Project description:ObjectiveWe examined the relation between serum-free testosterone and asthma, wheeze, asthma hospitalisations and lung function in older adults.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingUK.Participants256 419 adults aged 40 to 69 years, recruited from 2006 to 2010.Main outcome measuresMultivariable logistic or linear regression was used for the analysis of free testosterone and physician-diagnosed asthma, current wheeze, asthma hospitalisations and lung function measures, which was adjusted for serum estradiol, smoking status and other covariates.ResultsFree testosterone levels above the lowest quartile (Q1) were significantly associated with lower odds of asthma in both women (adjusted OR (aOR) for Q4 (the highest quartile) versus Q1=0.67, 95% CI=0.64 to 0.71) and men (aOR for Q4 versus Q1=0.87, 95% CI=0.82 to 0.91). Among subjects with asthma, free testosterone levels above Q1 were significantly associated with lower odds of current wheeze in women (aOR range=0.78 to 0.87), and free testosterone levels in Q4 were associated with lower odds of current wheeze in men (aOR for Q4 versus Q1=0.86, 95% CI=0.77 to 0.95). Among women with asthma, free testosterone levels in Q4 were also associated with lower odds of ≥1 asthma hospitalisation. Among men, free testosterone was positively associated with FEV1 and FVC. Among women, free testosterone was negatively and weakly associated with FVC.ConclusionIn a large study of British adults, elevated free testosterone levels are associated with lower odds of asthma and current wheeze in women and men, lower odds of asthma hospitalisations in women, and higher FEV1 and FVC in men. DISSEMINATION TO PARTICIPANTS, AND RELATED PATIENT AND PUBLIC COMMUNITIES: The results of the study will be linked to the UK Biobank website.
Project description:The role of metabolites, nutrients, and toxins (MNTs) in sera at the end of pregnancy and of their association with offspring respiratory and allergic disorders is underexplored. Untargeted approaches detecting a variety of compounds, known and unknown, are limited. In this cohort study, we first aimed at discovering associations of MNTs in grandmaternal (F0) serum with asthma, immunoglobulin E, skin prick tests, exhaled nitric oxide, and lung function parameters in their parental (F1) offspring. Second, for replication, we tested the identified associations of MNTs with disorders in their grandchildren (F2-offspring) based on F2 cord serum. The statistical analyses were sex-stratified. Using liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry in F0, we detected signals for 2286 negative-ion lipids, 59 positive-ion lipids, and 6331 polar MNTs. Nine MNTs (one unknown MNT) discovered in F0-F1 and replicated in F2 showed higher risks of respiratory/allergic outcomes. Twelve MNTs (four unknowns) constituted a potential protection in F1 and F2. We recognized MNTs not yet considered candidates for respiratory/allergic outcomes: a phthalate plasticizer, an antihistamine, a bile acid metabolite, tryptophan metabolites, a hemiterpenoid glycoside, triacylglycerols, hypoxanthine, and polyphenol syringic acid. The findings suggest that MNTs are aspirants for clinical trials to prevent adverse respiratory/allergic outcomes.
