Weak Inverse Association Research Articles

Association between dietary intake of carotenoids and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in US adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020.

To assess the relationship between dietary intake of α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene and lutein+zeaxanthin (LZ) and occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Cross-sectional study design. The MAFLD diagnosis was based on hepatic steatosis and metabolic dysregulation. Carotenoid intake was adjusted for using an energy-adjusted model. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were used to assess the relationships, with sensitivity analysis to validate the findings. Weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) was used to explore the combined effect of these carotenoids on MAFLD. Subgroup analyses were conducted to identify population-specific associations. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-March 2020. This study included 5098 individuals aged 18 years and older. After adjusting for potential confounders, a weak inverse association was observed between α-carotene and β-carotene intakes and MAFLD occurrence (all P value <0·05). The highest quartile of β-carotene intake showed a significantly lower occurrence of MAFLD compared with the lowest quartile (OR = 0·65; 95 % CI: 0·44, 0·97). RCS analysis showed that a significantly lower occurrence of MAFLD was associated with a higher intake of the four carotenoids, excluding lycopene. Furthermore, the WQS analysis revealed a negative relationship between combined carotenoid intake and MAFLD occurrence (OR = 0·95, 95 % CI: 0·90, 1·00, P = 0·037). Subgroup analyses showed dietary carotenoid intake was associated with reduced MAFLD occurrence in populations aged 50-69 years, females, physically active individuals and non-drinkers. Higher dietary intake of carotenoids is associated with lower MAFLD occurrence. However, this relationship varies among individuals of different ages, sexes and lifestyles.

Associations of fruit intake with adiposity and cardiometabolic biomarkers in UK Biobank

BackgroundFruit consumption has been associated with a lower cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We investigated the cross-sectional and prospective associations of fruit consumption with markers of adiposity, blood pressure, lipids, low-grade inflammation, glycaemia, and oxidative stress.MethodsThe main analyses included 365 534 middle-aged adults from the UK Biobank at baseline, of whom 11 510, and 38 988 were included in the first and second follow-up respectively, free from CVD and cancer at baseline. Fruit consumption frequency at baseline was assessed using a questionnaire. We assessed the cross-sectional and prospective associations of fruit with adiposity (body mass index, waist circumference and %body fat), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, lipids (low-density and high-density lipoproteins, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B), glycaemia (haemoglobin A1c), low-grade inflammation (C-reactive protein) and oxidative stress (gamma-glutamyl-transferase) using linear regression models adjusted for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Analyses were repeated in a subset with two to five complete 24-h dietary assessments (n = 26 596) allowing for adjustment for total energy intake.ResultsFruit consumption at baseline generally showed weak inverse associations with adiposity and biomarkers at baseline. Most of these relationships did not persist through follow-up, except for inverse associations with diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, gamma-glutamyl transferase and adiposity. However, for most mechanisms, mean levels varied by less than 0.1 standard deviations (SD) between high and low fruit consumption (> 3 vs < 1 servings/day) in further adjusted models (while the difference was < 0.2 SD for all of them). For example, waist circumference and diastolic blood pressure were 1 cm and 1 mmHg lower in high compared to low fruit intake at the first follow-up (95% confidence interval: -1.8, -0.1 and -1.8, -0.3, respectively). Analyses in the 24-h dietary assessment subset showed overall similar associations.ConclusionsWe observed very small differences in adiposity and cardiometabolic biomarkers between those who reported high fruit consumption vs low, most of which did not persist over follow-up. Future studies on other mechanisms and detailed assessment of confounding might further elucidate the relevance of fruit to cardiovascular disease.

