Host Genetic Liability for Severe COVID-19 Associates with Alcohol Drinking Behavior and Diabetic Outcomes in Participants of European Descent

Risk factors and long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection are unclear but can be investigated with large-scale genomic data. To distinguish correlation from causation, we performed in-silico analyses of three COVID-19 outcomes (N > 1,000,000). We show genetic correlation and putative causality with depressive symptoms, metformin use (genetic causality proportion (gĉp) with severe respiratory COVID-19 = 0.576, p = 1.07 × 10−5 and hospitalized COVID-19 = 0.713, p = 0.003), and alcohol drinking status (gĉp with severe respiratory COVID-19 = 0.633, p = 7.04 × 10−5 and hospitalized COVID-19 = 0.848, p = 4.13 × 10−13). COVID-19 risk loci associated with several hematologic biomarkers. Comprehensive findings inform genetic contributions to COVID-19 epidemiology, molecular mechanisms, and risk factors and potential long-term health effects of severe response to infection.

Unilateral Hypermature Cataract and Uveitis in Dwarf Campbell’s Hamster (Phodopus campbelli)

Background: In the ophthalmological examination of a 1.5-year-old male dwarf Campbell hamster, who was examined with complaints of photophobia, pain, weakness and whitening of the eye color, hypermature cataract and chronic uveitis were observed in the left eye. Methods: Local antibiotic therapy was administered to the patient for the first ten days in order to eliminate a possible microbial agent. In addition, local NSAI drugs were applied to reduce pain and inflammation. Then, peros Prednol (methylprednisolone) was administered at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg for the first ten days and 1 mg/kg for the next ten days in order to suppress the inflammation associated with uveitis. The patient’s body weight and intraocular pressure were measured before the treatment. During the treatment, intraocular pressure values were checked every day. During this period, the patient was fed ad libitum at normal room temperature, in his own cage. Result: As a result of the treatment applied to the patient, who was followed up for more than a month, symptoms such as pain, photophobia and blepharospasm disappeared and the patient’s eating and drinking status improved compared to the past. However, increasing dose of Prednol did not have the expected effect on intraocular pressure values. Due to the very small size of the hamster eye in the treatment of hypermature cataracts, lens removal cannot be performed as easily as in other species.

Protective Effects of Perceived Control on Prescription Drug Misuse 10-years Later in the MIDUS Study

The current study examined if control beliefs predict prescription drug misuse (PDM) 10-years later and how problem drinking status moderates this relationship. PDM refers to taking medications without a prescription or in a manner not intended by the prescriber. Older adults are especially vulnerable to PDM due to drug sensitivity, comorbid health conditions, and high rates of polypharmacy. Participants were adults (n=2162, 56% female, mean age=54, range=30-84) who completed Waves 2 and 3 of the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study. At Wave 2, participants reported on two subscales of perceived control (personal mastery and constraints) and past 12-month problem drinking behaviors. At Wave 3, participants reported past 12-month PDM of five substances (painkillers, sedatives, stimulants, tranquilizers, and depression medications). Results indicated that at Wave 3, 10% of the sample reported misusing at least one prescription drug in the past year. Logistic Regression analysis revealed that problem drinking was associated with higher odds of PDM (p<0.001), and perceived control was associated with lower odds of PDM (p<0.05) after controlling for previous PDM and sociodemographic, health behavior, and health status covariates. However, there was an interaction effect such that perceived control was not protective for those individuals who engaged in problem drinking at Wave 2 (p<0.05). Future analyses will explore the meaning of this interaction. Identifying psychosocial protective factors, such as perceived control, predicting PDM will be critical for designing interventions that prevent the adverse consequences of PDM among this population.

