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Background: A low cardiovascular disease risk profile (untreated cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, never smoking, and no history of diabetes mellitus or myocardial infarction) in middle age is associated with markedly better health outcomes in older age, but few middle-aged adults have this low risk profile. We examined whether adopting a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is associated with the presence of the low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age.Methods and Results: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) study sample consisted of 3154 black and white participants 18 to 30 years of age at year 0 (1985-1986) who attended the year 0, 7, and 20 examinations. Healthy lifestyle factors defined at years 0, 7, and 20 included average body mass index <25 kg/m(2), no or moderate alcohol intake, higher healthy diet score, higher physical activity score, and never smoking. Mean age (25 years) and percentage of women (56%) were comparable across groups defined by number of healthy lifestyle factors. The age-, sex-, and race-adjusted prevalences of low cardiovascular disease risk profile at year 20 were 3.0%, 14.6%, 29.5%, 39.2%, and 60.7% for people with 0 or 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 healthy lifestyle factors, respectively (P for trend <0.0001). Similar graded relationships were observed for each sex-race group (all P for trend <0.0001).Conclusions: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle throughout young adulthood is strongly associated with a low cardiovascular disease risk profile in middle age. Public health and individual efforts are needed to improve the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyles in young adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examined the associations of toenail selenium levels with blood concentrations of fibrinogen, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in an 18-year follow-up study comprising 4,032 Americans aged 20-32 years at baseline (1987) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Trace Element Study. Toenail samples were collected in 1987, and selenium concentrations were measured by means of instrumental neutron-activation analysis. Fibrinogen level was analyzed in 1990, 1992, and 2005; hs-CRP was assessed in 1992, 2000, and 2005; and IL-6 was measured in 2005. After adjustment for potential confounders, no statistically significant associations between toenail selenium levels and any of the 3 inflammatory biomarkers were documented. Comparing the highest quintile of toenail selenium level with the lowest, odds ratios for elevated levels of fibrinogen (>460 mg/mL), hs-CRP (>3 microg/mL), and IL-6 (>3.395 pg/mL, 80th percentile) were 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.77, 1.38; P for trend = 0.76), 1.02 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.27; P for trend = 0.92), and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.71, 1.36; P for trend = 0.82), respectively. Gender, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and selenium supplementation did not appreciably modify these results. This study found no associations between toenail selenium and inflammation as measured by fibrinogen, hs-CRP, and IL-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority group in the United States. The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Hispanics is higher than non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for kidney failure. Likely contributing factors to this burden of disease include diabetes and metabolic syndrome, both are common among Hispanics. Access to health care, quality of care, and barriers due to language, health literacy and acculturation may also play a role. Despite the importance of this public health problem, only limited data exist about Hispanics with CKD. We review the epidemiology of CKD in US Hispanics, identify the factors that may be responsible for this growing health problem, and suggest gaps in our understanding which are suitable for future investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Hispanic and Asian Americans is increasing. These groups are largely comprised of immigrants who may be undergoing behavioral and lifestyle changes associated with development of diabetes. We studied the association between acculturation and diabetes in a population sample of 708 Mexican-origin Hispanics, 547 non-Mexican-origin Hispanics, and 737 Chinese participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).Research Design and Methods: Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose >/=126 mg/dl and/or use of antidiabetic medications. An acculturation score was calculated for all participants using nativity, years living in the U.S., and language spoken at home. The score ranged from 0 to 5 (0 = least acculturated and 5 = most acculturated). Relative risk regression was used to estimate the association between acculturation and diabetes.Results: For non-Mexican-origin Hispanics, the prevalence of diabetes was positively associated with acculturation score, after adjustment for sociodemographics. The prevalence of diabetes was significantly higher among