#Discreetshipping: Selling E-cigarettes on TikTok.

INTRODUCTION: Youth and young adult use of e-cigarette products continues to remain high despite regulatory approaches to reduce youth access. This study sought to examine TikTok content regarding the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes. AIMS AND METHODS: TikTok videos (n = 475) and metadata posted between June 2022 and August 2023 were scraped using a TikTok application programming interface and popular hashtags used to sell vaping products (ie, #discreetshipping [40.8 million], #puffbundle [14.8 million], #hiddennic [1.0 million]). After watching the 25 most viewed videos (39 600-868 800 views), a codebook was developed. All metadata were annotated using 11 unique codes: Small business, brand, cannabis, bundled, hidden, fake, international sales, no ID, order via Instagram, order via another method, and cost. RESULTS: Overall, 367 videos (with an average of 2017 likes) were deemed relevant. Videos advertised popular vaping brands (50.4%) that included cannabis products (45%). Products were described as bundled (28.6%), hidden (8.7%), and able to be shipped internationally (6%) without age verification (45.2%). Some videos (8.2%) evaded algorithms' detection of illegal activity by describing the post as "Fake." Customers were directed to other social media platforms (most often Instagram, 57.5%) and/or other websites/links (58.3%) to purchase products; 22.1% advertised discounts, free shipping, or low costs (ranging from $25-$35). CONCLUSIONS: Social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, are being used to circumvent e-cigarette regulatory policies. Regulatory agencies should expand enforcement strategies to include social media platforms where users are illegally selling and distributing e-cigarettes internationally to young audiences. IMPLICATIONS: TikTok users across the globe are violating local, state, and federal laws by selling e-cigarettes concealed inside other products or bundled in packages that avoid detection. TikTok videos posted by self-proclaimed small business owners advertise discreet shipping practices that evade age verification in order to sell nicotine and cannabis bundles worldwide. Accounts used phrases describing the post to be "fake" to avoid detection by algorithms or TikTok administrators. E-cigarette regulatory agencies can partner with social media platforms to close regulatory gaps.

Cigarette and E-Cigarette Harm Perceptions During Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that pregnancy status (prior, current, and future intention) is associated with differences in perceived harm of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use during pregnancy. However, perceptions of health outcomes attributed to cigarette and e-cigarette use during pregnancy have not been explored among a sample of pregnant women who smoke. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore differences in perceived harms of cigarette and e-cigarette use and perceived birth and health outcomes associated with cigarette and e-cigarette use during pregnancy among a sample of pregnant women who currently smoked. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional online survey, we examined perceptions about cigarette and e-cigarette use during pregnancy among a sample of U.S. pregnant women ( n = 267) who smoked in the past 30 days. Participants were grouped into categories based on e-cigarette use status (current, past, and never e-cigarette users). Differences between e-cigarette use status and perceived harm (absolute of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and relative of e-cigarettes) and perceived health outcomes attributed to smoking/e-cigarette use were examined. RESULTS: Among our sample, 45.7%, 39.7%, and 14.6% were current, ever, and never e-cigarette users, respectively. Associations existed between e-cigarette use status and absolute perceived harm of cigarettes, relative perceived harm of e-cigarettes, and perceived health outcomes. Current e-cigarette users believed pregnant women who smoked cigarettes were more likely to lose a child because of miscarriage or sudden infant death syndrome or give birth to a child with low birth weight, reduced lung function, cleft lip, reduced brain function, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder than never e-cigarette users. No associations were found between perceived birth and health outcomes of e-cigarette use by e-cigarette user status. DISCUSSION: Pregnant women who smoked and used e-cigarettes had lower risk perceptions about e-cigarette use during pregnancy than those who only smoked. Health messages and research about the harms of nicotine exposure during pregnancy should address the risks of dual-use versus only e-cigarette use. In addition, messages about the relative harm of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes are needed for pregnant women who smoke and have trouble quitting.

Miscommunication about the US federal Tobacco 21 law: a content analysis of Twitter discussions.

