Algorithms for the Capture and Adjudication of Prevalent and Incident Diabetes in UK Biobank

Sex-specific risks for cardiovascular disease across the glycaemic spectrum: a population-based cohort study using the UK Biobank

Background

We sought to examine sex-specific risks for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) across the full glycaemic spectrum.

Methods

Using data from UK Biobank, we categorised participants' glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) at baseline as low-normal (<35 mmol/mol), normal (35-41 mmol/mol), pre-diabetes (42-47 mmol/mol), undiagnosed diabetes (≥48 mmol/mol), or diagnosed diabetes. Our outcomes were coronary artery disease (CAD), atrial fibrillation, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), stroke, heart failure, and a composite outcome of any CVD. Cox regression estimated sex-specific associations between HbA1c and each outcome, sequentially adjusting for socio-demographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics.

Findings

Among 427,435 people, CVD rates were 16.9 and 9.1 events/1000 person-years for men and women, respectively. Both men and women with pre-diabetes, undiagnosed diabetes, and, more markedly, diagnosed diabetes were at higher risks of CVD than those with normal HbA1c, with relative increases more pronounced in women than men. Age-adjusted HRs for pre-diabetes and undiagnosed diabetes ranged from 1.30 to 1.47; HRs for diagnosed diabetes were 1.55 (1.49-1.61) in men and 2.00 (1.89-2.12) in women (p-interaction <0.0001). Excess risks attenuated and were more similar between men and women after adjusting for clinical and lifestyle factors particularly obesity and antihypertensive or statin use (fully adjusted HRs for diagnosed diabetes: 1.06 [1.02-1.11] and 1.17 [1.10-1.24], respectively).

Interpretation

Excess risks in men and women were largely explained by modifiable factors, and could be ameliorated by attention to weight reduction strategies and greater use of antihypertensive and statin medications. Addressing these risk factors could reduce sex disparities in risk of CVD among people with and without diabetes.

Funding

Diabetes UK (#15/0005250) and British Heart Foundation (SP/16/6/32726).

Association of sleep patterns and cardiovascular disease risk is modified by glucose tolerance status

AIMS

To investigate whether the association between sleep patterns and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk differs according to glucose tolerance status.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study included 358,805 participants initially free of CVD from the UK Biobank. We created a sleep score based on five sleep factors (sleep duration, chronotype, insomnia, snoring, and daytime sleepiness) with one point for each unhealthy factor. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between sleep and incident CVD, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, according to normal glucose tolerance (NGT), prediabetes, and diabetes.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.4 years, 29,663 incident CVD events were documented. There was a significant interaction between sleep score and glucose tolerance status on CVD (P for interaction = 0.002). Each 1 point increment in sleep score was associated with a 7% (95% confidence interval 6%-9%), 11% (8%-14%), and 13% (9%-17%) higher risk of CVD among participants with NGT, prediabetes, and diabetes, respectively. Similar interaction patterns were observed for CHD and stroke. Among the individual sleep factors, sleep duration and insomnia significantly interacted with glucose tolerance status on CVD outcomes (all P for interaction <0.05). All five unhealthy sleep factors accounted for 14.2% (8.7%-19.8%), 19.5% (7.4%-31.0%), and 25.1% (9.7%-39.3%) of incident CVD cases among participants with NGT, prediabetes, and diabetes, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The CVD risk associated with a poor sleep pattern was exacerbated across glucose intolerance status. Our findings emphasise the importance of integrating sleep management into a lifestyle modification programme, particularly in people with prediabetes or diabetes.

Serum albumin and risk of incident diabetes and diabetic microvascular complications in the UK Biobank cohort

AIM

To examine the associations between serum albumin and the incidences of diabetes and diabetic microvascular complications in participants of the UK Biobank cohort.

METHODS

There were 398,146 participants without diabetes and 30,952 patients with diabetes from the UK Biobank cohort included in this study. Multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze the association of albumin with the incidences of diabetes and diabetic microvascular complications. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was used to determine the genetic relationships between serum albumin and diabetes.

