Polymorphisms in the cholesteryl ester transfer protein () gene are known to be strongly associated with increased cardiovascular risk, primarily through their effects on the lipid profile and consequently on atherosclerotic risk. The acute heart rate response (AHRR) to physical activity is closely related to individual cardiovascular health. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gene polymorphisms on AHRR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is a rich body of literature on the distribution of cancer incidence and mortality in socioeconomically different world regions, but none of the studies has compared the spatial distribution of mortality and incidence to see if they are consistent with each other. All malignant neoplasms combined and cervical, colorectal, breast, pancreatic, lung, and oral cancers separately were studied in the Hungarian population aged 25-64 years for 2007-2018 at the municipality level by sex. In each case, the spatial distribution of incidence and mortality were compared with each other and with the level of deprivation using disease mapping, spatial regression, risk analysis, and spatial scan statistics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role of spirituality in health and disease is a complex and emerging area of research. Incorporating spirituality into the bio-psycho-social model of health and disease leading to the bio-psycho-social-spiritual model provides a more comprehensive framework. In this context, chronic disorders like primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) are of interest due to their intricate interactions between biological, psychological, and spiritual factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMental disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, disproportionately affecting older people. This study aims to assess the mental health of elderly individuals living in a deprived region of Hungary, and to identify and estimate the weight of different determinants of mental health across different age groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted with randomly selected samples of individuals (n = 860) aged 18 years and older in Northeast Hungary.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe aim of this study was to apply a state-of-the-art quantitative lipidomic profiling platform to uncover lipid alterations predictive of melanoma progression. Our study included 151 melanoma patients; of these, 83 were without metastasis and 68 with metastases. Plasma samples were analyzed using a targeted Lipidyzer™ platform, covering 13 lipid classes and over 1100 lipid species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe acute heart rate response (AHRR) to physical activity, which refers to the change in heart rate during and after exercise, has been associated with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Previous studies have shown that AHRR is significantly determined by genetics in addition to environmental and lifestyle factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic background of AHRR by analysing ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) in 620 samples from the Hungarian population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe demographic transition poses a significant challenge for health systems, especially in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, where the healthcare needs of aging populations are on the rise. This study aimed to describe and compare the health status and utilization of health services among the elderly residing in urban and rural areas of the most deprived region in Hungary. A comprehensive health survey was conducted in 2022, involving a randomly selected sample of 443 older adults (≥ 65 years) in Northeast Hungary.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global public health problem, as it is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Insulin resistance (IR) is a condition characterized by disturbances in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism that precedes T2DM. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between HDL and its subfraction profile and the progression of IR, as assessed by the Homeostatic Model Assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) index, and to define cut-off values to identify an increased risk of IR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCholesteryl ester transfer protein () is known to influence HDL-C levels, potentially altering the profile of HDL subfractions and consequently cardiovascular risk (CVR). This study aimed to investigate the effect of five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs1532624, rs5882, rs708272, rs7499892, and rs9989419) and their haplotypes (H) in the gene on 10-year CVR estimated by the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE), the Framingham Risk Score for Coronary Heart Disease (FRS) and Cardiovascular Disease (FRS) algorithms. Adjusted linear and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the association of SNPs and 10 haplotypes (H1-H10) on 368 samples from the Hungarian general and Roma populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA specific phenotypic variant of obesity is metabolically healthy (MHO), which is characterized by normal blood pressure and lipid and glucose profiles, in contrast to the metabolically unhealthy variant (MUO). The genetic causes underlying the differences between these phenotypes are not yet clear. This study aims to explore the differences between MHO and MUO and the contribution of genetic factors (single nucleotide polymorphisms-SNPs) in 398 Hungarian adults (81 MHO and 317 MUO).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHarmful alcohol consumption has been considered a major public health issue globally, with the amounts of alcohol drunk being highest in the WHO European Region including Hungary. Alcohol consumption behaviors are complex human traits influenced by environmental factors and numerous genes. Beyond alcohol metabolization and neurotransmitter gene polymorphisms, taste preference-related genetic variants may also mediate alcohol consumption behaviors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is one of the modifiable lifestyle factors that play an important role in the prevention of non-communicable (especially cardiovascular) diseases. Certain genetic factors predisposing to LTPA have been previously described, but their effects and applicability on different ethnicities are unknown. Our present study aims to investigate the genetic background of LTPA using seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a sample of 330 individuals from the Hungarian general (HG) and 314 from the Roma population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Harmful alcohol use is a significant public health problem worldwide, though the alcohol-related burden affects disproportionately certain populations and ethnic minorities, with the WHO European Region being the most heavily affected and putting an increased risk on Roma populations. This ethnic minority group is the largest and most vulnerable ethnic minority in Europe and Hungary as well.
