Association of childhood food consumption and dietary pattern with cardiometabolic risk factors and metabolomics in late adolescence: prospective evidence from 'Children of 1997' birth cohort.

Background: Healthy diet might protect against cardiometabolic diseases, but uncertainty exists about its definition and role in adolescence.

Method: In a subset of Hong Kong's 'Children of 1997' birth cohort (n=2844 out of 8327), we prospectively examined sex-specific associations of food consumption and dietary pattern, proxied by the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) at~12.0 years, with cardiometabolic risk factors and metabolomics at~17.

Identifying potentially depressed older Chinese adults in the community: Hong Kong's Elderly Health Service cohort.

Background: Depression is common at older ages, but is under-recognized due to stigma, misperception, and under-diagnosis; its manifestations may vary by setting. Identifying older adults at risk of depression in the community is urgently needed for timely support and early interventions. We assessed the performance of an existing risk prediction model developed in a European setting (i.

Unraveling Potential Sex-Specific Effects of Cardiovascular Medications on Longevity Using Mendelian Randomization.

Background: Establishing the sex-specific efficacy of cardiovascular medications is pivotal to evidence-based clinical practice, potentially closing the gender gap in longevity. Trials large enough to establish sex differences are unavailable. This study evaluated sex-specific effects of commonly prescribed cardiovascular medications on lifespan.

Assessing the safety of lipid-modifying medications among Chinese adolescents: a drug-target Mendelian randomization study.

Background: With increasing hypercholesterolemia prevalence in East Asian adolescents, pharmacologic interventions (e.g., HMGCR inhibitors (statins) and PCSK9 inhibitors) may have to be considered although their longer-term safety in the general adolescent population is unclear.

The relationship of fatty acids to ischaemic heart disease and lifespan in men and women using Mendelian randomization.

Background: Observationally, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have health benefits compared with saturated fatty acids (SFAs); randomized controlled trials suggest fewer benefits. We used uni- and multi-variable Mendelian randomization to assess the association of major fatty acids and their sub-species with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) overall and sex-specifically and with lifespan sex-specifically, given differing lifespan by sex.

Methods: We obtained strong (P <5x10-8), independent (r2<0.

Breastfeeding and ApoB in late adolescence: a Hong Kong birth cohort study.

Unlabelled: Breastfeeding is widely promoted. Experimental evidence concerning long-term benefits is limited. Observational studies are open to bias from confounding by socio-economic position.

The influence of growth and sex hormones on risk of alzheimer's disease: a mendelian randomization study.

Alzheimer's disease is more prevalent in women, possibly due to sex or growth hormones but existing evidence is inconclusive. We investigated whether genetically predicted sex and growth hormones are associated with risk of Alzheimer's disease. Genetic variants strongly and independently predicting insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), testosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) were obtained from large, published genome wide associations studies (GWAS) and applied to GWAS of Alzheimer's disease based on clinical diagnosis (cases = 21,982, control = 41,944) from the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project and the UK Biobank parental (maternal cases = 27,696; paternal cases = 14,338) and siblings' diagnosis (cases = 2,171) as proxy cases.

Association of growth patterns during infancy and puberty with lung function, wheezing and asthma in adolescents aged 17.5 years: evidence from 'Children of 1997' Hong Kong Chinese Birth Cohort.

Background: Rapid growth is related to adverse respiratory outcomes although possibly confounded or limited by growth modelling methods. We investigated the association of infant and pubertal growth with lung function, wheezing and asthma in a non-Western setting.

Methods: In Hong Kong's 'Children of 1997' Chinese birth cohort (n = 8327), weight during infancy and weight, height and body mass index (BMI) during puberty were modelled using a super-imposition by translation and rotation model to identify (larger or smaller) size, (earlier or later) tempo and (slower or faster) velocity.

Effect of puerarin supplementation on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 2-way crossover trial.

Background: Cell culture and animal studies suggest puerarin could prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, trials in human are scare, not primarily designed for prevention, and inadequately powered. We assessed the effect of puerarin supplementation on CVD risk factors in men using a crossover trial.

Do deaths from competing risks influence COPD patterns in China and high socio-demographic index countries?: a cross-sectional analysis of summary statistics from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

Objective: To explore possible reasons for the difference in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) incidence/mortality rates between China and high socio-demographic index (SDI) countries.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of summary statistics from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

Participants: Data were publicly available and de-identified, and individuals were not involved.

Development and validation of the EHS-COPD model to predict sex-specific risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in older Chinese adults: Hong Kong's Elderly Health Service Cohort.

Background: No screening program is recommended for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults based on current clinical practice guidelines. Risk prediction models for COPD developed in Western settings may not be directly applicable to older Chinese adults. To evaluate the performance of an existing risk prediction model for COPD developed in a Western setting in Chinese adults and investigate whether a new risk prediction model performs better in predicting 5-year risk of COPD (EHS-COPD).

