervigilance to pain is influenced by COMT polymorphism.

Risk factors influencing the prognosis in patients with arterial hypertension

HYPERTENSION ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 0 (2.58) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Yu.M. Sirenko ◽  
G.D. Radchenko ◽  
O.L. Rekovets
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Factors Influencing

scholarly journals Genetic components of human pain sensitivity: a protocol for a genome-wide association study of experimental pain in healthy volunteers

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e025530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annina B Schmid ◽  
Kaustubh Adhikari ◽  
Luis Miguel Ramirez-Aristeguieta ◽  
Juan-Camilo Chacón-Duque ◽  
Giovanni Poletti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Pain Sensitivity ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Genome Wide Association Studies ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Genetic Components ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome ◽  
The University ◽  
Genetic Contributions

IntroductionPain constitutes a major component of the global burden of diseases. Recent studies suggest a strong genetic contribution to pain susceptibility and severity. Whereas most of the available evidence relies on candidate gene association or linkage studies, research on the genetic basis of pain sensitivity using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) is still in its infancy. This protocol describes a proposed GWAS on genetic contributions to baseline pain sensitivity and nociceptive sensitisation in a sample of unrelated healthy individuals of mixed Latin American ancestry.Methods and analysisA GWAS on genetic contributions to pain sensitivity in the naïve state and following nociceptive sensitisation will be conducted in unrelated healthy individuals of mixed ancestry. Mechanical and thermal pain sensitivity will be evaluated with a battery of quantitative sensory tests evaluating pain thresholds. In addition, variation in mechanical and thermal sensitisation following topical application of mustard oil to the skin will be evaluated.Ethics and disseminationThis study received ethical approval from the University College London research ethics committee (3352/001) and from the bioethics committee of the Odontology Faculty at the University of Antioquia (CONCEPTO 01–2013). Findings will be disseminated to commissioners, clinicians and service users via papers and presentations at international conferences.

scholarly journals Effect of Regular Khat Chewing on Serum Fasting Sugar Level in Diabetic patients versus Healthy Individuals; A comparative study

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863882110352
Author(s):  
Yordanos Mengistu ◽  
Gobena Dedefo ◽  
Mesay Arkew ◽  
Gebeyehu Asefa ◽  
Gutema Jebessa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Blood Glucose ◽  
Glycemic Control ◽  
Glucose Oxidase ◽  
Blood Sugar ◽  
Poor Glycemic Control ◽  
Fasting Blood Sugar ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Khat Chewer

Background: Khat chewing is a long standing social-cultural habit in several countries. Even though many people chew khat simply for its pleasurable and stimulatory effect, evidence showed widely-held belief among khat chewers in Ethiopia and other part of the world that khat helps to lower blood glucose while some studies are contradicted on the effect of khat. There is limited data about khat’s effect on blood glucose especially in our setting, Harar estern Ethiopia. Objective: Primarily the present study aims to compare fasting blood sugar level among khat chewer diabetic and healthy individuals, and to asses risk factors associated with poor glycemic control in diabetic subjects. Method: A cross-sectional study included 200 confirmed diabetic and healthy subjects. Fasting blood sugar was determined by enzymatic method glucose oxidase and glucose hexokinase. Glycemic control was also determined for diabetic subjects based on the last 2-month diabetic clinic visits and current measurement. Result: (Median ± IQR [interquartile range]) fasting blood sugar difference among Khat chewer and non khat chewer were 159 ± 83 mg/dl and 202 ± 79 mg/dl respectively in diabetic subjects when tested by glucose oxidase. Similarly, in healthy non khat chewer and khat chewer, khat chewers has lower (Median ± IQR) fasting blood glucose level 82 ± 18 mg/dl than non khat chewers 94 ± 13 mg/dl when tested by glucose oxidase. Regarding risk factors associated with poor glycemic control in diabetic subjects, positive parental diabetes history, insulin medication, being overweight, obese were significantly associated with poor glycemic control. Conclusion: There was significant effect of khat on median FBS among khat chewers in diabetic and healthy individuals. And the proportion of glycemic control was high among diabetic subjects. Recommendation: Health care professional and patients should manage the risk factors to delay disease progression and restrain the damage. More studies should be conducted in randomized control trial manner to further elucidate khat effect on blood sugar level so that the actual effect of khat can be identified unlike in cross sectional where there may not be strong causal relationship.