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Urological Complications in Type 1 Diabetes: Findings From the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study

Objective: <br>To evaluate associations between diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and urological complications in men and women with type 1 diabetes. <br>ResearchDesignandMethods: <br>Measurements of DPN at EDIC years 1, 13/14 and 17 and urological complications at EDIC year 17 were examined in 635 men (mean age 51.6 yrs, diabetes duration 29.5 yrs) and 371 women (mean age 50.6 yrs and diabetes duration 29.8 yrs) enrolled in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) study. DPN was defined by symptoms, signs and abnormal electrophysiology, or by abnormal Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) examination or questionnaire scores. <br>Results: <br>Erectile dysfunction (ED) in combination with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was reported in 15% of men, and female sexual dysfunction (FSD), LUTS and urinary incontinence (UI) in 16% of women. When controlling for age, drinking status, BMI, depression, DCCT/EDIC time-weighted mean HbA1c, microalbuminuria, hypertension, triglycerides and statin medication use, men with confirmed DPN at EDIC year 13/14 had a higher odds of ED/LUTS at year 17 compared to men without DPN (OR=3.52 95% CI 1.69,7.31). Men with DPN based on abnormal MNSI examination or questionnaire scores had significantly higher odds of ED and LUTS at year 17 than men without DPN at all time points. There were no significant differences in DPN between women reporting both FSD and LUTS/UI compared to those without FSD or LUTS/UI at EDIC year 17. <br>Conclusions: <br>In long-standing T1D, DPN is associated with the later development of urological complications in men. <b></b>

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy and Urological Complications in Type 1 Diabetes: Findings From the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study

Objective: <br>To evaluate associations between diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and urological complications in men and women with type 1 diabetes. <br>ResearchDesignandMethods: <br>Measurements of DPN at EDIC years 1, 13/14 and 17 and urological complications at EDIC year 17 were examined in 635 men (mean age 51.6 yrs, diabetes duration 29.5 yrs) and 371 women (mean age 50.6 yrs and diabetes duration 29.8 yrs) enrolled in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial/Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) study. DPN was defined by symptoms, signs and abnormal electrophysiology, or by abnormal Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) examination or questionnaire scores. <br>Results: <br>Erectile dysfunction (ED) in combination with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was reported in 15% of men, and female sexual dysfunction (FSD), LUTS and urinary incontinence (UI) in 16% of women. When controlling for age, drinking status, BMI, depression, DCCT/EDIC time-weighted mean HbA1c, microalbuminuria, hypertension, triglycerides and statin medication use, men with confirmed DPN at EDIC year 13/14 had a higher odds of ED/LUTS at year 17 compared to men without DPN (OR=3.52 95% CI 1.69,7.31). Men with DPN based on abnormal MNSI examination or questionnaire scores had significantly higher odds of ED and LUTS at year 17 than men without DPN at all time points. There were no significant differences in DPN between women reporting both FSD and LUTS/UI compared to those without FSD or LUTS/UI at EDIC year 17. <br>Conclusions: <br>In long-standing T1D, DPN is associated with the later development of urological complications in men. <b></b>

Modeling the change trajectory of sleep duration and its associated factors: based on an 11-year longitudinal survey in China

Background Sleep duration is a vital public health topic, yet most existing studies have been limited to cross-sectional surveys or inconsistent classifications of sleep duration categories, and few characterized its continuous development process. The current study aimed to depict its change trajectory in the general population and identify associated factors from a dynamic perspective. Methods A total of 3788 subjects (45.4% male, mean age 46.72 ± 14.89 years) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were recruited, and their daily sleep duration for five consecutive measurements from 2004 to 2015 was recorded. We adopted latent growth modelling to establish systematic relations between sleep duration and time. Participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, and health factors were taken as covariates. Results The change in sleep duration could be depicted by a linear decreasing trajectory with the mean yearly decrease at 2.5 min/day. The trajectory did not differ by residence, BMI category, chronic disease situation, smoking status, or drinking status. Moreover, there were sex and age differences in the trajectory, and females and those under 30 were prone to larger decrease rates. Conclusion The quantified yearly change in sleep duration provided insights for the prediction and early warning of insufficient sleep. Public health interventions focusing on slowing down the decrease rates among females and young individuals are warranted.