OBJECTIVE: Tobacco 21 is a law that sets the minimum legal sales age of tobacco products to 21. On 20 December 2019, the USA passed a federal Tobacco 21 law. The objective of this study is to explore Twitter discussions about the federal Tobacco 21 law in the USA leading up to enacted. METHODS: Twitter messages about Tobacco 21 posted between September and December 2019 were collected via RITHM software. A 2% sample of all collected tweets were double coded by independent coders using a content analysis approach. RESULTS: Findings included three content categories of tweets (news, youth and young adults and methods of avoiding the law) with eight subcodes. Most news tweets incorrectly described the law as a purchase law (54.7%). However, Tobacco 21 is in fact a sales law-it only includes penalties for tobacco retailers who sell to under-age purchasers. About one-fourth (27%) of the tweets involved youth and young adults, with some claiming the law would reduce youth smoking and others doubting its ability to limit youth access to tobacco products. Few tweets (2.5%) mentioned methods of circumventing the policy, such as having an older peer purchase tobacco. CONCLUSIONS: As several countries explore raising their age of sale of tobacco laws to 21, they should couple policy enactment with clear and accurate communication about the law. Compliance agencies at all levels (eg, local, regional, national) can use social media to identify policy loopholes and support vulnerable populations throughout the policy implementation process.

Pregnancy-Specific Stress and Racial Discrimination Among U.S. Women.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse birth outcomes among children born to women of color (WOC) have been associated with discrimination during pregnancy; however, little research has explored stressed caused by discrimination as well as pregnancy-specific stress. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in stress and racial discrimination (lifetime and during pregnancy) between U.S. women of different racial/ethnic groups. METHODS: Women between 18 and 45 years (n = 198; 101 non-Hispanic White, 58 Black, and 39 other WOC [i.e., Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian, Mixed Race]) completed an online, cross-sectional survey between December 2019 and March 2020. Participants reported pregnancy-specific stress using the pregnancy distress questionnaire (PDQ) and pregnancy life events scale (PLE) and discrimination via the general ethnic discrimination scale (GED). ANOVAs explored differences between racial/ethnic groups' stress and discrimination. RESULTS: We found non-Hispanic White (p < 0.05) and other WOC (p < 0.01) reported higher distress during pregnancy than Black women, and other WOC (p < 0.05) reported more stressful prenatal life events (p < 0.05) than non-Hispanic Whites. However, Black (p < 0.001) and other WOC (p < 0.001) both experienced more ethnic discrimination throughout their lifetime and during their pregnancy than non-Hispanic Whites. Also, Black women experienced five times the stress from these encounters than White women (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Previously developed pregnancy distress questionnaires may be better suited for non-Hispanic White populations and may miss important experiences unique to marginalized populations such as racial/ethnic discrimination. Adaptations to pregnancy-related stress scales are warranted given the toxicity of discrimination during pregnancy.

Interventions using mHealth strategies to improve screening rates of cervical cancer: A scoping review.

MHealth interventions are extensively used to inform and remind women about cervical cancer and their upcoming screening appointments. Our scoping review aims to examine the effectiveness these interventions targeted to increase the uptake of cervical cancer screening along with its barriers and facilitators. We searched 4 databases (PsycINFO. PUBMED, CINAHL, and MEDLINE) for studies that were published between January 1, 2009 and October 2019. References were further screened manually for additional papers. Studies were included in the review if they used interventions including phone calls, text messages and mobile applications as their primary strategy to contact women. We identified 12 unique studies that met the inclusion criteria; seven were international studies. Most studies sent multiple messages (informative and reminder) and/or made numerous phone calls (manual/automated) to inform participants about cervical cancer screening, their nearest screening clinic, and their upcoming appointments. Five studies documented a significant increase in the uptake of cervical cancer screenings during the follow-ups conducted within 12 months. Qualitative studies suggested participants prefer particular communication mediums, and they were concerned about privacy and confidentiality issues when text messages were sent with their health information. Findings suggest mHealth interventions may be an effective strategy to reach women for improving their cervical cancer uptake. Barriers including transportation cost, inaccessibility, and inability to come for walk-in appointments in the health clinics need to be addressed, beyond reminders, in mobile phone-based interventions to facilitate their presence in their next appointment.

Family-Centered Interventions for Treatment and Prevention of Childhood Obesity in Hispanic Families: A Systematic Review.