the most acculturated versus the least acculturated non-Mexican-origin Hispanics (prevalence ratio 2.49 [95% CI 1.14-5.44]); the higher the acculturation score is, the higher the prevalence of diabetes (P for trend 0.059). This relationship between acculturation and diabetes was partly attenuated after adjustment for BMI or diet. Diabetes prevalence was not related to acculturation among Chinese or Mexican-origin Hispanics.Conclusions: Among non-Mexican-origin Hispanics in MESA, greater acculturation is associated with higher diabetes prevalence. The relation is at least partly mediated by BMI and diet. Acculturation is a factor that should be considered when predictors of diabetes in racial/ethnic groups are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure (BP) may be implicated in associations observed between ambient particulate matter and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. This study examined crosssectional associations between short-term ambient fine particles (particulate matter <= 2.5 [mu]m in aerodynamic diameter; PM2.5) and BP: systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), mean arterial (MAP), and pulse pressure (PP). METHODS: The study sample included 5,112 persons 45-84 years of age, free of cardiovascular disease at the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis baseline examination (2000-2002). Data from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency monitors were used to estimate ambient PM2.5 exposures for the preceding 1, 2, 7, 30, and 60 days. Roadway data were used to estimate local exposures to traffic-related particles. RESULTS: Results from linear regression found PP and SBP positively associated with PM2.5 For example, a 10-[mu]g/m(3) increase in PM2.5 30-day mean was associated with 1.12 mmHg higher pulse pressure [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.28-1.97] and 0.99 mmHg higher systolic BP (95% CI, -0.15 to 2.13), adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, education, body mass index, diabetes, cigarette smoking and environmental tobacco smoke, alcohol use, physical activity, medications, atmospheric pressure, and temperature. Results were much weaker and not statistically significant for MAP and DBP. Although traffic-related variables were not themselves associated with BP, the association between PM2.5 and BP was stronger in the presence of higher traffic exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Higher SBP and PP were associated with ambient levels of PM2.5 and the association was stronger in the presence of roadway traffic, suggesting that impairment of blood pressure regulation may play a role in response to air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine associations in nondiabetic individuals of 1-h postload plasma glucose measured in young adulthood and middle age with subsequent Medicare expenditures for cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, cancer, and all health care at age 65 years or older using data from the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry (CHA).Research Design and Methods: Medicare data (1984-2000) were linked with CHA baseline records (1967-1973) for 8,580 men and 6,723 women ages 33-64 years who were free of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and major electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities and who were Medicare eligible (65+ years) for at least 2 years. Participants were classified based on 1-h postload plasma glucose levels <120, 120-199, or > or =200 mg/dl.Results: With adjustment for baseline age, cigarette smoking, serum cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, BMI, ethnicity, education, and minor ECG abnormalities, the average annual and cumulative Medicare, total, and diabetes- and CVD-related charges were significantly higher with higher baseline plasma glucose in women, while only diabetes-related charges were significantly higher in men. For example, in women, multivariate-adjusted CVD-related cumulative charges were, respectively, USD 14,260, 18,909, and 21,183 for the three postload plasma glucose categories (P value for trend = 0.035).Conclusions: These findings suggest that maintaining low glucose levels early in life has the potential to reduce health care costs in older age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information is sparse on the role of foods in long-term blood pressure (BP) change. The investigators examined relations of food intake to BP change in a prospective cohort study of 1,710 employed men in Chicago, Illinois, initially aged 41-57 years. In 1958 and 1959, BP was measured and nutrient intake assessed by comprehensive interview. In 1959, intake of 26 specific food groups was also assessed. BP was remeasured annually through 1966. The generalized estimating equation method was used to analyze relations of food group intakes to average annual BP change, adjusting for age, weight at each year, alcohol consumption, calories, and other foods. Average systolic blood pressure (SBP)/diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increase was 1.9/0.3 mmHg per year. The SBP of men who consumed 14-42 cups of vegetables a month (0.5-1.5 cups/day) versus <14 cups a month (<0.5 cups/day) was estimated