Participants Of African Descent Research Articles

2D:4D digit ratio as a potential marker for prostate cancer risk

BackgroundThe second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D) is thought to reflect prenatal exposure to sex steroids. We investigated the relationship between 2D:4D and odds of prostate cancer. MethodData were collected in PROtEuS, a population-based case-control study conducted in Montréal, Canada (2005–2012), including 1931 incident prostate cancer cases aged < 76 years and 1994 population controls. In-person interviews elicited information on potential risk factors. Digit lengths were measured by interviewers applying a standard protocol. Odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders. ResultsThe OR of prostate cancer for a standard deviation increase in 2D:4D was 0.91 (95 % CI: 0.85–0.98). For less and more aggressive cancers, ORs were 0.93 (95 % CI: 0.87–1.00) and 0.85 (95 % CI: 0.77–0.93), respectively. There was an interaction with ancestry (p=0.04), whereas the OR among men of African descent was 1.23 (95 % CI: 0.96–1.57, based on 128 cases). ConclusionFindings suggest an inverse association between 2D:4D and odds of overall prostate cancer, more pronounced for aggressive cancers. This supports the notion that high levels of testosterone in utero, estimated by a low 2D:4D ratio, are associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer. Contrastingly, a high digit ratio was associated with greater cancer odds among participants of African descent. Upon replication, 2D:4D could prove to be an easily measured marker of prostate cancer risk.

Time to Glaucoma Progression Detection by Optical Coherence Tomography in Individuals of African and European Descents

To examine the time to detectable retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) progression by optical coherence tomography (OCT) among glaucoma patients of African descent (AD) and European descent (ED). Retrospective cohort study. AD and ED glaucoma eyes from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study (DIGS)/African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study (ADAGES) with ≥2 years/4 visits of optic nerve head RNFLT measurements were included after homogenization on age, diagnosis, and baseline visual field (VF) measurement. RNFLT variability estimates based on linear mixed-effects models were used to simulate longitudinal RNFLT data for both races. Times to trend-based RNFLT progression detection were calculated under standardized scenarios (same RNFLT baseline/thinning rates for both races) and real-world scenarios (AD and ED cohort-specific RNFLT baseline/thinning rates). We included 332 and 542 eyes (216 and 317 participants) of AD and ED, respectively. In standardized scenarios, the time to detect RNFLT progression appeared to be similar (difference, <0.2 years) for AD and ED across different assumed RNFLT thinning rates/baseline. In real-world scenarios, compared to ED, AD had a faster RNFLT thinning rate (-0.8 vs -0.6 µm/y) and thicker baseline RNFLT (84.6 vs 81.8 µm). With a faster thinning rate, the mean (SD) time to progression detection was shorter in AD (4.8 [2.0] vs ED: 5.4 [2.4] years), and the 5-year progression rate appeared to be higher (AD: 59% vs ED: 47%). Time to progression detection was similar for both races when assuming identical RNFLT baseline/thinning rates, and shorter in AD eyes under real-world simulation when AD had faster RNFLT thinning. In contrast to prior results on VF, which detected progression later in AD eyes than in ED eyes, OCT may detect progression more consistently across these races.

Racial Differences in the Diagnostic Accuracy of OCT Angiography Macular Vessel Density for Glaucoma

To evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of macular vessel density (VD) measured by OCT angiography (OCTA) in individuals of African descent (AD) and European descent (ED) with open-angle glaucoma. Observational, cross sectional study. A total of 176 eyes of 123 patients with glaucoma and 140 eyes of 88 healthy participants from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study. Whole-image ganglion cell complex (wiGCC) thickness and macular VD (parafoveal VD and perifoveal VD) were obtained from 6× 6 macula scans. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of macular VD and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in AD and ED participants after adjusting for confounders such as age, visual field mean deviation (VF MD), signal strength index, axial length, self-reported hypertension and diabetes. Macular VD and wiGCC measurements. Parafoveal and perifoveal VD were significantly lower in ED than AD patients with glaucoma. Parafoveal and perifoveal VD performed significantly worse in AD participants compared with ED participants for detection of glaucoma (adjusted AUROC, 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.62, 0.87], 0.85 [95% CI, 0.79, 0.90], P= 0.035; and 0.82 [95% CI, 0.70, 0.92], 0.91 [95% CI, 0.87, 0.94], respectively; P= 0.020). In contrast to VD, diagnostic accuracy of GCC thickness was similar in AD and ED individuals (adjusted AUROC, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.79, 0.96], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.86, 0.96], respectively; P= 0.313). The diagnostic accuracies of both macular VD and GCC thickness for differentiating between glaucoma and healthy eyes increased with increasing VF MD in both AD and ED participants. Diagnostic performance of OCTA macular VD, but not GCC thickness, for glaucoma detection varies by race. Moreover, macular VD parameters had lower accuracy for detecting glaucoma in AD individuals than in ED individuals. The diagnostic performance of macular VD is race-dependent, and, therefore, race should be taken into consideration when interpreting macular OCTA results. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

The Reliability of the African Neuropsychology Battery in Persons of African Descent.

The African Neuropsychology Battery (ANB) includes eight culturally appropriate cognitive tests developed for use in the Congo and other sub-Saharan African populations. The current study examines the reliability of the ANB in three samples of participants of African descent. Subjects were recruited in the United States and the Congo to participate in three studies of ANB internal consistency reliability (Study 1), test-retest reliability (Study 2), and interrater reliability for the two ANB measures (i.e., Visuospatial Memory and Proverb Tests) requiring examiner ratings of response adequacy (Study 3). Subjects were administered ANB tests of visuospatial perception, language, memory, abstract reasoning, and problem solving. We calculated Cronbach's alpha, corrected item-total correlations and mean inter-item correlations for internal consistency, Pearson product-moment correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients for test-retest reliability, and intraclass correlation coefficients for interrater reliability. The ANB tests had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alphas ranging from .37 to .93). Across subtests, test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from .39 to .91, and intraclass correlation stability coefficients (ICCs) ranged from .39 to .82. Of the two ANB tests requiring interrater reliability, only the Proverb Test had a low ICC of .13, (confidence intervals: -.29 to .52). The present study demonstrated that most ANB tests show adequate reliability in participants of African descent. However, the scoring criteria of the African Proverb Test require revision in order to improve the interrater reliability of the measure.

Abstract 785: Is genetic ancestry associated with mortality risk after accounting for neighborhood socioeconomic status? A study of African American men

Abstract Background Genetic ancestry, a correlate of self-identified race/ethnicity, could be associated with mortality risk, allowing for more targeted treatments for cancer and other chronic diseases. However, associations may be confounded by neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES). We investigated whether African ancestry and nSES were independently associated with all-cause mortality in a cohort of African American trial participants. Methods We constructed a cohort of American-born participants of African descent from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian screening trial. Participants were enrolled from 1993-1998 and followed through 2019 or until death, whichever came first. Genetic ancestry (% African) was estimated using a principal components analysis of genome-wide SNP data and validated against European, African, and Asian panels. A nSES index was estimated using principal component analysis of census tract measures of income, housing, and employment. Census tract was assessed in 2012 for residences of living participants. Last known address was assigned to participants who died prior to 2012. We assigned 2000 census data to those who died prior to 2010, and assigned 2006-2010 American Community Survey data to those who were alive after 2010. Hazard ratios for associations between these variables and all-cause mortality were estimated using sequentially adjusted Cox proportional hazards models with sociodemographic, behavioral, and neighborhood contextual covariates. We tested whether mortality associations with ancestry varied by nSES using multiplicative interaction terms. All tests were two-sided with alpha=0.05. Results Among 2239 African American participants, there were 901 deaths over 40,767 person-years of follow-up. Mean baseline age was 61.7, 45% were men, and the mean percentage of African ancestry was 74.3. In unadjusted models, a 10% increase in African ancestry was associated with a 7% higher rate of all-cause mortality (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.12), but this attenuated to the null after adjusting for covariates (aHR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.96, 1.06). Participants in nSES Q5 had 45% lower rate of mortality compared to those in Q1 in unadjusted models (HR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.68, Ptrend&amp;lt;.0001); similarly, this was attenuated after adjusting for covariates (aHR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.57, 0.98, Ptrend=0.017). There was no evidence of statistical interaction between ancestry and nSES. Discussion Our findings suggest that nSES is a stronger independent correlate of mortality than genetic ancestry, which was only weakly associated with mortality after accounting for other factors. Larger studies with wider variability in African ancestry and geographic context are needed to confirm these findings. Citation Format: Hari S. Iyer, Scarlett L. Gomez, Iona Cheng, Timothy R. Rebbeck. Is genetic ancestry associated with mortality risk after accounting for neighborhood socioeconomic status? A study of African American men [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 785.

Efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab vs interferon beta-1a in participants of African descent with relapsing multiple sclerosis in the Phase III OPERA I and OPERA II studies

BackgroundPeople of African descent with multiple sclerosis (MS) appear to have a more severe disease course and may have an attenuated response to some medications compared with people of European descent. MethodsThis is a post hoc subgroup analysis of participants of African descent with relapsing forms of MS who were enrolled in the Phase III OPERA I or OPERA II clinical trials and treated with ocrelizumab (OCR) 600 mg every 6 months or interferon beta-1a (IFN β-1a) 44 μg 3 times per week. ResultsAmong the 1,656 participants enrolled in OPERA I and II, 72 (4.3%) were of African descent (OCR, 40; IFN β-1a, 32). A trend for reduction in annualized relapse rate (ARR) was observed in participants of African descent, with an ≈50% reduction with OCR vs IFN β-1a. The relative rate of the mean number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was 0.04 (95% CI, 0.01–0.22; p=0.001) in participants of African descent treated with OCR compared with IFN β-1a. Similarly, the relative rate of the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions on MRI was 0.14 (95% CI, 0.06–0.32; p<0.001). In participants of African descent, those treated with OCR were 2.61 times more likely than those who received IFN β-1a to be classified as having no evidence of disease activity (95% CI, 1.24–5.49; p=0.003) and 4.17 times more likely to be classified as having no evidence of disease activity or progression (95% CI, 1.27–13.65; p=0.006). African-descent participants tended to have a greater radiographic burden of disease at baseline, develop more brain lesions when treated with IFN β-1a, and be at greater risk of disability progression than non–African-descent participants. Participants of African descent experienced slightly more adverse events, serious adverse events, and hypersensitivity reactions than non–African-descent participants. ConclusionIn this small sample of participants of African descent with relapsing MS from the OPERA studies, OCR demonstrated treatment benefits in clinical, MRI, and composite efficacy outcomes vs IFN β-1a, consistent with what was observed in the complete OPERA intention-to-treat cohorts.

β-Arrestin 2 (ARRB2) Polymorphism is Associated With Adverse Consequences of Chronic Heroin Use.

β-arrestin 2 is an intracellular protein recruited during the activation of G-protein-coupled receptors. In preclinical studies, β-arrestin 2 has been implicated in µ-opioid receptor desensitization and internalization and the development of opioid tolerance and dependence. The present study investigated relationships between variants in the gene encoding β-arrestin 2 (ARRB2) and clinically relevant phenotypes among individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). We hypothesized that ARRB2 variants would be associated with the negative effects of long-term heroin use. Chronic heroin users (N = 201; n = 103 African American; n = 98 Caucasian) were genotyped for ARRB2 r1045280 (synonymous, also affecting binding motif of transcription factor GTF2IRD1), rs2036657 (3'UTR) and rs3786047 (intron) and assessed for the past-month frequency of use, injection use, and lifetime duration of heroin use, number of heroin quit-attempts, and heroin use-related consequences. Lifetime heroin-use consequences (especially occupational and health-related) were significantly lower for African American ARRB2 r1045280 C-allele carriers compared withthe TT genotype. There was no significant genotype difference in the Caucasian group. ARRB2 rs2036657 was in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs1045280. These results, consistent with extant data, illustrate a role for ancestry-dependent allelic variation in ARRB2 r1045280 on heroin-use consequences. The ARRB2 r1045280 C-allele played a protective role in African-descent participants. These first-in-human findings, which should be replicated, provide support for mechanistic investigations of ARRB2 and related intracellular signaling molecules in OUD etiology, treatment, and relapse prevention. (Am J Addict 2021;00:00-00).

