Association of preeclampsia with infant APOL1 genotype in African Americans

Abstract Background Black women in the United States and Africa are at an increased risk for preeclampsia. Allelic variants in the gene for apolipoprotein LI, APOL1, are found only in populations of African ancestry, and have been shown to contribute significant risk for kidney disease. Recent studies suggest these APOL1 variants also may contribute risk for preeclampsia. Methods The association of preeclampsia with carriage of APOL1 risk alleles was evaluated in a case-control study of deliveries from black women at a single center in Cleveland, Ohio that included gross and histopathologic evaluations of placental tissues (395 cases and 282 controls). Using logistic regression models, associations between fetal APOL1 genotype and preeclampsia were evaluated using several case definitions based on prematurity and severity of preeclampsia, with uncomplicated term pregnancies as controls. Associations between APOL1 genotype and pathological features were also examined. Results The infant APOL1 genotype was significantly associated with preeclampsia in a dominant inheritance pattern with odds ratio of 1.41 (P=0.029, 95% CI 1.037, 1.926). Stratifying preeclampsia cases by preterm birth, significant associations were detected for both recessive (O.R.=1.70, P=0.038) and additive (O.R.=1.33, P=0.028) inheritance patterns. APOL1 genotype, however, was not significantly associated with pathological changes or other perinatal observations. Conclusions Preeclampsia appears to be another disease associated with APOL1 variants, however, further studies are needed to increase confidence in the mode of inheritance. By understanding the association of APOL1 variants with preeclampsia, genetic screening tests for APOL1 may be useful to predict at-risk pregnancies and targeted interventions may be developed to improve pregnancy outcomes.

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Racial Disparities in Pregnancy-associated Intimate Partner Homicide

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260521990831 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052199083

Author(s):

Aaron J. Kivisto ◽

Samantha Mills ◽

Lisa S. Elwood

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Ethnic Minority ◽

Racial Disparities ◽

White Women ◽

The United States ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Intimate Partner Homicide ◽

Homicide Victimization ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Racial Ethnic

Pregnancy-associated femicide accounts for a mortality burden at least as high as any of the leading specific obstetric causes of maternal mortality, and intimate partners are the most common perpetrators of these homicides. This study examined pregnancy-associated and non-pregnancy-associated intimate partner homicide (IPH) victimization among racial/ethnic minority women relative to their non-minority counterparts using several sources of state-level data from 2003 through 2017. Data regarding partner homicide victimization came from the National Violent Death Reporting System, natality data were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, and relevant sociodemographic information was obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau. Findings indicated that pregnancy and racial/ethnic minority status were each associated with increased risk for partner homicide victimization. Although rates of non-pregnancy-associated IPH victimization were similar between Black and White women, significant differences emerged when limited to pregnancy-associated IPH such that Black women evidenced pregnancy-associated IPH rates more than threefold higher than that observed among White and Hispanic women. Relatedly, the largest intraracial discrepancies between pregnant and non-pregnant women emerged among Black women, who experienced pregnancy-associated IPH victimization at a rate 8.1 times greater than their non-pregnant peers. These findings indicate that the racial disparities in IPH victimization in the United States observed in prior research might be driven primarily by the pronounced differences among the pregnant subset of these populations.

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Calcium-Sensing Receptor Polymorphisms at rs1801725 are Associated with Increased Risk of Secondary Malignancies

10.1101/2021.02.24.21252297 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ky'Era V. Actkins ◽

Heather K. Beasley ◽

Annika B. Faucon ◽

Lea K. Davis ◽

Amos M. Sakwe

Keyword(s):

African Ancestry ◽

Secondary Malignancies ◽

Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽

Calcium Sensing Receptor ◽

Secondary Neoplasms ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Calcium Sensing ◽

Skin Cancers ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Cancer Phenotypes