Methods: The present study aims to describe and compare the alcohol consumption behaviors of the Hungarian general and Roma populations using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), which provides a comprehensive view of alcohol consumption behavior.
Inequalities in diet quality are increasingly reported, but such studies among Roma are scarce and challenging. Here we attempt to examine diet quality and adherence to food based dietary guidelines among Hungarian Roma (HR) ethnic minority living in segregated settlements while comparing a sample of Hungarian adults from the general population (HG). Data were obtained from a complex comparative health survey conducted in Northeast Hungary in 2018, including sociodemographic and physical examination data.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteopontin (OPN) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that physiologically interacts with different types of integrins. It is considered to be a possible prognostic biomarker in certain tumor types; however, various splicing isoforms exist, which have not been investigated in melanoma. We aimed to define the relative expression pattern of five isoforms and clarify the prognostic significance of the splice variants in melanoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetes mellitus is a major public health problem with a wide range of prevalence among different ethnic groups. Early recognition of pre-diabetes is important to prevent the development of the disease, its complications, co-morbidities, and consequently early death. Insulin resistance (IR) is considered a condition that precedes type 2 diabetes; thus, understanding its underlying causes (genetic and non-genetic factors) will bring us closer to preventing it.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) is not a homogenous lipid fraction, but it can be further divided into subfractions. It is well-known that the Roma population has a high prevalence of reduced HDL-C levels and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). However, it is unknown how this reduction affects different HDL subfractions, and whether changes in their quantity/representation are associated with an increased cardiovascular risk among them.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOur study focuses on examining physical activity, as one of the most influential health determinants by domains and dimensions among Roma, the largest vulnerable ethnic minority in Europe. The study was carried out on a sample representative of the Hungarian Roma (HR) population (n = 350) living in segregated colonies in Northeast Hungary in comparison with the Hungarian general (HG) population sample (n = 343) from the same region. Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long-form and physical activity was quantified as MET-min/week.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Roma population is the largest transnational ethnic minority group in Europe, often facing socioeconomic inequalities and various health problems. In the present study, we investigated visual acuity and its influencing factors along with spectacle use of the Roma population in comparison with the general population in Hungary. A cross-sectional survey was carried out including 832 participants aged 20-64 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInteractions between genetic and environmental risk factors (GxE) contribute to an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Understanding how these factors interact provides insight for the early identification of at-risk groups within a population and creates an opportunity to apply appropriate preventive and curative measures. To estimate and compare GxE for VTE risk in the general Hungarian and Roma populations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of clinical conditions that poses a major health burden worldwide. In the present study, we investigate the changes in the prevalence of MetS and its components among the Roma in two disadvantaged counties in Northeastern Hungary focusing on a seven-year-long period. The database of the present study is based on cross-sectional surveys of the Hungarian Roma population (aged 20-64 years) conducted in 2011 ( = 458) and 2018 ( = 374).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is reasonable to suppose that poor diet underlies the unfavorable health status of the Roma population of Europe. Previously in the framework of a complex health survey, fruit and vegetable consumption, quantity of sugar added, salting frequency; bitter, salty, sweet and fat taste preferences were evaluated of Hungarian (HG, n = 410) and Roma (HR, n = 387) populations. In the present study the associations of taste and food preferences with TAS1R3, CD36, SCNN1B, TRPV1, TAS2R38, TAS2R19 and CA6 polymorphisms were tested in the same samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
March 2021
It is a matter of speculation whether the high prevalence of smoking among Hungarian Roma (HR) is related to genetic, gene-environmental interactions or cultural factors. Our aim is to compare the genetic susceptibility and possible effects of determinants associated with smoking behaviours in the Hungarian general (HG) and Roma populations. A complex health survey including three pillars (questionnaire, physical and laboratory examinations) was carried out (N = 412 and N = 402).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObesity is an increasing public health concern both in the developed and developing countries. Previous studies have demonstrated that considerable alterations in lipid metabolism and consequently marked changes in lipid profile are associated with the onset and progression of obesity-related complications. To characterize the full spectrum of obesity-induced changes in lipid metabolism, direct infusion tandem mass spectrometry analysis is the most promising approach.
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