Prognostic Significance of a Scoring System Combining p16, Smoking, and Drinking Status in a Series of 131 Patients with Oropharyngeal Cancers

Background. Tobacco and alcohol are two main risk factors associated with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Studies showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) plays a role in the etiology of this cancer. HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients present in general a better response to conventional therapy and better overall survival (OS). However, OSCC is a heterogeneous disease regarding treatment. This study aimed to identify more effective prognostic factors associated with a poor clinical outcome for OSCC patients to improve treatment selection. Materials and Methods. OSCC patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2017, in two Belgian hospitals, were included. Demographic and clinicopathologic data were extracted from medical records. HPV status was determined through p16 immunohistochemistry. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analyses allowed to identify variables prognostic for OS and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Kaplan–Meier survival curves have been assessed for survival. Results. The study included 131 patients. Statistics showed that monotherapies were significantly associated with a shorter OS; p16 overexpression was significantly associated with a weak consumption of tobacco or alcohol, and a high p16 expression was significantly associated with both longer RFS and OS. The study validated that tobacco and alcohol consumption were significantly correlated with poorer RFS and poorer OS. Only p16 expression trended to be significant for RFS when compared to smoking and drinking habits, while p16 upregulation and alcohol use were both vital for OS indicating that p16 is an independent and significant prognostic factor in OSCC patients. Finally, a scoring system combining p16, tobacco, and alcohol status was defined and was significantly associated with longer RFS and longer OS for nonsmoker and nondrinker p16-positive OSCC patients. Conclusions. This study confirmed that the overexpression of the p16 protein could be viewed as a factor of good prognosis for RFS and OS of OSCC patients. The prognostic significance of a scoring system combining p16 expression, smoking, and drinking status was evaluated and concluded to be a more effective tool to determine therapeutic orientations based on the risk factors for better treatment relevance and survival.

Relation Between Height Loss and Cardiovascular Disease: Data From Large Korean Cohort

Question: What is the association between height loss and cardio-/cerebrovascular disease (CVD) incidence?Method: The data we obtained is a sample cohort data provided by NHIS from 2002 to 2015. The chi-square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used to see the group differences in demographic characteristics. To compute the primary and secondary outcomes, we used the Cox proportional-hazard model, Kaplan-Meier survival curve, and logistic regression.Results: The cumulative MACCE incidence rate was 3.6 % for Group 1, 4.5 % for Group 2, and 5.2 % for Group 3. Group 3 had a significantly higher incidence of MACCE than Group 1 (Group 1: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.46, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.32-1.62; Group 2: HR = 1.27, 95 % CI = 1.17-1.37). In the model adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, income level, body mass index, smoking, and drinking status, the MACCE risk was 1.25 times higher in Group 3 than Group 1 (95 % CI = 1.13-1.40).Conclusion: The degree of height loss was independently associated with CVD occurrences in the Korean population.

291Serum albumin levels reversed the impact of higher resting heart rate on cardiovascular mortality

Background Higher resting heart rate (RHR) has been proved as a risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. However, few studies discussed its synergy with other markers on mortality prediction. Our study focused on whether the impact of RHR on CVD mortality is affected by serum albumin (SA) in Japanese general population. Methods We followed 8,307 participants without history of CVD from a Japanese general population. We divided participants according to quartiles of RHR [Q1(&lt;62), Q2(62-68), Q3(69-76), and Q4(&gt;76)], then we used Cox proportional hazard model adjusting for age, gender, BMI, blood glucose, blood pressure, anti-hypertensive treatment, total cholesterol, smoking and alcohol drinking status for estimating CVD mortality. Furthermore, we stratified the participants according to median value of SA (4.4 mg/dL) to conduct subgroup analysis. Results During a 29-year follow-up, 1,030 deaths due to CVD were detected. Compared to Q1 group, hazard ratios [95% confidence interval] in each RHR group for CVD mortality was Q2: 0.87 [0.74-1.04], Q3: 1.01 [0.85-1.20], Q4: 0.98 [0.83-1.16]. In lower SA group, Q2: 0.90[0.72-1.13], Q3: 0.99 [0.80-1.25], Q4: 1.27 [1.03-1.58], meanwhile in higher SA group, Q2: 0.83 [0.63-1.09], Q3: 0.99 [0.77-1.29], Q4: 0.65 [0.49-0.85]. Conclusions Higher RHR was associated with increased risk for CVD mortality in individuals with lower SA, meanwhile the reversed relationship shown in those with higher SA. Key messages The impact of RHR on CVD mortality might be influenced by SA in a Japanese general population.