RESULTS

After a median 12.90 years follow-up, 14,710 participants developed incident diabetes (58.83 ± 7.52 years, 56.10% male). After multivariate adjustment, serum albumin was inversely associated with incident diabetes: hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval] per 10 g/l increase 0.88 [0.82;0.94]. MR analyses suggested a potential genetic influence of serum albumin on diabetes in both the UK Biobank and the FinnGen consortium: odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence interval per 1 g/l increase 0.99 [0.98;1.00] and 0.78 [0.67;0.92], respectively. In patients with diabetes, higher serum albumin levels were significantly associated with lower risk for diabetic microvascular complications. Specifically, per 10 g/l increase in serum albumin, the HRs for diabetic nephropathy, ophthalmopathy, and neuropathy were 0.42 [0.30;0.58], 0.61 [0.52;0.72], and 0.67 [0.51;0.88], respectively.

CONCLUSION

In this large prospective study, serum levels of albumin were inversely associated with the incidences of diabetes and diabetic microvascular complications. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining optimal nutrient status in reducing the risk of diabetes and its complications.

Preserved Ratio Impaired Spirometry, Metabolomics, and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

CONTEXT

Whether baseline preserved ratio impaired spirometry (PRISm) is associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and if this association could be mediated by circulating metabolites remains to be elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

To measure the prospective association of PRISm with T2D and potential metabolic mediators thereof.

METHODS

This study used data from the UK Biobank and included 72 683 individuals without diabetes at baseline. PRISm was defined as the predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) <80% and the FEV1/forced vital capacity ratio ≥0.70. Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed to assess the longitudinal relation between baseline PRISm and incident T2D. Mediation analysis was used to explore the mediation effects of circulating metabolites in the path from PRISm to T2D.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.06 years, 2513 participants developed T2D. Individuals who had PRISm (N = 8394) were 47% (95% CI, 33%-63%) more likely to develop T2D compared with those who had normal spirometry (N = 64 289). A total of 121 metabolites showed statistically significant mediation effects in the path from PRISm to T2D (false discovery rate <0.05). Glycoprotein acetyls, cholesteryl esters in large high-density lipoprotein (HDL), degree of unsaturation, cholesterol in large HDL, and cholesteryl esters in very large HDL were the top 5 metabolic markers, with mediation proportions (95% CI) being 11.91% (8.76%-16.58%), 11.04% (7.34%-15.55%), 10.36% (7.34%-14.71%), 9.87% (6.78%-14.09%), and 9.51% (6.33%-14.05%), respectively. A total of 11 principal components that explained 95% variance of the metabolic signatures accounted for 25.47% (20.83%-32.19%) of the relation between PRISm and T2D.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the association of PRISm with T2D risk and the potential roles of circulating metabolites in mediating this association.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and colorectal cancer incidence in adults with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

To examine the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

Using UK Biobank data, this study included 18,453 adults with T2D. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were determined by the chemiluminescent immunoassay method. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CRC outcomes.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 8.8 years, there were 284 incident CRC cases. Compared with adults with serum 25(OH)D concentrations <25.0 nmol/L, the adjusted HRs (95% CIs) for lower to higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations (25.0 to <50.0, 50.0 to <75.0, and ≥75.0 nmol/L) were 0.61 (0.46-0.82), 0.50 (0.34-0.74), and 0.53 (0.30-0.94), respectively (Ptrend = 0.001). The risk of CRC decreased by 19.0% for per 1-SD increment in serum 25(OH)D concentrations. A nonlinear association of serum 25(OH)D concentrations with CRC risk was observed using a restricted cubic spline analysis (P nonlinearity = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly and nonlinearly associated with a lower risk of CRC. These findings highlight the potential benefits of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels in CRC prevention among adults with T2D.