The recent increases in childhood obesity rate among the Hispanics living in the US is a major public health concern. To date, interventions seeking to reduce childhood obesity often target the youth or the parents; however, few engage both groups within the intervention. This systematic review explores current studies that aim to control obesity in Hispanic children through family-centered interventions and assesses the effects and outcomes of these interventions in Hispanic children (2-12 years old). Data bases (PubMed, Cochrane, and EBSCO) were used to search for articles published from 2013 to 2019 that used interventions to prevent or reduce childhood obesity in Hispanic populations. Out of the initial 110 articles, only nine articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The majority of the current interventions included in this systematic analysis were effective in controlling Hispanic childhood obesity. Shorter interventions (i.e. 8-36 weeks) found changes in health behaviors (e.g. sugary drink consumption, screen time) and health outcomes (e.g. health-related quality of life), but many did not see changes in anthropometric variables (e.g. body mass index [BMI], blood pressure). However, interventions measured over longer timeframes (i.e. 48-144 weeks) found some decreases in sustained behaviors (e.g. caloric intake) and anthropometric measures. There is a lack of literature pertaining to culturally relevant, family-centered interventions for Hispanic youth and their families. Future studies should use culturally tailored strategies to develop interventions specifically made for Hispanic youth and education to engage their families within the program.

Gestational Women's Perceptions About the Harms of Cigarette and E-Cigarette Use During Pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine differences between perceived harm of cigarette and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use while pregnant and differences between healthcare providers' communication about these products during pregnancy. METHODS: A convenience sample of gestational women (n = 218; ages 18-45) living in the US completed an online survey between May and December 2017. Participants reported perceived likelihood of adverse health outcomes (e.g., low birth weight, sudden infant death syndrome) among infants/children born to mothers who used cigarettes/e-cigarettes. T-tests and two-way ANOVAs examined differences between risk perceptions of using cigarettes/e-cigarettes while pregnant based on pregnancy status (previously pregnant, currently pregnant, future pregnant). Chi-square analyses examined differences between healthcare provider communication about cigarette/e-cigarette use during pregnancy. RESULTS: Overall, participants believed adverse health outcomes were significantly more likely to be caused by maternal use of cigarettes than e-cigarettes. Participants who planned to be pregnant reported higher endorsement that smoking combustible cigarettes would cause a miscarriage (p < .05) or increased blood pressure (p < .05) for a child than currently pregnant participants. Participants reported healthcare providers asked about (p < .05), advised them not to use (p < .001), and talked to them about health effects of smoking combustible cigarettes while pregnant (p < .001) significantly more than e-cigarettes. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Healthcare providers working with pregnant women should perform the 5As behavioral intervention method to provide pregnant women with tobacco cessation care. They should also discuss the absolute harm nicotine exposure (via cigarettes or e-cigarettes) can have on fetal health and development.

Prioritisation of areas for early detection of southward movement of arctic fox rabies based on historical surveillance data in Quebec, Canada.

Arctic rabies virus variant (ARVV) is enzootic in Quebec (Canada) north of the 55th parallel. With climate change, increased risk of re-incursion of ARVV in more densely populated southern regions raises public and animal health concerns. The objective of this study was to prioritise geographical areas to target for an early detection of ARVV incursion south of the 55th parallel based on the historical spatio-temporal trends of reported rabies in foxes in Quebec. Descriptive analyses of fox rabies cases from 1953 to 2017 were conducted. Three periods show increases in the number of fox rabies cases in southern regions and indicate incursion from northern areas or neighbouring provinces. The available data, particularly in central and northern regions of the province, were scarce and of low spatial resolution, making it impossible to identify the path of spread with precision. Hence, we investigated the use of multiple criteria, such as historical rabies cases, human population density and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) relative abundance, to prioritise areas for enhanced surveillance. This study underscores the need to define and maintain new criteria for selecting samples to be analysed in order to detect rapidly ARVV cases outside the current enzootic area and any potential re-incursion of the virus into central and southern regions of the province.

Parathyroid hormone independently predicts fracture, vascular events, and death in patients with stage 3 and 4 chronic kidney disease.