The Effectiveness of Garlic Consumption on Improving Anosmia and Dysgeusia in Patients with COVID-19

Background: Anosmia and dysgeusia are symptoms associated with COVID-19 infection following the announcement of the disease as a pandemic. Moreover, there is no effective treatment for the disease. Garlic is a well-known herb with antimicrobial and antiviral properties. This study evaluates the potential therapeutic effect of garlic consumption on reducing the recovery time from anosmia and dysgeusia symptoms among participants with COVID-19. Methods: 388 Jordanian participants with COVID-19 infection were enrolled in an online computer-assisted web survey during the period from 20th September 2021 to 20th January 2022. The survey consisted of three constructs; socio-demographic profile, symptoms associated with COVID-19, and frequency of garlic and onion consumption used during the infection. Results: The results of this study showed that almost half of the participants were between 20-40 (193, 49.7%); most of them complained about fever, fatigue, anosmia, and dysgeusia and used onion (20, 93%) and garlic (29, 23%) to alleviate symptoms of the disease. In total, 40.7% of garlic-using participants recovered from anosmia within the first 11-15 days, whereas 35.3% recovered between 6-10 days. Results also revealed that there was no correlation between garlic consumption and recovery from dysgeusia. Hence, there was a weak inverse association between garlic consumption and recovery time from anosmia. Conclusion: The authors concluded that consumption of garlic will enhance immune system during the fight against COVID-19. There is need for further study to identify the proper amount of garlic consumption to relieve anosmia symptoms during COVID-19.

Relationships of pericoronary and epicardial fat measurements in male and female patients with and without coronary artery disease

IntroductionAlthough pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) is a component of the epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) depot, they may have different associations to coronary artery disease (CAD). We explored relationships between pericoronary adipose tissue mean attenuation (PCATMA) and EAT measurements in coronary CT angiography (CCTA) in patients with and without CAD. Material and MethodsCCTA scans of 185 non-CAD and 81 CAD patients (86.4% >50% stenosis) were included and retrospectively analyzed. PCATMA and EAT density/volume were measured and analyzed by sex, including associations with age, risk factors and tube voltage using linear regression models. ResultsIn non-CAD and CAD, mean PCATMA and EAT volume were higher in men than in women (non-CAD: −92.5 ± 10.6HU vs −96.2 ± 8.4HU, and 174.4 ± 69.1 cm3 vs 124.1 ± 57.3 cm3; CAD: −92.2 ± 9.0HU vs −97.4 ± 9.7HU, and 193.6 ± 62.5 cm3 vs 148.5 ± 50.5 cm3 (p < 0.05)). EAT density was slightly lower in men than women in non-CAD (−96.4 ± 6.3HU vs −94.4 ± 5.5HU (p < 0.05)), and similar in CAD (−98.2 ± 5.2HU vs 98.2 ± 6.4HU). There was strong correlation between PCATMA and EAT density (non-CAD: r = 0.725, p < 0.001, CAD: r = 0.686, p < 0.001) but no correlation between PCATMA and EAT volume (non-CAD: r = 0.018, p = 0.81, CAD: r = −0.055, p = 0.63). A weak inverse association was found between EAT density and EAT volume (non-CAD: r = −0.244, p < 0.001, CAD: r = −0.263, p = 0.02). In linear regression models, EAT density was significantly associated with PCATMA in both non-CAD and CAD patients independent of risk factors and tube voltage. ConclusionIn CAD and non-CAD patients, EAT density, but not EAT volume, showed significant associations with PCATMA. Compared to women, men had higher PCATMA and EAT volume independently of disease status, but similar or slightly lower EAT density. Differences in trends and relations of PCATMA and EAT by sex could indicate that personalized interpretation and thresholding is needed.