Potato consumption, polygenic scores, and incident type 2 diabetes: An observational study

Whether the consumption of different processed potatoes is detrimental to type 2 diabetes (T2D) is highly debated. This study aimed to assess the relations between potato consumption and the risk of T2D and whether the relationship was modified by the genetic predisposition to T2D. We included 174,665 participants from the UK Biobank at baseline. Potato consumption was evaluated using the 24-hour dietary questionnaire. The genetic risk score (GRS) was calculated based on 424 variants associated with T2D. After adjustment for demographic, lifestyle, and dietary factors, the consumption of total potatoes was significantly and positively associated with T2D risk [hazard ratio (HR) comparing two or more servings/day with non-consumers was 1.28 (95% CI: 1.13-1.45)]. HRs (95% CIs) of T2D for each 1-SD increment in boiled/baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, and fried potatoes were 1.02 (0.99-1.05), 1.05 (1.02-1.08), and 1.05 (1.02-1.09), respectively. There were no significant interactions between the consumption of total or different processed potatoes and overall GRS on T2D risk. Theoretically, replacing one serving/day of total potatoes with the same amount of non-starchy vegetables was related to a 12% (95% CI: 0.84-0.91) lower T2D risk. These results showed the positive associations of the consumption of total potatoes, mashed potatoes or fried potatoes and genetic risk with higher incident T2D. An unhealthy potato-based diet is associated with higher diabetes risk regardless of genetic risk.

Joint association of loneliness and traditional risk factor control and incident cardiovascular disease in diabetes patients

AIMS

To investigate the prospective associations of the loneliness and social isolation scales with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in diabetes patients and compare the relative importance of loneliness and social isolation with traditional risk factors. Also, the interactions of loneliness or isolation with the degree of risk factor control in relation to CVD risk were evaluated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 18 509 participants diagnosed with diabetes from the UK Biobank were included. A two-item scale and a three-item scale were used to assess loneliness and isolation levels, respectively. The degree of risk factor control was defined as numbers of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), smoking, and kidney condition controlled within the target range. During a mean follow-up of 10.7 years, 3247 total CVD incidents were documented, including 2771 coronary heart disease and 701 strokes. In the fully adjusted model, compared with participants with the lowest loneliness score (zero), hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for CVD were 1.11 (1.02 and 1.20) and 1.26 (1.11 and 1.42) for participants with a loneliness scale of 1 and 2, respectively (P-trend < 0.001). No significant associations were observed for social isolation. Loneliness ranked higher in relative strength for predicting CVD than the lifestyle risk factors in diabetes patients. A significant additive interaction between loneliness and the degree of risk factor control on the risk of CVD was observed (P for additive interaction = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Among diabetes patients, loneliness, but not social isolation scale, is associated with a higher risk of CVD and shows an additive interaction with the degree of risk factor control.

Genome-wide polygenic risk score for type 2 diabetes in Indian population

Genome-wide polygenic risk scores (PRS) for lifestyle disorders, like Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), are useful in identifying at-risk individuals early on in life, and to guide them towards healthier lifestyles. The current study was aimed at developing PRS for the Indian population using imputed genotype data from UK Biobank and testing the developed PRS on data from GenomegaDB of Indians living in India. 959 T2D cases and 2,818 controls were selected from Indian participants of UK Biobank to develop the PRS. Summary statistics available for South Asians, from the DIAMANTE consortium, were used to weigh genetic variants. LDpred2 algorithm was used to adjust the effect of linkage disequilibrium among the variants. The association of PRS with T2D, after adjusting for age, sex and top ten genetic principal components, was found to be very significant (AUC = 0.7953, OR = 2.9856 [95% CI: 2.7044-3.2961]). When participants were divided into four PRS quartile groups, the odds of developing T2D increased sequentially with the higher PRS groups. The highest PRS group (top 25%) showed 5.79 fold increased risk compared to the rest of the participants (75%). The PRS derived using the same set of variants was found to be significantly associated with T2D in the test dataset of 445 Indians (AUC = 0.7781, OR = 1.6656 [95%CI = 0.6127-4.5278]). Our study demonstrates a framework to derive Indian-specific PRS for T2D. The accuracy of the derived PRS shows it's potential to be used as a prognostic metric to stratify individuals, and to recommend personalized preventive strategies.