Purpose: Dysregulation of systemic calcium homeostasis during malignancy is common in most patients with high grade tumors. However, it remains unclear whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that alter the sensitivity of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) to circulating calcium are associated with primary and/or secondary neoplasms at specific pathological sites in patients of European and African ancestry. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of CASR SNPs with circulating calcium, parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and primary and secondary neoplasms. Results: Circulating calcium is associated with an increased risk for breast, prostate, and skin cancers. In patients of European descent, the rs1801725 CASR SNP is associated with bone-related cancer phenotypes, deficiency of humoral immunity, and a higher risk of secondary neoplasms in the lungs and bone. Interestingly, circulating calcium levels are higher in homozygous patients for the inactivating CASR variant at rs1801725 (TT genotype), and this is associated with a higher risk of secondary malignancies. Conclusions: Breast, prostate, and skin cancer patients with homozygous inactivating variants (TT genotype) at the CASR rs1801725 locus have a higher risk of developing secondary neoplastic lesions in the lungs and bone, due in part, to cancer-induced hypercalcemia and/or tumor immune suppression.

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Cannabis Use and the Onset of Cigarette and E-cigarette Use: A Prospective, Longitudinal Study Among Youth in the United States

Nicotine & Tobacco Research ◽

10.1093/ntr/ntaa158 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andrea H Weinberger ◽

Jiaqi Zhu ◽

Joun Lee ◽

Shu Xu ◽

Renee D Goodwin

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Public Health Education ◽

The United States ◽

Unintended Consequences ◽

Cannabis Use ◽

Cigarette Use ◽

Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Prospective Longitudinal

Abstract Introduction Cigarette use is declining among youth in the United States, whereas cannabis use and e-cigarette use are increasing. Cannabis use has been linked with increased uptake and persistence of cigarette smoking among adults. The goal of this study was to examine whether cannabis use is associated with the prevalence and incidence of cigarette, e-cigarette, and dual product use among U.S. youth. Methods Data included U.S. youth ages 12–17 from two waves of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study (Wave 1 youth, n = 13 651; Wave 1 tobacco-naive youth, n = 10 081). Weighted logistic regression models were used to examine the association between Wave 1 cannabis use and (1) Wave 1 prevalence of cigarette/e-cigarette use among Wave 1 youth and (2) Wave 2 incidence of cigarette/e-cigarette use among Wave 1 tobacco-naive youth. Analyses were run unadjusted and adjusted for demographics and internalizing/externalizing problem symptoms. Results Wave 1 cigarette and e-cigarette use were significantly more common among youth who used versus did not use cannabis. Among Wave 1 tobacco-naive youth, Wave 1 cannabis use was associated with significantly increased incidence of cigarette and e-cigarette use by Wave 2. Conclusions Youth who use cannabis are more likely to report cigarette and e-cigarette use, and cannabis use is associated with increased risk of initiation of cigarette and e-cigarette use over 1 year. Continued success in tobacco control—specifically toward reducing smoking among adolescents—may require focusing on cannabis, e-cigarette, and cigarette use in public health education, outreach, and intervention efforts. Implications These data extend our knowledge of cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth by showing that cannabis use is associated with increased prevalence and incidence of cigarette and e-cigarette use among youth, relative to youth who do not use cannabis. The increasing popularity of cannabis use among youth and diminished perceptions of risk, coupled with the strong link between cannabis use and tobacco use, may have unintended consequences for cigarette control efforts among youth.

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Tickborne disease awareness and protective practices among U.S. Forest Service employees from the upper Midwest, USA

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09629-x ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Anna Schotthoefer ◽

Kathryn Stinebaugh ◽

Michael Martin ◽

Claudia Munoz-Zanzi

Keyword(s):

The United States ◽

Forest Service ◽

High Risk Group ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Service Employees ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Attitudes And Practices ◽

