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1.
Evolutionary Origins of the Differences in Osteoporosis Risk in US Populations.
Nelson, DA
Journal of clinical densitometry : the official journal of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. 2019;(3):301-304
Abstract
Over the past 50 years, it has been increasingly evident that there are population differences in bone mass and the risk of osteoporosis. In the United States, many studies have reported a lower prevalence of osteoporosis in African Americans compared with people of European descent. If we trace the trajectory of changes in lifeways from the earliest migrations of early Homo out of Africa over the past two million years or so, to include lower vitamin D levels in higher latitudes; more meat in the diet; increasing sedentism; and a longer lifespan/longer postmenopausal period, it is not surprising that osteoporosis occurs more frequently in populations of European descent. While many scholars have explored the apparent "paradox" of higher bone mass, lower vitamin D levels, and higher parathyroid hormone levels among African Americans, this brief review of evolutionary shifts that affected our species may change the approach to understanding the current population differences in the United States.
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Low Prevalence of Colorectal Cancer in South Asians than White Population in UK: Probable Factors.
Tahir, MZ
Journal of the College of Physicians and Surgeons--Pakistan : JCPSP. 2018;(8):631-635
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is common in White population in UK, while rare among South Asians living in UK. The main aim of this study was to find out probable reasons for very low prevalence of colorectal cancer among South Asians living in UK than White population. PubMed was searched by using key words and 2,153 articles were found and reviewed to find out related information. Websites of WHO, Office of National Statistics UK, and Cancer Research UK were also searched for relevant information. Diet and lifestyle are important factors for low colorectal prevalence among South Asians in UK. Vegetable and fruit use, physical activity, alcohol abstention or low usage, less tobacco use, and fecal material time in large intestine are important factors for low colorectal cancer development. It was concluded that South Asians have very low colorectal cancer prevalence in the UK than White population, which may be related to their diet, dietary habit, and lifestyle.
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3.
Characterization of the Asian Phenotype - An Emerging Paradigm with Clinicopathological and Human Research Implications.
Leow, MK
International journal of medical sciences. 2017;(7):639-647
Abstract
Background: Modern medicine recognizes that salient, inherent variations between Caucasians and Asians exist. Radical changes are occurring in the health scene with increasing emphasis centered on the recognition of inter-individual variations unique to Asians that impact on medical management and outcomes. Aim: This review analyzes distinct features or outcomes in terms of epidemiology, disease thresholds, diagnostic cutoffs and treatment responses of Asian people compared with non-Asians. Methods: This review is based on a literature search via PubMed and MEDLINE for relevant articles related to the Asian phenotype and its impact on health and disease. Results: An 'Asian phenotype' could be characterized across the spectrum of biomedical disciplines and underscores the major challenges clinicians must face in their daily management of a cosmopolitan population and their extrapolation of research outcomes. Conclusion: Interventions for various ailments that have traditionally ignored population differences have now entered the age of personalized, stratified or precision medicine requiring an individualized approach being adopted as a new standard of care. Factoring in Asian phenotypes is essential for the medical research community and the development of improved clinical practice guidelines across a continuum of disciplines that will ultimately translate to better human health round the world.
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4.
Differences in Obesity Rates Among Minority and White Women: The Latent Role of Maternal Stress.
Patchen, L, Rebok, G, Astone, NM
Journal of midwifery & women's health. 2016;(4):489-96
Abstract
White and minority women experience different rates of obesity in the United States. Yet our understanding of the dynamics that give rise to this gap remains limited. This article presents a conceptual framework that considers pathways leading to these different rates. It draws upon the life-course perspective, allostatic load, and the weathering hypothesis to identify pathways linking childbearing, stress, and obesity. This conceptual framework extends prior work by identifying age at first birth as an important parameter that influences these pathways. Empirical evidence to test these pathways is needed.
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5.
Associations of Cholesteryl Ester Transfer Protein TaqIB Polymorphism with the Composite Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease Risk and HDL-C Concentrations: A Meta-Analysis.