Association of Fish Oil Supplementation with Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Individuals with Diabetes and Prediabetes: A Prospective Study in the UK Biobank

This study aimed to explore the association between habitual intake of fish oil supplementation and the risk of developing CHD in patients with prediabetes and diabetes. Habitual use of fish oil was assessed by repeated questionnaires. Cox proportional hazard models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Over a median follow-up of 11.6 years, 4304 and 3294 CHD cases were documented among 47,663 individuals with prediabetes and 22,146 patients with diabetes in the UK Biobank, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, the HRs (95% CI) of CHD were 0.91 (0.85-0.98) and 0.87 (0.80-0.95) for individuals utilizing fish oil supplementation compared with non-users among the participants with prediabetes and diabetes, respectively. Furthermore, we identified an inverse relationship between fish oil use and CHD incidence, which was significantly mediated by serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in individuals with prediabetes and by very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) in patients with diabetes at baseline. The inverse associations were consistent in the analyses stratified by potential confounders. In conclusion, the consumption of fish oil supplements was linked to decreased serum CRP and VLDL-C levels and subsequent CHD risk among adults with prediabetes and diabetes. Our findings highlight the important role of the habitual intake of fish oil supplements in preventing CHD in individuals with impaired glucose metabolism.

Exome-wide evidence of compound heterozygous effects across common phenotypes in the UK Biobank

Exome-sequencing association studies have successfully linked rare protein-coding variation to risk of thousands of diseases. However, the relationship between rare deleterious compound heterozygous (CH) variation and their phenotypic impact has not been fully investigated. Here, we leverage advances in statistical phasing to accurately phase rare variants (MAF ~ 0.001%) in exome sequencing data from 175,587 UK Biobank (UKBB) participants, which we then systematically annotate to identify putatively deleterious CH coding variation. We show that 6.5% of individuals carry such damaging variants in the CH state, with 90% of variants occurring at MAF < 0.34%. Using a logistic mixed model framework, systematically accounting for relatedness, polygenic risk, nearby common variants, and rare variant burden, we investigate recessive effects in common complex diseases. We find six exome-wide significant (P < 1.68 × 10 - 7 ) and 17 nominally significant (P < 5.25 × 10 - 5 ) gene-trait associations. Among these, only four would have been identified without accounting for CH variation in the gene. We further incorporate age-at-diagnosis information from primary care electronic health records, to show that genetic phase influences lifetime risk of disease across 20 gene-trait combinations (FDR < 5%). Using a permutation approach, we find evidence for genetic phase contributing to disease susceptibility for a collection of gene-trait pairs, including FLG-asthma (P = 0.00205 ) and USH2A-visual impairment (P = 0.0084 ). Taken together, we demonstrate the utility of phasing large-scale genetic sequencing cohorts for robust identification of the phenome-wide consequences of compound heterozygosity.

Association between night shift work and NAFLD: a prospective analysis of 281,280 UK Biobank participants

CONTEXT

This study aimed to investigate the association between night shift work and the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

METHODS

We conducted a prospective analysis of 281,280 UK Biobank participants. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of night shift work with incident NAFLD. Polygenic risk score analyses were performed to assess whether a genetic predisposition to NAFLD modified the association.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.1 years (3,373,964 person-years), 2,555 incident NAFLD cases were identified. Compared with workers who never/rarely worked night shifts, those who worked some night shifts or usual/permanent night shifts were 1.12 (95% CI: 0.96-1.31) and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.08-1.48) times more likely to develop NAFLD, respectively. Among the 75,059 participants who had reports on lifetime experience of night shift work, those with a longer duration, a higher frequency, more consecutive night shifts and a longer length per shift all showed higher risks of incident NAFLD. Further analyses showed that the association between night shift work and incident NAFLD was not modified by a genetic predisposition to NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

Night shift work was associated with increased risks of incident NAFLD.

