scholarly journals Plasma Carotenoids and Premenstrual Symptoms in a Multi-Ethnic Population of Young Women

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 3870
Author(s):  
Sophia Kerzner ◽  
Tara Zeitoun ◽  
Alicia Jarosz ◽  
Bibiana Garcia-Bailo ◽  
Ahmed El-Sohemy
Keyword(s):  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Premenstrual Symptom ◽  
Ethnic Population ◽  
Premenstrual Symptoms ◽  
Lifestyle Questionnaire ◽  
Logistic Regressions ◽  
Study Participants

Premenstrual symptoms are experienced by most women of reproductive age, but effective therapies are limited. Carotenoids may have an attenuating effect on premenstrual symptoms; however, studies to date are equivocal. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between plasma concentrations of seven carotenoids and premenstrual symptom severity in 553 women from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health study. Participants provided information on fifteen common premenstrual symptoms and severities. Each participant completed a General Health and Lifestyle Questionnaire and provided a fasting blood sample from which plasma carotenoid concentrations were measured. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to determine associations between plasma carotenoid concentrations and premenstrual symptom severity. Beta-cryptoxanthin was associated with moderate/severe increased appetite for women in the highest compared to the lowest tertile (OR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.39, 3.89). This association remained significant after adjusting for multiple comparisons. There were no observed associations between other plasma carotenoids and any premenstrual symptoms. In summary, higher concentrations of beta-cryptoxanthin were associated with an increased appetite as a premenstrual symptom, but no associations were observed for any other carotenoid and for any other symptom.

Genetics of Iron Metabolism and Premenstrual Symptoms: A Mendelian Randomization Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara Zeitoun ◽  
Negar Dehghan Noudeh ◽  
Bibiana Garcia-Bailo ◽  
Ahmed El-Sohemy
Keyword(s):  
Iron Overload ◽  
Mendelian Randomization ◽  
Iron Status ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Elevated Risk ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Premenstrual Symptoms ◽  
Genetic Predictors ◽  
Peripheral White Blood Cells

ABSTRACT Background Many women of reproductive age experience adverse psychological and physiological premenstrual symptoms. These symptoms may last for most of the reproductive years and can negatively affect the quality of life of many women. Some studies have examined the role of micronutrients in premenstrual symptoms, but the research on iron has been limited. Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of genetic predictors of iron overload and low iron status on premenstrual symptoms using Mendelian randomization. Methods We examined 254 White females aged 20–29 y from the Toronto Nutrigenomics and Health Study. DNA was isolated from peripheral white blood cells and genotyped for the homeostatic regulatory iron gene (HFE; rs1800562 and rs1799945), transmembrane protease serine 6 (TMPRSS6; rs482026), transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2; rs3811647), and transferrin (TF; rs738584) polymorphisms. Risk of iron overload or low iron status was determined based on combined genotypes. Binomial logistic regressions were carried out to examine the association between genetic risk of iron overload or low iron status and the presence of premenstrual symptoms. Results Compared with participants with typical risk of iron overload, those with an elevated risk of iron overload were less likely to experience premenstrual symptoms of confusion (OR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02, 1.00), headaches (OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.08, 0.98), and nausea (OR: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.99) after adjusting for BMI, age, and vitamin C and calcium intake. No associations were seen with the other symptoms. There were also no associations between low iron status genotypes and premenstrual symptoms. Conclusions This Mendelian randomization study demonstrates that women with an elevated risk of iron overload may have a lower risk of experiencing some premenstrual symptoms (headache, confusion, and nausea), suggesting that iron status could impact the risk of certain premenstrual symptoms.

scholarly journals MCR: Open-Source Software to Automate Compilation of Health Study Report-Back

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6104
Author(s):  
Erin Polka ◽  
Ellen Childs ◽  
Alexa Friedman ◽  
Kathryn S. Tomsho ◽  
Birgit Claus Henn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Open Source Software ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Equitable Access ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
The Impact

Sharing individualized results with health study participants, a practice we and others refer to as “report-back,” ensures participant access to exposure and health information and may promote health equity. However, the practice of report-back and the content shared is often limited by the time-intensive process of personalizing reports. Software tools that automate creation of individualized reports have been built for specific studies, but are largely not open-source or broadly modifiable. We created an open-source and generalizable tool, called the Macro for the Compilation of Report-backs (MCR), to automate compilation of health study reports. We piloted MCR in two environmental exposure studies in Massachusetts, USA, and interviewed research team members (n = 7) about the impact of MCR on the report-back process. Researchers using MCR created more detailed reports than during manual report-back, including more individualized numerical, text, and graphical results. Using MCR, researchers saved time producing draft and final reports. Researchers also reported feeling more creative in the design process and more confident in report-back quality control. While MCR does not expedite the entire report-back process, we hope that this open-source tool reduces the barriers to personalizing health study reports, promotes more equitable access to individualized data, and advances self-determination among participants.

