Involvement of thrombi is highly conceivable in the pathological process of brain and heart vessel diseases that comprise the major cause of mortality.The blood rheology measuring device (MC-FAN) which can evaluate the influence of thrombi and the blood flow by a direct image is a useful tool. We analyzed the relation of lifestyle factors assessed by questionnaire and the liquidity of blood by using MC-FAN. Subjects were persons who underwent blood rheology test in our center. The passage time of whole blood showed significant correlation with triglyceride, Ht, WBC, weight, BMI and showed significant reverse correlation with HDL cholesterol.
For subjects who were smokers, had blood passage time that was long and conversely for subjects who regularly exercised, it was short. It is conceivable that owing to the difference of lifestyle, there was the difference in blood liquidity. In order to prevent lifestyle related diseases, it may be important to improve blood liquidity.

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To determine the usefulness of Breslow's health practices in the prevention of hypertension, 474 patients (331 males, 143 females, age : 51±9 yrs.) visiting our center who were not currently taking medication for hypertension were considered. When compared to the seven health scores, a significant difference was shown in the categories of age, sex, body mass index, daily alcoholic consumption and smoking but there was no significant difference shown when compared to systolic or diastolic pressure. In both stepwise and logistic multiple regression analysis, age, body mass index and daily alcohol consumption were found to be correlated to hypertension, while Breslow's health scores were not. Body mass index, daily alcohol consumption and smoking were found to be independent risk factors with regards to hypertension, more so than Breslow's seven health practices.

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In Japan, bathing is very popular across all age categories. It is estimated that around 3, 000 elder people die annually during bathing. The definite causes of those deaths have not been fully understood. We investigated the effects of bathing on the elderly especially regarding cardiopulmonary functions. We studied 12 apparently healthy elder volunteers (6 males, 70 ± 5 y). The subjects took baths at different temperatures (41°C, 38°C) on separate days. We assessed the changes of blood pressure (BP), pressure-rate product (PRP), oxygen saturation (Spo2), tympanic temperature (Ttymp), and Holter ECG. In 38°C-bath immersion, none of the cardiopulmonary indices changed significantly. In contrast, 41°C-bath immersion significantly increased BP, PRP, and Ttymp, suggesting that bathing of higher temperature may give more stress to the cardiopulmonary system. In the elderly with diseases, bathing with hot water would have a greater effect than on healthy or younger people.

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OBJECTIVE : This study examined the effects of risk factors and physical activity during work time and leisure-time on PWV. METHODS : A cross-sectional study of 603 subjects aged 47-64 years was employed. Subjects were divided into four groups according to reported work-time activity : deskwork vs. outdoor-work and average frequency of vigorous leisure-time physical activity : zero vs. one or more episodes per week. RESULTS : PWV was significantly positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose (FBS), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, and negatively correlated with HDL (all P < 0.01). At age ranges from the thirties to fifties, PWV was significantly higher in subjects with risk factors (all P < 0.01). The numbers of risk factors were also significantly correlated with PWV (P < 0.01). In stepwise regression analysis, the multiple regression formula that was derived is shown as follows : PWV=-291+ 11.3 x (age) + 6.2 x (SBP) + 0.5 x (TC) + 1.4 x (FBS) + 34.4 x (existence of any risk factor (yes : 1, no : 0)) + 70.3 x (sex (male : 1, female : 0)). In the inactive leisure time activity category, PWV was significantly higher in the deskwork group than the outdoor-work group (P < 0.01). In contrast PWV did not differ by the active leisure time category. CONCLUSION : PWV showed a good correlation with risk factors. Low physical activity was associated with high PWV. From the perspective of prevention of atherosclerotic disease, it is important to increase the amounts of physical activity either at work time or during leisure time.

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Hypertension and stroke are multifactorial disease and both genetic and environmental factors, correlating with each other, are involved in the pathogenesis of them. We collaborated with two large cohort studies (the Suita Study and the Ohasama Study) and examined the genetic involvement of several candidate genes for the risk of hypertension or cardiovascular complications and interaction with environmental factors. These investigations revealed a small but certain effect of gene polymorphism on disease susceptibility under specific environmental conditions as folllows. Homozygous deletion alleles of angiotensin converting enzyme gene (ACE/DD) was associated only with male hypertension, and a polymorphism of endothelin 1 gene increased the genetic predisposition to hypertension only in obese subjects. The positive blood pressure lowering effect of epsilon 4 allele of apolipoprotein E in hypertension risk was observed in young but not in old subjects. We also revealed a unique association between blood pressure variation and angiotensinogen and alpha-adducin gene polymorphism, which suggests the involvement of this polymorphism in the salt sensitivity. In addition, C677T polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene increased risk for hypertension and carotid atherosclerosis in Japanese females and the association was modified by smoking. Our results suggest the importance of interactions between environment and genetics, and the possibility that patient lifestyle modification instructions by physicians and counselors to optimize their environmental factors may be made specific to their genetic information in the future.

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