to rise 2.8 mmHg less in 7 years (p < 0.01). The SBP of men who consumed 14-42 cups of fruit a month versus <14 cups a month was estimated to increase 2.2 mmHg less in 7 years (p < 0.05). Beef-veal-lamb and poultry intakes were related directly to a greater SBP/DBP increase (p < 0.05). These results support the concept that diets higher in fruits and vegetables and lower in meats (except fish) may reduce the risk of developing high BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Electron beam tomography (EBT) is a noninvasive measure of coronary artery calcium (CAC), a marker for atherosclerosis. In this study we examined the association between conventional risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and CAC.Methods: EBT CAC screening was performed on 30,908 asymptomatic individuals aged 30 to 90 years. Prior to EBT screening, individuals provided demographic and CAD risk factor information. EBT utilized a C-100 EBT scanner, and the amount of CAC was determined using the Agatston scoring method.Results: The results of this study demonstrate that for both men and women, all conventional risk factors were significantly associated with the presence of any detectable CAC, and the mean CAC score increased in proportion to the number of CAD risk factors. In age-adjusted (multivariable) logistic regression analysis, cigarette use, histories of hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and hypertension were each significantly associated with mild to extensive CAC scores (> or =10.0).Conclusion: CAD risk factors are associated with higher atherosclerotic plaque burden in both men and women. The odds ratios associated with each risk factor relative to the extent of CAC are similar to those reported for the development of clinical CAD, suggesting the existence of an association between CAC (subclinical disease) and CAD (clinical disease). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Minor electrocardiographic (ECG) ST-T abnormalities are common, but their prognostic importance has not been fully determined.Objective: To examine associations of single (1 time only) and multiple (2 times only and > or =3 times) nonspecific minor ST-T abnormalities in 5 years with long-term mortality due to myocardial infarction (MI), coronary heart disease (CHD), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all causes in middle-aged men.Design: Prospective cohort study (29-year follow-up after 5 annual examinations).Setting and Participants: A total of 1673 men employed at the Western Electric Company in Chicago, III, aged 40 to 55 years at entry, with no evidence of CHD and no major ECG abnormalities throughout the first 5-year period.Main Outcome Measures: Minor ST-T abnormalities identified from annual resting ECGs and mortality ascertained from death certificates.Results: Of the 1673 men, 173 had evidence of isolated nonspecific minor ST-T segment abnormalities. During the follow-up period, there were 234 deaths due to MI, 352 deaths due to CHD, 463 deaths due to CVD, and 889 deaths due to all causes. For men with 3 or more annual recordings of minor ST-T abnormalities, risk of death due to MI, CHD, CVD, and all causes was significantly greater than for those with normal ECG findings. For men with 3 or more ECGs with minor ST-T abnormalities, relative risks (and 95% confidence intervals) adjusted for cardiovascular and other risk factors were 2.28 (1.16-4.49), 2.39 (1.39-4.12), 2.30 (1.44-3.68), and 1.60 (1.06-2.42), respectively, with a graded relationship between frequency of occurrence of ST-T abnormalities and mortality risk (linear trend, P< or =.007).Conclusions: Persistent, minor, nonspecific ST-T abnormalities are associated with increased long-term risk of mortality due to MI, CHD, CVD, and all causes; the higher the frequency of occurrence of minor ST-T abnormalities, the greater the risk. These data underscore the potential value of including nonspecific ECG findings in the overall assessment of cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is responsible for at least $90 billion in direct U.S. health care costs annually. A high proportion of people who were overweight or obese at younger ages survives past age sixty-five to experience adverse consequences. The determinants of obesity are complex and multifactorial, with genetic, biological, behavioral, social, and environmental contributors. The effects of adverse weight in older age have negative implications for healthy aging and lead to greater societal expenditures. Given the high costs and ineffectiveness of existing programs to treat obesity, perhaps the only solution to the obesity epidemic is primary prevention of weight gain beginning in youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cardioprotective effects of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and fish consumption have been observed. However, data on the specific associations of these dietary factors with inflammation and endothelial activation are sparse. A cross-sectional study was conducted of 5,677 men and women from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort, including African Americans, Caucasians, Chinese, and Hispanics aged 45 to 84 years and free of clinical cardiovascular disease. Dietary