Gender differences in the relationships between housework and metabolic markers: a longitudinal cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome has become a major health threat throughout the world, but there are few studies that focus on the effects of housework on human metabolism. This study explores the association between housework and metabolic markers and examines whether there are gender differences in the relationship of housework intensity on these markers. METHODS: We obtained data for 2,624 participants from the China Health and Nutrition Survey and used binary logistic regression to analyze the association between housework and metabolic markers (triglycerides, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hemoglobin, blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure). RESULTS: We observed no association between housework and metabolic markers for men. However, we find that women who engaged in housework had a higher risk of triglycerides than those who did not (OR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.16, 4.25). Compared with low-intensity, we also find that women who performed moderate- and high-housework intensity had a higher risk of triglycerides (moderate-intensity: OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.78; high-intensity: OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.98), MetS (OR=1.54, 95% CI: 0.98, 2.43; OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.07, 2.66), pre-hypertension (OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.08, 2.62; OR=1.63, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.55), and obesity (OR=1.65, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.70; OR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.01, 2.72). CONCLUSION: In women, we find that housework is positively associated with the metabolic markers, triglycerides, MetS, and pre-hypertension. However, we did not find evidence that this relationship exists in men, f or any biomarkers we considered. One possible explanation is that people who engage in high-intensity housework are more stressed and sleep less, which could be a mechanism by which housework becomes associated with metabolic disease.

Association between interleukin-21 gene rs907715 polymorphism and gastric precancerous lesions in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: The single nucleotide polymorphisms of interleukin-21 (IL-21) gene were confirmed to be related to various diseases, but no studies have examined the possible role of IL-21 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs907715, rs2221903, and rs12508721) in gastric precancerous lesions. AIM: To explore the associations between SNPs of IL-21 gene (rs907715, rs2221903, and rs12508721) and gastric precancerous lesions in a Chinese population. METHODS: Three SNPs of IL-21 were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction in 588 cases and 290 healthy controls from May 2013 to December 2016 in northwestern China. Gastric precancerous lesions were confirmed by endoscopic examination and categorized as non-atrophic gastritis, atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia. Descriptive statistic and logistic regression were used for data analyses. RESULTS: IL-21 rs907715 genotype CC and C frequencies were higher in in patients with gastric precancerous lesions than in the controls (OR = 1.59, 95%CI: 1.06-2.38, P = 0.013; OR = 1.28, 95%CI: 1.01-2.22, P = 0.044, respectively) after adjusting for confounding factors. For SNP rs907715 in intestinal metaplasia patients, significant differences between cases and controls were observed in the frequencies of genotype CC and C (OR = 1.92, 95%CI: 1.24-2.98, P = 0.004; OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.04-2.24, P = 0.028, respectively); for non-atrophic gastritis and atrophic gastritis patients, the CC and C genotypes showed no significant association with risk in all models. No association between either rs2221903 or rs12508721 and gastric precancerous lesions was found in the present study. In the haplotype analysis, the TC haplotype (rs907715 and rs12508721) and TT haplotype (rs2221903 and rs907715) were more frequent in the case group than control group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that SNP rs907715 of IL-21 gene is associated with gastric precancerous lesions. The TC haplotype (rs907715 and rs12508721) and TT haplotype (rs2221903 and rs907715) increased the risk of gastric precancerous lesions. If confirmed, these findings will shed light on the etiology of precancerous lesions.

Association of XPG rs2094258 polymorphism with gastric cancer prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The xeroderma pigmentosum group G (XPG) gene at chromosome 13q33 consists of 15 exons, which may be related to the occurrence and development of gastric cancer (GC). AIM: To examine the association of several common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the XPG gene with GC risk and survival. METHODS: Five SNPs of XPG (rs2094258, rs751402, rs873601, rs2296147, and rs1047768) were genotyped by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism in 956 histologically confirmed GC cases and 1012 controls in North China. GC patients were followed for survival status and, if deceased, cause of death. Logistic regression and Cox regression were used for analysing associations of XPG SNPs with risk of GC and prognosis, respectively. For rs2094258, heterozygous model (CT vs CC), homozygous model (TT vs CC), recessive model (TT vs CT + CC), and dominant model (TT + CT vs CC) were analyzed. RESULTS: None of the examined loci were statistically associated with GC risk, although rs2296147 was marginally associated with GC risk (P = 0.050). GC patients with the rs2094258 CT + CC genotype showed worse survival than those with the TT genotype (log-rank test, P = 0.028), and patients with the CC genotype had a tendency of unfavourable prognosis compared with those with the TT + CT genotype (log-rank test, P = 0.039). The increase in C alleles of rs2094258 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.45, P = 0.037] were associated with the long-term survival of GC cases. Other risk factors for survival included tumor differentiation (HR = 4.51, 95%CI: 1.99-8.23, P < 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (HR = 1.97, 95%CI: 1.44-3.01, P < 0.001), and use of chemotherapy (HR = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.63-0.98, P = 0.041). CONCLUSION: The XPG rs2094258 polymorphism may be associated with overall survival in GC patients.