Ami Laws

All Publications

• Differences in insulin suppression of free fatty acid levels by gender and glucose tolerance status - Relation to plasma triglyceride and apolipoprotein B concentrations ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY Laws, A., Hoen, H. M., Selby, J. V., Saad, M. F., Haffner, S. M., Howard, B. V. 1997; 17 (1): 64-71

  Abstract

  Most discussions of relations of insulin resistance to coronary heart disease risk factors have focused on insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, but insulin suppression of plasma free fatty acid (FFA) levels is also important in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. To identify groups with impaired insulin suppression of FFAs, we studied a multiethnic cohort of 1521 women and men at four US centers that comprise the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS): 682 with normal glucose tolerance, 352 with impaired glucose tolerance, and 487 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The FFA level 2 hours after a 75-gm oral glucose load adjusted for fasting FFAs was used as the measure of insulin suppression. After adjustment for age, center, ethnicity, body mass index, and fasting and 2-hour insulin levels, 2-hour FFA levels were significantly higher in men than women and in persons with impaired glucose tolerance and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus versus normal glucose tolerance. The gender difference was largely accounted for by differences in central obesity as measured by waist-hip ratio; the difference by glucose tolerance status was not affected by central obesity, suggesting a different mechanism. In multivariate regression analyses, 2-hour FFA levels were strongly related to fasting triglyceride and apoB levels, respectively, after adjustment for age, fasting and 2-hour insulin concentrations, and fasting FFA concentrations. In summary, elevated plasma apoB and triglyceride concentrations associated with male gender and with glucose intolerance are partly accounted for by differences in the ability of insulin to suppress FFA concentrations.

  View details for Web of Science ID A1997WE93200010

  View details for PubMedID 9012639

• Free fatty acids, insulin resistance and lipoprotein metabolism CURRENT OPINION IN LIPIDOLOGY Laws, A. 1996; 7 (3): 172-177

  Abstract

  Resistance to insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and to insulin suppression of free fatty acids is related to numerous lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities that increase risk for coronary heart disease. This paper will review recent advances in understanding these associations.

  View details for Web of Science ID A1996UW96700011

  View details for PubMedID 8818516

• Sexual assault history and eating disorder symptoms among White, Hispanic, and African-American women and men AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH Laws, A., Golding, J. M. 1996; 86 (4): 579-582

  Abstract

  Data from two Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program sites (Los Angeles and North carolina) were analyzed to examine relations of sexual assault history to eating disorder symptoms. In regression analyses controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, income, socioeconomic status, and study site, persons with sexualy assault history (n = 514) were more likely than those not assaulted (n = 5511) to report thinking they were too fat (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6); losing > or = 15 lb (OR = 1.86); weight loss to 85% of normal (OR = 2.08); one or more anorexia symptoms (OR = 1.81); and sudden weight change (OR = 2.32). Ethnicity and income modified the relations. The data support an association of sexual assault history with eating disorder symptoms.

  View details for Web of Science ID A1996UE68800024

  View details for PubMedID 8604796

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC1380566

• Mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke for six ethnic groups in California, 1985 to 1990. Annals of epidemiology Wild, S. H., Laws, A., Fortmann, S. P., Varady, A. N., Byrne, C. D. 1995; 5 (6): 432-439

  Abstract

  Coronary heart disease and stroke death rates were compared for six ethnic groups (non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, African-American, Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Indian) by sex and age (25 to 44, 45 to 64, 65 to 84, and 25 to 84 years old) using California census and 1985 to 1990 death data. African-American men and women in all age groups had the highest rates of death from coronary heart disease, stroke, and all causes (except for coronary heart disease in the oldest men). Hispanics, Chinese, and Japanese in all age-sex groups had comparatively low death rates for coronary heart disease and stroke, although stroke was proportionally an important cause of death for Chinese and Japanese groups. Coronary heart disease was an important cause of death for Asian Indians although death rates were generally not higher than those for other ethnic groups. Ethnic differences were most marked for women and younger age groups.

  View details for PubMedID 8680605

• COMBINED EFFECTS OF HDL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE, AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATIONS ON 18-YEAR RISK OF ATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE 66th Scientific Session of the American-Heart-Association Burchfiel, C. M., Laws, A., Benfante, R., Goldberg, R. J., Hwang, L. J., CHIU, D., Rodriguez, B. L., Curb, J. D., Sharp, D. S. LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS. 1995: 1430–36

  Abstract

  Whether the combination of a low level of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and high level of triglyceride (TG) confers increased risk of cardiovascular disease and whether risk varies across levels of total cholesterol (TC) are not well established. Combined effects of HDL-C, TG, and TC on the incidence of atherosclerotic disease were examined prospectively in Japanese-American men from the Honolulu Heart Program.Among 1,646 men aged 51 to 72 years who were free of coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and cancer and were not taking lipid-lowering medication, 318 developed atherosclerotic events (angina, coronary insufficiency, aortic aneurysm, definite CHD, or thromboembolic stroke) and 170 developed definite CHD between 1970 and 1988. Subjects were stratified by TC level (desirable, < 200 mg/dL; borderline high, 200 to 239 mg/dL; high, > or = 240 mg/dL), HDL-C level (< 35 and > or = 35 mg/dL), and TG level (< 200 and > or = 200 mg/dL). With Cox regression with high HDL-C and low TG as reference, age-adjusted relative risks (RR) of atherosclerotic events were significantly elevated in men with low HDL-C and high TG at borderline-high (RR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.48 to 4.09) and high (RR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.34 to 3.66) TC levels but not in men with desirable TC levels (RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.38 to 2.09). Elevated risks were independent of blood pressure, obesity, fat distribution, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol. Results were not materially altered by exclusion of subjects with angina alone and were similar but somewhat weaker for CHD.Risk of atherosclerotic disease appears elevated in subjects with low HDL-C and high TG levels when TC is borderline high or high, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. These findings support recent cholesterol screening recommendations and suggest that joint effects of HDL-C and TG may be important to consider.

  View details for Web of Science ID A1995RU67200012

  View details for PubMedID 7664423