information was collected using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used to examine relations between the intake of long-chain n-3 PUFAs, nonfried fish, and fried fish and biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial activation. Long-chain n-3 PUFA intake was inversely associated with plasma concentrations of interleukin-6 (p = 0.01) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (p = 0.03) independent of age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and dietary variables. Nonfried fish consumption was inversely related to C-reactive protein (p = 0.045) and interleukin-6 (p <0.01), and fried fish consumption was inversely related to soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (p <0.01) but was not associated with other biomarkers after adjustment for potential confounders. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that the dietary intake of long-chain n-3 PUFAs and fish is inversely associated with concentrations of some biomarkers, reflecting lower levels of inflammation and endothelial activation. These results may partially explain the cardioprotective effects of fish consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study comprised of a generally healthy, biracial cohort of 28- to 40-year-old adults, we sought to characterize the distribution of left ventricular (LV) mass and LV geometry and the relationship of systolic blood pressure (SBP), body mass index (BMI), and fasting insulin to LV mass and geometry.Background: Left ventricular mass is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.Methods: Two-dimensionally guided M-mode echocardiograms were used to calculate LV mass index (g/height(2.7)) and geometry.Results: Black men had highest LV mass index followed by white men, black women, and white women. Blacks had higher LV wall thickness/diameter ratios than whites. Left ventricular hypertrophy was present in 2% of the cohort. Going from highest to lowest quartile for LV mass index and LV wall thickness/diameter ratio, SBP and BMI were highest in those with the highest LV mass index and LV wall thickness/diameter ratio. Increasing BMI and SBP over a 10-year interval was also strongly related to LV structure in most race/gender groups.Conclusions: In a generally healthy young adult cohort, LV structure as defined by LV mass and geometry is associated with SBP and BMI at levels generally considered normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolated minor nonspecific ST-segment and T-wave abnormalities (NSSTAs), minor and major electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are established, independent risk markers for incident cardiovascular events. Their association with subclinical atherosclerosis has been postulated but is not clearly defined. The aim of this study was to define the association between ECG abnormalities and measurements of subclinical atherosclerosis. We studied participants from MESA, a multiethnic sample of men and women 45 to 84 years of age and free of clinical cardiovascular disease at enrollment. Baseline examination included measurement of traditional risk factors, 12-lead electrocardiograms at rest, coronary artery calcium (CAC) measurement, and common carotid intima-media thickness (CC-IMT). Electrocardiograms were coded using Novacode criteria and were defined as having minor abnormalities (e.g., minor NSSTTAs, first-degree atrioventricular block, and QRS-axis deviations) or major abnormalities (e.g., pathologic Q waves, major STTAs, significant dysrhythmias, and conduction system delays). Multivariable logistic and linear regressions were used to determine cross-sectional associations of ECG abnormalities with CAC and CC-IMT. Of 6,710 participants, 52.7% were women, with a mean age of 62 years. After multivariable adjustment, isolated minor STTAs and minor and major ECG abnormalities were not associated with presence of CAC (>0) in men (odds ratio 1.04, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 1.33; 1.10, 0.91 to 1.32; and 1.03, 0.81 to 1.31, respectively) or women (1.01, 0.82 to 1.24; 1.04, 0.87 to 1.23; and 0.94, 0.73 to 1.22, respectively). Lack of association remained consistent when using log CAC and CC-IMT as continuous variables. In conclusion, ECG abnormalities are not associated with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis in a large multiethnic cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Experimental and observational data suggest that a higher dietary intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated acids may lead to a decreased risk of depressive disorders. We assessed multivariable-adjusted associations of fish consumption and dietary intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with depressive symptoms in a population-based sample of 3317 African-American and Caucasian men and women from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study. METHODS: Diet was assessed in year 7 (1992-1993) and depressive symptoms were measured in years 10 (1995-1996), 15 (2000-2001), and 20 (2005-2006) by the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Depressive symptoms were defined as a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score > or =16 or self-reported use of antidepressant