Circulating 27-hydroxycholesterol, lipids, and steroid hormones in breast cancer risk: a nested case–control study of the Multiethnic Cohort Study

BackgroundLaboratory studies have indicated that a cholesterol metabolite and selective estrogen receptor modulator, 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), may be important in breast cancer etiology and explain associations between obesity and postmenopausal breast cancer risk. Epidemiologic evidence for 27HC in breast cancer risk is limited, particularly in multiethnic populations.MethodsIn a nested case–control study of 1470 breast cancer cases and 1470 matched controls within the Multiethnic Cohort Study, we examined associations of pre-diagnostic circulating 27HC with breast cancer risk among African American, Japanese American, Native Hawaiian, Latino, and non-Latino White postmenopausal females. We used multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age, education, parity, body mass index, and smoking status. Stratified analyses were conducted across racial and ethnic groups, hormone receptor (HR) status, and use of lipid-lowering drugs. We assessed interactions of 27HC with steroid hormones.Results27HC levels were inversely related to breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58, 1.12), but the association was not statistically significant in the full model. Directions of associations differed by racial and ethnic group. Results suggested an inverse association with HR-negative breast cancer (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.20, 1.06). 27HC interacted with testosterone, but not estrone, on risk of breast cancer; 27HC was only inversely associated with risk among those with the highest levels of testosterone (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.24, 0.86).ConclusionThis is the first US study to examine circulating 27HC and breast cancer risk and reports a weak inverse association that varies across racial and ethnic groups and testosterone level.

Long-term exposure to low-level particulate air pollution and Parkinson's disease diagnosis - A Finnish register-based study

BackgroundThere is mixed evidence for an association between particulate matter air pollution and Parkinson's disease despite biological plausibility. ObjectivesWe studied the association between particulate air pollution, its components and Parkinson's disease (PD) risk. MethodsWe conducted a nested case-control study within the population of Finland using national registers. A total of 22,189 incident PD cases diagnosed between 1996 and 2015 were matched by age, sex and region with up to seven controls (n = 148,009) per case. Time weighted average air pollution exposure to particulate matter and its components was modelled at the residential addresses, accounting for move history, for the 16 years preceding diagnosis. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between air pollution and PD. Different exposure periods (6–16 years, 11–16 years, 5–10 years, 0–5 years) before the index date (date of PD diagnosis) were applied. ResultsTime-weighted average exposures were relatively low at 12.1 ± 6.5 μg/m3 (mean ± SD) for PM10 and 7.7 ± 3.2 μg/m3 for PM2.5. No associations were found between PM2.5 or PM10 exposure 6–16 years before index date and PD (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.02; per IQR of 3.9 μg/m3 and OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.01; per IQR of 7.8 μg/m3, respectively). However, inverse associations were observed for the same exposure period with black carbon (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93, 0.99; per IQR of 0.6 μg/m3), sulphate (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.92; per IQR of 1.2 μg/m3), secondary organic aerosols (OR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.93; per IQR of 0.1 μg/m3) and sea salt (OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87, 0.98; per IQR of 0.1 μg/m3). DiscussionLow-level particulate matter air pollution was not associated with increased risk of incident PD in this Finnish nationwide population. The observed weak inverse associations with specific particle components should be investigated further.

The influence of meteorological factors on COVID-19 spread in Italy during the first and second wave

The relation between meteorological factors and COVID-19 spread remains uncertain, particularly with regard to the role of temperature, relative humidity and solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation. To assess this relation, we investigated disease spread within Italy during 2020. The pandemic had a large and early impact in Italy, and during 2020 the effects of vaccination and viral variants had not yet complicated the dynamics. We used non-linear, spline-based Poisson regression of modeled temperature, UV and relative humidity, adjusting for mobility patterns and additional confounders, to estimate daily rates of COVID-19 new cases, hospital and intensive care unit admissions, and deaths during the two waves of the pandemic in Italy during 2020. We found little association between relative humidity and COVID-19 endpoints in both waves, whereas UV radiation above 40 kJ/m2 showed a weak inverse association with hospital and ICU admissions in the first wave, and a stronger relation with all COVID-19 endpoints in the second wave. Temperature above 283 K (10 °C/50 °F) showed a strong non-linear negative relation with COVID-19 endpoints, with inconsistent relations below this cutpoint in the two waves. Given the biological plausibility of a relation between temperature and COVID-19, these data add support to the proposition that temperature above 283 K, and possibly high levels of solar UV radiation, reduced COVID-19 spread.

