Congenital malformations among offspring of women with type 1 diabetes who use insulin pumps: a prospective cohort study.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion by insulin pump is often superior in improving glycaemic control compared with conventional multiple daily insulin injection (MDI). However, whether pump treatment leads to improved pregnancy outcomes in terms of congenital malformations and perinatal death remains unknown. The present aim was to evaluate the risk of malformations and perinatal and neonatal death in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes treated with pump or MDI. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of a prospective multinational cohort of 2088 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes in a real-world setting who were treated by pump (n=750) or MDI (n=1338). ORs for offspring with congenital malformations or perinatal or neonatal death were calculated using crude data and by logistic regression on propensity score-matched data. RESULTS: At enrolment (gestational week 8; 95% CI 4, 14), pump users had a higher educational level (university degree: 37.3% vs 25.1%; p<0.001) and better glycaemic control (mean HbA1c: 51±10 mmol/mol [6.8±0.9%] vs 54±14 mmol/mol [7.1±1.3%], p<0.001) compared with MDI users. Moreover, a greater proportion of pump users had an HbA1c level below 75 mmol/mol (9%) (97.6% vs 91.9%, p<0.001), and more often reported taking folic acid supplementation (86.3% vs 74.8%; p<0.001) compared with MDI users. All clinically important potential confounders were balanced after propensity score matching, and HbA1c remained lower in pump users. The proportion of fetuses with at least one malformation was 13.5% in pump users vs 11.2% in MDI users (crude OR 1.23; 95% CI 0.94, 1.61; p=0.13; propensity score-matched (adjusted) OR 1.11; 95% CI 0.81, 1.52; p=0.52). The proportion of fetuses with at least one major malformation was 2.8% in pump users vs 3.1% in MDI users (crude OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.52, 1.51; p=0.66; adjusted OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.42, 1.45; p=0.43), and the proportions of fetuses carrying one or more minor malformations (but no major malformations) were 10.7% vs 8.1% (crude OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.00, 1.84; p=0.05; adjusted OR 1.23; 95% CI 0.87, 1.75; p=0.25). The proportions of perinatal and neonatal death were 1.6% vs 1.3% (crude OR 1.23; 95% CI 0.57, 2.67; p=0.59; adjusted OR 2.02; 95% CI 0.69, 5.93; p=0.20) and 0.3% vs 0.3% (n=2 vs n=4, p=not applicable), respectively. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATIONS: Insulin pump treatment was not associated with a lower risk of congenital malformations, despite better glycaemic control in early pregnancy compared with MDI. Further studies exploring the efficacy and safety of pump treatment during pregnancy are needed.

Cardiovascular risk factors early in the course of treatment in people with type 2 diabetes without established cardiovascular disease: A population-based observational retrospective cohort study.

AIMS: To characterise the cardiovascular risk of people with type 2 diabetes without established cardiovascular disease but with risk factors, relative to those with established cardiovascular disease, to provide information on which patients could benefit from early use of glucose-lowering therapies that also reduce cardiovascular risk. METHODS: Data from people with type 2 diabetes initiating second-line glucose-lowering medication were retrieved from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD database and linked with Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics (2001-2016). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate relative risks of major adverse cardiovascular events within groups defined by the presence of selected risk factors in people without versus with established cardiovascular disease. RESULTS: Of 53,182 individuals, 19.4% had established cardiovascular disease (i.e. a prior cardiovascular event). Over 5-7 years' follow-up, the rate of major adverse cardiovascular events was 14.0 and 49.6 events/1000 person-years without and with established cardiovascular disease, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] 0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.26, 0.29). Compared with a reference HR 1.0 for participants with established cardiovascular disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min was the single factor associated with the highest risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.70, 0.81) and mortality (HR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07, 1.18) in people with type 2 diabetes without established cardiovascular disease. The combination of chronic kidney disease with older age, smoking and/or dyslipidaemia was associated with a similarly high risk of cardiovascular events in people with type 2 diabetes and without cardiovascular disease compared with those having established cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: These analyses provide important information to identify people who may benefit from primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors should be controlled early in all individuals with type 2 diabetes (as well as in all individuals with cardiovascular disease).