medication. RESULTS: In the entire cohort, the highest quintiles of intakes of EPA (> or =0.03% energy), DHA (> or =0.05% energy), and EPA + DHA (> or =0.08% energy) were associated with a lower risk of depressive symptoms at year 10 (P for trends = 0.16, 0.10, and 0.03, respectively). The observed inverse associations were more pronounced in women. For the total number of occasions with depressive symptoms, the multivariable adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) in women were 0.75 (0.55-1.01) for fish intake, 0.66 (0.50-0.89) for EPA, 0.66 (0.49-0.89) for DHA, and 0.71 (0.52-0.95) for EPA + DHA when comparing the highest with the lowest quintiles. Analyses of continuous Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale scores revealed inverse associations with fourth-root-transformed omega-3 variables in women. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that dietary intakes of fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids may be inversely associated with chronic depressive symptoms in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minor ST-T abnormalities are common on the resting electrocardiogram of otherwise healthy persons, but the long-term importance of these findings has not been extensively evaluated, especially in women. In a prospective study, 7,985 women and 9,630 men (aged 40 to 64 years at baseline) without other electrocardiographic abnormalities and free of previous coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied using Cox regression for 22-years of follow-up. Primary outcomes were death from CHD and total cardiovascular disease (CVD); total mortality was a secondary outcome. Minnesota Code was employed to assess the presence or absence of electrocardiographic abnormalities. Analyses compared persons with minor Minnesota Code ST-segment (codes 4-3 or 4-4) or T-wave findings (codes 5-3 or 5-4) to those with normal electrocardiographic findings. In combined analyses of men and women adjusted for age, isolated minor T-wave abnormality, minor ST-segment depression, or a combination of minor ST-segment and T-wave abnormalities were each associated with increased mortality risks. For CHD mortality, hazard ratios (HRs) ranged from 1.60 to 2.10; for CVD mortality, HRs ranged from 1.50 to 1.95; and for total mortality, HRs ranged from 1.31 to 1.50 (p <0.05 for all HRs). In separate analyses by gender adjusted for age, increased risks were observed for combined ST-T-wave abnormalities in both genders for CHD and CVD mortality (HR 1.72 to 1.75 for men, p <0.05; HR 2.07 to 2.51 for women, p <0.001). These data indicate that nonspecific (minor) ST-segment depression and/or T-wave abnormalities have a long-term prognostic impact for CHD and CVD death in middle-aged women and men and can be considered markers of heightened CHD and CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study designed to evaluate environmental, lifestyle, and genetic risk factors as they relate to cardiometabolic and other chronic diseases among Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States. Since the study's inception in 2008, as a result of the study's robust genetic measures, HCHS/SOL has facilitated major contributions to the field of genetic research. This 15-year retrospective review highlights the major findings for genotype phenotype relationships and advancements in statistical methods owing to the HCHS/SOL. Furthermore, we discuss the ethical and societal challenges of genetic research, especially among Hispanic/Latino adults in the U.S. Continued genetic research, ancillary study expansion, and consortia collaboration through HCHS/SOL will further drive knowledge and advancements in human genetics research., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To estimate differences in breastfeeding initiation and duration across dimensions of migration history (migration to the U.S. 50 states/District of Columbia [DC] in childhood, adulthood, or not at all) in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). Methods: We used data from HCHS/SOL on 520 individuals with a post-baseline live birth and information on breastfeeding collected at Visit 2 (2014-2017). We fit log binomial models adjusted for parity, age at pregnancy, education, income, and immigration history and incorporating sampling weights. Results: Overall, 84% of participants reported initiating breastfeeding and 30% reported breastfeeding for 6 or more months. On average, individuals reported breastfeeding for a median of 88 days (interquartile range: 156). Compared with those born in the U.S. 50 states/DC, individuals born in another country or U.S. territory who arrived in the U.S. 50 states/DC as children (<18 years old) were 2.7 times more likely to initiate breastfeeding (adjusted prevalence ratio 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4, 4.9) and those who arrived as adults were 2 times more likely to initiate breastfeeding (adjusted prevalence ratio 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.6). We observed similar patterns for breastfeeding continuation. Conclusions: The timing and duration of life course experiences such as migration are key determinants of breastfeeding behavior among Hispanic/Latina postpartum persons.