Longitudinal consumption of fruits and vegetables and risk of asthma by 5 years of age.

Fruit and vegetable consumption has been linked to a decreased risk of asthma, but prospective evidence on longitudinal consumption in childhood is scarce. We aimed to investigate the association between fruit and vegetable consumption in childhood and the risk of asthma by the age of 5 years, and to explore the role of processing of fruits and vegetables in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Allergy Study. Child's food consumption was assessed by 3-day food records completed at the age of 3 and 6months, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, and asthma and allergies by a validated modified version of the ISAAC questionnaire at the age of 5 years. Consumption of processed and unprocessed fruits and vegetables was calculated. Joint models with a current value association structure for longitudinal and time-to-event data were used for statistical analyses. Of the 3053 children, 184 (6%) developed asthma by the age of 5 years. The risk of asthma was not associated with the consumption of all fruits and vegetables together (HR 1.00, 95%CI 0.99-1.01 per consumption of 1g/MJ, adjusted for energy and other covariates), or with most subgroups. Weak inverse associations were seen between all leafy vegetables and asthma (HR=0.87, 0.77-0.99), and unprocessed vegetables and nonatopic asthma (HR=0.90, 95% CI 0.81-0.98). Total consumption of fruits and vegetables in childhood was not associated with the development of asthma by the age of 5 years. Weak inverse associations found for vegetables need to be confirmed or rejected in future studies.

Use of Antiepileptic Drugs and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Nationwide Case-Control Study in Prostate Cancer Data Base Sweden.

An inverse association between use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and prostate cancer (PCa) has been suggested, putatively due to the histone deacetylases inhibitory (HDACi) properties of the AEDs. In a case-control study in Prostate Cancer data Base Sweden (PCBaSe), PCa cases diagnosed between 2014 and 2016 were matched to five controls by year of birth and county of residence. AED prescriptions were identified in the Prescribed Drug Registry. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for risk of PCa were estimated using multivariable conditional logistic regression, adjusted for civil status, education level, Charlson comorbidity index, number of outpatient visits, and cumulative duration of hospital stay. Dose responses in different PCa risk categories and HDACi properties of specific AED substances were further explored. 1738/31591 (5.5%) cases and 9674/156802 (6.2%) controls had been exposed to AED. Overall, users of any AED had a reduced risk of PCa as compared to nonusers (OR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.87-0.97) which was attenuated by adjustment to healthcare utilisation. A reduced risk was also observed in all models for high-risk or metastatic PCa in AED users compared to nonusers (OR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81-0.97). No significant findings were observed for dose response or HDACi analyses. Our findings suggest a weak inverse association between AED use and PCa risk, which was attenuated by adjustment for healthcare utilisation. Moreover, our study showed no consistent dose-response pattern and no support for a stronger reduction related to HDAC inhibition. Further studies focusing on advanced PCa and PCa treatments are needed to better analyse the association between use of AED and risk of PCa.

Association Between Fatty Acid Intakes and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Japanese Population: JPHC-NEXT Eye Study

To determine the associations between fatty acid intakes and the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) under a population-based cross-sectional study. Residents of Chikusei City aged ≥40 years underwent systemic and eye screening. AMD was graded according to a modified version of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study classification. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and was adjusted for total energy intake. Altogether, 10,788 eyes of 5394 participants, 2116 men (mean [standard deviation (SD)] age, 62.4 [9.4] years) and 3278 women (60.6 [9.5] years), were included. The mean daily total fat intakes were 52.8 g and 59.0 g in men and women, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounders, saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake was inversely associated with the prevalence of any AMD in men (for each energy-adjusted 1-SD increase: odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74-1.00). Significant trends were found for decreasing odds ratios of AMD with increasing SFA, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake (P for trend = 0.02, 0.04, and 0.04, respectively). In women, only a significant association was observed between the second quartile of linolenic acid intake and the prevalence of any AMD (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.99). We found an inverse association of SFA intake and a weak inverse association of MUFA and PUFA intakes with the prevalence of any AMD in a Japanese population. Adequate fatty acid intake may be necessary to prevent or decelerate AMD.

