Relationship between diet quality and antihypertensive medication intensity among adults with metabolic syndrome-associated high blood pressure
This study aimed to investigate whether there’s a relationship between diet quality and the intensity of medication used to manage high blood pressure in adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Using data from 915 CARTaGENE participants with MetS-associated high blood pressure, of whom 677 were using blood pressure-lowering medication, researchers found that, overall, there wasn’t a clear link between diet quality and medication intensity. However, in younger individuals and those with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, better diet quality was associated with lower medication intensity.
Relationship between diet quality and statin use among adults with metabolic syndrome from the CARTaGENE cohort.
This study investigated how the use of statins, a type of cholesterol-lowering medication, impacts diet quality in adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS) who are free of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Using data from 2481 CARTaGENE participants, researchers revealed that adults using statins tended to have slightly lower diet quality, particularly characterized by reduced consumption of vegetables and whole grains. This effect was more pronounced in older individuals and those with lower incomes or a history of high blood pressure.
Relationship between diet quality and glucose-lowering medication intensity among adults with type 2 diabetes: results from the CARTaGENE cohort
This study aimed to understand if there’s a relationship between diet quality and the amount of medication used to manage blood sugar levels in adults with type 2 diabetes. Using data from 352 CARTaGENE participants, the researchers found no clear link between diet quality and medication intensity. In younger adults, better diet quality was associated with lower medication intensity, so there may be importance of diet in managing diabetes in young adults.
Factors associated with mental health service use during the pandemic: Initiation and barriers
This study aimed to understand the factors associated with initiating new mental health service use (MHSU) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as distinguishing between different reasons for not seeking mental health services. The research found that several factors influenced MHSU, such as age, living situation, income, and health professional status. The study suggests the need for awareness campaigns targeting older adults to explain the importance of seeking treatment and for sensitizing health professionals to facilitate access to mental health care for individuals at risk of social isolation and lower socioeconomic status.
Impact of successive office blood pressure measurements during a single visit on cardiovascular risk prediction: analysis of CARTaGENE
The researchers sought to assess the long-term impact of multiple office blood pressure (BP) readings and whether they improve cardiovascular risk prediction. Using data from CARTaGENE participants, they found that cardiovascular risk prediction is improved by successive office systolic BP values, especially when the first reading is discarded. These findings reinforce the necessity of using multiple office BP readings.
The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in Canada: a time-series study, 2020-2023
This study used data from the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, which includes CanPath data, to track the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the Canadian population over the pre-vaccination period, the vaccine rollout, and the emergence of the Omicron variant. By March 2023, over three-quarters of the population had detectable antibodies, with the most substantial increases seen after the arrival of the Omicron variant. However, variations in immunity by age and geography highlight the importance of tailoring public health policies and clinical decisions to local patterns of population immunity, considering factors like potential antibody decline and the emergence of new variants that might evade immunity.
Depression, anxiety, and the risk of cancer: An individual participant data meta-analysis
Researchers performed meta-analyses within the Psychosocial Factors and Cancer Incidence (PSY-CA) consortium to develop a stronger foundation for addressing associations between depression, anxiety, and the incidence of various cancer types. They found that depression and anxiety are not related to increased risk for most cancer outcomes, except for lung and smoking-related cancers.
Added value of waist circumference to body mass index for predicting fracture risk in obesity: a prospective study from the CARTaGENE cohort
The researchers aimed to assess associations between waist circumference (WC) and fracture incidence within BMI categories to examine whether BMI modifies the relationships. Using data from 18,236 CARTaGENE participants, they found that larger WC was associated with a greater risk for fractures among those in the normal-to-overweight category.
Multivariate extension of penalized regression on summary statistics to construct polygenic risk scores for correlated traits
The authors developed a summary-statistics-based multivariate penalized regression approach to improve the prediction of complex human traits and disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, by considering genetic correlations between these conditions. The study utilized genotypes from 29,330 subjects from the CARTaGENE cohort to determine the predictive performance of polygenic risk scores (PRS) for genetically correlated traits in simulation for several PRS construction methods.
Relationship between lifestyle habits and cardiovascular risk factors in familial hypercholesterolemia
This study’s objective was to assess the relationship between lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors in adults with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), the most prevalent genetic disorder causing premature cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and deaths. Using data from 122 CARTaGENE participants, researchers suggest that a healthy lifestyle (e.g., not smoking, being physically active, eating a healthy diet, having a light to moderate alcohol consumption, sleeping 7-8 hours per day) is favorably associated with CVD risk factors in adults with FH.