PLoS One
March 2025
Introduction: Family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease, and the risk increases with number of family members affected. It offers insights into shared genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that influence heart disease risk. In this study, we aimed to estimate the association of family history of CVD and its risk factors, as well as the number of affected parents or siblings, with the prevalence of major cardiometabolic risk factors (CRFs) such as hypertension, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia and obesity in a sample of young adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aspirin is a simple, globally available medication that has been shown to reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aspirin in the secondary prevention of colorectal cancer.
Methods: This phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted at 66 centres across 11 countries and territories (ten in Asia-Pacific; one in the Middle East).
Introduction: E-cigarettes (ECs) and heated tobacco products (HTPs) are recent arrivals to the nicotine product market in the Middle East, which are rapidly growing in popularity in the region. There is a lack of surveillance data at the country-level on use of these products and factors associated with their use.
Methods: This study analyzed a subset of data from the UAE Healthy Future Study, a population-based cohort study of the Emirati population, to determine the factors associated with EC and HTP use among a sample of Emirati adults (≥ 18 years).
Background: Post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) affects millions of people, and is an essential component of the long-term impact of COVID-19 during the post-pandemic era. Yet, consensus on clinical case definition and core components of PCC remains lacking, affecting our ability to inform research and evidence-based management. Our study aims 1) to identify the most specific symptoms for PCC, and identify clinical subtypes; 2) to evaluate both virus- and host-related determinants of PCC, and 3) assess the impact of PCC on physical and mental health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the past three decades, dietary and lifestyle changes worldwide have resulted in a global increase in the prevalence of obesity in both adults and children. Known to be highly influenced by genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, obesity is characterized by a low-grade chronic inflammation that contributes to the development of other metabolic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recently, the gut microbiome has been added as a cause/contributor to the development of obesity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can have negative impacts on the health outcomes of individuals with type 2 diabetes. However, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), there is a lack of understanding regarding the relationship between OSA and type 2 diabetes despite the significant implications it has on health. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between OSA risk and type 2 diabetes, associated risk factors, and gender differences in OSA symptoms among Emirati adults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA growing interest has been recently reported in exploring sleep duration within psychology context in particular to its relation to some mental chronic diseases such as depression. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between self-reported sleep hours as an outcome and self-perceived depression among Emirati adults, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, and employment status. We performed a cross-sectional analysis using 11,455 participants baseline data of the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWomen with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher susceptibility to infections compared to those without PCOS. Studies evaluating antibiotic use based on PCOS status are scarce. Therefore, we aimed to (i) assess the associations between self-reported PCOS and antibiotic use, and (ii) whether PCOS treatment and the age at PCOS diagnosis modified the associations above.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe rapid global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, with over a billion doses administered, has been unprecedented. However, in comparison to most identified clinical determinants, the implications of individual genetic factors on antibody responses post-COVID-19 vaccination for breakthrough outcomes remain elusive. Here, we conducted a population-based study including 357,806 vaccinated participants with high-resolution HLA genotyping data, and a subset of 175,000 with antibody serology test results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiabetol Metab Syndr
February 2024
Early epidemic reports have linked low average 25(OH) vitamin D levels with increased COVID-19 mortality. However, there has been limited updated research on 25(OH) vitamin D and its impact on COVID-19 mortality. This study aimed to update the initial report studying the link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 mortality by using multi-country data in 19 European countries up to the middle of June 2023.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAbnormal birth weight, particularly low birth weight (LBW), is known to have long-term adverse health consequences in adulthood, with disrupted sleep being suggested as a mediator or modifier of this link. We thus aimed to assess the associations between birth weight and self-reported adult sleep characteristics: sleep duration, difficulty waking up in the morning, daily nap frequency, sleep problems at night, snoring, daytime tiredness or sleepiness, and ever-stop breathing during sleep. This cross-sectional analysis used the United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study data collected from February 2016 to March 2023 involving 2124 Emiratis aged 18-61 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is a major focus for multinational clinical trials, although its cultural, linguistic, economic, and regulatory diversity pose significant challenges for trial conduct, particularly for academic clinical trials.
Methods: We describe our experience running the investigator-initiated phase III randomized, fully accrued, Aspirin for Dukes C and high-risk Dukes B Colorectal cancer trial (ASCOLT, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00565708, N = 1,587), studying the benefit of aspirin in resected high-risk colorectal cancer.
Introduction: Asthma and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are linked in several possible ways. To date, there has been no study evaluating whether pediatric asthma is an independent risk factor for adult PCOS. Our study aimed to examine the association between pediatric asthma (diagnosed at 0-19 years) and adult PCOS (diagnosed at ≥20 years).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine sociodemographic inequalities in people with SARS-CoV-2 during the second (alpha) and third (delta) waves of the covid-19 pandemic.
Design: Retrospective, population based cohort study.
Setting: Resident population of England.
When self-reported data are used in statistical analysis to estimate the mean and variance, as well as the regression parameters, the estimates tend, in many cases, to be biased. This is because interviewees have a tendency to heap their answers to certain values. The aim of the paper is to examine the bias-inducing effect of the heaping error in self-reported data, and study the effect on the heaping error on the mean and variance of a distribution as well as the regression parameters.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Womens Health
February 2023
Purpose: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-reported polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) among Emiratis and examine bi-directional associations of PCOS with self-reported chronic diseases, namely: diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Patients And Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was performed using the UAE Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) data collected from February 2016 to April 2022 involving 1040 Emirati women aged 25-67 years from recruitment centers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The bi-directional associations between self-reported PCOS and self-reported chronic diseases were evaluated by establishing temporality based on reported age-at-diagnoses.
Background: Ethnic minority groups in England have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and have lower vaccination rates than the White British population. We examined whether ethnic differences in COVID-19 mortality in England have continued since the vaccine rollout and to what extent differences in vaccination rates contributed to excess COVID-19 mortality after accounting for other risk factors.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study of 28.