Publications by authors named "Ines Mesa-Eguiagaray"
Uric acid has been linked to various disease outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether uric acid-lowering therapy could be repurposed as a treatment for conditions other than gout. We first performed both observational phenome-wide association study (Obs-PheWAS) and polygenic risk score PheWAS (PRS-PheWAS) to identify associations of uric acid levels with a wide range of disease outcomes.
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- Drug development is costly and slow, while drug repurposing offers a faster and cheaper way to bring treatments to patients by using existing drugs for new purposes.
- Advances over the past decade in large biobanks, genomic data, and novel methodologies have created new opportunities for effective drug repositioning.
- The review summarizes various strategies for drug repurposing and highlights the challenges involved, offering insights for future research in the field.
BACKGROUND Mendelian randomization (MR) offers a powerful approach to study potential causal associations between exposures and health outcomes by using genetic variants associated with an exposure as instrumental variables. In this systematic review, we aimed to summarize previous MR studies and to evaluate the evidence for causality for a broad range of exposures in relation to coronary artery disease and stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS MR studies investigating the association of any genetically predicted exposure with coronary artery disease or stroke were identified.
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- Tobacco smoking may contribute to an increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the exact mechanisms are not fully understood.
- The study used Mendelian randomization analysis to examine the relationship between smoking behaviors, DNA methylation, and CRC, revealing that starting to smoke increases CRC risk while quitting may provide a protective effect.
- Findings also identified specific DNA methylation sites linked to CRC risk: one that decreases risk and another that increases it, highlighting the complex interactions between smoking, genetics, and cancer.
We aimed to develop and validate prediction models incorporating demographics, clinical features, and a weighted genetic risk score (wGRS) for individual prediction of colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in patients with gastroenterological symptoms. Prediction models were developed with internal validation [CRC Cases: n = 1686/Controls: n = 963]. Candidate predictors included age, sex, BMI, wGRS, family history, and symptoms (changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, weight loss, anaemia, abdominal pain).
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- The study investigates whether smoking-related DNA methylation contributes to cancer across different types, using Mendelian randomization on smoking behaviors and site-specific cancers in a large European population.
- It identifies significant associations between certain smoking behaviors and seven cancer types, particularly lung, cervix, and colorectal cancers.
- Additionally, 75 CpG sites linked to multiple cancers were found, with eight showing cross-cancer effects, suggesting avenues for cancer prevention strategies targeting DNA methylation.
Article Synopsis
- A study investigated the effects of B vitamins and homocysteine on various health outcomes using data from nearly 386,000 UK Biobank participants, revealing mixed results in past research into their health impacts.
- The research included a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) to find associations between B vitamins, homocysteine, and numerous diseases, followed by Mendelian randomization (MR) to confirm causality for certain outcomes.
- Out of 1117 tested phenotypes, 32 associations were found significant, with three showing causality: higher vitamin B6 linked to lower kidney stone risk, and higher homocysteine associated with increased risks of hypercholesterolemia and chronic kidney disease. *
Background: The aetiology of breast cancers diagnosed ≤ 50 years of age remains unclear. We aimed to compare reproductive risk factors between molecular subtypes of breast cancer, thereby suggesting possible aetiologic clues, using routinely collected cancer registry and maternity data in Scotland.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 4108 women aged ≤ 50 years with primary breast cancer diagnosed between 2009 and 2016 linked to maternity data.
Article Synopsis
- Women from deprived areas in Scotland have lower rates of breast cancer survival, with differences based on tumor type and detection method.
- Analysis of over 62,000 cases reveals rising incidence of screen-detected ER+ tumors, particularly in less deprived populations, while mortality rates are higher in deprived areas regardless of tumor status.
- Specific tumor subtypes, like luminal A and HER2-enriched, show a stronger link to higher mortality in deprived groups, emphasizing the need to investigate underlying factors affecting these disparities.
Objective: To review the evidence on the effectiveness of public health measures in reducing the incidence of covid-19, SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and covid-19 mortality.
Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Data Sources: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Biosis, Joanna Briggs, Global Health, and World Health Organization COVID-19 database (preprints).
Background: We describe temporal trends in breast cancer incidence by molecular subtypes in Scotland because public health prevention programmes, diagnostic and therapeutic services are shaped by differences in tumour biology.
Methods: Population-based cancer registry data on 72,217 women diagnosed with incident primary breast cancer from 1997 to 2016 were analysed. Age-standardised rates (ASR) and age-specific incidence were estimated by tumour subtype after imputing the 8% of missing oestrogen receptor (ER) status.
Background: Alternative models of cancer follow-up care are needed to ameliorate pressure on services and better meet survivors' long-term needs. This paper reports an evaluation of a service improvement initiative for the follow-up care of prostate cancer patients based on remote monitoring and supported self-management.
Methods: This multi-centred, historically controlled study compared patient reported outcomes of men experiencing the new Programme with men experiencing a traditional clinic appointment model of follow-up care, who were recruited in the period immediately prior to the introduction of the Programme.
Objective: Compassionate care continues to be a focus for national and international attention, but the existing evidence base lacks the experimental methodology necessary to guide the selection of effective interventions for practice. This study aimed to evaluate the Creating Learning Environments for Compassionate Care (CLECC) intervention in improving compassionate care.
Setting: Ward nursing teams (clusters) in two English National Health Service hospitals randomised to intervention (n=4) or control (n=2).
Background: As more men survive a diagnosis of prostate cancer, alternative models of follow-up care that address men's enduring unmet needs and are economical to deliver are needed. This paper describes the protocol for an ongoing evaluation of a nurse-led supported self-management and remote surveillance programme implemented within the secondary care setting.
Methods/design: The evaluation is taking place within a real clinical setting, comparing the outcomes of men enrolled in the Programme with the outcomes of a pre-service change cohort of men, using a repeated measures design.
Background: Research into relational care in hospitals will be facilitated by a focus on staff-patient interactions. The Quality of Interactions Schedule (QuIS) uses independent observers to measure the number of staff-patient interactions within a healthcare context, and to rate these interactions as 'positive social'; 'positive care'; 'neutral'; 'negative protective'; or 'negative restrictive'. QuIS was developed as a research instrument in long term care settings and has since been used for quality improvement in acute care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Recent studies of the quality of in-hospital care have used the Quality of Interaction Schedule (QuIS) to rate interactions observed between staff and inpatients in a variety of ward conditions. The QuIS was developed and evaluated in nursing and residential care. We set out to develop methodology for summarising information from inter-rater reliability studies of the QuIS in the acute hospital setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The quality of staff-patient interactions underpins the overall quality of patient experience and can affect other important outcomes. However no studies have been identified that comprehensively explore both the quality and quantity of interactions in general hospital settings.
Aims & Objectives: To quantify and characterise the quality of staff-patient interactions and to identify factors associated with negative interaction ratings.