Doctors do not know whether treatment of high parathyroid hormone levels is linked to better outcomes in their patients with kidney disease. In this study, lower parathyroid hormone levels at baseline were linked to lower risk of fracture, vascular events, and death in people with kidney disease. PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects ~ 20% of older adults, and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a common condition in these patients. To what degree HPT predicts fractures, vascular events, and mortality in pre-dialysis CKD patients is debated. In stage 3 and 4 CKD patients, we assessed relationships between baseline serum PTH levels and subsequent 10-year probabilities of clinical fractures, vascular events, and death. METHODS: We used Marshfield Clinic Health System electronic health records to analyze data from adult CKD patients receiving care between 1985 and 2013, and whose PTH was measured using a second-generation assay. Covariates included PTH, age, gender, tobacco use, vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, GFR, and use of osteoporosis medications. RESULTS: Five thousand one hundred eight subjects had a mean age of 68 ± 17 years, 48% were men, and mean follow-up was 23 ± 10 years. Fractures, vascular events, and death occurred in 18%, 71%, and 56% of the cohort, respectively. In univariate and multivariate models, PTH was an independent predictor of fracture, vascular events, and death. The hazards of fracture, vascular events and death were minimized at a baseline PTH of 0, 69, and 58 pg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found that among individuals with stage 3 and 4 CKD, PTH was an independent predictor of fractures, vascular events, and death. Additional epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm these findings. If a target PTH range can be confirmed, then randomized placebo-controlled trials will be needed to confirm that treating HPT reduces the risk of fracture, vascular events, and death.

Cigarettes vs. E-Cigarettes: Policy Implications from a Focus Group Study.

Background: Rates of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarette) use (vaping) have increased among college students over the past decade. Objectives: The current study sought to provide an in-depth examination of college students' beliefs about and attitudes toward cigarettes and e-cigarettes that may influence support/non-support of tobacco-free policies on college campuses and within their communities. Methods: Between August and December 2015, five focus groups (n = 22) were conducted at a large Southern University. Focus group discussions addressed social acceptance and areas where students commonly smoked/vaped on campus. Sessions were transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently coded the transcripts and identified themes. A third researcher independently reviewed the coding and thematic analysis process (triangulation of researchers). Results: Participants expressed positive attitudes toward smoke-free policies that did not target college students, especially those that protected vulnerable populations (e.g., children). However, some were skeptical of tobacco-free policies that included e-cigarettes. Participants believed the campus tobacco-free policy had moved smokers' behavior off campus, but many reported seeing people vape in locations where smoking was not allowed (i.e., library, dorm rooms). Most perceived smoking to be less acceptable than vaping; smoking was described as 'dirty', while vaping was glamorized as a cultural trend. Conclusions/Importance: Findings from our qualitative study suggest that college students are supportive of smoke-free policies, but they are less supportive of comprehensive tobacco-free policies that include e-cigarettes. College campuses and surrounding communities should plan for education about policy protection via communication channels viewed frequently by students when including vaping devices in their comprehensive tobacco-free policies/ordinances.

Is atomised intranasal cocaine systemically absorbed during endoscopic sinus surgery?

BACKGROUND: In order to perform endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) safely and efficiently, preparation of the nasal mucosa with vasoconstrictor agents is crucial to minimise bleeding. There is no single best method, although traditionally cocaine has been the agent of choice. However, there have been concerns over the potential for systemic side effects when applied topically. With this concern in mind, there exists limited contemporary research looking at cocaine absorption in the context of ESS. This study aims to determine the amount and duration of systemic cocaine absorption after intranasal atomised administration of modified Moffett’s solution prior to ESS. METHODOLOGY: Twelve adults undergoing ESS were enrolled. Modified Moffett's solution containing 100 mg cocaine hydrochloride and 1 mg of adrenaline was administered topically 5 minutes prior to surgery. Serum cocaine and the cocaine degradation product, benzoylecgonine, were measured at specific time points up to 12 hrs post administration. RESULTS: Peak plasma cocaine concentration occurred between 60 and 120 minutes post-administration (range 13-31 micrograms/L). The mean peak plasma concentration was 20.35 micrograms/L occurring at 120 minutes post-administration. Benzoylecgonine was detected in 11 subjects at 60 minutes post-administration and in all subjects 12 hours post-administration of cocaine. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that there are low levels of systemic absorption of cocaine when administered in an atomised modified Moffett’s formulation prior to endoscopic sinus surgery.