Relative Deprivation, Income Inequality, and Cardiovascular Health: Observational and Mendelian Randomization Studies in Hong Kong Chinese.

The associations between absolute vs. relative income at the household or neighborhood level and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk remain understudied in the Chinese context. Further, it is unclear whether stress biomarkers, such as cortisol, are on the pathway from income to CVD risk.

Maternal respiratory health and intrauterine exposure-driven birthweight: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Observationally, poorer maternal respiratory health is associated with poorer birth outcomes, possibly confounded by socioeconomic position and other maternal attributes. We used multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) to obtain unconfounded estimates of effect of maternal lung function on birthweight, independent of maternal height.

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in women were obtained from publicly available summary statistics from the UK Biobank.

Blood pressure and risk of cancer: a Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Previous large observational cohort studies showed higher blood pressure (BP) positively associated with cancer. We used Mendelian randomization (MR) to obtain less confounded estimates of BP on total and site-specific cancers.

Methods: We applied replicated genetic instruments for systolic and diastolic BP to summary genetic associations with total cancer (37387 cases, 367856 non-cases) from the UK Biobank, and 17 site-specific cancers (663-17881 cases) from a meta-analysis of the UK Biobank and the Kaiser Permanente Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging.

Credible Mendelian Randomization Studies in the Presence of Selection Bias Using Control Exposures.

Selection bias is increasingly acknowledged as a limitation of Mendelian randomization (MR). However, few methods exist to assess this issue. We focus on two plausible causal structures relevant to MR studies and illustrate the data-generating process underlying selection bias simulation studies.

The total and direct effects of systolic and diastolic blood pressure on cardiovascular disease and longevity using Mendelian randomisation.

The 2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) blood pressure (BP) guidelines lowered the hypertension threshold to ≥ 130/80 mmHg, but the role of diastolic BP remains contested. This two-sample mendelian randomisation study used replicated genetic variants predicting systolic and diastolic BP applied to the UK Biobank and large genetic consortia, including of cardiovascular diseases and parental lifespan, to obtain total and direct effects. Systolic and diastolic BP had positive total effects on CVD (odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation 2.

Mendelian randomization study on atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular disease subtypes.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been associated with numerous diseases. However, whether AF is a cause or consequence of these diseases is uncertain. To clarify, we assessed the causal role of AF on ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, other cardiovascular disease (CVD) subtypes, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and late-onset AD using bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) among people primarily of European descent.

Mendelian randomization study of interleukin (IL)-1 family and lung cancer.

The role of interleukin (IL)-1 family members/receptors in lung cancer remains uncertain due to the susceptibility of observed associations to confounding. We appraised the association of IL-1 family members/receptors with lung cancer and its subtypes [lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and squamous cell lung cancer (LUSC)] using two-sample Mendelian randomization. This study found that no IL-1 family members/receptors were significantly associated with lung cancer and its subtypes risk after correction for multiple testing.

Timing of Pubertal Development and Midlife Blood Pressure in Men and Women: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Introduction: Observational studies suggest earlier puberty is associated with higher adulthood blood pressure (BP), but these findings have not been replicated using Mendelian randomization (MR). We examined this question sex-specifically using larger genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with more extensive measures of pubertal timing.

Methods: We obtained genetic instruments proxying pubertal maturation (age at menarche [AAM] or voice breaking [AVB]) from the largest published GWAS.

Investigating Effects of Plasma Apolipoprotein E on Ischemic Heart Disease Using Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Observationally plasma apolipoprotein E (apoE) is positively associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD). A Mendelian randomization (MR) study suggesting apoE is unrelated to cardiovascular mortality did not consider specific isoforms. We used MR to obtain estimates of plasma apoE2, apoE3 and apoE4 on IHD, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and apolipoprotein B (apoB).

Age and sex specific effects of APOE genotypes on ischemic heart disease and its risk factors in the UK Biobank.

APOE genotypes are associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD), several other cardiovascular diseases and dementia. Previous studies have not comprehensively considered all genotypes, especially ε2ε2, nor associations by age and sex, although IHD incidence differs by sex. In the UK Biobank, including 391,992 white British participants, we compared effects of APOE genotypes on IHD and its risk factors.

Blood Pressure and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in UK Biobank: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

This study aims to evaluate the causal association of blood pressure (BP) with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed using a large genome-wide association study (n=299 024) and the UK Biobank cohort (n=375 256). We identified 327 and 364 single-nucleotide polymorphisms strongly and independently associated with systolic BP and diastolic BP, respectively, as genetic instruments to assess the causal association of BP with total CVD, CVD mortality, and 14 cardiovascular conditions.

The role of cortisol in ischemic heart disease, ischemic stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease risk factors: a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Cortisol, a steroid hormone frequently used as a biomarker of stress, is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To clarify whether cortisol causes these outcomes, we assessed the role of cortisol in ischemic heart disease (IHD), ischemic stroke, T2DM, and CVD risk factors using a bi-directional Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly (P < 5 × 10) and independently (r < 0.