Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aric A. Prather, Ethan G. Dutcher, James Robinson, Jue Lin, Elizabeth Blackburn, Frederick M. Hecht, Ashley E. Mason, Elena Fromer, Bresh Merino, Remi Frazier, Julia O'Bryan, Stacy Drury, Elissa S. Epel
Summary: This study compared the impact of different COVID-19 vaccines on the durability of neutralizing antibody responses and identified individual difference factors related to antibody decline. The study found that recipients of BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273 experienced a decline in antibody levels over 6 months, while recipients of Ad26.COV2.S showed a significant increase. At the 6-month time point, antibody levels to Ad26.COV2.S were significantly higher than those to BNT162b2 and equivalent to mRNA-1273. Older age, higher baseline BMI, female gender, and non-smoking status were associated with higher antibody levels.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mi Kyoung Son, Dae Sub Song, Kyoungho Lee, Hyun-Young Park
Summary: This study aimed to identify modifiable risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) in the midlife general population and estimate their impact. The results showed that high systolic blood pressure, obesity with central obesity, and an inactive lifestyle were significantly associated with incident AF. Maintaining or achieving a lower burden of modifiable risk factors was associated with decreased AF risk.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Noriko Kato, Catherine Sauvaget, Honami Yoshida, Tetsuji Yokoyama, Nobuo Yoshiike
Summary: In Japan, there has been a consistent decline in birthweight over the past 30 years, with factors such as gestational age, gender, birth order, multiple gestations, and fathers' age unable to fully explain this trend. Other factors like pre-pregnancy maternal BMI and diet should be considered, with a focus on reducing induced deliveries and improving young women's BMI or diet as a public health priority.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Sigrun A. J. Schmidt, Henrik Toft Sorensen, Sinead M. Langan, Mogens Vestergaard
Summary: The study found that former smokers had a higher risk of herpes zoster compared to never smokers, but there was no significant association between current smokers and low-risk alcohol consumers. Body mass index and physical activity levels had minimal impact on herpes zoster risk, and binge drinking did not show a clear risk either.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Magdalena Opazo Breton, Laura A. Gray
Summary: This study aims to understand long-term trends in obesity and overweight in England by analyzing life-course transitions and historical/birth cohort trends. Data from the Health Survey for England covering the period 1992 to 2019 and birth cohorts born between 1909 and 2013 were used. The results showed variations in obesity prevalence among different birth cohorts and increasing overweight prevalence among younger generations.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jingsi Wang, Hongyu Zhou, Hongxi Chen, Huiyu Feng, Ting Chang, Chao Sun, Rongjing Guo, Zhe Ruan, Fangfang Bi, Jing Li, Jianwen Wang, Kang Wang, Gaoting Ma, Shaoyuan Lei, Chunxiu Wang, Zhihong Wang, Feifei Huang, Shu Zhang, Qi Wen, Yaye Wang, Yanan Sun, Yun Li, Nairong Xie, Haoran Liu, Yuting Jiang, Lin Lei, Zhirong Fan, Shengyao Su, Yan Lu, Li Di, Min Xu, Min Wang, Hai Chen, Suobin Wang, Xinmei Wen, Wenjia Zhu, Jianying Duo, Yue Huang, Deqiang Zheng, Yuwei Da
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the association between specific environmental factors and the generalization of ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG). The results showed that latitude and provincial-level per capita disposable income (PDI) were associated with the generalization of OMG in China.
QJM-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Kebede Haile Misgina, Eline M. van der Beek, H. Marike Boezen, Afework Mulugeta Bezabih, Henk Groen
Summary: This study conducted in Ethiopia found that most women in the study area did not achieve adequate gestational weight gain, particularly those who were underweight before pregnancy. Factors associated with higher gestational weight gain included higher women empowerment, dietary diversity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, haemoglobin levels, and adequate prenatal care.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2021)
Review
Psychology, Clinical
Anna B. Chaplin, Natasha F. Daniels, Diana Ples, Rebecca Z. Anderson, Amy Gregory-Jones, Peter B. Jones, Golam M. Khandaker
Summary: High BMI and smoking are associated with subsequent depression in young people, while low but not high SBP increases the risk of depression. The generalizability of the findings may be limited as most studies were based in North America or Europe.
PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Xin Huang, Jiachen Li, Weihua Cao, Jun Lyu, Yu Guo, Pei Pei, Qingmei Xia, Huaidong Du, Yiping Chen, Yang Ling, Rene Kerosi, Rebecca Stevens, Xujun Yang, Junshi Chen, Canqing Yu, Zhengming Chen, Liming Li, China Kadoorie Biobank
Summary: High-frequency fruit consumption is associated with a lower risk of COPD in Chinese adults, especially among non-smokers and individuals with normal body weight. Therefore, increasing fruit consumption should be considered in the prevention and management of COPD, along with smoking cessation and weight control.
CHINESE MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Ajay Prakash, Brandilyn A. Peters, Emilia Cobbs, Dia Beggs, Heesun Choi, Huilin Li, Richard B. Hayes, Jiyoung Ahn
Summary: The study found that smoking significantly alters the composition of the fecal microbiome, different from never smokers. Enriched and depleted taxa in smokers are consistent across different populations. Additionally, taxa enriched in smokers are positively correlated with the inferred abundance of pathways related to smoking-associated toxin breakdown and response to reactive oxygen species (ROS).
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lizi Lin, Junwen Yang-Huang, Haijun Wang, Susana Santos, Amy van Grieken, Hein Raat
Summary: This study reveals that parents obtaining a higher level of education after the child was born may help reduce the odds of the child developing overweight in late childhood, filling a gap in the literature.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Thomas Yates, Annabel Summerfield, Cameron Razieh, Amitava Banerjee, Yogini Chudasama, Melanie J. Davies, Clare Gillies, Nazrul Islam, Claire Lawson, Evgeny Mirkes, Francesco Zaccardi, Kamlesh Khunti, Vahe Nafilyan
Summary: Obesity and ethnicity have been found to be risk factors for COVID-19 outcomes. This study reveals that the association between body mass index (BMI) and COVID-19 mortality is stronger in ethnic minority groups, suggesting that the ethnic risk of COVID-19 mortality depends on BMI.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Maarit A. Laaksonen, Karen Canfell, Robert J. MacInnis, Emily Banks, Julie E. Byles, Graham G. Giles, Dianna J. Magliano, Jonathan E. Shaw, Vasant Hirani, Tiffany K. Gill, Paul Mitchell, Robert G. Cumming, Usha Salagame, Claire M. Vajdic
Summary: This study estimated the future burden of head and neck cancer in Australia attributable to smoking and alcohol consumption. The findings showed that two-fifths of head and neck cancers in Australia can be prevented by addressing tobacco and alcohol use. Targeting high-burden subgroups, especially men, can help reduce disparities in head and neck cancer burden.
CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGY BIOMARKERS & PREVENTION
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Huijing He, Pei Guo, Jiangshan He, Jingbo Zhang, Yujie Niu, Shuo Chen, Fenghua Guo, Feng Liu, Rong Zhang, Qiang Li, Shitao Ma, Binbin Zhang, Li Pan, Guangliang Shan, Minying Zhang
Summary: The prevalence of hyperuricemia is high in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China, with significant differences between men and women. Overweight/obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking, and sedentary behavior are important modifiable risk factors for hyperuricemia.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Nana Wang, Yuying Li, Chuanji Guo
Summary: This study demonstrates that waist-corrected body mass index (wBMI), combining BMI and waist circumference measurements, is superior in predicting obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). The study found a significant association between wBMI and the incidence of DM, with wBMI being a more reliable predictor compared to waist circumference, BMI, and waist-to-height ratio.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nancy Krieger, Jarvis T. Chen, Christian Testa, Ana Diez Roux, Kate Tilling, Sarah Watkins, Andrew J. Simpkin, Matthew Suderman, George Davey Smith, Immaculata De Vivo, Pamela D. Waterman, Caroline Relton
Summary: Motivated by a literature review, this study reports on the treatment of age in studies on social exposures and accelerated aging using epigenetic clocks. Among 50 reviewed articles, the majority used an incorrect method of analysis, while only 42% used correct methods. The study provides simulation and empirical analyses to illustrate the biases introduced by the incorrect method and recommends best practices.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Trine Damsted Rasmussen, Sarah Fredsted Villadsen, Anne Vinkel Hansen, Laust H. Mortensen, Claus Thorn Ekstrom, Signe Smith Jervelund, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of the MAMAACT antenatal care intervention on perinatal health outcomes and reducing ethnic and social disparities in Denmark. The intervention, which included training for midwives, dialogue meetings, and health education materials, did not improve the overall composite perinatal mortality and morbidity outcome. Contextual factors, such as organizational barriers in antenatal care, may have hindered the effectiveness of the intervention.
BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Nikos Papadimitriou, Caroline J. Bull, Mazda Jenab, David J. Hughes, Joshua A. Bell, Eleanor Sanderson, Nicholas J. Timpson, George Davey Smith, Demetrius Albanes, Peter T. Campbell, Sebastien Kury, Loic Le Marchand, Cornelia M. Ulrich, Kala Visvanathan, Jane C. Figueiredo, Polly A. Newcomb, Rish K. Pai, Ulrike Peters, Kostas K. Tsilidis, Jolanda M. A. Boer, Emma E. Vincent, Daniela Mariosa, Marc J. Gunter, Tom G. Richardson, Neil Murphy
Summary: This study suggests that the positive association between childhood body size and colorectal cancer risk is likely a result of retaining a large body size into adulthood.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Trine Lauritzen, John Munkhaugen, Kari Peersen, Oscar Kristiansen, Elise Sverre, Shane D. Nebauer, Maja Villseth, Anders M. Andersen, Anja Camilla Svarstad, Elena Prunes Jensen, Stein Bergan, Einar Husebye, Nils Tore Vethe
Summary: Self-perceived statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) are common but mostly not related to the drug itself. The study aimed to determine the correlation between atorvastatin metabolites in blood and skeletal muscle, and if genetic variants of statin transporters influence this relationship. Muscle symptoms were examined in patients with coronary disease during treatment with atorvastatin 40 mg/day and placebo. The study found strong correlations between muscle and blood plasma concentrations of atorvastatin metabolites, suggesting that blood measurements can reflect muscle tissue exposure. The relationship between atorvastatin metabolites in blood and SAMS warrants further investigation.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Fergus Hamilton, Alexander J. Mentzer, Tom Parks, J. Kenneth Baillie, George Davey Smith, Peter Ghazal, Nicholas J. Timpson
Summary: ERAP2 gene variation is associated with respiratory infection and autoimmune diseases. The T allele of rs2549794 is found to be deleterious during the Black Death epidemic and is also associated with decreased ERAP2 expression and protein levels. The study suggests a balancing selection at this locus driven by autoimmune and infectious diseases.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Robyn E. Wootton, Rebecca B. Lawn, Maria C. Magnus, Jorien L. Treur, Elizabeth C. Corfield, Pal R. Njolstad, Ole A. Andreassen, Deborah A. Lawlor, Marcus R. Munafo, Siri E. Haberg, George Davey Smith, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud, Per Magnus, Alexandra Havdahl
Summary: Advice to improve fertility includes reducing alcohol and caffeine consumption, achieving a healthy weight, and quitting smoking. However, observational evidence used to inform these recommendations is often biased by confounding factors.
Letter
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jie Zheng, Tom R. Gaunt, Min Xu, George Davey Smith, Yufang Bi
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Angela Pinot De Moira, Neil Pearce, Marie Pedersen, Anne-Marie Nybo Andersen
Summary: This study explored factors that may modify associations of early-life animal exposure with asthma and allergic disease, and found that type of animal, source of exposure, parental history of asthma or allergy, and timing of exposure can modify these associations. It is important to consider these factors when assessing the risks associated with early-life animal exposure.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Amy Shakeshaft, Jon Heron, Rachel Blakey, Lucy Riglin, George Davey Smith, Evie Stergiakouli, Kate Tilling, Anita Thapar
Summary: This study used data from a population cohort to examine the correlations between ADHD and autistic traits across development. The results showed distinct patterns of co-development of ADHD and autism, and these patterns were associated with sociodemographic, psychopathology, cognition, and social functioning factors. Furthermore, genetic signatures as indexed by polygenic scores differed among different trajectory classes.
JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Karri Silventoinen, Hannu Lahtinen, George Davey Smith, Tim T. Morris, Pekka Martikainen
Summary: This study used a polygenic score for height to reveal the associations between height, socioeconomic position, and coronary heart disease incidence. The results showed clear gradients for residual height in relation to education, social class, and income, with a stronger association for residual height. These findings support the role of material and social living conditions in childhood as contributing factors to the association of height with both socioeconomic position and CHD risk.
JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Ragna Bugge Askeland, Laurie J. Hannigan, Kevin S. O'Connell, Elizabeth C. Corfield, Oleksandr Frei, Anita Thapar, George Davey Smith, Ted Reichborn-Kjennerud, Ole A. Andreassen, Helga Ask, Alexandra Havdahl
Summary: Knowledge on how genetic risk for bipolar disorder manifests in developmental, emotional or behavioral traits during childhood is lacking. This issue is important to address to inform early detection and intervention efforts. Our study investigated the association between polygenic risk for bipolar disorder and developmental outcomes in children, and found robust evidence for an association with conduct difficulties and oppositional defiant difficulties at 8 years. Other associations were estimated within a range close to zero, except for negative associations with activity levels and benevolence at age 5 and positive associations with motor difficulties, inattention, and hyperactivity at age 3 and 8. These findings suggest that genetic risk for bipolar disorder manifests as disruptive behaviors in childhood.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Jie Zheng, Eleanor Wheeler, Maik Pietzner, Till F. M. Andlauer, Michelle S. Yau, April E. Hartley, Ben Michael Brumpton, Humaira Rasheed, John P. Kemp, Monika Frysz, Jamie Robinson, Sjur Reppe, Vid Prijatelj, Kaare M. Gautvik, Louise Falk, Winfried Maerz, Ingrid Gergei, Patricia A. Peyser, Maryam Kavousi, Paul S. de Vries, Clint L. Miller, Maxime Bos, Sander W. van Der Laan, Rajeev Malhotra, Markus Herrmann, Hubert Scharnagl, Marcus Kleber, George Dedoussis, Eleftheria Zeggini, Maria Nethander, Claes Ohlsson, Mattias Lorentzon, Nick Wareham, Claudia Langenberg, Michael V. Holmes, George Davey Smith, Jonathan H. Tobias
Summary: This study suggests that lowering sclerostin may increase the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, myocardial infarction, and the extent of coronary artery calcification. Therefore, strategies should be implemented to mitigate potential adverse effects of romosozumab treatment on atherosclerosis and its risk factors.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Philip C. Haycock, Maria Carolina Borges, Kimberley Burrows, Rozenn N. Lemaitre, Stephen Burgess, Nikhil K. Khankari, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Tom R. Gaunt, Gibran Hemani, Jie Zheng, Therese Truong, Brenda M. Birmann, Tracy OMara, Amanda B. Spurdle, Mark M. Iles, Matthew H. Law, Susan L. Slager, Fatemeh Saberi Hosnijeh, Daniela Mariosa, Michelle Cotterchio, James R. Cerhan, Ulrike Peters, Stefan Enroth, Puya Gharahkhani, Loic Le Marchand, Ann C. Williams, Robert C. Block, Christopher I. Amos, Rayjean J. Hung, Wei Zheng, Marc J. Gunter, George Davey Smith, Caroline Relton, Richard M. Martin
Summary: Using Mendelian randomization, this study found that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be causally related to colorectal cancer and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, but they also increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Madeleine L. Smith, Caroline J. Bull, Michael V. Holmes, George Davey Smith, Eleanor Sanderson, Emma L. Anderson, Joshua A. Bell
Summary: By using a reverse Mendelian randomization (MR) framework on large-scale metabolomics data from the UK Biobank, it was found that genetic susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary artery disease (CAD) has distinct effects on circulating metabolites, providing insights into prevention strategies for these commonly co-occurring diseases.
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mia O. Johansen, Shoaib Afzal, Signe Vedel-Krogh, Sune F. Nielsen, George Davey Smith, Borge G. Nordestgaard
Summary: This study found that higher triglyceride metabolism is associated with increased risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, cancer, and other mortality, independent of elevated triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and body mass index. These findings provide important evidence on the relationship between triglyceride metabolism and mortality.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)