Guo, SX, Yao, MH, Ding, YS, Zhang, JY, Yan, YZ, Liu, JM, Zhang, M, Rui, DS, Niu, Q, He, J, et al
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2016;(9)
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous studies have evaluated the associations between the cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) TaqIB polymorphism (rs708272), the risk of developing composite ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), but results remain controversial. The objective of this study was to investigate whether a relationship exists between these factors. METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis of available studies to clarify the associations of the CETP TaqIB polymorphism with HDL-C concentration and the composite ischemic CVD risk in both Asians and Caucasians. All statistical analyses were done with Stata 12.0. RESULTS Through utilization of the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Springer, China Science and Technology Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Google Scholar, and Baidu Library, a total of 45 studies from 44 papers with 20,866 cases and 21,298 controls were combined showing a significant association between the CETP TaqIB variant and composite ischemic CVD risk. Carriers of allele TaqIB-B1 were found to have a higher risk of composite ischemic CVD than non-carriers: OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09-1.21, p < 0.001. Meanwhile, 28 studies with 23,959 subjects were included in the association between the CETP TaqIB polymorphism and the concentration of HDL-C. RESULTS suggested that carriers of the B1B1 genotype had lower concentrations of HDL-C than those of the B2B2 genotype: SMD = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.36-0.65, p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS The synthesis of available evidence demonstrates that the CETP TaqIB polymorphism protects against composite ischemic CVD risk and is associated with a higher HDL-C concentration in both Asians and Caucasians.
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6.
Biomarkers of Coronary Artery Disease Differ Between Asians and Caucasians in the General Population.
Gijsberts, CM, den Ruijter, HM, Asselbergs, FW, Chan, MY, de Kleijn, DP, Hoefer, IE
Global heart. 2015;(4):301-311.e11
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Abstract
Coronary artery disease (CAD) markers have not been thoroughly investigated among Asians. The incidence of CAD, however, is rising rapidly in Asia. In this review, we systematically discuss publications that compare CAD biomarkers between Asians and Caucasians in the general population. A PubMed search yielded 5,570 hits, containing 59 articles describing 47 unique cohorts that directly compare Asians with Caucasians. Ten biomarkers were taken into account for this review: total cholesterol; triglycerides; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; C-reactive protein; glucose; insulin; glycated hemoglobin; fibrinogen; and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Triglycerides were 1.13-fold higher in South Asians than in Caucasians, and insulin levels were 1.33-fold higher. In Japanese and Chinese subjects, lower C-reactive protein levels were reported: 0.52 and 0.36-fold, respectively. Ethnicity-specific prognostic measures of CAD biomarkers were rarely reported. CAD biomarker levels differ between Asians and Caucasians and among Asian ethnic groups in population-based cohorts. The ethnicity-specific prognostic value of CAD biomarkers is yet to be determined.
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Association of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Liu, QF, Li, Y, Zhao, QH, Wang, ZY, Hu, S, Yang, CQ, Ye, K, Li, L
Clinics and research in hepatology and gastroenterology. 2015;(5):627-36
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Association of Signal transducers and activators of transcription-4 (STAT4) gene polymorphism with susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease have been investigated in a number of epidemiological studies, but the results are inclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis was to more precisely estimate the relationship. METHODS The databases of Pubmed and CBM updated to October, 2014 were retrieved. Random- or fixed-effect model was used to estimate odd radio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95%CI) on the basis of heterogeneity. RESULTS Seven articles containing 2196 Crohn's disease (CD) cases, 1588 ulcerative colitis (UC) cases and 4126 controls were identified. We detected a significant association between STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism and IBD susceptibility in overall population (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.855, 95% CI=0.760-0.962, P=0.009), but not in Caucasian and Asian population, respectively. No association was detected between rs7574865 polymorphism and CD susceptibility in overall, Asian and Caucasian population, respectively. Interestingly, a significant association was detected between rs7574865 with UC susceptibility in overall population (G vs. T, OR=0.881, 95% CI=0.798-0.972, P=0.012; GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.788, 95% CI=0.679-0.914, P=0.002; GG vs. TT, OR=0.683, 95% CI=0.498-0.937, P=0.018) and Caucasians (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.833, 95% CI=0.701-0.990, P=0.038; GG+GT vs. TT, OR=0.667, 95% CI=0.456-0.975, P=0.037; GG vs. TT, OR=0.636, 95% CI=0.433-0.934, P=0.021), respectively, and a possible association was found in Asian population (GG vs. GT+TT, OR=0.709, 95% CI=0.503-0.998, P=0.049). CONCLUSIONS STAT4 rs7574865 gene is IBD risk factor, and this gene polymorphism is associated with UC susceptibility, especially in Caucasians. To confirm these findings, further studies with more sample size are required for a definitive conclusion.
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Prevalence and causes of vision loss in high-income countries and in Eastern and Central Europe: 1990-2010.