Causal associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and type 2 diabetes

Higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes. However, the causality of this relationship and the biological mechanisms that underlie it are unclear. Here, we examine genetic determinants of cardiorespiratory fitness in 450k European-ancestry individuals in UK Biobank, by leveraging the genetic overlap between fitness measured by an exercise test and resting heart rate. We identified 160 fitness-associated loci which we validated in an independent cohort, the Fenland study. Gene-based analyses prioritised candidate genes, such as CACNA1C, SCN10A, MYH11 and MYH6, that are enriched in biological processes related to cardiac muscle development and muscle contractility. In a Mendelian Randomisation framework, we demonstrate that higher genetically predicted fitness is causally associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes independent of adiposity. Integration with proteomic data identified N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, hepatocyte growth factor-like protein and sex hormone-binding globulin as potential mediators of this relationship. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the biological mechanisms underpinning cardiorespiratory fitness and highlight the importance of improving fitness for diabetes prevention.

Relationship of ultra-processed food consumption and new-onset chronic kidney diseases among participants with or without diabetes

BACKGROUND

Whether diabetes and genetic susceptibility of kidney diseases modifies the relationship between ultra-processed foods (UPF) consumption and incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate the association between UPF consumption and new-onset CKD in participants with and without diabetes, and explore whether genetic risks of kidney diseases may modify the association.

METHODS

153,985 participants who were free of CKD at baseline and provided 24-h dietary recalls in the UK Biobank were included. UPF was defined according to the NOVA classification. The energy contribution of UPF was calculated by dividing the energy intake of UPF by the total energy intake. The study outcome was new-onset CKD, ascertained by self-report data and data linkage with primary care, hospital admissions, and death registry records.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.1 years, 4,058 participants developed new-onset CKD. There was a significant positive association between UPF consumption and new-onset CKD in total participants (per 10% increment, adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.01;1.06]. The positive association between UPF consumption and risk of new-onset CKD was significantly stronger in participants with diabetes (per 10% increment, adjusted HR 1.11 [1.05;1.17]) than in those without diabetes (per 10% increment, adjusted HR 1.03 [1.00;1.05]; P-interaction = 0.005). Genetic risks of kidney diseases did not significantly modify the positive association in those with or without diabetes (all P-interactions > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

There was a significantly stronger positive association between UPF consumption and new-onset CKD in participants with diabetes compared with those without diabetes.

Visit-to-visit HbA1c variability, dementia, and hippocampal atrophy among adults without diabetes

OBJECTIVES

Adults without diabetes are not completely healthy; they are probably heterogeneous with several potential health problems. The management of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is crucial among patients with diabetes; but whether similar management strategy is needed for adults without diabetes is unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the associations of visit-to-visit HbA1c variability with incident dementia and hippocampal volume among middle-aged and older adults without diabetes, providing potential insights into this question.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective analysis for incident dementia in 10,792 participants (mean age 58.9 years, 47.8 % men) from the UK Biobank. A subgroup of 3793 participants (mean age 57.8 years, 48.6 % men) was included in the analysis for hippocampal volume. We defined HbA1c variability as the difference in HbA1c divided by the mean HbA1c over the 2 sequential visits ([latter - former]/mean). Dementia was identified using hospital inpatient records with ICD-9 codes. T1-structural brain magnetic resonance imaging was conducted to derive hippocampal volume (normalized for head size). The nonlinear and linear associations were examined using restricted cubic spline (RCS) models, Cox regression models, and multiple linear regression models.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up (since the second round) of 8.4 years, 90 (0.8 %) participants developed dementia. The RCS models suggested no significant nonlinear associations of HbA1c variability with incident dementia and hippocampal volume, respectively (All P > 0.05). Above an optimal cutoff of HbA1c variability at 0.08, high HbA1c variability (increment in HbA1c) was associated with an increased risk of dementia (Hazard Ratio, 1.88; 95 % Confidence Interval, 1.13 to 3.14, P = 0.015), and lower hippocampal volume (coefficient, -96.84 mm3, P = 0.037), respectively, in models with adjustment of covariates including age, sex, etc. Similar results were found for a different cut-off of 0. A series of sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Among middle-aged and older adults without diabetes, increasing visit-to-visit HbA1c variability was associated with an increased dementia risk and lower hippocampal volume. The findings highlight the importance of monitoring and controlling HbA1c fluctuation in apparently healthy adults without diabetes.