Gender-related differences in the association of serum levels of vitamin D with body mass index in northern Iranian population: the PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study (PGCS).

Vitamin D (VD) insufficiency has now become a global problem throughout the world. The association between increasing body mass index (BMI) and VD insufficiency has attracted great attention in recent researches. The aim was to study if BMI was independently associated with serum 25-hydroxy VD in a large population-based study, specify by gender. Data on 9520 adults 35years and older participating in PERSIAN Guilan Cohort Study (PGCS) were used. Serum levels of 25-hydroxy VD less than 20ng/mL (50nmol/L) was used as a measure of VD inadequacy. Multiple logistic and linear regression analyses were used to estimate the strength of the association between VD and BMI before and after adjusting for demographic factors and lifestyle variables. After adjustment in male population, overweight (adjusted OR = 1.2, P < 0.05) and obese (adjusted OR = 1.4, P > 0.05) individuals were more likely to have VD inadequacy than normal weight counterparts. Moreover, there was a weak inverse linear association between BMI and serum 25 (OH) D levels in males (β = -0.14, P value > 0.05). In contrast, no significant associations between BMI and serum 25 (OH (D levels were observed in females. In male population, higher BMI were associated with lower serum vitamin 25 (OH) D levels. However, association between BMI and VD level was not observed in female population. The suggestion of current study for public health was special consideration to serum VD levels in over weight and obese males.

Immigration Status, Socioeconomic Status, and Self-Rated Health in Europe.

The literature has established a protective effect of socioeconomic status (SES) indicators on health. However, at least in the US, these SES indicators tend to generate fewer health gains for marginalized groups including immigrants. As this literature mainly originated in the US, it is necessary to study whether these indicators similarly correlate with the health of foreign-born and native-born individuals in Europe. The current study was based on the Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs) theory and compared the effects of three SES indicators, namely parental education, own education and income, on self-rated health (SRH) of immigrant and native-born individuals. We used data from the European Social Survey 2020 (ESS 2020). Participants included 14,213 individuals who identified as either native-born (n = 9052) or foreign-born (n = 508). Education, income, and parental education were the independent variables. Self-rated health (SRH) was the outcome. Age and sex were covariates. Linear regression and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Overall, high education, income, and parental education were associated with lower odds of poor SRH. We documented a statistical interaction between immigration status and parental education, indicating a weaker inverse association between parental education and poor SRH for foreign-born than native-born individuals. The links between some but not all SES indicators vary across foreign-born and native-born individuals in Europe. Host countries seem to undervalue the parental educational attainment of foreign-born families. Future research should explore the role of time, period, cohort and country of origin as well as host country and associated policies in equalizing returns of SES indicators on the health of population subgroups. The results are important given that most studies on MDRs are developed in the US, and less is known about Europe. The results are also very important given the growing anti-immigrant sentiment and nationalist movements in Europe and the rest of the world.

A decade of invertebrate recruitment at Santa Catalina Island, California.

Marine fouling communities have long provided model systems for studying the ecology of community development, and settlement plates are the tool of choice for this purpose. Decades of plate deployments provide a baseline against which present-day trends can be interpreted, with one classic trend being the ultimate dominance of plates by colonial and encrusting taxa. Here we report the results of annual deployments of settlement plates from 2010 to 2021 in the shallow sub-tidal of southern California, where the recruitment of invertebrates and algae was recorded photographically, and resolved to functional group (solitary, encrusting, and arborescent) and the lowest taxon possible. The communities on these plates differed among years, with trends in abundances varying by functional group and taxon; solitary taxa consistently were abundant, but encrusting taxa declined in abundance. Seawater temperature and the subsurface concentration of chlorophyll a differed among years, and there was a weak inverse association between temperature and the abundances of encrusting taxa. Long-term increases in seawater temperature therefore could serve as a mechanism causing fouling communities to change. Because of the prominence of encrusting taxa in fouling communities, the shifts in abundance of this functional group reported here may portend ecologically significant changes in fouling communities exposed to warmer seawater because of an alleviation of competition for a classically limiting resource (i.e., space).