Bourne, RR, Jonas, JB, Flaxman, SR, Keeffe, J, Leasher, J, Naidoo, K, Parodi, MB, Pesudovs, K, Price, H, White, RA, et al
The British journal of ophthalmology. 2014;(5):629-38
Abstract
BACKGROUND To assess prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment in high-income regions and in Central/Eastern Europe in 1990 and 2010. METHODS Based on a systematic review of medical literature, prevalence of moderate and severe vision impairment (MSVI; presenting visual acuity <6/18 but ≥3/60 in the better eye) and blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60) was estimated for 1990 and 2010. RESULTS Age-standardised prevalence of blindness and MSVI decreased from 0.2% to 0.1% (3.314 million to 2.736 million people) and from 1.6% to 1.0% (25.362 million to 22.176 million), respectively. Women were generally more affected than men. Cataract was the most frequent cause of blindness in all subregions in 1990, but macular degeneration and uncorrected refractive error became the most frequent causes of blindness in 2010 in all high-income countries, except for Eastern/Central Europe, where cataract remained the leading cause. Glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy were fourth and fifth most common causes for blindness for all regions at both times. Uncorrected refractive error, followed by cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, was the most common cause for MSVI in 1990 and 2010. CONCLUSIONS In highly developed countries, prevalence of blindness and MSVI has been reduced by 50% and 38%, respectively, and the number of blind people and people with MSVI decreased by 17.4% and 12.6%, respectively, even with the increasing number of older people in the population. In high-income countries, macular degeneration has become the most important cause of blindness, but uncorrected refractive errors continue to be the leading cause of MSVI.
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Population specific impact of genetic variants in KCNJ11 gene to type 2 diabetes: a case-control and meta-analysis study.
Phani, NM, Guddattu, V, Bellampalli, R, Seenappa, V, Adhikari, P, Nagri, SK, D Souza, SC, Mundyat, GP, Satyamoorthy, K, Rai, PS
PloS one. 2014;(9):e107021
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Potassium inwardly rectifying channel, subfamily J, member 11 (KCNJ11) gene have a key role in insulin secretion and is of substantial interest as a candidate gene for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The current work was performed to delineate the genetic influence of KCNJ11 polymorphisms on risk of T2D in South Indian population through case-control association study along with systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A case-control study of 400 T2D cases and controls of South Indian origin were performed to analyze the association of KCNJ11 polymorphisms (rs5219, rs5215, rs41282930, rs1800467) and copy number variations (CNV) on the risk of T2D. In addition a systematic review and meta-analysis for KCNJ11 rs5219 was conducted in 3,831 cases and 3,543 controls from 5 published reports from South-Asian population by searching various databases. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to assess the association strength. Cochran's Q, I2 statistics were used to study heterogeneity between the eligible studies. RESULTS KCNJ11 rs5215, C-G-C-C haplotype and two loci analysis (rs5219 vs rs1800467) showed a significant association with T2D but CNV analysis did not show significant variation between T2D cases and control subjects. Lower age of disease onset (P = 0.04) and higher body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.04) were associated with rs5219 TT genotype in T2D patients. The meta-analysis of KCNJ11 rs5219 on South Asian population showed no association on susceptibility to T2D with an overall pooled OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.83-1.16. Stratification analysis showed East Asian population and global population were associated with T2D when compared to South Asians. CONCLUSION KCNJ11 rs5219 is not independently associated with T2D in South-Indian population and our meta-analysis suggests that KCNJ11 polymorphism (rs5219) is associated with risk of T2D in East Asian population and global population but this outcome could not be replicated in South Asian sub groups.
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Population ancestry and genetic risk for diabetes and kidney, cardiovascular, and bone disease: modifiable environmental factors may produce the cures.
Freedman, BI, Divers, J, Palmer, ND
American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation. 2013;(6):1165-75
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Abstract
Variable rates of disease observed between members of different continental population groups may be mediated by inherited factors, environmental exposures, or their combination. This article provides evidence in support of differential allele frequency distributions that underlie the higher rates of nondiabetic kidney disease in the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis spectrum of disease and lower rates of coronary artery calcified atherosclerotic plaque and osteoporosis in populations of African ancestry. With recognition that these and other common complex diseases are affected by biological factors comes the realization that targeted manipulation of environmental exposures and pharmacologic treatments will have different effects based on genotype. The present era of precision medicine will couple one's genetic makeup with specific therapies to reduce rates of disease based on the presence of disease-specific alleles.