Psychometric Properties of a DSM-5-Based Screening Tool for Women's Perceptions of Premenstrual Symptoms

2021 ◽  
pp. 003329412097969
Author(s):  
Meghan A. Richards ◽  
Kirsten A. Oinonen
Keyword(s):  
Psychometric Properties ◽  
Screening Tool ◽  
Physical Symptoms ◽  
Premenstrual Symptom ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Premenstrual Symptoms ◽  
Screening Measure ◽  
Dsm 5 ◽  
Symptom Screening ◽  
Women’S Perceptions

A premenstrual screening tool is needed when time constraints and attrition limit the feasibility of daily ratings. The present study examines the utility of a novel, 33-item, retrospective, dimensional, DSM-5-based, screening measure developed to explore women’s perceptions of premenstrual symptomatology. This is the first measure that examines perception of impairment for each DSM-5 symptom and assesses the frequency criterion. Participants (N = 331) reported symptoms ranging from none to a level consistent with a provisional DSM-5 diagnosis of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Initial psychometric properties indicated a five-factor structure: (1) affective symptoms; (2) fatigue, sleep, and anhedonia; (3) symptom frequency; (4) impairment and severity of appetite change and physical symptoms; and (5) difficulty concentrating. The total symptom scale and the frequency, severity, and impairment subscales demonstrated high internal consistency. Strong correlations between this dimensional measure and other retrospective and prospective premenstrual symptom measures suggest strong convergent, concurrent, and predictive validity. Premenstrual symptom groups created using this screening measure (minimal, mild/moderate, severe) differed on other retrospective and prospective measures of premenstrual symptoms. There was evidence of divergent validity and lack of an acquiescence bias. We also report data describing women’s perceptions of the frequency, level of impairment, and level of severity for each DSM-5 PMDD symptom over a 12-month period and discuss implications for future research on premenstrual phenomenology. Initial evidence for the reliability and construct validity of this symptom screening measure suggests potential value for assessing premenstrual symptomatology in research and practice.

scholarly journals Rationalizing Thyroid Function Testing: Which TSH Cutoffs Are Optimal for Testing Free T4?

2017 ◽  
Vol 102 (11) ◽  
pp. 4235-4241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meg Henze ◽  
Suzanne J Brown ◽  
Narelle C Hadlow ◽  
John P Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Thyroid Function ◽  
Reference Range ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Free T4 ◽  
Clinical Cohort ◽  
Thyroid Function Testing ◽  
Reflex Testing ◽  
Study Participants ◽  
Function Testing ◽  
Tsh Levels

Abstract Context Thyroid function testing often uses thyrotropin (TSH) measurement first, followed by reflex testing for free thyroxine (T4) if TSH is outside the reference range. The utility of different TSH cutoffs for reflex testing is unknown. Objective To examine different TSH cutoffs for reflex free T4 testing. Design, Setting, and Patients We analyzed concurrent TSH and free T4 results from 120,403 individuals from a single laboratory in Western Australia (clinical cohort) and 4568 Busselton Health Study participants (community cohort). Results In the clinical cohort, restricting free T4 measurement to individuals with TSH <0.3 or >5.0 mU/L resulted in a 22% reduction in free T4 testing compared with a TSH reference range of 0.4 to 4.0 mU/L; using TSH cutoffs of 0.2 and 6.0 mU/L resulted in a 34% reduction in free T4 testing. In the community cohort, the corresponding effect was less: 3.3% and 4.8% reduction in free T4 testing. In the clinical cohort, using TSH cutoffs of 0.2 and 6.0 mU/L, elevated free T4 would go undetected in 4.2% of individuals with TSH levels of 0.2 to 0.4 mU/L. In most, free T4 was marginally elevated and unlikely to indicate clinically relevant hyperthyroidism. Low free T4 would go undetected in 2.5% of individuals with TSH levels of 4 to 6 mU/L; in 94%, free T4 was marginally reduced and unlikely to indicate clinically relevant hypothyroidism. Conclusions Setting TSH cutoffs at 0.1 to 0.2 mU/L less than and 1 to 2 mU/L greater than the reference range for reflex testing of free T4 would reduce the need for free T4 testing, with minimal effect on case finding.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Associated Factors of Vitamin A Deficiency among Children and Women in Senegal

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Mane Hélène Faye ◽  
Nicole Idohou-Dossou ◽  
Abdou Badiane ◽  
Anta Agne-Djigo ◽  
Papa Mamadou DD Sylla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Vitamin A ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Vitamin A Deficiency ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Subclinical Inflammation ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Factors Associated