Effects of residential greenness and genetic predisposition on hemoglobin A1c and type 2 diabetes: Gene-environment interaction analysis from a nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Current evidence on the relations of residential greenness with glucose homeostasis and type 2 diabetes (T2D) remained largely uncertain. Most importantly, no prior studies have investigated whether genetic predisposition modifies the above associations.

METHODS

We leveraged data from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study, with participants enrolled between 2006 and 2010. Residential greenness was assessed by using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and the weighting T2D-specific genetic risk score (GRS) was constructed based on previously published genome-wide association studies. Linear regression models and logistic regression models were used to investigate associations of residential greenness with glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c) and T2D prevalence, respectively. Interaction models explored whether genetic predisposition modifies greenness-HbA_1c/T2D associations.

RESULTS

Among 315,146 individuals (mean [SD] age, 56.59 [8.09] years), each one-unit increase in residential greenness was associated with reduction in HbA_1c (β: -0.87, 95% CI: -1.16 to -0.58) and a 12% decrease in odds of T2D (OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79 to 0.98), respectively. Additionally, interaction analyses further demonstrated that residential greenness and genetic risk had cumulative effects on HbA_1c and T2D. Compared with individuals who were exposed to low greenness and had high GRS, participants with low GRS and high greenness had a significant decline in HbA_1c (β: -2.96, 95% CI: -3.10 to -2.82, P for interaction = 0.04) and T2D (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.50, P for interaction = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS

We add novel evidence that residential greenness has protective effects on glucose metabolism and T2D, and those beneficial effects can be amplified by low genetic risk. Our findings may facilitate the improvement of the living environment and the development of prevention strategies by considering genetic susceptibility to T2D.

Association and Interaction of Genetics and Area-Level Socioeconomic Factors on the Prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity

OBJECTIVE

Quantify the impact of genetic and socioeconomic factors on risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Among participants in the Mass General Brigham Biobank (MGBB) and UK Biobank (UKB), we used logistic regression models to calculate cross-sectional odds of T2D and obesity using 1) polygenic risk scores for T2D and BMI and 2) area-level socioeconomic risk (educational attainment) measures. The primary analysis included 26,737 participants of European genetic ancestry in MGBB with replication in UKB (N = 223,843), as well as in participants of non-European ancestry (MGBB N = 3,468; UKB N = 7,459).

RESULTS

The area-level socioeconomic measure most strongly associated with both T2D and obesity was percent without a college degree, and associations with disease prevalence were independent of genetic risk (P < 0.001 for each). Moving from lowest to highest quintiles of combined genetic and socioeconomic burden more than tripled T2D (3.1% to 22.2%) and obesity (20.9% to 69.0%) prevalence. Favorable socioeconomic risk was associated with lower disease prevalence, even in those with highest genetic risk (T2D 13.0% vs. 22.2%, obesity 53.6% vs. 69.0% in lowest vs. highest socioeconomic risk quintiles). Additive effects of genetic and socioeconomic factors accounted for 13.2% and 16.7% of T2D and obesity prevalence, respectively, explained by these models. Findings were replicated in independent European and non-European ancestral populations.

CONCLUSIONS

Genetic and socioeconomic factors significantly interact to increase risk of T2D and obesity. Favorable area-level socioeconomic status was associated with an almost 50% lower T2D prevalence in those with high genetic risk.

Earlier Age at Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis Is Associated With Increased Genetic Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

OBJECTIVE

We investigated genetic risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by age at type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosis.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We compared incident CVD events by age at T2D diagnosis using UK Biobank (N = 12,321) and the Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) cohort (N = 1,165). Genetic risk was quantified using polygenic risk score (PRS).

