Review Of Association Studies Research Articles

Pharmacogenetics of Direct Oral Anticoagulants: A Systematic Review.

Dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban, and betrixaban are direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Their inter-individual variability in pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics (transport and metabolism) is high, and could result from genetic polymorphisms. As recommended by the French Network of Pharmacogenetics (RNPGx), the management of some treatments in cardiovascular diseases (as antiplatelet agents, oral vitamin K antagonists, and statins) can rely on genetic testing in order to improve healthcare by reducing therapeutic resistance or toxicity. This paper is a review of association studies between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and systemic exposure variation of DOACs. Most of the results presented here have a lot to do with some SNPs of CES1 (rs2244613, rs8192935, and rs71647871) and ABCB1 (rs1128503, rs2032582, rs1045642, and rs4148738) genes, and dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. Regarding edoxaban and betrixaban, as well as SNPs in the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes, literature is scarce, and further studies are needed.

Psychiatric disorders and obesity: A review of association studies.

Background:Inconsistent evidence exists regarding the strength, direction, and moderators in the relationship between obesity and psychiatric disorders.Aim:This study aims to summarize the evidence on the association between psychiatric illness and obesity with particular attention to the strength and direction of association and also the possible moderators in each postulated link.Materials and Methods:Systematic electronic searches of MEDLINE through PubMed, ScienceDirect, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar were carried out from inception till October 2016. Generated abstracts were screened for eligibility to be included in the review. Study designs that evaluated the strength of relationship between obesity and psychiatric disorders were included in the study. Quality assessment of included studies was done using the Newcastle–Ottawa checklist tool.Results:From a total of 2424 search results, 21 eligible articles were identified and reviewed. These included studies on obesity and depression (n = 15), obesity and anxiety (four) and one each on obesity and personality disorders, eating disorder (ED), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and alcohol use. Maximal evidence existed for the association between depression and obesity with longitudinal studies demonstrating a bidirectional link between the two conditions. The odds ratios (ORs) were similar for developing depression in obesity (OR: 1.21–5.8) and vice versa (OR: 1.18–3.76) with a stronger association observed in women. For anxiety disorders, evidence was mostly cross-sectional, and associations were of modest magnitude (OR: 1.27–1.40). Among other disorders, obesity, and EDs appear to have a close link (OR: 4.5). Alcohol use appears to be a risk factor for obesity and not vice versa but only among women (OR: 3.84).Conclusion:Obesity and depression have a significant and bidirectional association. Evidence is modest for anxiety disorders and inadequate for other psychiatric conditions. Gender appears to be an important mediator in these relationships.

The D2 dopamine receptor gene: A review of association studies in alcoholism

Following our initial observation that the Al allele of the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene was associated with alcoholism, a number of studies, both in the United States and abroad, have attempted to replicate and extend this finding in different Caucasian populations. In nine independent studies containing a total of 491 heterogeneous alcoholics (less severe and severe) and 495 heterogeneous controls (assessed and unassessed for alcoholism), the prevalence of the Al allele was 43.0% in the former group compared to 25.7% in the latter group (odds ratio = 2.18, p < 10(-7)). The prevalence of the Al allele increased to 56.3% in a more homogeneous sample of 158 severe alcoholics (odds ratio = 3.32, p < 10(-8)). Moreover, the Bl allele of the DRD2 gene was also found to be significantly associated with severe alcoholism. Additional data are accruing which also implicate the DRD2 Al and Bl alleles in substance use disorders other than alcoholism. If further studies continue to support the results currently at hand, they would indicate that the DRD2 gene is the most prominent single gene determinant of susceptibility to severe substance abuse. However, the larger role still appears to be played by a combination of environmental factors and as yet unidentified genes.