Normal sex and age-specific parameters in a multi-ethnic population: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study of the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds cohort
Researchers sought to create a robust, reference value set for cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) parameters, and understand their relationship with age and sex in people without cardiovascular disease (CVD) history or risk factors. They were able to uncover a significant influence of sex and age on these parameters for use in clinical evaluations of CVD.
Social Jetlag and Prostate Cancer Incidence in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project: A Prospective Cohort Study
Social jetlag has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular risk in previous research. This study assessed social jetlag in 7455 cancer-free men in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project and followed them for on average 9.6 years, 250 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. The study found that the more social jetlag men experienced, the greater their prostate cancer risk was.
Prediction of Cardiovascular Events by Type I Central Systolic Blood Pressure
This study assessed which of central or brachial blood pressure best predicts cardiovascular risk and identified the central SBP threshold associated with increased risk of future cardiovascular events. It was concluded that central BP measured with a type I device is statistically but likely not clinically superior to brachial BP in a general population without prior cardiovascular disease.
Job strain and the incidence of heart diseases: A prospective community study in Quebec, Canada
CARTaGENE survey data linked with administrative data and Cox regression models were used to examine the association between job strain and heart disease, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, behavioral and clinical factors, and depressive symptoms. It was found that job strain was associated with an increased risk of heart disease in middle-aged women and in men aged 50 years and older. This association was not accounted for by depressive symptoms or sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral factors.
The Importance of Cancer Registry Linkage for Studying Rare Cancers in Prospective Cohorts
This research study evaluated the validity of self-reported cancer diagnosis in ATP by linking to the Alberta Cancer Registry. The first instance of self-reported cancer in a follow-up survey was compared to the first cancer diagnosis in the ACR after enrollment. The study found that rare cancers were less likely to be captured by active follow-up than common cancers.
Combinations of modifiable lifestyle behaviours in relation to colorectal cancer risk in Alberta’s Tomorrow Project
The researchers sought to identify distinct clusters of individuals that exhibit unique patterns of modifiable life-style related behaviours and determine how these patterns are associated with the risk of developing colorectal cancer. The team identified 7 unique behaviours where the cancer risk was 2.34-2.87 times higher for the high-risk groups than the low-risk groups.
Associations between Neighborhood Walkability, Physical Activity, and Chronic Disease in Nova Scotian Adults: An Atlantic PATH Cohort Study
The study investigated the association between neighbourhood walkability and chronic disease. A cross-sectional study was used to determine that there were health protective benefits of higher levels of physical activity and a reduction in the prevalence of certain chronic diseases in areas where there was a higher walk score.
Diabetes, Brain Infarcts, Cognition and Small Vessels in the Canadian Alliance for Healthy Hearts and Minds Study
The CAHHM study collected brain and carotid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and two cognitive tests (DSST and MoCA) in a cross-sectional sample of 7,733 men and women. It was concluded that small vessel disease characterizes much of the relationship between diabetes and vascular brain injury. However, additional factors are required to disentangle the relationship between diabetes and cognitive impairment.
Diet Quality and Food Prices Modify Associations between Genetic Susceptibility to Obesity and Adiposity Outcomes
This cross-sectional investigation geo-temporally linked CARTaGENE data with in-store retail food environment data to examine interactions between a polygenic risk score (PRS) for obesity and (1) diet quality (n = 6807) and (2) in-store retail food measures (n = 3718). The outcomes included adiposity-related measures and diet quality assessed using the 2010 Canadian-adapted Healthy Eating Index.
Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence
Single toenail clippings from 60 Atlantic Canadian participants were assessed for arsenic using a new portable X-ray fluorescence approach. The portable XRF technique used in this study shows promise as a means of assessing arsenic concentration in toenail clippings.