Penny wise, pound foolish: an assessment of Canadian Hemophilia/inherited bleeding disorder comprehensive care program services and resources.

INTRODUCTION: A network of 25 haemophilia/inherited bleeding disorder comprehensive care centres was established in Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. In 2007, standards of care, focused on the structural and resource requirements necessary to effectively provide optimal care, were adopted. AIM: Assess how human and physical resources affect centres' capacity to attain standards of care. METHODS: The Canadian Hemophilia Society (CHS), with the support of the Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada (AHCDC), undertook the assessment. Health care providers were interviewed in person by lay CHS volunteers and staff. A comprehensive patient satisfaction survey was mailed to a representative cross-section of patients/caregivers. RESULTS: The CHS observed that, despite competent and dedicated staff, many of the programmes are experiencing serious resource deficiencies. Twenty-three of the 25 programmes lack resources in one or more of the following disciplines: haematology, nursing, physiotherapy, social work and clerical/data entry. In nine of the 25 programmes, no resources are allocated to certain core disciplines, notably physiotherapy and social work. Key standards of care, including regular health assessments and close monitoring of home infusion with factor concentrates, are not always respected. Nevertheless, a high level of satisfaction was observed among patients and their caregivers. The study also discovered that clotting factor concentrates constitute 90-95% of the total cost of care while all other aspects of care delivery represent only 5-10%. CONCLUSIONS: Under-funding of programmes and suboptimal monitoring of valuable clotting factor concentrate utilization and reporting are both 'penny-wise' and 'pound-foolish'. A formal accreditation process is needed.

Dietary calcium impairs tomato lycopene bioavailability in healthy humans.

Lycopene (LYC) bioavailability is relatively low and highly variable, because of the influence of several factors. Recent in vitro data have suggested that dietary Ca can impair LYC micellarisation, but there is no evidence whether this can lead to decreased LYC absorption efficiency in humans. Our objective was to assess whether a nutritional dose of Ca impairs dietary LYC bioavailability and to study the mechanism(s) involved. First, in a randomised, two-way cross-over study, ten healthy adults consumed either a test meal that provided 19-mg (all-E)-LYC from tomato paste or the same meal plus 500-mg calcium carbonate as a supplement. Plasma LYC concentration was measured at regular time intervals over 7 h postprandially. In a second approach, an in vitro digestion model was used to assess the effect of increasing Ca doses on LYC micellarisation and on the size and zeta potential of the mixed micelles produced during digestion of a complex food matrix. LYC bioavailability was diminished by 83 % following the addition of Ca in the test meal. In vitro, Ca affected neither LYC micellarisation nor mixed micelle size but it decreased the absolute value of their charge by 39 %. In conclusion, a nutritional dose of Ca can impair dietary LYC bioavailability in healthy humans. This inhibition could be due to the fact that Ca diminishes the electrical charge of micelles. These results call for a thorough assessment of the effects of Ca, or other divalent minerals, on the bioavailability of other carotenoids and lipophilic micronutrients.

Toxicities of the anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint antibodies.

Immune checkpoint antibodies that augment the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 pathway have demonstrated antitumor activity across multiple malignancies, and gained recent regulatory approval as single-agent therapy for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma and nonsmall-cell lung cancer. Knowledge of toxicities associated with PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, as well as effective management algorithms for these toxicities, is pivotal in order to optimize clinical efficacy and safety. In this article, we review selected published and presented clinical studies investigating single-agent anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy and trials of combination approaches with other standard anticancer therapies, in multiple tumor types. We summarize the key adverse events reported in these studies and their management algorithms.

Pathogen Decay during Managed Aquifer Recharge at Four Sites with Different Geochemical Characteristics and Recharge Water Sources.