Comparison of Peripapillary Capillary Density in Glaucoma Patients of African and European Descent

To evaluate racial differences in optic nerve head peripapillary capillary density measured by OCT angiography (OCTA) in patients with open-angle glaucoma. Observational, cross-sectional study. Two hundred eighty-four eyes of 195 glaucoma patients and 108 eyes of 58 healthy participants from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study. Global and sectoral circumpapillary capillary density (cpCD) loss in participants of European descent (ED) and African descent (AD) were compared. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCs) were used to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of cpCD and global circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness in the 2 groups after adjusting for confounders. Peripapillary capillary density and cpRNFL thickness measurements and their estimated loss. Participants of AD and ED with glaucoma were of similar age and glaucoma severity. After adjusting for age, disc area, and other confounders, significantly lower cpCD was found in ED eyes compared with AD eyes in mild glaucoma (mean, 42.2% [95% confidence interval (CI), 41.2%-43.2%] and 46.5% [95% CI, 44.8%-48.1%], respectively; adjusted difference, 4.4 [95% CI, 2.6-6.2]; P < 0.001) and moderate to advanced glaucoma (mean, 34.7% and 38.5%, respectively; adjusted difference, 4.8 [95% CI, 1.6-8.1]; P= 0.005). Although capillary density loss was greater in all sectors in ED compared with AD participants, a similar sectoral pattern of density loss was observed in both racial groups. Lower mean deviation and older age were associated with lower cpCD in both races in multivariate models. The adjusted AUROC for discriminating between healthy and glaucomatous eyes for cpCD was higher for ED (0.95) compared with AD (0.68) patients (P < 0.001). Sensitivity at 95% specificity in AD participants was lower than in ED participants for cpCD (0.32 [95% CI, 0.11-0.64] vs. 0.83 [95% CI, 0.69-0.93], respectively; P < 0.001). Although peripapillary capillary density parameters showed good diagnostic accuracy for detecting glaucoma in ED patients, their diagnostic accuracy was only modest in AD patients. Diagnostic performance of cpCD is race dependent, and clinicians should be aware that it has poorer performance in AD patients.

Novel colon cancer susceptibility variants identified from a genome-wide association study in African Americans.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in ethnic/racial minority populations can help to fine-map previously identified risk regions or discover new risk loci because of the genetic diversity in these populations. We conducted a GWAS of colorectal cancer (CRC) in 6,597 African Americans (1,894 cases and 4,703 controls) (Stage 1) and followed up the most promising markers in a replication set of 2,041 participants of African descent (891 cases and 1,150 controls) (Stage 2). We identified a novel variant, rs56848936 in the gene SYMPK at 19q13.3, associated with colon cancer risk (odds ratio 0.61 for the risk allele G, p = 2.4 × 10-8 ). The frequency of the G allele was 0.06 in African Americans, compared to <0.01 in Europeans, Asians and Amerindians in the 1000 Genomes project. In addition, a variant previously identified through fine-mapping in this GWAS in the region 19q13.1, rs7252505, was confirmed to be more strongly associated with CRC in the African American replication set than the variant originally reported in Europeans (rs10411210). The association between rs7252505 and CRC was of borderline significance (p = 0.05) in a Hispanic population GWAS with 1,611 CRC cases and 4,330 controls. With the three datasets combined, the odds ratio was 0.84 for the risk allele A (95% confidence interval 0.79-0.89, p = 3.7 × 10-8 ). This study further highlights the importance of conducting GWAS studies in diverse ancestry populations.