Project description:Folate, folic acid, has a role in mitigating inflammatory reactions in the human body. This study aimed to evaluate the association of serum folate levels with lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Of the 8149 participants of the 2016 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 311 subjects (192 males and 119 females) having COPD defined by the lower fifth percentile of the reference population were selected. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between serum folate level and lung function measurements. The association between the serum folate level and lung function in patients with COPD was evaluated using multivariable linear regression analysis after adjustment for age, sex, height, high sensitivity C-reactive protein, total calorie intake, residence, smoking status and smoking pack-years, education, and household income. The serum folate level showed a positive correlation with the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%). In males, a trend for a positive correlation with serum folate level was observed in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted percentage of forced vital capacity (FVC%), FVC value, and peak expiratory flow (PEF). No significant correlation between the serum folate level and lung function in females was observed. In the multivariable linear regression model, the serum folate level was associated with an increase in predicted FEV1%, FEV1 value, predicted FVC%, FVC value, and PEF; however, the significance was only observed in males, especially among current smokers. High serum folate level was positively associated with lung function measurements in male COPD patients who were current smokers. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
Project description:BackgroundLung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Folate helps to maintain DNA integrity and to regulate gene expression. Serum folate levels may affect the risk of several cancers, including lung cancer. In this study we evaluated the association between serum folate concentration and variations in genes involved in folate metabolism with lung cancer incidence in Poland.MethodsThe study included 366 lung cancer patients and 366 control subjects. We measured serum folate concentration and genotyped six variants in MTHFR, MTR and MTRR genes. The odds ratios of being diagnosed with lung cancer were calculated using conditional univariable and multivariable logistic regression with respect to folate level and genotypes.ResultsThe mean serum folate level was lower in lung cancer cases than in control group (20.07 nmol/l vs. 22.52 nmol/l, p = 0.002). The odds ratio for lung cancer declined with increasing serum content of the folate. The folate concentration of >25.71 nmol/l (IVth quartile) in comparison to <15.92 nmol/l (Ist quartile) was associated with an odds ratio of 0.61 (95%CI 0.40-0.95, p = 0.03). The analysis of variations in MTHFR, MTR and MTRR genes did not reveal any significant difference between lung cancer cases and controls in univariable and multivariable analyses.ConclusionIn this case-control study, lower serum folate concentrations were associated with a higher risk of lung cancer diagnosis. Although previous findings have been somewhat mixed, our results add to the evidence that circulating folate levels may be an indicator of lung cancer risk.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Cadmium and lead are hazardous pollutants. OBJECTIVE:We examined the relation between serum levels of cadmium and lead and current wheeze, current asthma, and lung function in US adults. METHODS:A cross-sectional study of 13,888 adults aged 20 to 79 years in 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was considered. Multivariable logistic or linear regression was used for the analyses of current wheeze, current asthma, and lung function measures (forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1]% predicted, forced vital capacity [FVC]% predicted, FEV1/FVC% predicted, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide [FeNO]), which were conducted first in all participants, and then separately in never/former smokers and current smokers. RESULTS:High levels of serum cadmium were significantly associated with current wheeze in all participants and in current smokers (odds ratio for fourth vs first quartile = 2.84, 95% confidence interval = 2.07-3.90, Pfor linear trend < .01), as well as with current asthma in current smokers. Serum lead was not significantly associated with current wheeze or current asthma, regardless of smoking status. Serum cadmium was significantly associated with lower FEV1% predicted, FEV1/FVC% predicted, and FeNO in all participants and in never/former smokers, and serum lead was significantly associated with lower FEV1/FVC% predicted in all participants, with similar findings in never/former smokers and in current smokers. CONCLUSIONS:Our findings suggest that exposure to cadmium is associated with an increased risk of wheeze and asthma in US adults who currently smoke. Moreover, our results suggest that exposure to cadmium or lead has negative effects on lung function in nonsmoking US adults.
Project description:BackgroundThe chitinase-like protein YKL-40 is involved in inflammation and tissue remodeling. We recently showed that serum YKL-40 levels were elevated in patients with asthma and were correlated with severity, thickening of the subepithelial basement membrane, and pulmonary function. We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect YKL-40 levels also influence asthma status and lung function.MethodsWe carried out a genomewide association study of serum YKL-40 levels in a founder population of European descent, the Hutterites, and then tested for an association between an implicated SNP and asthma and lung function. One associated variant was genotyped in a birth cohort at high risk for asthma, in which YKL-40 levels were measured from birth through 5 years of age, and in two populations of unrelated case patients of European descent with asthma and controls.ResultsA promoter SNP (-131C-->G) in CHI3L1, the chitinase 3-like 1 gene encoding YKL-40, was associated with elevated serum YKL-40 levels (P=1.1 x 10(-13)), asthma (P=0.047), bronchial hyperresponsiveness (P=0.002), and measures of pulmonary function (P=0.046 to 0.002) in the Hutterites. The same SNP could be used to predict the presence of asthma in the two case-control populations (combined P=1.2 x 10(-5)) and serum YKL-40 levels at birth (in cord-blood specimens) through 5 years of age in the birth cohort (P=8.9 x 10(-3) to 2.5 x 10(-4)).ConclusionsCHI3L1 is a susceptibility gene for asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and reduced lung function, and elevated circulating YKL-40 levels are a biomarker for asthma and decline in lung function.