Background: Like many developing countries, Senegal does not have data on the extent of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) that is representative of its population. The present survey was conducted to fill this gap and to identify factors associated with VAD, prior to the introduction of a large-scale vitamin A oil fortification program. Procedures: A nationwide representative cross-sectional survey involving 1887 children 12 to 59 months old and 1316 women of reproductive age (WRA) was conducted. Blood samples were collected and plasma concentrations of retinol (PR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and alpha-1-acidglycoprotein were measured. PR was adjusted for subclinical inflammation using the BRINDA regression methodology. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with VAD. Findings: The adjusted prevalence of VAD (PR ≤ 0.7 μmol/L) in children was 15.3% and differed by age group, area of residence, and socioeconomic status and half of them had subclinical inflammation. Among WRA, VAD was low (2.3%) and 18.1% had vitamin A insufficiency (VAI). Pregnant women were more affected by VAI (28.4%) and Dakar had lower figures compared with other cities and rural strata. Prevalence of VAI decreased with increasing wealth quintile. In logistic regression, abnormal CRP, poverty, scarce consumption of poultry, oysters, melon, red palm oil, palm kernel oil, Saba senegalensis fruit pulp (Maad) and cowpea, frequent consumption of leeks and consumption of Leptadenia hastata leaves (Mbuum tiakhat), were associated with VAD in children. For women, lower socioeconomic status, fair or poor health status and anemia were negatively associated with VAI. Conclusions: In Senegal, VAD is a moderate public health problem in children and slight among women. Particular attention should be paid to children older than 23 months, pregnant women, rural populations, and poorest households. Nutritional interventions should be implemented alongside morbidity prevention and control. Keywords: vitamin A deficiency, children 12-59 months, women of reproductive age, Senegal.

scholarly journals Pre-diagnostic Circulating Concentrations of Fat-soluble Vitamins and Risk of Glioma in Three Cohort Studies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yiyang Yue ◽  
Jordan Creed ◽  
David Cote ◽  
Meir Stampfer ◽  
Molin Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Proportional Hazards ◽  
Conditional Logistic Regression ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Cox Proportional Hazards ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Potential Association ◽  
25 Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Glioma Risk ◽  
Fat Soluble Vitamins

Abstract Few prospective studies have evaluated the relation between fat-soluble vitamins and glioma risk. Using three cohorts—UK Biobank (UKB), Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS), we investigated associations of pre-diagnostic concentrations of fat-soluble vitamins D, A, and E with incident glioma. In 346,785 participants (444 cases) in UKB, associations with vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]) were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards regression. In NHS (52 cases, 104 controls) and HPFS (32 cases, 64 controls), associations with 25(OH)D, vitamin A (retinol), and vitamin E (α- and γ-tocopherol) were assessed using conditional logistic regression. Our results suggested plasma concentrations of 25(OH)D and retinol were not associated with glioma risk. Comparing the highest to lowest tertile, the multivariable hazard ratio (MVHR) for 25(OH)D was 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-1.11) in UKB and the multivariable risk ratio (MVRR) was 1.08 (95%CI: 0.55-2.09) in NHS and HPFS. In NHS and HPFS, the MVRR for the same comparison for retinol was 1.16 (95%CI: 0.56-2.38). Nonsignificant associations were observed for α-tocopherol (MVRRtertile3vs1=0.61, 95%CI: 0.29-1.32) and γ-tocopherol (MVRR tertile3vs1=1.30, 95%CI: 0.63-2.69) that became stronger in 4-year lagged analyses. Further investigation is warranted on a potential association between α- and γ-tocopherol and glioma risk.

scholarly journals Dietary intake and age at natural menopause: results from the UK Women’s Cohort Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (8) ◽  
pp. 733-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yashvee Dunneram ◽  
Darren Charles Greenwood ◽  
Victoria J Burley ◽  
Janet E Cade
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Natural Menopause ◽  
Age At Menopause ◽  
Oily Fish ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Study Participants

BackgroundAge at natural menopause is a matter of concern for women of reproductive age as both an early or late menopause may have implications for health outcomes.MethodsStudy participants were women aged 40–65 years who had experienced a natural menopause from the UK Women’s Cohort Study between baseline and first follow-up. Natural menopause was defined as the permanent cessation of menstrual periods for at least 12 consecutive months. A food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate diet at baseline. Reproductive history of participants was also recorded. Regression modelling, adjusting for confounders, was used to assess associations between diet and age at natural menopause.ResultsDuring the 4-year follow-up period, 914 women experienced a natural menopause. A high intake of oily fish and fresh legumes were associated with delayed onset of natural menopause by 3.3 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.8 to 5.8) and 0.9 years per portion/day (99% CI 0.0 to 1.8), respectively. Refined pasta and rice was associated with earlier menopause (per portion/day: −1.5 years, 99% CI −2.8 to −0.2). A higher intake of vitamin B6 (per mg/day: 0.6 years, 99% CI 0.1 to 1.2) and zinc (per mg/day: 0.3 years, 99% CI −0.0 to 0.6) was also associated with later age at menopause. Stratification by age at baseline led to attenuated results.ConclusionOur results suggest that some food groups (oily fish, fresh legumes, refined pasta and rice) and specific nutrients are individually predictive of age at natural menopause.

