Background and aim: Remnant cholesterol (RC), an emerging cardiovascular risk factor, has garnered increasing attention in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) research, though its relationship with arterial stiffness remains incompletely understood. This study investigated the association between RC and estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV), a reliable marker of arterial stiffness, with the goal of enhancing our understanding of RC's role in cardiovascular risk assessment.
Methods and results: This study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999 to 2018, including 12,505 participants aged 20 years and above. Weighted linear regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and subgroup analyses were used to explore the association between RC levels and ePWV. Analysis revealed a significant positive association between RC levels and ePWV, with participants in the highest RC quintile (Q5) exhibiting substantially elevated ePWV compared to those in the lowest quintile (Q1). Notably, RCS analysis demonstrated a non-linear relationship characterized by a saturation effect (p-nonlinear <0.05). Subgroup analyses indicated stronger associations among specific demographic groups, including individuals under 40 years, females, non-Hispanic whites, and those above the poverty level (all interaction p < 0.05). Furthermore, mediation analysis found that various inflammatory markers such as neutrophil count (NEU), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) played a mediating role in this association.
Conclusion: Increased arterial stiffness is associated with higher RC levels, demonstrating a saturation effect at elevated concentrations. This association is partially mediated by NLR, MLR, and NEU, and was stronger among younger, females, non-Hispanic whites, and non-impoverished individuals.
Background and aims: Strawberry consumption may aid in improving cognitive function and cardiovascular health given their nutrient composition and antioxidant capacities. We hypothesized that 2 cups of fresh strawberries per day provided as a freeze-dried strawberry powder (26 g/d) may improve cognitive performance and cardiovascular health relative to a control.
Methods and results: Using a randomized, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 35 healthy older adults (17 women, 18 men, age 72 ± 6 years, BMI 26.4 ± 3.9 kg/m2) consumed 26 g of freeze-dried strawberry powder (strawberry) and a control powder (control) daily for 8 weeks each with a 4-week washout period. Strawberry supplementation was expected to improve cardiometabolic health parameters, and cognitive performance measured with the National Institutes of Health Toolbox. Processing speed (p < 0.001) improved during the strawberry phase and episodic memory (p = 0.002) improved during the control phase. For cardiovascular measures, strawberry consumption reduced systolic blood pressure (p = 0.044) and a significant main effect of time for reduced waist circumference (p = 0.043) was detected. Serum triglycerides increased in the control group (p = 0.012) but not after consuming strawberries. Total antioxidant capacity significantly decreased during the control phase (p = 0.032) and significantly increased with strawberry consumption (p = 0.047).
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that 26 g of freeze dried strawberries improve cognitive processing speed, lower systolic blood pressure, and increase antioxidant capacity, potentially promoting cognitive function and improving cardiovascular risk factors in cognitively healthy individuals.
Clinical trial registry: NCT04786665.