Increased Risk ◽

High Concern

Abstract Background People with occupations that require them to spend time working outdoors in suitable tick habitats are predicted to be at an increased risk for tick-borne diseases (TBDs). However, few studies have assessed the risks of outdoor employees in the United States. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey to collect data on exposure to ticks and TBD infections among U.S. Forest Service employees in a high TBD incidence region of northern Wisconsin, and to examine employee knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) regarding TBDs to help guide future education and prevention programs. Chi-square contingency tables, calculations of odds ratios, and logistic regression models were used to identify associations among self-reported employee factors, the proportion of correctly answered knowledge questions, their ranked concern for TBDs, adherence to practicing preventive behaviors, and willingness to pay for protective measures. Results Ninety-five employees completed the survey. Nearly all respondents (97%) reported recent tick exposure, with 27% reporting encountering 10 or more ticks per week during peak tick season. Employee knowledge of TBD was high (median score: 80% correct). Fifty-nine percent of respondents had high concern for TBDs, and there was high adherence to conducting body checks for ticks (83% reported always doing them), but only moderate use of tick repellents (24% reported always and 60% reported occasionally using). High concern for TBD (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.32 [95% confidence intervals, 1.97–20.28]), a history of TBD diagnosis (aOR = 5.88 [1.41–24.55]), and older age (≥ 46 years) (aOR = 3.29 [1.00–10.84]) were positively associated with high practice adherence. Respondents suggested they would be willing to pay for personal protective methods and get a hypothetical vaccine for Lyme disease, but not community-wide efforts to control ticks. Conclusions Our study provides evidence that U.S. Forest Service employees in Wisconsin represent a high risk group for TBD, and despite relatively high TBD knowledge and engagement in tick protection activities, efforts are needed to reduce their risks for tick bites. More generally, our findings suggest that studies to better understand the factors related to the adoption and effectiveness of public health interventions are needed.

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Recipient APOL1 risk alleles associate with death-censored renal allograft survival and rejection episodes

10.1101/2021.05.07.21256570 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zhongyang Zhang ◽

Zeguo Sun ◽

Qisheng Lin ◽

Khadija Banu ◽

Kinsuk Chauhan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Transplant ◽

Renal Allograft ◽

African Ancestry ◽

Graft Loss ◽

Genetic Ancestry ◽

Immune Response Gene ◽

Transplant Outcomes ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Risk Alleles ◽

Increased Risk

Apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) risk alleles in donor kidneys associate with graft loss but whether recipient risk allele expression impacts kidney transplant outcomes is unclear. To test whether recipient APOL1 allelic variants independently correlate with transplant outcomes, we analyzed genome-wide SNP genotyping data of donors and recipients from two kidney transplant cohorts, Genomics of Chronic Allograft Rejection (GOCAR) and Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation 1/17 (CTOT1/17). We estimated genetic ancestry (quantified as proportion of African ancestry or pAFR) by ADMIXTURE and correlated APOL1 genotypes and pAFR with outcomes. In the GOCAR discovery set, we observed that the number of recipient APOL1 G1/G2 alleles (R-nAPOL1) associated with increased risk of death-censored allograft loss (DCAL), independent of genetic ancestry (HR = 2.14; P = 0.006), and within the subgroup of African American and Hispanic (AA/H) recipients (HR = 2.36; P = 0.003). R-nAPOL1 also associated with increased risk of any T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) event. Analysis of the CTOT cohort validated these associations. Ex vivo studies of peripheral blood mononuclear cells revealed unanticipated high APOL1 expression in activated CD4+/CD8+ T cells and natural killer cells. We detected enriched immune response gene pathways in G1/G2 allele carriers vs. non-carriers among patients on the kidney waitlist and healthy controls. Together our findings highlight a previously unrecognized contribution of recipient APOL1 risk alleles to renal allograft outcomes. This immunomodulatory role has broader implications for immune mediated injury to native kidneys.

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COVID-19 in Children with Down Syndrome: Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10215125 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (21) ◽

pp. 5125

Author(s):

David Emes ◽

Anke Hüls ◽

Nicole Baumer ◽

Mara Dierssen ◽

Shiela Puri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Significant Risk ◽

The United States ◽

Research Society ◽

Medical Complications ◽

Thyroid Disorder ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Using Data ◽