Background: Hormones are linked to cardiometabolic diseases and may be impacted by acculturation though multiple mechanisms. We evaluated associations of Hispanic/Latino background and acculturation with levels of sex- and thyroid-related hormones and the potential mediating effect of adiposity, lifestyle factors, and sleep apnea syndrome on these associations., Methods: We studied 1789 adults, aged 45-74, from a sub-cohort of the Hispanic Community Health Survey/Study of Latinos. Peri/pre-menopausal women and individuals on medications related to hormones were excluded. Our study assessed eleven sex- and thyroid-related hormones, Hispanic/Latino background, and five acculturation measures. Associations were assessed using multivariable linear and logistic regression adjusted for survey design and confounding variables. We explored potential mediation using a path analysis., Results: In postmenopausal women, acculturation score-MESA was associated with decreased thyroid-stimulating hormone (β = - 0.13;95%CI = - 0.22, - 0.03) while age at immigration greater than the median (vs US-born) was associated with decreased (β = - 14.6; 95%CI = - 28.2, - 0.99) triiodothyronine (T3). In men, language acculturation and acculturation score-MESA were associated with increased estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) while age at immigration greater and lesser than the median (vs US-born) was associated with decreased SHBG. Hispanic/Latino background (Mexicans as reference) were selectively associated with sex- and thyroid-related hormone levels in both sexes. Current smoking and sleep apnea syndrome partially mediated the association of Cuban and Puerto Rican heritage (vs Mexican) with T3 levels in men and postmenopausal women, respectively., Conclusion: Selected acculturation measures were associated with thyroid-related hormones in postmenopausal women and sex-related hormones in men. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the relationship of acculturation and Hispanic/Latino background with hormones warrants additional investigation., (© 2023. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

Aims/hypothesis: Several studies have reported associations between specific proteins and type 2 diabetes risk in European populations. To better understand the role played by proteins in type 2 diabetes aetiology across diverse populations, we conducted a large proteome-wide association study using genetic instruments across four racial and ethnic groups: African; Asian; Hispanic/Latino; and European., Methods: Genome and plasma proteome data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study involving 182 African, 69 Asian, 284 Hispanic/Latino and 409 European individuals residing in the USA were used to establish protein prediction models by using potentially associated cis- and trans-SNPs. The models were applied to genome-wide association study summary statistics of 250,127 type 2 diabetes cases and 1,222,941 controls from different racial and ethnic populations., Results: We identified three, 44 and one protein associated with type 2 diabetes risk in Asian, European and Hispanic/Latino populations, respectively. Meta-analysis identified 40 proteins associated with type 2 diabetes risk across the populations, including well-established as well as novel proteins not yet implicated in type 2 diabetes development., Conclusions/interpretation: Our study improves our understanding of the aetiology of type 2 diabetes in diverse populations., Data Availability: The summary statistics of multi-ethnic type 2 diabetes GWAS of MVP, DIAMANTE, Biobank Japan and other studies are available from The database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP) under accession number phs001672.v3.p1. MESA genetic, proteome and covariate data can be accessed through dbGaP under phs000209.v13.p3. All code is available on GitHub ( https://github.com/Arthur1021/MESA-1K-PWAS )., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of death for Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States. We evaluated polygenic risk scores (PRS) with incident myocardial infarction (MI) in a Hispanic/Latino study sample., Methods: We leveraged data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) to assess four CHD-PRS from the PGS catalog, derived using multiple methods (LDpred, AnnoPred, stacked clumping and thresholding, and LDPred2). We evaluated associations between each standardized PRS and time to adjudicated incident MI, adjusted for age, sex, first 5 principal components, and weighted for survey design. Concordance statistics (c-index) compared predictive accuracy of each PRS with, and in addition to, traditional risk factors (TRF) for CHD (obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking). Analyses were stratified by self-reported Caribbean- (Puerto Rican, Dominican or Cuban) and Mainland-(those of Mexican, Central American, or South American) heritage subgroups., Results: After 11 years follow-up, for 9055 participants (mean age (SD) 47.6(13.1), 62.2% female), the incidence of MI was 1.0% (n = 95). Each PRS was more strongly associated with MI among Mainland participants. LDPred2 + TRF performed best among the Mainland subgroup; HR=2.69, 95% CI [1.71, 4.20], c-index = 0.897, 95% CI [0.848, 0.946]; a modest increase over TRF alone, c-index = 0.880, 95% CI [0.827, 0.933]. AnnoPred + TRF performed best among the Caribbean sample; c-index = 0.721, 95% CI [0.647, 0.795]; however, was not significantly associated with rate of MI (HR=1.14, 95% CI [0.82, 1.60])., Conclusion: PRS performance for CHD is lacking for Hispanics/Latinos of Caribbean origin who have substantial proportions of African genetic ancestry, risking increased health disparities. AnnoPred, using functional annotations, outperformed other PRS in the Caribbean subgroup, suggesting a potential strategy for PRS construction in diverse populations. These results underscore the need to optimize cumulative genetic risk prediction of CHD in diverse Hispanic/Latino populations.