Enhanced Aortic Reflected Wave Magnitude Accounts for the Impact of Female Gender on Aortic Pressure Augmentation in a Group of African Ancestry.

Aortic reflected wave magnitude (RM) may not account for sex-specific differences in aortic pressure augmentation in Caucasians. However, aortic reflected waves are greater in groups of African descent than other ethnic groups. We determined whether RM or alternative factors explain the impact of sex on aortic augmented pressure (Pa) in participants of African ancestry. We assessed aortic function (radial applanation tonometry, SphygmoCor) in 1,197 randomly recruited community participants of African ancestry (age ≥ 16 years). Aortic forward (Pf) and backward (Pb) wave separation was performed assuming an aortic triangular flow wave validated against aortic velocity measurements. Across the adult lifespan, women had greater multivariate-adjusted augmentation index (AIx) and Pa. This was associated with multivariate-adjusted age-related increases in Pb, RM (Pb/Pf), and time to the peak of Pf and decreases in backward wave foot time; but not increases in Pf. With adjustors, Pa was associated with female gender (β-coefficient = 3.81 ± 0.34), a relationship which was markedly attenuated by adjustments for RM (β-coefficient = 1.78 ± 0.31, P < 0.0001 vs. without adjustments for RM), and Pb (β-coefficient = 2.05 ± 0.19, P < 0.0001 vs. without adjustments for Pb), but not by adjustments for Pf, time to the peak of Pf, or backward wave foot time. Similarly, AIx was associated with female gender, a relationship which was markedly attenuated by adjustments for RM, Pb, and backward wave foot time, but not alternative factors. In contrast to reports in alternative populations, the relationship between aortic pressure augmentation and female gender in participants of African descent is accounted for mainly by increases in RM.

Comparison of the prevalence of bronchial asthma in school-aged children and adolescents on Roatán Island and in other coastal communities in Honduras

BackgroundThe rise in consultations for asthma or wheezing in primary and hospital care in recent years suggests a progressive increase in the prevalence of this disease, causing morbidity and considerable medical expenses. However, in Honduras no information about the prevalence of asthma and its trends is available. The aim was to determine the prevalence of asthma in the school-aged and adolescent population in several coastal communities in Honduras. MethodsWe performed a multi-centre, observational, cross-sectional study, for which we took a random sample of 805 school-aged children and adolescents between the ages of 6 and 17 years residing in the coastal communities of Coxen Hole, French Harbour, Los Fuertes, Sandy Bay, Punta Gorda, Travesía and Bajamar. The prevalence and severity of asthma were determined using the validated International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire answered by the child's parents. Point and cumulative prevalence were estimated, stratified by ethnic group, community, sex, and family history of asthma. ResultsWe found an overall prevalence of wheezing in the past of 40.5% (95% CI 37.1, 43.9); of wheezing in the last 12 months of 28.0% (95% CI 24.9, 31.1); and have or have had asthma of 31.7% (95% CI 28.5, 34.9). The community with the highest prevalence was Bajamar with 51.0% (95% CI 44.0, 58.0), and in general, the Garifuna ethnic group with 36.5% (95% CI 31.0, 41.9). ConclusionThe prevalence of asthma was higher than in other Latin American regions, with the most cases in participants of African descent, and those with a family history of asthma. The results will provide important data on asthma in Honduras and will contribute to the identification of risk groups.

Peripapillary choroidal thickness variation with age and race in normal eyes.