Alcohol consumption and its interaction with adiposity-associated genetic variants in relation to subsequent changes in waist circumference and body weight.

BACKGROUND: Studies have suggested a link between alcohol intake and adiposity. However, results from longitudinal studies have been inconsistent, and a possible interaction with genetic predisposition to adiposity measures has often not been taken into account. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between alcohol intake recorded at baseline and subsequent annual changes in body weight (∆BW), waist circumference (ΔWC) and WC adjusted for BMI (ΔWCBMI), and to test for interaction with genetic predisposition scores based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with various forms of adiposity. METHOD: This study included a total of 7028 adult men and women from MONICA, the Diet, Cancer and Health cohort (DCH), and the Inter99 studies. We combined 50 adiposity-associated SNPs into four scores indicating genetic predisposition to BMI, WC, WHRBMI and all three traits combined. Linear regression was used to examine the association of alcohol intake (drinks of 12 g (g) alcohol/day) with ΔBW, ΔWC, and ΔWCBMI, and to examine possible interactions with SNP-scores. Results from the analyses of the individual cohorts were combined in meta-analyses. RESULTS: Each additional drink/day was associated with a ΔBW/year of -18.0 g (95% confidence interval (CI): -33.4, -2.6, P = 0.02) and a ΔWC of -0.3 mm/year (-0.5, -0.0, P = 0.03). In analyses of women only, alcohol intake was associated with a higher ΔWCBMI of 0.5 mm/year (0.2, 0.9, P = 0.002) per drink/day. Overall, we found no statistically significant interactions between the four SNP-scores and alcohol intake in relation to changes in adiposity measures. However in analyses of women separately, we found interaction between the complete score of all 50 SNPs and alcohol intake in relation to ΔBW (P for interaction = 0.03). No significant interaction was observed among the men. CONCLUSION: Alcohol intake was associated with a decrease in BW and WC among men and women, and an increase in WCBMI among women only. We found no strong indication that these associations depend on a genetic predisposition to adiposity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Trial number: CT00289237 , Registered: 19 September 2005 retrospectively registered.

Identification of novel genetic Loci associated with thyroid peroxidase antibodies and clinical thyroid disease.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) are common, affecting 2-5% of the general population. Individuals with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) have an increased risk of autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's thyroiditis), as well as autoimmune hyperthyroidism (Graves' disease). As the possible causative genes of TPOAbs and AITD remain largely unknown, we performed GWAS meta-analyses in 18,297 individuals for TPOAb-positivity (1769 TPOAb-positives and 16,528 TPOAb-negatives) and in 12,353 individuals for TPOAb serum levels, with replication in 8,990 individuals. Significant associations (P<5×10(-8)) were detected at TPO-rs11675434, ATXN2-rs653178, and BACH2-rs10944479 for TPOAb-positivity, and at TPO-rs11675434, MAGI3-rs1230666, and KALRN-rs2010099 for TPOAb levels. Individual and combined effects (genetic risk scores) of these variants on (subclinical) hypo- and hyperthyroidism, goiter and thyroid cancer were studied. Individuals with a high genetic risk score had, besides an increased risk of TPOAb-positivity (OR: 2.18, 95% CI 1.68-2.81, P = 8.1×10(-8)), a higher risk of increased thyroid-stimulating hormone levels (OR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.26-1.82, P = 2.9×10(-6)), as well as a decreased risk of goiter (OR: 0.77, 95% CI 0.66-0.89, P = 6.5×10(-4)). The MAGI3 and BACH2 variants were associated with an increased risk of hyperthyroidism, which was replicated in an independent cohort of patients with Graves' disease (OR: 1.37, 95% CI 1.22-1.54, P = 1.2×10(-7) and OR: 1.25, 95% CI 1.12-1.39, P = 6.2×10(-5)). The MAGI3 variant was also associated with an increased risk of hypothyroidism (OR: 1.57, 95% CI 1.18-2.10, P = 1.9×10(-3)). This first GWAS meta-analysis for TPOAbs identified five newly associated loci, three of which were also associated with clinical thyroid disease. With these markers we identified a large subgroup in the general population with a substantially increased risk of TPOAbs. The results provide insight into why individuals with thyroid autoimmunity do or do not eventually develop thyroid disease, and these markers may therefore predict which TPOAb-positives are particularly at risk of developing clinical thyroid dysfunction.

