Background Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between metabolic syndrome and dementia has remained controversial. Using nationwide population cohort data, we investigated the association between metabolic syndrome and dementia, according to the dementia type. Methods We analyzed data of 84,144 individuals, in the aged group of more than 60 years, between January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2009, at Gangwon province by using the information of the (Korean) National Health Insurance Service. After eight years of gap, in 2017, we investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome and dementia. We classified Dementia either as dementia of the Alzheimer type (AD) or vascular dementia (VD). AD and VD were defined as per the criteria of International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Multiple logistic regression analyses examined the associations between metabolic syndrome or five metabolic syndrome components and dementia. Analyses included factors like age, sex, smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, previous stroke, and previous cardiac disease. Results Metabolic syndrome was associated with AD (OR = 11.48, 95% CI 9.03–14.59), not with VD. Each of five components of metabolic syndrome were also associated with AD. (high serum triglycerides: OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.60–2.19; high blood pressure: OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.55–2.21; high glucose: OR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.52–2.06; abdominal obesity: OR = 1.88, 95% CI 1.57–2.25; low serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol: OR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.63–2.24) However, among components of metabolic syndrome, only the high glucose level was associated with VD. (OR = 1.26, 95% CI 1.01–1.56) body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose, and smoking were also associated with AD. (BMI: OR = 0.951, 95% CI 0.927–0.975; fasting glucose: OR = 1.003, 95% CI 1.001–1.005; smoking: OR = 1.020, 95% CI 1.003–1.039) A history of the previous stroke was associated with both AD and VD. (AD: OR = 1.827, 95% CI 1.263–2.644; VD: OR 2.775, 95% CI 1.747–4.406) Conclusions Metabolic syndrome was associated with AD but not with VD. Patients with metabolic syndrome had an 11.48 times more likeliness to develop AD compared to those without metabolic syndrome. VD was associated only with several risk factors that could affect the vascular state rather than a metabolic syndrome. We suggested that the associations between metabolic syndrome and dementia would vary depending on the type of dementia.

The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical decision support (CDS) functions and digitalization of clinical documents of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems in Korea. This exploratory study was conducted focusing on current status of EMR systems. Methods: This study used a nationwide survey on EMR systems conducted from July 25, 2018 to September 30, 2018 in Korea. The unit of analysis was hospitals. Respondents of the survey were mainly medical recorders or staff members in departments of health insurance claims or information technology. This study analyzed data acquired from 132 hospitals that participated in the survey. Results: This study found that approximately 80% of clinical documents were digitalized in both general and small hospitals. The percentages of general and small hospitals with 100% paperless medical charts were 33.7% and 38.2%, respectively. The EMR systems of general hospitals are more likely to have CDS functions of warnings regarding drug dosage, reminders of clinical schedules, and clinical guidelines compared to those of small hospitals; this difference was statistically significant. For the lists of digitalized clinical documents, almost 93% of EMR systems in general hospitals have the inpatient progress note, operation records, and discharge summary notes digitalized. Conclusions: EMRs are becoming increasingly important. This study found that the functions and digital documentation of EMR systems still have a large gap, which should be improved and made more sophisticated. We hope that the results of this study will contribute to the development of more sophisticated EMR systems.

Antihypertensive effect of the culture filtrates from Bacillus subtilis natto (CFB) associated with renin-angiotensin system (RAS) as well as fibrinolytic and anti-thrombotic activity was examined. By using the spontaneously hypertensive rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet (0.5% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid), biomarkers related to the RAS were measured after 11 week-administration of CFB in the diet at 1 or 2% levels. Systolic blood pressure was significantly attenuated by CFB at both levels. Plasma renin activity was significantly suppressed by CFB, and protein expression of renin in kidney also showed tendency of decrease by administration of CFB, although not statistically significant. Renal angiotensin II concentrations were decreased, whereas plasma angiotensin II concentrations showed no differences among groups. Whole blood clotting and euglobulin clot lysis time showed insignificant changes, but downward tendencies by CFB supplementation. Although further study is necessary to clearly elucidate the related mechanism, taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that CFB could be potentially used as dietary supplement to suppress hypertension.

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Recently, patients with hyperlipidemia including hypercholesterolemia have increased steadily as dietary habit has been changed to western style based on high‐fat diet. Since hypercholesterolemia can develop serious cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke and atherosclerosis, studies to prevent and treat this have been consistently reported. Chlorella contains a variety of nutrients such as chlorophyll, vegetable protein, essential amino acids, vitamins and dietary fiber. And its function has been approved in the aspects of its antioxidant capacity and enhancement of immune function. In the previous study, cholesterol level reducing effect has been confirmed in animal.Therefore, this study aimed to confirm that ingestion of chlorella for normal subjects interferes with the absorption of cholesterol coming from high cholesterol diet and lowers the blood cholesterol level. Additionally, it aimed to confirm the reduction of blood cholesterol level before and after ingestion of chlorella for patients with hypercholesterolemia. This study is a randomized, parallel‐group, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial.Besides cholesterol level, in order to confirm the extent of systemic absorption of carotenoids, the major active component of chlorella, we analyzed the level of lutein, zeaxanthin, alpha‐carotene, beta‐carotene, lycopene by HPLC in the serum before and after ingestion of chlorella.