This study examined the association between peripapillary choroidal thickness (PCT) with age and race in a group of African descent (AD) and European descent (ED) subjects with normal eyes. Optic nerve head images from enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography of 166 normal eyes from 84 subjects of AD and ED were manually delineated to identify the principal surfaces of Bruch's membrane (BM), Bruch's membrane opening (BMO), and anterior sclera (AS). Peripapillary choroidal thickness was measured between BM and AS at increasing distance away from BMO. The mean PCT was compared between AD and ED subjects and generalized estimating equation (GEE) regression analysis was used to examine the association between race and PCT overall, in each quadrant, and by distance from BMO. Models were adjusted for age, BMO area, and axial length in the regression analysis. Overall, the mean PCT increased from 63.9 μm ± 18.1 at 0 to 250 μm to 170.3 μm ± 56.7 at 1500 to 2000 μm from BMO. Individuals of AD had a greater mean PCT than those of ED at all distances from BMO (P < 0.05 at each distance) and in each quadrant (P < 0.05 in each quadrant). Results from multivariate regression indicate that ED subjects had significantly lower PCT compared to AD overall and in all quadrants and distances from BMO. Increasing age was also significantly associated with a lower PCT in both ED and AD participants. Peripapillary choroidal thickness varies with race and age, as individuals of AD have a thicker peripapillary choroid than those of ED. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00221923.).

Impact of gender and menopausal status on relationships between biological aging, as indexed by telomere length, and aortic stiffness.

Telomere length predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) possibly through an impact of telomere attrition on aortic stiffness. Whether reduced biological aging and a lack of telomere length-aortic stiffness relationships in women contribute to the lower prevalence of CVD in women, prior to menopause, is uncertain. We evaluated the relationship between telomere length and carotid-femoral (aortic) pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 580 randomly recruited participants of Black African descent (age = 44 ± 19 years; women: n = 361; premenopausal: n = 195). PWV was determined using carotid and femoral applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor). Relative leukocyte telomere length (T/S) was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays. Men and women had similar T/S. T/S was inversely correlated with age (r = -0.14, P < 0.001) and this association was similar in all (r = -0.14, P < 0.01) and premenopausal (r = -0.17, P < 0.05) women as in men (r = -0.14, P < 0.05). An inverse relationship between T/S and PWV was noted both before (r = -0.20, P < 0.0001) and after (partial r = -0.14, P < 0.001) adjustments for confounders. No interaction between T/S and either sex or menopausal status was independently associated with PWV, and T/S was independently correlated with PWV in all (partial r = -0.14, P < 0.01) and premenopausal (partial r = -0.18, P < 0.05) women and in men (partial r = -0.15, P < 0.05). Gender and premenopausal status do not affect age-related decreases in T/S and associations between T/S and PWV. In participants of African descent in whom telomere length did not differ by gender, the impact of gender prior to menopause on CVD is unlikely to be attributed to differences in the effect of biological aging on aortic stiffness.

Race moderates the association of Catechol-O-methyltransferase genotype and posttraumatic stress disorder in preschool children.

The present study sought to replicate previous findings of an association between the Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met polymorphism with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptomatology in a novel age group, preschool children. COMT genotype was determined in a sample of 171 3-6-year-old trauma-exposed children. PTSD was assessed with a semistructured interview. Accounting for sex, trauma type, and age, genotype was examined in relation to categorical and continuous measures of PTSD both controlling for race and within the two largest racial categories (African American [AA] and European American [EA]). Race significantly moderated the association between genotype and PTSD. Specifically, the genotype associated with increased PTSD symptoms in one racial group had the opposite association in the other racial group. For AA children the met/met genotype was associated with more PTSD symptoms. However, for EA children, val allele carriers had more PTSD symptoms. Whereas every AA child with the met/met genotype met criteria for PTSD, none of the EA children with the met/met genotype did. This genetic association with COMT genotype, in both races but in opposite directions, was most associated with increased arousal symptoms. These findings replicate previous findings in participants of African descent, highlight the moderating effect of race on the association between COMT genotype and PTSD, and provide direct evidence that consideration of population stratification within gene-by-environment studies is valuable to prevent false negative findings.