Stratification by smoking status reveals an association of CHRNA5-A3-B4 genotype with body mass index in never smokers.

We previously used a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster associated with heaviness of smoking within smokers to confirm the causal effect of smoking in reducing body mass index (BMI) in a Mendelian randomisation analysis. While seeking to extend these findings in a larger sample we found that this SNP is associated with 0.74% lower body mass index (BMI) per minor allele in current smokers (95% CI -0.97 to -0.51, P = 2.00 × 10(-10)), but also unexpectedly found that it was associated with 0.35% higher BMI in never smokers (95% CI +0.18 to +0.52, P = 6.38 × 10(-5)). An interaction test confirmed that these estimates differed from each other (P = 4.95 × 10(-13)). This difference in effects suggests the variant influences BMI both via pathways unrelated to smoking, and via the weight-reducing effects of smoking. It would therefore be essentially undetectable in an unstratified genome-wide association study of BMI, given the opposite association with BMI in never and current smokers. This demonstrates that novel associations may be obscured by hidden population sub-structure. Stratification on well-characterized environmental factors known to impact on health outcomes may therefore reveal novel genetic associations.

The association between candidate migraine susceptibility loci and severe migraine phenotype in a clinical sample.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to follow up and to test whether 12 previously identified migraine-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms were associated as risk factors and/or modifying factors for severe migraine traits in a Danish clinic-based population. METHODS: Semi-structured migraine interviews, blood sampling and genotyping were performed on 1806 unrelated migraineurs recruited from the Danish Headache Center. Genotyping was also performed on a control group of 6415 people with no history of migraine. Association analyses were carried out using logistic regression and odds ratios were calculated assuming an additive model for risk. The proxies for severe migraine traits (early onset of migraine; many lifetime attacks, prolonged migraine and tendency to chronification of migraine) were tested against the 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms and a combined genetic score in both a case-control and case-only logistic regression model. RESULTS: We successfully replicated five out of the 12 previously reported loci and confirmed the same direction of effects for all the 12 single nucleotide polymorphisms. In line with the recently published genome-wide association meta-analysis, the associations were significant for all migraine and migraine without aura but not for migraine with typical aura. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2274316 and rs11172113) conferred risk of many lifetime attacks inthe case-control analysis. In the case-only analysis, only three single nucleotide polymorphisms showed nominal association with many lifetime attacks and prolonged migraine attacks. CONCLUSION: Our study supports previously reported findings on the association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms with migraine. It also suggests that the migraine susceptibility loci may be risk factors for severe migraine traits.

Effect of general health screening and lifestyle counselling on incidence of diabetes in general population: Inter99 randomised trial.