Recycling of stormwater water and treated effluent via managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has often been hampered because of perceptions of low microbiological quality of recovered water and associated health risks. The goal of this study was to assess the removal of selected pathogens in four large-scale MAR schemes and to determine the influence of aquifer characteristics, geochemistry, and type of recharge water on the pathogen survival times. Bacterial pathogens tested in this study had the shortest one log removal time (, <3 d), followed by oocysts (, <120 d), with enteric viruses having the biggest variability in removal times (, 18 to >200 d). Human adenovirus and rotavirus were relatively persistent under anaerobic conditions (, >200 d). Human adenovirus survived longer than all the other enteric virus tested in the study and hence could be used as a conservative indicator for virus removal in groundwater during MAR. The results suggest that site-specific subsurface conditions such as groundwater chemistry can have considerable influence on the decay rates of enteric pathogens and that viruses are likely to be the critical pathogens from a public health perspective.

Immune modulation for cancer therapy.

BACKGROUND: Immune modulation in cancer refers to a range of treatments aimed at harnessing a patient's immune system to achieve tumour control, stabilisation, and potential eradication of disease. A novel therapeutic drug class called immune checkpoint-blocking antibodies modulate T-cell pathways that regulate T cells and have the potential to reinvigorate an antitumour immune response. Ipilimumab was the first FDA-approved immune checkpoint antibody licensed for the treatment of metastatic melanoma (MM) and blocks a checkpoint molecule called cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4). METHODS: Herein we review the preclinical and clinical development of ipilimumab. We outline the mode of action of these agents and other immune checkpoint inhibitors, the management of their toxicities, and how to adequately assess response to treatment. RESULTS: As a result of these data, a number of other antibodies that block novel checkpoint molecules including programmed death-1 (PD-1), and corresponding ligands such as programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) are under preclinical and clinical development, and have demonstrated activity in multiple tumour types. CONCLUSIONS: This review will summarise the mechanism of action and clinical development of immune checkpoint antibodies, as well as lessons learned in the management and assessment of patients receiving these agents.

Beyond the First Trimester: Social Determinants of Delayed Prenatal Care at a Community Health Center Using the PRAPARE Tool.

Social determinants of health have been used to explore associations with pregnancy outcomes and the birth weight of infants; however, research employing individually based social risk measures has not examined associations among underserved populations, including pregnant persons at community health centers. Data were collected from a sample (n = 345) of pregnant persons who sought care at a community health center between January 2019 and December 2020. Social risks of pregnant patients were measured using the PRAPARE tool. First, associations between patients' social risks and trimester in which they initiated care were assessed using ANOVAs, grouping social risk by PRAPARE social determinant domains (persona characteristics, family and home, money and resources, and social and emotional health). ANOVAs were stratified by ethnicity. Next, a multivariate logistic regression examined associations between social measures and seeking care after the first trimester. Patients who sought care in the first trimester reported more financial needs than those who sought care in the second (p = .02) or the third (p = .049). Hispanic patients who sought care in the first trimester reported more monetary needs than those who sought care in the second trimester (p = .048), and non-Hispanic patients who sought care in the first trimester reported greater family and home needs than those who sought care in the second trimester (p = .47). Those who experienced stress were 3.07 times as likely to seek care after the first trimester as those who reported no stress. CHC may reduce social risk among poor and underserved communities by reducing barriers to access to care.

A PheWAS approach in studying HLA-DRB1*1501.

HLA-DRB1 codes for a major histocompatibility complex class II cell surface receptor. Genetic variants in and around this gene have been linked to numerous autoimmune diseases. Most notably, an association between HLA-DRB1*1501 haplotype and multiple sclerosis (MS) has been defined. Utilizing electronic health records and 4235 individuals within Marshfield Clinic's Personalized Medicine Research Project, a reverse genetic screen coined phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) tested association of rs3135388 genotype (tagging HLA-DRB1*1501) with 4841 phenotypes. As expected, HLA-DRB1*1501 was associated with MS (International Classification of Disease version 9-CM (ICD9) 340, P=0.023), whereas the strongest association was with alcohol-induced cirrhosis of the liver (ICD9 571.2, P=0.00011). HLA-DRB1*1501 also demonstrated association with erythematous conditions (ICD9 695, P=0.0054) and benign neoplasms of the respiratory and intrathoracic organs (ICD9 212, P=0.042), replicating previous findings. This study not only builds on the feasibility/utility of the PheWAS approach, represents the first external validation of a PheWAS, but may also demonstrate the complex etiologies associated with the HLA-DRB1*1501 loci.