Self‐identified race, gender and their anthropometric correlates of cardiometabolic risk among healthy university students

In this study we investigated the race and gender associated anthropometric correlates of cardiometabolic risk among disease free University students. Participation was voluntary. Participants had blood pressure, anthropometry, and fasting blood lipids and sugars measured using standard procedures.Results318 persons participated in the study including (African descent (A) =156; East Indian descent=93; Mixed descent=69). Participants of African descent had significantly higher HDL – cholesterol than their East Indian counterparts. Females of African descent were also more likely to have HDL‐cholesterol less than 50mg/dl and elevated total cholesterol to HDL‐cholesterol ratio greater than their mixed descent counterparts (62% vs. 36%; p=0.03).Males of African descent were significantly likely than their mixed descent counterparts to have BMI&gt;;30 (18% vs. 4%) while males of African descent were more likely than their East Indian counterparts to have elevated SBP. Males had significantly lower mean HDL than their female counterparts. Waist circumference, BMI, percentage body fat and waist/height ratio were all positive correlated to an increased risk for metabolic syndrome (i.e. having three or more cardiometabolic risk factors.ConclusionOur findings suggest strong associations among anthropometric variables and cardiometabolic risk factor level that were gender and race specific.

Abstract P002: Evidence For Smoking Dependent Genetic Effects on C-reactive Protein Levels in a Multi-ethnic Cohort Setting: The Care Consortium.

INTRODUCTION: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a heritable biomarker of systemic inflammation and a predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor in the development of CVD and has been shown to affect circulating levels of CRP. Therefore, we sought to determine how this important environmental exposure may influence genetic associations with CRP in a multi-ethnic setting. METHODS: Using the ITMAT Broad-CARe (IBC) SNP array, a custom 50,000 SNP gene-centric array having dense coverage of over 2,000 candidate genes for CVD pathways, we performed a meta-analysis of up to 26,065 participants of European descent and 7,584 participants of African descent for association with log-CRP level within smoking status stratum. The 2 smoking strata were: never smokers and ever smokers (comprising of current and former smokers). We conducted IBC-wide association scans for CRP within cohort-, race- and smoking-stratum and meta-analyzed by race. Samples were from the Candidate gene Association Resource (CARe) cohorts (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Framingham Heart Study, Cardiovascular Health Study, Cleveland Family Study , Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study, Jackson Heart Study, and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Study). Results were considered to be panel wide statistically significant if p&lt;2.2×10−6. RESULTS: The overall sample size for ever smokers (never smokers) was 11,698 (10,344) in European Americans and 3,448 (4,330) in African Americans. The per-allele beta coefficients for genes previously established to be associated with CRP and present on the IBC chip ( CRP, APOE, GCKR, IL6R, LEPR, HNF1A, NLRP3 ) were very similar in magnitude between smoking strata in European Americans. However, in the African Americans, the estimated per-allele CRP and IL6R betas were 2-times larger for the ever smokers as compared to the never smokers. In the European American analysis, one gene not previously reported for association with CRP reached IBC-wide significance for a CRP-lowering effect in the never smokers ( GSTT1 , p=4.8E-07 for SNP rs405597 ), but not in the ever smokers (p=0.078). CONCLUSION: This large scale candidate gene based meta-analysis identified one novel locus for CRP ( GSTT1 ) associated with serum CRP levels in those reporting having never regularly smoked. Polymorphisms in GSTT1 , which plays a role in detoxification, have previously been reported to interact with smoking for other phenotypes including birth weight and colorectal cancer. We also observed evidence that smoking modifies the effects for previously established loci CRP and IL6R in African Americans. These results may identify important context genetic specific effects that influence chronic inflammation.