We aimed to examine the effect of a large population-based multifactorial screening and lifestyle intervention programme on 10-year incidence of diabetes. In a randomised trial of the general Danish population initiated in 1999-2001 59,616 men and women aged 30-60years were assigned to a five year screening and lifestyle counselling programme (n=11,629) or control group (n=47,987) and followed for ten years in nationwide registers. Intention to treat was applied and risk of diabetes was modeled by Cox regression and expressed as hazard ratios (HRs). We found that 1692 individuals had diabetes at baseline. Among 57,924 individuals without diabetes at baseline, 1267 emigrated, 2593 died and 3369 (Intervention group=684, Control group=2685) developed diabetes. We saw no significant difference in diabetes incidence between the groups after 10-year follow-up (Grey's test: p=0.22). In the first year of follow-up, incidence of diabetes was significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group (HR=1.68, 95%CI 1.29 to 2.29). We observed no difference in incidence of diabetes between the groups in the follow-up intervals from 1 to 6years or after 6-10years (HR=0.94, 0.83 to 1.06; HR=1.03, 0.91 to 1.17). Inviting the general population to participate in a repeated screening and lifestyle counselling programme over five years did not result in lower incidence of diabetes after 10years of follow-up. As expected, significantly more individuals were diagnosed with diabetes in the intervention group during the first year, but this was not followed by a decrease in the following years. TRIALS REGISTRATION: Clinical trials NCT00289237.

Standardizing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D data from four Nordic population samples using the Vitamin D Standardization Program protocols: Shedding new light on vitamin D status in Nordic individuals.

Knowledge about the distributions of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in representative population samples is critical for the quantification of vitamin D deficiency as well as for setting dietary reference values and food-based strategies for its prevention. Such data for the European Union are of variable quality making it difficult to estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency across member states. As a consequence of the widespread, method-related differences in measurements of serum 25(OH)D concentrations, the Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) developed protocols for standardizing existing serum 25(OH)D data from national surveys around the world. The objective of the present work was to apply the VDSP protocols to existing serum 25(OH)D data from a Danish, a Norwegian, and a Finnish population-based health survey and from a Danish randomized controlled trial. A specifically-selected subset (n 100-150) of bio-banked serum samples from each of the studies were reanalyzed for 25(OH)D by LC-MS/MS and a calibration equation developed between old and new 25(OH)D data, and this equation was applied to the entire data-sets from each study. Compared to estimates based on the original serum 25(OH)D data, the percentage vitamin D deficiency (< 30 nmol/L) decreased by 21.5% in the Danish health survey but by only 1.4% in the Norwegian health survey; but was relatively unchanged (0% and 0.2%) in the Finish survey or Danish RCT, respectively, following VDSP standardization. In conclusion, standardization of serum 25(OH)D concentrations is absolutely necessary in order to compare serum 25(OH)D concentrations across different study populations, which is needed to quantify and prevent vitamin D deficiency.

MTHFR C677T genotype and cardiovascular risk in a general population without mandatory folic acid fortification.

PURPOSE: Meta-analyses have suggested an effect of MTHFR C677T genotype (rs1801133), a proxy for blood total homocysteine, on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in populations with low population dietary folate. The aim was to examine the association and effect modification by serum folate and vitamin B12 levels between MTHFR and CVD-related outcomes in a general population with no mandatory folic acid fortification policy. METHODS: The study population included 13,748 adults retrieved from pooling of four population-based studies conducted in Denmark. MTHFR genotype, serum folate (measured in approximately 9,356 individuals), and serum vitamin B12 (9,215 individuals), hypertension, and dyslipidemia were measured at baseline, and participants were followed for a mean of 10.5-11.7 years in central registries for diagnoses of stroke (623 incidents), ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (835 incidents), and all-cause mortality (1,272 incidents). RESULTS: The MTHFR genotype (TT vs. CC/CT) was not associated with hypertension [OR (95% CI) 1.09 (0.95-1.25)], dyslipidemia [OR (95% CI) 0.97 (0.84-1.11)], stroke [HR (95% CI) 0.92 (0.69-1.23)], and all-cause mortality [HR (95% CI) 0.94 (0.77-1.14)], either overall, or in participants with low serum folate or B12 status (P values for interactions 0.15-0.94). Individuals with the MTHFR TT genotype had a higher risk of IHD (HR (95% CI) 1.38 (1.11-1.71)), but this association was not modified by folate status (P value for interaction 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support a causal relationship between homocysteine and CVD. However, we cannot exclude a direct causal effect of MTHFR C677T genotype on IHD.