Purpose: The current study examined associations of social and built features of neighborhood environments with psychological distress 6 years later and whether these associations were explained by stress and social factors, among Hispanic/Latino adults from the HCHS/SOL and SOL CASAS Ancillary Study., Methods: In the SOL CASAS Ancillary Study, HCHS/SOL San Diego participants' baseline (2008-2011) home addresses were geocoded, neighborhoods were defined using 800 m radial buffers, and variables representing neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation, social disorder, walkability, and greenness were created. Psychological distress (anxiety and depression symptoms) and proposed pathway variables chronic stress, social support, and family cohesion were assessed at HCHS/SOL Visit 2 (2014-2017)., Results: On average, the population (n = 2785) was 39.47 years old, 53.3% were women, and 92.3% were of Mexican heritage. In complex survey regression analyses that accounted for sociodemographic covariates, the complex sampling design, and sample weights, greater baseline neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation predicted lower family cohesion at Visit 2 (B = -0.99, 95% CI [-1.97, -0.06]). Path models showed indirect associations of baseline neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation with Visit 2 psychological distress through family cohesion (MacKinnon's 95% CI depression [0.001, 0.026]; 3.9% of the variance accounted for; anxiety [0.00071, 0.019] 3.0% of the variance accounted for)., Conclusions: Among adults of mostly Mexican heritage from the San Diego, CA area, neighborhood deprivation indirectly predicted later psychological distress through family cohesion. No other effects of neighborhood variables were observed., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Objective: We sought to evaluate whether obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and other sleep disorders, increase genetic risk of developing diabetes mellitus (DM)., Research Design and Methods: Using GWAS summary statistics from the DIAGRAM consortium and Million Veteran Program, we developed multi-ancestry Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) polygenic risk scores (T2D-PRSs) useful in admixed Hispanic/Latino individuals. We estimated the association of the T2D-PRS with cross-sectional and incident DM in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). We conducted a mediation analysis with T2D-PRSs as an exposure, incident DM as an outcome, and OSA as a mediator. Additionally, we performed Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to assess the causal relationship between T2D and OSA., Results: Of 12,342 HCHS/SOL participants, at baseline, 48.4% were normoglycemic, 36.6% were hyperglycemic, and 15% had diabetes, and 50.9% identified as female. Mean age was 41.5, and mean BMI was 29.4. T2D-PRSs was strongly associated with baseline DM and with incident DM. At baseline, a 1 SD increase in the primary T2D-PRS had DM adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.67, 95% CI [2.40; 2.97] and a higher incident DM rate (incident rate ratio (IRR) = 2.02, 95% CI [1.75; 2.33]). In a stratified analysis based on OSA severity categories the associations were stronger in individuals with mild OSA compared to those with moderate to severe OSA. Mediation analysis suggested that OSA mediates the T2D-PRS association with DM. In two-sample MR analysis, T2D-PRS had a causal effect on OSA, OR = 1.03, 95% CI [1.01; 1.05], and OSA had a causal effect on T2D, with OR = 2.34, 95% CI [1.59; 3.44]., Conclusions: OSA likely mediates genetic effects on T2D., Competing Interests: Competing interests Dr. Redline discloses consulting relationships with Eli Lilly Inc. Additionally, Dr. Redline serves as an unpaid member of the Apnimed Scientific Advisory Board, as an unpaid board member for the Alliance for Sleep Apnoea Partners and for the National Sleep Foundation.