Identifying the prevalence of undiagnosed cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy Indians

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Thanvi ◽  
P Thakkar
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Heart Attack ◽  
Low Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Cvd Risk Factors ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Health Checkup ◽  
Study Population ◽  
High Level

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Introduction   Cardiovascular disease (CVD) including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death globally and in India.  The importance of primary prevention, defined as interventions designed to modify adverse risk factors with the goal of preventing an initial CVD event has been established beyond doubt by several population based studies in healthy individuals. While there have been many studies defining the high prevalence in CVD risk factors in Indian population, this study sought to determine the prevalence of undiagnosed modifiable CVD risk factors in healthy individuals.  Methods The  cross sectional, analytical study was carried out at the hospitals, from 1st April 2015 to 31st dec 2017. Subjects between 18 - 70 years of age who were healthy and were undergoing health checkup were included in the study. A total of 5000 patients were screened, those having existing CVD risk factors were excluded from the study.  This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee of the hospital. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. The data collection record sheet was prepared based on validated and standardized questionnaires which was used to enter all data.  Physical examination for vitals and BMI was done by qualified physicians. Blood investigations were done for diabetes and dyslipidemia and thyroid dysfunction. ACC/AHA criteria was used for diagnosis of  hypertension, ADA criteria for diabetes. Joint British society 3 risk score and ASCVD risk score was calculated using standard calculators. Results At screening, 4998 participants aged ≥18 years were approached to participate in study. The study population included 2705 men (68.1%) and 1265 women (31.9%) with a mean age of 68± 18.8 years. The most prevalent risk factor was overweight and obesity (71.2%). The prevalence of undiagnosed HTN was 73.3%, undiagnosed pre-diabetes was 24.9% and undiagnosed diabetes was 28.3%. Out of total, 44.3% subjects had high level of low-density lipoprotein and 36.6% subjects had low level of high-density lipoprotein, 20.1% subjects had high level of very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and 17.3% subjects had high level of triglyceride. Tobacco smoking was present in 7.7% of the population. The risk estimation predicted 29.1% of the study participants to have more than 10% risk of heart attack/stroke risk at 10 years. Conclusion Our study reveals a fairly good snapshot of CVDs risk factors in healthy general population. Increased prevalence of high BMI, undiagnosed HTN, diabetes, dyslipidemia was present in our study population.  The population had significantly high predicted risk of heart attack/stroke. These findings warrant the need of community based life style modifications, regular health checkup for healthy population for early detection and modification of CVD risk factors.

Prevalence of obesity and its risk factors among school children in Karachi, Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 266-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naveed Mansoori ◽  
Nighat Nisar ◽  
Naveen Shahid ◽  
Syed Muhammad Mubeen ◽  
Shahid Ahsan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
School Children ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Growth Chart ◽  
Sociodemographic Characteristics ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity

A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted during 2012 in private and public-sector schools of Karachi to determine the prevalence and factors influencing overweight and obesity among school children (aged 11–15 years). Sociodemographic characteristics and dietary habits were explored. The CDC Growth Chart was used to record height and weight. Of a total of 887 children, being overweight and frankly obese was found in 169 (19.1%) and 96 (10.8%), respectively. Of these, 176 (66.4%) were from private schools, and significant associations were found in 202 (76.2%) who were spending > 2 h/day watching television and 139 (52.5%) sleeping > 8 h/day.

scholarly journals Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serhat Tanik ◽  
Savas Sarikaya ◽  
Kürşad Zengin ◽  
Sebahattin Albayrak ◽  
Yunus Keser Yilmaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Erectile Dysfunction ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk ◽  
Epicardial Adipose Tissue ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiometabolic Risk Factor ◽  
Healthy Individuals ◽  
Fat Thickness ◽  
Artery Disease

Introduction. There is an increasing interest in the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular risk factor. Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with insulin resistance, increased cardiometabolic risk, and coronary artery disease. Our aim was to investigate relationships between epicardial fat thickness (EFT) as a cardiometabolic risk factor and erectile dysfunction.Method. We selected 30 erectile dysfunction patients without comorbidities and 30 healthy individuals. IIEF-5 score was applied to all patients, and IIEF-5 score below 22 was considered as erectile dysfunction. EFT was measured by echocardiography.Results. Body mass index (BMI) was higher in ED patients than those without ED (28.19 ± 4.45 kg/m2versus23.84±2.36 kg/m2,P = 0.001, resp.). Waist circumstance (WC) was higher in ED patients than those without ED (106.60±5.90versus87.86 ± 14.51,P = 0.001, resp.). EFT was higher in ED patients compared to non-ED patients (0.49 ± 0.09 cm versus0.45 ± 0.03 cm,P = 0.016, resp.). There was positive correlation among BMI, WC, and EFT. There was negative correlation between EFT and IIEF-5 score (r : -0.632,P = 0.001).Conclusion. EAT, BMI, and WC as cardiometabolic risk factors were higher in erectile dysfunction patients.

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