A prospective cohort study of starchy and non-starchy vegetable intake and mortality risk.

Whether starchy and non-starchy vegetables have distinct impacts on health remains unknown. We prospectively investigated the intake of starchy and non-starchy vegetables in relation to mortality risk in a nationwide cohort. Diet was assessed using 24-h dietary recalls. Deaths were identified via the record linkage to the National Death Index. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI were calculated using Cox regression. During a median follow-up of 7·8 years, 4904 deaths were documented among 40074 participants aged 18 years or older. Compared to those with no consumption, participants with daily consumption of ≥ 1 serving of non-starchy vegetables had a lower risk of mortality (HR = 0·76, 95 % CI 0·66, 0·88, Ptrend = 0·001). Dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables (HR = 0·79, 95 % CI 0·63, 0·99, Ptrend = 0·023) and other non-starchy vegetables (HR = 0·80, 95 % CI 0·70, 0·92, Ptrend = 0·004) showed similar results. Total starchy vegetable intake exhibited a marginally weak inverse association with mortality risk (HR = 0·89, 95 % CI 0·80, 1·00, Ptrend = 0·048), while potatoes showed a null association (HR = 0·93, 95 % CI 0·82, 1·06, Ptrend = 0·186). Restricted cubic spline analysis suggested a linear dose-response relationship between vegetable intake and death risk, with a plateau at over 300 and 200 g/d for total and non-starchy vegetables, respectively. Compared with starchy vegetables, non-starchy vegetables might be more beneficial to health, although both showed a protective association with mortality risk. The risk reduction in mortality plateaued at approximately 200 g/d for non-starchy vegetables and 300 g/d for total vegetables.

Black-White Differences in the Protective Effects of Income against Perceived Financial Difficulties in the United States

One of the components of the protective effects of overall high socioeconomic status (SES) on health is high subjective SES. As SES has shown weaker health effects for marginalized groups, a phenomenon called Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs), we conducted this study to test differential associations between two objective SES indicators, namely education and household income, with a subjective SES indicator (perceived financial difficulties) by race. For this cross-sectional analysis, we used the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 2020) data. Participants included 1403 individuals who identified as either non-Latino Black or non-Latino White. Age, sex, marital status, and employment were used as control variables, while education and income were used as independent variables. Perceived financial difficulties were the outcome. Binary logistic regression was used for main data analysis. Linear regression was used for sensitivity analysis. Overall, high education and household income were associated with lower odds of perceived financial difficulties. We documented a statistical interaction between race and income on subjective SES indicating a weaker inverse association between household income and perceived financial difficulties for non-Latino Black than non-Latino White individuals. The results remained similar using linear or logistic regression models. We did not find racial differences in the association between education and perceived financial difficulties. In the US, and under structural racism, the link between objective SES indicators such as income and perceived financial difficulties differs for non-Latino Black and non-Latino White people. Income may better reduce perceived financial difficulties for non-Latino Black than non-Latino White individuals. This finding is in line with the MDRs framework and suggests a mechanism for why we observe weaker health effects of objective SES indicators, such as income, for racial minorities in the US, and why we observe racial health disparities across class lines.

Dietary intake of beans and risk of disabling dementia: The Circulatory Risk in Communities Study (CIRCS).