Variation in Optic Nerve and Macular Structure with Age and Race with Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

To evaluate the effects of age and race on optic disc, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and macular measurements with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT). Cross-sectional observational study. Three hundred fifty adult subjects without ocular disease. Data from SD OCT imaging of the optic nerve head, peripapillary RNFL, and macula of 632 eyes from 350 subjects without ocular disease were imaged with SD OCT. Multivariate models were used to determine the effect of age and race on quantitative measurements of optic disc, RNFL, and macula. Optic nerve, RNFL, and macular measurements with SD OCT across racial strata and age. For optic nerve parameters, participants of European descent had significantly smaller optic disc area than other groups (P<0.0001), and Indian participants had significantly smaller rim area than other groups (P<0.0001). Indian and Hispanic participants had thicker global RNFL measurements than other groups (P<0.0001). Participants of African descent were associated with thinner inner retinal thickness in the macula (P<0.0001). Age was associated with several parameters, with rim area reducing by 0.005 mm(2)/year, RNFL thickness reducing by 0.18 μm/year, and inner retinal thickness reducing by 0.1 μm/year (P<0.0001 for all age associations). Optic nerve, RNFL, and macular measurements with SD OCT all varied across racial groups and with age. These differences are important in defining the range of normal variation in differing populations and should be considered in the use of these instruments in the detection of optic nerve and macular disease across these population groups. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Evidence for Age As a Modifier of Genetic Associations for Lipid Levels

In order to identify novel genetic variants that influence plasma lipid concentrations, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) comprised of 411 children under 18 years of age, ascertained at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, all of whom were of European, African, or Mexican descent. Promising associations (p < 10(-5)) were subsequently examined in 1040 additional youths and 3508 adults from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a diverse population-based study. Three genotype-phenotype associations replicated in NHANES III youths and three associated in NHANES III adults at p < 0.05; however, no single association was significant in both youths and adults. The most significant association (p= 0.009) in NHANES III youths was between low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and intronic rs2429917 among participants of African descent. Given the known age dependency of lipid levels, we also tested for gene-age interactions in NHANES III participants across all ages. We identified a significant (p= 0.024) age-dependent association between SGSM2 rs2429917 and LDL-C. This finding illustrates the utility of using children to discover novel variants associated with complex phenotypes and the importance of considering age-dependent genetic effects in association studies of lipid levels.

Anthropometric characteristics and predictors of adiposity among preschool children in a multiethnic population

In this study we evaluated the anthropometric characteristics, as well as, anthropometric predictors of adiposity among preschool children 3–5 years old. Five hundred and ninety‐six preschool children had anthropometry using standard procedures. Percentage body fat was estimated using a foot‐to‐foot bioelectric impedance analyser. Our results indicate that 31.2 % of participants were of African descent, 43.6 % were of East Indian descent and 24% were of Mixed (African‐East Indian) descent. Participants of African descent were significantly taller, heavier, had higher abdominal fat and mid‐upper arm circumference than those of East Indian and Mixed descent. Weight and BMI each explained over 75% of the variance in adiposity among females, while in males weight accounted for only 24% of the variance, while BMI explained 31%. In males, waist circumference, triceps skinfold and biceps skinfold each predicted less than 40% of the variance in adiposity, while in females, it explained over 55% (83.2%, 67.4% and 56% respectively). Our results suggest that there are ethnic differences in anthropometry in this population. They also suggest that weight, BMI and waist circumference are each excellent predictors of adiposity in female preschoolers in this population, while triceps was the best predictor of adiposity in the males.

Health and Mental Health Needs and Experiences of Minority Clients in Portugal

The paper addresses diversity, multi‐culturalism and mental health. It reports qualitative data from a larger project on multi‐cultural counselling competencies in Portugal which sought to meet the needs identified by specific minority groups by developing integrative, responsive and culturally sensitive treatments. A qualitative study is presented, with the aim of exploring the representations of mental health and illness held by ethnic minority groups in Portugal, as well as their specific needs and obstacles encountered in their interactions with health professionals. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted, and the results indicate that the meanings of health and mental health varied. Meanings of psychological health were related to general well‐being. Help‐seeking behaviours were associated with providing and receiving family and social support, mainly among participants of African descent. Although the great majority of participants had had no experience of counselling or psychotherapy, they expected psychologists to be multiculturally sensitive, as well as knowledgeable about diversity and multi‐culturalism. Implications for development of mental health services for minority clients are discussed.