Dietary ascorbic acid and subsequent change in body weight and waist circumference: associations may depend on genetic predisposition to obesity--a prospective study of three independent cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional data suggests that a low level of plasma ascorbic acid positively associates with both Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC). This leads to questions about a possible relationship between dietary intake of ascorbic acid and subsequent changes in anthropometry, and whether such associations may depend on genetic predisposition to obesity. Hence, we examined whether dietary ascorbic acid, possibly in interaction with the genetic predisposition to a high BMI, WC or waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHR), associates with subsequent annual changes in weight (∆BW) and waist circumference (∆WC). METHODS: A total of 7,569 participants' from MONICA, the Diet Cancer and Health study and the INTER99 study were included in the study. We combined 50 obesity associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in four genetic scores: a score of all SNPs and a score for each of the traits (BMI, WC and WHR) with which the SNPs associate. Linear regression was used to examine the association between ascorbic acid intake and ΔBW or ΔWC. SNP-score × ascorbic acid interactions were examined by adding product terms to the models. RESULTS: We found no significant associations between dietary ascorbic acid and ∆BW or ∆WC. Regarding SNP-score × ascorbic acid interactions, each additional risk allele of the 14 WHR associated SNPs associated with a ∆WC of 0.039 cm/year (P = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.005 to 0.073) per 100 mg/day higher ascorbic acid intake. However, the association to ∆WC only remained borderline significant after adjustment for ∆BW. CONCLUSION: In general, our study does not support an association between dietary ascorbic acid and ∆BW or ∆WC, but a diet with a high content of ascorbic acid may be weakly associated to higher WC gain among people who are genetically predisposed to a high WHR. However, given the quite limited association any public health relevance is questionable.

Safety and glycemic control with insulin degludec use in clinical practice: results from a 3-year Japanese post-marketing surveillance study.

Introduction: Insulin degludec (degludec) is a basal insulin with a long duration of action. This post-marketing surveillance study monitored safety and glycemic control during use of degludec for 3 years in normal clinical practice in Japan. Materials and methods: This multicenter, open-label, observational study included patients with diabetes receiving degludec in Japan between 2013 and 2019. The primary outcome was incidence of adverse events occurring over 3 years of treatment. The pre-specified, secondary outcomes were severe hypoglycemic episodes and changes in HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels. Results: Of 4167 patients enrolled, 4022 were included in the safety assessments and 3918 in the assessments of glycemic control. Mean age was 58.9 years; 74.1% of patients had type 2 diabetes, and mean HbA1c at baseline was 8.7%. Adverse events and serious adverse events were observed in 19.1% and 8.9% of patients, respectively. Cardiac disorders and neoplasms were reported in 2.0% and 1.8% of patients, respectively, with the majority of these incidents reported as serious adverse events. Adverse drug reactions were seen in 8.0% of patients, mainly hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemic events were observed in 5.6% of patients, and severe hypoglycemic events in 1.7%. No serious allergic or injection-site reactions were seen. Respective changes (from baseline to 3 years' observation) in HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose levels were - 0.55% and - 36.3 mg/dL, and 19.6% of patients reached HbA1c < 7.0%. Conclusions: Using degludec for 3 years in normal clinical practice had a good safety and tolerability profile. Improvements in glycemic control were also seen. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13340-023-00657-7.