Project description:BackgroundLongitudinal epidemiological data are scarce examining the relationship between dietary patterns and respiratory outcomes in childhood. We investigated whether three distinct dietary patterns in mid-childhood were associated with lung function and incident asthma in adolescence.MethodsIn the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, 'processed', 'traditional', and 'health-conscious' dietary patterns were identified using principal components analysis from food frequency questionnaires at 7 years of age. Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory flow at 25-75% of FVC (FEF25-75) were measured at 15.5 years and were transformed to z-scores based on the Global Lung Function Initiative curves. Incident asthma was defined by new cases of doctor-diagnosed asthma at age 11 or 14 years.ResultsIn multivariable-adjusted models, the 'health-conscious' pattern was positively associated with FEV1 (regression coefficient comparing top versus bottom quartile of pattern score 0.16, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.31, P for trend 0.04) and FVC (0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.33, P for trend 0.02), while the 'processed' pattern was negatively associated with FVC (- 0.17, 95% CI - 0.33 to - 0.01, P for trend 0.03). Associations between the 'health-conscious' and 'processed' patterns and lung function were modified by SCGB1A1 and GPX4 gene polymorphisms. We found no evidence of an association between the 'traditional' pattern and lung function, nor between any pattern and FEF25-75 or incident asthma.ConclusionsA 'health-conscious' diet in mid-childhood was associated with higher subsequent lung function, while a diet high in processed food was associated with lower lung function.
Project description:BackgroundNutrient status of B vitamins, particularly folate and vitamin B-12, may be related to cognitive ageing but epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate the association of serum folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations with cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults from three Central and Eastern European populations.MethodsMen and women aged 45-69 at baseline participating in the Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study were recruited in Krakow (Poland), Kaunas (Lithuania) and six urban centres in the Czech Republic. Tests of immediate and delayed recall, verbal fluency and letter search were administered at baseline and repeated in 2006-2008. Serum concentrations of biomarkers at baseline were measured in a sub-sample of participants. Associations of vitamin quartiles with baseline (n=4166) and follow-up (n=2739) cognitive domain-specific z-scores were estimated using multiple linear regression.ResultsAfter adjusting for confounders, folate was positively associated with letter search and vitamin B-12 with word recall in cross-sectional analyses. In prospective analyses, participants in the highest quartile of folate had higher verbal fluency (p<0.01) and immediate recall (p<0.05) scores compared to those in the bottom quartile. In addition, participants in the highest quartile of vitamin B-12 had significantly higher verbal fluency scores (β=0.12; 95% CI=0.02, 0.21).ConclusionsFolate and vitamin B-12 were positively associated with performance in some but not all cognitive domains in older Central and Eastern Europeans. These findings do not lend unequivocal support to potential importance of folate and vitamin B-12 status for cognitive function in older age. Long-term longitudinal studies and randomised trials are required before drawing conclusions on the role of these vitamins in cognitive decline.
Project description:Experimental, observational, and clinical trials support a critical role of folate one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) in colorectal cancer (CRC) development. In this report, we focus on understanding the relationship between common genetic variants and metabolites of FOCM. We conducted a genome-wide association study of FOCM biomarkers among 1,788 unaffected (without CRC) individuals of European ancestry from the Colon Cancer Family Registry. Twelve metabolites, including 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, vitamin B2 (flavin mononucleotide and riboflavin), vitamin B6 (4-pyridoxic acid, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine), total homocysteine, methionine, S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, cystathionine, and creatinine were measured from plasma using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) or LC-MS/MS. For each individual biomarker, we estimated genotype array-specific associations followed by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. We identified the variant rs35976024 (at 2p11.2 and intronic of ATOH8) associated with total homocysteine (p = 4.9 × 10-8 ). We found a group of six highly correlated variants on chromosome 15q14 associated with cystathionine (all p < 5 × 10-8 ), with the most significant variant rs28391580 (p = 2.8 × 10-8 ). Two variants (rs139435405 and rs149119426) on chromosome 14q13 showed significant (p < 5 × 10-8 ) associations with S-adenosylhomocysteine. These three biomarkers with significant associations are closely involved in homocysteine metabolism. Furthermore, when assessing the principal components (PCs) derived from seven individual biomarkers, we identified the variant rs12665366 (at 6p25.3 and intronic of EXOC2) associated with the first PC (p = 2.3 × 10-8 ). Our data suggest that common genetic variants may play an important role in FOCM, particularly in homocysteine metabolism.