And Control

Adults with Down Syndrome (DS) are at higher risk for severe outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than the general population, but evidence is required to understand the risks for children with DS, which is necessary to inform COVID-19 shielding advice and vaccination priorities. We aimed to determine the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children with DS. Using data from an international survey obtained from a range of countries and control data from the United States, we compared the prevalence of symptoms and medical complications and risk factors for severe outcomes between DS and non-DS paediatric populations with COVID-19. Hospitalised COVID-19 patients <18 years with DS had a higher incidence of respiratory symptoms, fever, and several medical complications from COVID-19 than control patients without DS <18 years. Older age, obesity, and epilepsy were significant risk factors for hospitalisation among paediatric COVID-19 patients with DS, and age and thyroid disorder were significant risk factors for acute respiratory distress syndrome. Mortality rates were low in all paediatric COVID-19 patients (with and without DS), contrasting with previous findings in adults with DS (who exhibit higher mortality than those without DS). Children with DS are at increased risk for more severe presentations of COVID-19. Efforts should be made to ensure the comprehensive and early detection of COVID-19 in this population and to identify children with DS who present comorbidities that pose a risk for a severe course of COVID-19. Our results emphasize the importance of vaccinating children with DS as soon as they become eligible.

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Variation of ApoL1 Testing Practices for Living Kidney Donors

Progress in Transplantation ◽

10.1177/1526924819892917 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 22-28 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tristan McIntosh ◽

Sumit Mohan ◽

Deirdre Sawinski ◽

Ana Iltis ◽

James M. DuBois

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

African Ancestry ◽

The United States ◽

West African ◽

Kidney Donors ◽

Living Kidney Donors ◽

Risk Variants ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Testing Practices ◽

West African Ancestry

Introduction: Tests exist for ApoL1 genetic variants to determine whether a potential donor’s kidneys are at increased risk of kidney failure. Variants of the ApoL1 gene associated with increased risk are primarily found in people with West African ancestry. Given uncertainty about clinical implications of ApoL1 test results for living kidney donors and recipients and the lack of uniform guidelines for ApoL1 testing, transplant centers across the United States vary in ApoL1 testing practices. Research Questions: (1) What approach do transplant centers take to determine whether prospective donors are of West African ancestry? (2)How do transplant centers engage potential donors during the ApoL1 testing process? (3) What do transplant centers identify as concerns and barriers to ApoL1 testing? and (4) What actions do transplant centers take when a potential donor has 2 ApoL1 risk variants? Design: We explored the current practices of transplant centers by surveying nephrologists and transplant surgeons at transplant centers evaluating the majority of black living donors in the United States. Results: About half of these transplant centers offered ApoL1 testing. Of those who offered ApoL1 testing, only half involved the donor in decision-making about donation when the donor has 2 risk variants. Discussion: Unaddressed differences in the priorities of transplant centers and black living donors may stigmatize black donors and undermine trust in the health-care and organ donation systems. Variation in transplant center testing practices points to the critical need for further research and community engagement to inform the development of guidelines for ApoL1 testing.

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Association of the transthyretin variant V122I with polyneuropathy among individuals of African ancestry

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91113-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Margaret M. Parker ◽

Scott M. Damrauer ◽

Catherine Tcheandjieu ◽

David Erbe ◽

Emre Aldinc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Odds Ratio ◽

African Ancestry ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

The United States ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Diagnosis Codes ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Tunnel Syndrome ◽

The Uk

AbstractHereditary transthyretin-mediated (hATTR) amyloidosis is an underdiagnosed, progressively debilitating disease caused by mutations in the transthyretin (TTR) gene. V122I, a common pathogenic TTR mutation, is found in 3–4% of individuals of African ancestry in the United States and has been associated with cardiomyopathy and heart failure. To better understand the phenotypic consequences of carrying V122I, we conducted a phenome-wide association study scanning 427 ICD diagnosis codes in UK Biobank participants of African ancestry (n = 6062). Significant associations were tested for replication in the Penn Medicine Biobank (n = 5737) and the Million Veteran Program (n = 82,382). V122I was significantly associated with polyneuropathy in the UK Biobank (odds ratio [OR] = 6.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6–15.6, p = 4.2 × 10−5), which was replicated in the Penn Medicine Biobank (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.2–2.4, p = 6.0 × 10–3) and Million Veteran Program (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.8, p = 1.8 × 10−4). Polyneuropathy prevalence among V122I carriers was 2.1%, 9.0%, and 4.8% in the UK Biobank, Penn Medicine Biobank, and Million Veteran Program, respectively. The cumulative incidence of common hATTR amyloidosis manifestations (carpal tunnel syndrome, polyneuropathy, cardiomyopathy, heart failure) was significantly enriched in V122I carriers compared with non-carriers (HR = 2.8, 95% CI 1.7–4.5, p = 2.6 × 10−5) in the UK Biobank, with 37.4% of V122I carriers having at least one of these manifestations by age 75. Our findings show that V122I carriers are at increased risk of polyneuropathy. These results also emphasize the underdiagnosis of disease in V122I carriers with a significant proportion of subjects showing phenotypic changes consistent with hATTR amyloidosis. Greater understanding of the manifestations associated with V122I is critical for earlier diagnosis and treatment.