Glycemic Control and Risk of Congenital Malformations in Women With Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between maternal glycemic control and the risk of congenital malformations in offspring of women with type 1 diabetes and to examine whether there is a hemoglobin A 1C (Hb A 1C ) threshold value at which the risk for malformations increases significantly. METHODS: Analyses were performed on data from a multinational, observational cohort of 1,908 liveborn offspring of women with type 1 diabetes recruited in early pregnancy from 17 countries between 2013 and 2018. Offspring with malformations were identified according to European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies version 1.4 and categorized as having one or more major malformations or minor malformations exclusively. The association between first-trimester Hb A 1C levels and the risk of congenital malformations was investigated with splines in crude and adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: In total, 11.9% of the offspring (n=227) of women with type 1 diabetes had congenital malformations, including 2.1% (n=40) with at least one severe malformation. Women giving birth to offspring with malformations had a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders (13.2% vs 7.2%, P <.01), thyroid disorders (33.0% vs 26.7%, P <.05), and folic acid supplementation (87.1% vs 77.7%, P <.01). The Hb A 1C levels in the first trimester were similar (median 6.8% [interquartile range 6.3-7.6%] vs 6.7% [6.2-7.6%], P =.13) compared with women giving birth to offspring without malformations. The spline analysis illustrated a curvilinear association between Hb A 1C levels and the risk of malformations with no clear threshold values. Higher first-trimester Hb A 1C levels were associated with an increased risk of malformations (crude odds ratio [OR] 1.13, 95% CI, 1.01-1.27, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.29, 95% CI, 1.10-1.51) and major malformations (crude OR 1.49, 95% CI, 1.23-1.81, aOR 1.57, 95% CI, 1.15-2.09). CONCLUSION: An increased risk for congenital malformations was curvilinearly associated with higher Hb A 1C levels in early pregnancy among women with type 1 diabetes without any threshold values identified. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT01892319.

Fetal Overgrowth and Preterm Delivery in Women With Type 1 Diabetes Using Insulin Pumps or Multiple Daily Injections: A Post Hoc Analysis of the EVOLVE Study Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of fetal overgrowth and preterm delivery in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) treated with insulin pumps versus multiple daily injections (MDI) and examine whether possible differences were mediated through improved glycemic control or gestational weight gain during pregnancy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The risk of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes were evaluated in a cohort of 2,003 pregnant women with T1D enrolled from 17 countries in a real-world setting during 2013-2018. RESULTS: In total, 723 women were treated with pumps and 1,280 with MDI. At inclusion (median gestational weeks 8.6 [interquartile range 7-10]), pump users had lower mean HbA1c (mean ± SD 50.6 ± 9.8 mmol/mol [6.8 ± 0.9%] vs. 53.6 ± 13.8 mmol/mol [7.1 ± 1.3%], P < 0.001), longer diabetes duration (18.4 ± 7.8 vs. 14.4 ± 8.2 years, P < 0.001), and higher prevalence of retinopathy (35.3% vs. 24.4%, P < 0.001). Proportions of large for gestational age (LGA) offspring and preterm delivery were 59.0% vs. 52.2% (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.36 [95% CI 1.09; 1.70], P = 0.007) and 39.6% vs. 32.1% (adjusted OR 1.46 (95% CI 1.17; 1.82), P < 0.001), respectively. The results did not change after adjustment for HbA1c or gestational weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: Insulin pump treatment in pregnant women with T1D, prior to the widespread use of continuous glucose monitoring or automated insulin delivery, was associated with a higher risk of LGA offspring and preterm delivery compared with MDI in crude and adjusted analyses. This association did not appear to be mediated by differences in glycemic control as represented by HbA1c or by gestational weight gain.

Association between loss-of-function mutations in the filaggrin gene and self-reported food allergy and alcohol sensitivity.

BACKGROUND: Loss-of-function mutations of the filaggrin (FLG) gene cause an impaired skin barrier and increase the risk of atopic dermatitis. Interestingly, FLG mutations have also been found to be associated with a high risk of peanut allergy. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the association of FLG mutations with self-reported food allergy, symptoms of oral allergy syndrome (OAS), and alcohol sensitivity. METHODS: A total of 3,471 adults from the general population participated in a health examination. Information on food allergies, OAS and alcohol sensitivity was obtained by questionnaire. FLG mutation carriers were defined as having at least one null mutation allele of R501X or 2282del4. Primary lactose intolerance (PLI) was defined as the C/C genotype of the rs4988235 polymorphism. RESULTS: FLG mutations were associated with a higher risk of self-reported allergy to eggs (OR 3.22 and 95% CI 1.46-7.11), milk (OR 2.10 and 95% CI 1.12-3.92), fish (OR 4.54 and 95% CI 1.88-10.96) and wheat (OR 3.59 and 95% CI 1.61-8.02), but not with symptoms of OAS (OR 1.05 and 95% CI 0.73-1.51). Serum-specific IgE was measured in a subsample and confirmed the association between FLG and IgE to milk. A significant gene-by-gene interaction between FLG and PLI was observed in relation to self-reported allergy to milk. Furthermore, FLG mutations were associated with a higher risk of alcohol sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: We found that loss-of-function mutations in the FLG gene were significantly associated with self-reported food allergy and alcohol sensitivity, but not with OAS. These findings, if confirmed, support the idea that skin barrier functions may be involved in the pathogenesis of food allergy.