To examine whether bean intake (including soybeans) among Japanese adults is associated with risk of disabling dementia severe enough to require care under the national insurance system. This cohort study involved 3739 individuals aged 40 to 64 years. The participants were categorized into five groups based on their dietary bean intake estimated by a 24h dietary recall. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of disabling dementia were estimated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for potential confounding factors (smoking, drinking, and intakes of energy and fish). During the 59,681 person-year follow-up, 670 cases of disabling dementia were observed. A weak inverse association between bean intake and risk of disabling dementia was found; the multivariable hazard ratios (95% CIs) were 0.79 (0.62-1.00), 0.80 (0.63-1.01), 0.84 (0.67-1.06), and 0.78 (0.62-0.99) for the four groups with higher bean intake, respectively, compared with the lowest group (P for trend = 0.21). A significant inverse association was observed for dementia without a history of stroke; for the four groups with higher bean intake the multivariable hazard ratios were 0.81 (0.61-1.08), 0.70 (0.52-0.95), 0.71 (0.52-0.95), and 0.69 (0.51-0.92), respectively, (P for trend = 0.03). No such association was observed for dementia with history of stroke. The group with increased natto intake were inversely associated with risk of disabling dementia (P for trend = 0.003), but tofu intake was not (P for trend = 0.19). Bean intake was inversely associated with risk of disabling dementia in those without a history of stroke.

Male personal heat exposures and fecundability: A preconception cohort study.

Several studies indicate adverse effects of selected heat exposures on semen quality, but few studies have directly evaluated fertility as an endpoint. We evaluated prospectively the association between male heat exposures and fecundability, the per-cycle probability of conception. We analyzed data from 3041 couples residing in the United States or Canada who enrolled in a prospective preconception cohort study (2013-2021). At enrollment, males reported on several heat-related exposures, such as use of saunas, hot baths, seat heaters, and tight-fitting underwear. Pregnancy status was updated on female follow-up questionnaires every 8weeks until conception or a censoring event (initiation of fertility treatment, cessation of pregnancy attempts, withdrawal, loss to follow-up, or 12 cycles), whichever came first. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios (FR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between heat exposures and fecundability, mutually adjusting for heat exposures and other potential confounders. We observed small inverse associations for hot bath/tub use (≥3vs. 0 times/month: FR=0.87, 95% CI: 0.70-1.07) and fever in the 3 months before baseline (FR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.79-1.12; one cycle of follow-up: FR=0.84, 95% CI: 0.64-1.11). Little association was found for sauna use, hours of laptop use on one's lap, seat heater use, time spent sitting, and use of tight-fitting underwear. Based on a cumulative heat metric, FRs for 1, 2, 3, and ≥4versus 0 heat exposures were 0.99 (95% CI: 0.87-1.12), 1.03 (95% CI: 0.89-1.19), 0.94 (95% CI: 0.74-1.19), and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.50-1.17), respectively. Associations were stronger among men aged ≥30 years (≥4vs. 0 heat exposures: FR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.34-1.04). Male use of hot tubs/baths and fever showed weak inverse associations with fecundability. Cumulative exposure to multiple heat sources was associated with a moderate reduction in fecundability, particularly among males aged ≥30 years.

Risk of cardiovascular disease in women and men with subfertility: the Trøndelag Health Study

To investigate the association between subfertility and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes. Prospective study. Population-based cohort. We studied 31,629 women and 17,630 men participating in the Trøndelag Health Study. Self-reported subfertility. As men were not directly asked about fertility, male partners of female participants were identified through linkage to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway and assigned the fertility information obtained from their partners. The primary outcomes were stroke and coronary heart disease in women and men with and without a history of subfertility. The secondary outcomes were myocardial infarction and angina (subgroups of coronary heart disease) and any CVD (stroke or coronary heart disease). Information on CVD was available by linkage to hospital records. We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age at participation in the Trøndelag Health Study (linear + squared), birth year, smoking history, cohabitation, and education. Cardiometabolic factors were assessed in separate models. A total of 17% of women and 15% of men reported subfertility. In women, subfertility was modestly associated with an increased risk of stroke (age-adjusted hazard ratio [aaHR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.39; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]; 1.18; 95% CI, 1.01-1.37) and coronary heart disease (aaHR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.06-1.33; aHR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.03-1.30) compared with fertile women. In men, we observed a weak positive association for stroke (aaHR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.91-1.34; aHR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.91-1.33) and a weak inverse association for coronary heart disease (aaHR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.81-1.05; aHR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.81-1.06). We observed modestly increased risks of CVD outcomes in women and some weak associations in men, although with no strong statistical evidence on sex differences. We acknowledge that we were only able to include men linked to pregnancies ending at 12 completed gestational weeks or later, potentially resulting in selection bias and misclassification of history of subfertility in analyses of male partners. Despite the large sample size, our results indicate the need for larger studies to obtain precise results in both sexes and determine whether there are true sex differences.