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Racial Disparities in Cardiovascular Complications With Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension in the United States

Hypertension ◽

10.1161/hypertensionaha.121.17104 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anum S. Minhas ◽

S. Michelle Ogunwole ◽

Arthur Jason Vaught ◽

Pensee Wu ◽

Mamas A. Mamas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Black Women ◽

Cardiovascular Events ◽

Gestational Hypertension ◽

The United States ◽

Cardiovascular Complications ◽

Pregnancy Induced Hypertension ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Induced Hypertension ◽

Race Ethnicity ◽

Asian Pacific

Women with pregnancy-induced hypertension, defined as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia/eclampsia, are at increased risk of long-term cardiovascular disease, but less is known about the spectrum of acute cardiovascular outcomes, especially across racial/ethnic groups. We evaluated the risk of cardiovascular events at delivery associated with gestational hypertension and preeclampsia/eclampsia, compared with no pregnancy-induced hypertension, overall and by race/ethnicity. We used the 2016 to 2018 National Inpatient Sample data. International Classification of Diseases , Tenth Revision , Clinical Modification codes identified delivery hospitalizations and clinical diagnoses. Using survey weights, cardiovascular events were examined using logistic regression by pregnancy-induced hypertension status, with subsequent stratification by race/ethnicity. Among 11 304 996 deliveries in 2016 to 2018, gestational hypertension occurred in 614 995 (5.4%) and preeclampsia in 593 516 (5.2%). Black women had higher odds for preeclampsia independent of underlying comorbidities (adjusted odds ratio, 1.45 [95% CI, 1.42–1.49]) and had the highest rates for several complications (peripartum cardiomyopathy, 506; heart failure, 660; acute renal failure, 953; and arrhythmias, 418 per 100 000 deliveries). After adjustment for socioeconomic factors and comorbidities, preeclampsia/eclampsia was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events in women of all races/ethnicities. However, risk was highest among Asian/Pacific Islander women and lowest among Black women. In sum, while Black women were the most likely to experience preeclampsia, Asian/Pacific women were the most at risk for acute cardiovascular complications during delivery hospitalization.

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Computer Game Use and Television Viewing Increased Risk for Overweight among Low Activity Girls: Fourth Thai National Health Examination Survey 2008-2009

International Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1155/2014/364702 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Ladda Mo-suwan ◽

Jiraluck Nontarak ◽

Wichai Aekplakorn ◽

Warapone Satheannoppakao

Keyword(s):

Children And Adolescents ◽

National Health ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Computer Game ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Health Examination ◽

Sedentary Behaviors ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Health Examination Survey ◽

Increased Risk

Studies of the relationship between sedentary behaviors and overweight among children and adolescents show mixed results. The fourth Thai National Health Examination Survey data collected between 2008 and 2009 were used to explore this association in 5,999 children aged 6 to 14 years. The prevalence of overweight defined by the age- and gender-specific body mass index cut-points of the International Obesity Task Force was 16%. Using multiple logistic regression, computer game use for more than 1 hour a day was found to be associated with an increased risk of overweight (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.4; 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.93). The effect of computer game use and TV viewing on the risk for overweight was significantly pronounced among girls who spent ≤3 days/week in 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (AOR = 1.99 and 1.72, resp.). On the contrary, these sedentary behaviors did not exert significant risk for overweight among boys. The moderating effect on risk of overweight by physical inactivity and media use should be taken into consideration in designing the interventions for overweight control in children and adolescents. Tracking societal changes is essential for identification of potential areas for targeted interventions.

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