Interaction between filaggrin null mutations and tobacco smoking in relation to asthma.

BACKGROUND: The mechanisms underlying the association between filaggrin (FLG) deficiency and asthma are not known. It has been hypothesized that FLG deficiency leads to enhanced percutaneous exposure to environmental substances that might trigger immune responses. We hypothesized that interactions between FLG deficiency and environmental exposures play a role in asthma development. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate possible interactions between FLG null mutations and tobacco smoking in relation to asthma. METHODS: A total of 3471 adults from a general population sample participated in a health examination. Lung function and serum specific IgE levels to inhalant allergens were measured, and information on asthma and smoking was obtained by means of questionnaire. Participants were genotyped for the 2 most common FLG null mutations in white subjects: R501X and 2282del4. Another Danish population was used for replication. RESULTS: The FLG null mutation genotype was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of asthma and decreased FEV(1)/forced vital capacity ratio. In logistic regression analyses with asthma as the outcome, a significant interaction was found between FLG null mutations and smoking status (P = .02). This interaction was confirmed, although it was not statistically significant, in another Danish population study. Interactions between FLG genotype and cumulated smoking exposure were found in relation to asthma (P = .03) and decreased FEV(1)/forced vital capacity ratio (P = .03). A 3-way interaction was found among FLG genotype, smoking, and asthma, suggesting that the FLG-smoking interaction mainly played a role in nonatopic subjects. CONCLUSION: FLG null mutations modified the effects of smoking on the risk of asthma. This finding might have implications for risk stratification of the population.

Characteristics of pregnant women with diabetes using injectable glucose-lowering drugs in the EVOLVE study.

AIMS: To examine clinical parameters, glycemic control, folic acid supplementation, and the presence of other chronic diseases during early pregnancy in the EVOLVE study population (women with pre-existing diabetes treated with injectable glucose-lowering drugs). METHODS: Cross-sectional baseline evaluation of EVOLVE: an international, multicenter, non-interventional study investigating the safety of injectable glucose-lowering drugs in pregnant women with pre-existing type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Data were collected at enrollment visit interviews before gestational week 16. RESULTS: In total, 2383 women from 17 mainly European countries were enrolled in the study: 2122 with T1D and 261 with T2D; mean age was 31 and 33 years, and duration of diabetes was 15 and 6 years, respectively. For women with T1D or T2D, 63% and 75%, respectively, received basal and rapid-acting insulin, 36% and 3% rapid-acting insulin only, 0.7% and 14.0% basal insulin only, 0.2% and 5.4% premix insulin, 0.0% and 1.2% injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist treatment without insulin. In women with T1D or T2D, respectively, during early pregnancy, 59% and 62% had HbA1c <7.0% (53 mmol/mol); 16% and 36% reported not taking folic acid before or during early pregnancy. Overall, >40% of women had ≥1 chronic concomitant condition (predominantly thyroid disease or hypertension). Retinopathy was the most commonly reported diabetic complication. The most commonly reported previous pregnancy complication was miscarriage. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline data from this large multinational population of women with pre-existing diabetes indicate that sub-optimal glycemic control, poor pregnancy planning, and chronic concomitant conditions were common in early pregnancy.