Mannose-binding lectin 2 gene polymorphisms and predisposition to allergic bronchial asthma in a western Romanian children population: an observational study.

ObjectivesTo analyse: (1) the associations between different mannose-binding lectin 2 (MBL2) genotypes and susceptibility to bronchial asthma (BA) in Romanian children; and (2) the correlations between several patient sociodemographic variables and MBL2 polymorphisms.MethodsThis prospective observational case–control study included paediatric patients with symptomatic BA and healthy controls. Participants were genotyped for two MBL2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): exon 1 codon 54 A/B variant rs1800450, and -550 promoter H/L variant rs11003125 (GenBank accession). Associations between MBL2 genotypes and susceptibility to BA were determined by calculated odds ratios, and Kendall Tau’s correlations were used to investigate the associations between sociodemographic variables and SNPs.ResultsAmong 59 patients with BA and 65 healthy controls, associations between MBL2 polymorphisms and susceptibility to BA were not found to be statistically significant. Statistically significant weak positive correlations were found between age at diagnosis and A/B genotype, and between the smoking status of biologically male and female parents. A statistically significant weak inverse association was found between male parent smoking status and family history of BA.ConclusionThese results may help guide future research into paediatric BA in Romania and Eastern Europe. Due to study limitations, the results require validation in future large-scale studies.

TWO-YEAR RESPONSES OF HEART RATE AND HEART RATE VARIABILITY TO FIRST OCCUPATIONAL LEAD EXPOSURE

Objective: Because of the falling lead exposure, the literature relating autonomous nervous function to blood lead has limited relevance. Design and method: In the longitudinal Study for Promotion of Health in Recycling Lead (URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02243904), we recorded the 2-year responses of heart rate, heart rate variability (Cardiax, International Medical Equipment Developing, Budapest, Hungary), and median nerve conduction velocity (Brevio, NeuMed, West Trenton, NJ), a routine test in occupational medicine, to first lead exposure in 195 newly hired workers (91.3% men; mean age, 27.8 years). High- and low-frequency heart rate variability power and orthostatic heart rate variability responses were derived from 5-minute eletrocardiograms in the supine and standing positions by Fourier transform and autoregression. Blood lead was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: From baseline to follow-up, blood lead increased from 4.22 to 14.1 ug/dL and supine/standing HR from 63.6/75.5 to 67.1/78.8 beats per minute. In analyses stratified by fourths of blood lead changes, trends in heart rate and Fourier/autoregressive heart rate variability did not reveal a dose-response curve (0.074&lt; = P&lt; = 0.98). In multivariable-adjusted mixed models, heart rate, Fourier/autoregressive heart rate variability, and nerve conduction velocity changes were unrelated to blood lead except for a weak inverse association between supine heart rate and blood lead changes (-0.55%; P = 0.029). The expected associations between heart rate variability and heart rate changes were preserved with no differences at baseline/follow-up. Analyses ichotomised by baseline median blood lead or cumulative blood lead index (4.30 ug/dL or 32.1 ug/dL × year) suggested an heart rate variability increase versus decrease in the low versus high baseline exposure group. Conclusions: Thus, a &gt; 3-fold blood lead increment did not affect autonomous neural function as captured by heart rate variability.