Introduction: The potential utility of subjective cognitive decline (SCD) as an early risk marker of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is under consideration. We examined associations between SCD and cognitive change among middle-aged and older Hispanic/Latino adults living in the United States., Methods: The short-form Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog-12) was assessed to generate global, executive function, and memory-related SCD scores. We used survey generalized regressions to model the change in learning, memory, verbal fluency, executive function, and global cognitive performance over 7 years as a function of SCD (at Visit 2)., Results: The mean age was 56.37 ± 8.10 years at Visit 1 (n = 6225). Higher ECog-12 was associated with greater decline in global cognitive performance (ECog-12 global: B = -0.17, standard error [SE] = 0.02; ECog-12 executive: B = -0.15, SE = 0.02; ECog-12 memory: B = -0.14, SE = 0.02, p's < 0.001)., Discussion: These results support the link between subjective reports of cognitive decline and objectively measured 7-year cognitive decline in community-dwelling, middle-aged, and older Hispanic/Latino adults., Highlights: We found that nearly two-thirds of diverse middle-aged and older Hispanics/Latinos reported cognitive concerns in a large and representative population study. Self-reported subjective experiences of cognitive decline reflect objective cognitive decline in US Hispanics/Latinos. The relationship is stronger among men compared to women. The relationship between subjective and objective changes to memory are stronger in those with cognitive concerns, and remain even in cognitively healthy individuals., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction: DNA methylation (DNAm) predictors of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) offer a stable and accurate means of assessing chronic inflammation, bypassing the CRP protein fluctuations secondary to acute illness. Poor sleep health is associated with elevated inflammation (including elevated blood CRP levels) which may explain associations of sleep insufficiency with metabolic, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Our study aims to characterize the relationships among sleep health phenotypes and CRP markers -blood, genetic, and epigenetic indicators-within the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)., Methods: In HCHS/SOL, methylation risk scores (MRS)-CRP and polygenetic risk score (PRS)-CRP were constructed separately as weighted sums of methylation beta values or allele counts, respectively, for each individual. Sleep health phenotypes were measured using self-reported questionnaires and objective measurements. Survey-weighted linear regression established the association between the multiple sleep phenotypes (obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sleep duration, insomnia and excessive sleepiness symptom), cognitive assessments, diabetes and hypertension with CRP markers while adjusting for age, sex, BMI, study center, and the first five principal components of genetic ancestry in HCHS/SOL., Results: We included 2221 HCHS/SOL participants (age range 37-76 yrs, 65.7% female) in the analysis. Both the MRS-CRP (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.32-0.42, p = 3.3 × 10 -38 ) and the PRS-CRP (95% CI: 0.15-0.25, p = 1 × 10 -14 ) were associated with blood CRP level. Moreover, MRS-CRP was associated with sleep health phenotypes (OSA, long sleep duration) and related conditions (diabetes and hypertension), while PRS-CRP markers were not associated with these traits. Circulating CRP level was associated with sleep duration and diabetes. Associations between OSA traits and metabolic comorbidities weakened after adjusting for MRS-CRP, most strongly for diabetes, and least for hypertension., Conclusions: MRS-CRP is a promising estimate for systemic and chronic inflammation as reflected by circulating CRP levels, which either mediates or serves as a common cause of the association between sleep phenotypes and related comorbidities, especially in the presence of diabetes.

Introduction: We conducted admixture mapping and fine-mapping analyses to identify ancestry-of-origin loci influencing cognitive abilities., Methods: We estimated the association of local ancestry intervals across the genome with five neurocognitive measures in 7140 diverse Hispanic and Latino adults (mean age 55 years). We prioritized genetic variants in associated loci and tested them for replication in four independent cohorts., Results: We identified nine local ancestry-associated regions for the five neurocognitive measures. There was strong biological support for the observed associations to cognitive function at all loci and there was statistical evidence of independent replication at 4q12, 9p22.1, and 13q12.13., Discussion: Our study identified multiple novel loci harboring genes implicated in cognitive functioning and dementia, and uncovered ancestry-relevant genetic variants. It adds to our understanding of the genetic architecture of cognitive function in Hispanic and Latino adults and demonstrates the power of admixture mapping to discover unique haplotypes influencing cognitive function, complementing genome-wide association studies., Highlights: We identified nine ancestry-of-origin chromosomal regions associated with five neurocognitive traits. In each associated region, we identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that explained, at least in part, the admixture signal and were tested for replication in independent samples of Black, non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic/Latino adults with the same or similar neurocognitive tests. Statistical evidence of independent replication of the prioritized SNPs was observed for three of the nine associations, at chr4q12, chr9p22.1, and chr13q12.13. At all loci, there was strong biological support for the observed associations to cognitive function and dementia, prioritizing genes such as KIT, implicated in autophagic clearance of neurotoxic proteins and on mast cell and microglial-mediated inflammation; SLC24A2, implicated in synaptic plasticity associated with learning and memory; and MTMR6, implicated in phosphoinositide lipids metabolism., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)