Abstract MP41: Comparisons of Built Environment Characteristics Inside and Outside of Spatial Clusters of Physical Activity and Obesity in Older U.S. Women

Circulation ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 127 (suppl_12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kosuke Tamura ◽  
Robin C Puett ◽  
Jaime E Hart ◽  
Heather A Starnes ◽  
Francine Laden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Spatial Clustering ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Clustering Methods ◽  
Spatial Clusters ◽  
Spatial Scan Statistic ◽  
Complex Picture ◽  
Intersection Density ◽  
Study Participants

Introduction: Spatial clustering methods have been applied to cancer for over a decade. These methods have been used in studies on physical activity (PA) and obesity. One recent study examined differences in built environment attributes inside and outside PA clusters. We tested two hypotheses: 1) PA and obesity would spatially cluster in older women; and 2) built environment attributes typically related to higher walkability would be found in high PA clusters, while attributes related to lower walkability would appear in high obesity clusters. Methods: We used data from 22,589 Nurses’ Health Study participants (mean age = 69.9 ± 6.8y) in California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Two outcomes were examined: meeting PA guidelines via self-reported walking (≥ 500 MET-min/week) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0). Objective built environment variables were created: population and intersection density, diversity of facilities, and facility density. We used a spatial scan statistic to detect clusters (i.e., areas with high or low rates) of the two outcomes. Built environment attributes were compared inside and outside clusters. Results: Six spatial clusters of PA were found in California and Massachusetts. Two obesity clusters were found in Pennsylvania. Overall there were significant differences (p<0.05) in population and intersection density, and diversity and density of facilities inside and outside clusters. In some cases, built environment attributes related to higher walkability appeared in high PA clusters, while in other PA clusters we did not find this pattern. Differences in built environment attributes inside and outside obesity clusters showed inconsistent patterns. Conclusion: Although PA and obesity clusters emerged, the comparison of built environment attributes inside and outside clusters revealed a complex picture not fully consistent with existing literature. Further examination of PA and obesity clusters in older adults should include other built environment factors that may be related to these outcomes.

Abstract MP037: Plasma Organochlorine Concentration and Risk of Diabetes: the Nurses' Health Study

Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyu Wu ◽  
Kimberly A Bertrand ◽  
Anna L Choi ◽  
Frank B Hu ◽  
Francine Laden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
Polychlorinated Biphenyl ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Diabetes Risk ◽  
Health Study ◽  
Blood Draw ◽  
Incident Type ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Incident Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Animal experiments have suggested that exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may lead to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Although recent human studies supported this hypothesis, evidence from prospective investigations is sparse. Objective: To examine the associations of plasma POP concentrations with risk of incident type 2 diabetes in a prospective setting among US women. Methods: Study population was comprised of participants from two independent nested case-control studies in the Nurses’ Health Study, in which major polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB 118, 138, 153, and 180), p-p'- dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured. A non-parametric approach was used to derive standardized scores for plasma concentrations of lipid-adjusted POPs within each study to minimize between-study variation of the POP measurements. Risk of incident type 2 diabetes during the follow-up period (1990-2008) across the tertiles of the scores was examined. Results: Of 1,120 participants, we identified 48 incident type 2 diabetes cases. After adjusting for covariates assessed at blood draw in 1990, including smoking status, body mass index, and total fish intake, plasma HCB concentration was positively associated with type 2 diabetes risk: odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 2.77 (1.17, 6.55, P for trend =0.022) comparing the highest vs. lowest tertile. Other POPs were not significantly associated with diabetes: the ORs (95% CI) were 1.10 (0.51, 2.34, P for trend =0.81) for p-p'-DDE, 0.93 (0.44, 1.95, P for trend =0.86) for DDT, and 0.88 (0.39, 1.97, P for trend =0.76) for sum of the 4 major PCBs, comparing the extreme tertiles. Conclusion: The significant association of plasma HCB concentration with diabetes risk supports a role of POP exposure in the etiology of type 2 diabetes. More prospective data are warranted to confirm these findings.

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