RESULTS

Individuals with earlier T2D diagnosis had higher CVD risk. In UK Biobank, the effect size of coronary artery disease (CAD) PRS on incident CAD was largest in individuals diagnosed with T2D at ages 30-39 years (hazard ratio 2.25; 95% CI 1.56-3.26) and decreased as age at diagnosis increased: ages 40-49 (1.51; 1.30-1.75), 50-59 (1.36; 1.24-1.50), and 60-69 years (1.30; 1.14-1.48) (Pinteraction = 0.0031). A similar trend was observed in the SNUH cohort. This increased genetic risk associated with earlier T2D diagnosis was largely mitigated by a healthy lifestyle.

CONCLUSIONS

Individuals with an earlier T2D diagnosis have a higher genetic risk of CAD, and this information could be used to tailor lifestyle interventions.

A non-coding variant linked to metabolic obesity with normal weight affects actin remodelling in subcutaneous adipocytes

Recent large-scale genomic association studies found evidence for a genetic link between increased risk of type 2 diabetes and decreased risk for adiposity-related traits, reminiscent of metabolically obese normal weight (MONW) association signatures. However, the target genes and cellular mechanisms driving such MONW associations remain to be identified. Here, we systematically identify the cellular programmes of one of the top-scoring MONW risk loci, the 2q24.3 risk locus, in subcutaneous adipocytes. We identify a causal genetic variant, rs6712203, an intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism in the COBLL1 gene, which changes the conserved transcription factor motif of POU domain, class 2, transcription factor 2, and leads to differential COBLL1 gene expression by altering the enhancer activity at the locus in subcutaneous adipocytes. We then establish the cellular programme under the genetic control of the 2q24.3 MONW risk locus and the effector gene COBLL1, which is characterized by impaired actin cytoskeleton remodelling in differentiating subcutaneous adipocytes and subsequent failure of these cells to accumulate lipids and develop into metabolically active and insulin-sensitive adipocytes. Finally, we show that perturbations of the effector gene Cobll1 in a mouse model result in organismal phenotypes matching the MONW association signature, including decreased subcutaneous body fat mass and body weight along with impaired glucose tolerance. Taken together, our results provide a mechanistic link between the genetic risk for insulin resistance and low adiposity, providing a potential therapeutic hypothesis and a framework for future identification of causal relationships between genome associations and cellular programmes in other disorders.

Mobile phone calls, genetic susceptibility, and new-onset hypertension: results from 212 046 UK Biobank participants

Aims

The relationship between mobile phone use for making or receiving calls and hypertension risk remains uncertain. We aimed to examine the associations of mobile phone use for making or receiving calls and the use frequency with new-onset hypertension in the general population, using data from the UK Biobank.

Methods and results

A total of 212 046 participants without prior hypertension in the UK Biobank were included. Participants who have been using a mobile phone at least once per week to make or receive calls were defined as mobile phone users. The primary outcome was new-onset hypertension. During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 13 984 participants developed new-onset hypertension. Compared with mobile phone non-users, a significantly higher risk of new-onset hypertension was found in mobile phone users [hazards ratio (HR), 1.07; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.12]. Among mobile phone users, compared with those with a weekly usage time of mobile phones for making or receiving calls <5 mins, significantly higher risks of new-onset hypertension were found in participants with a weekly usage time of 30-59 mins (HR, 1.08; 95%CI: 1.01-1.16), 1-3 h (HR, 1.13; 95%CI: 1.06-1.22), 4-6 h (HR, 1.16; 95%CI: 1.04-1.29), and >6 h (HR, 1.25; 95%CI: 1.13-1.39) (P for trend <0.001). Moreover, participants with both high genetic risks of hypertension and longer weekly usage time of mobile phones making or receiving calls had the highest risk of new-onset hypertension.

Conclusions

Mobile phone use for making or receiving calls was significantly associated with a higher risk of new-onset hypertension, especially among high-frequency users.

The association between daytime napping and risk of type 2 diabetes is modulated by inflammation and adiposity: Evidence from 435 342 UK-Biobank participants

BACKGROUND

Existing evidence concerning the relationship between daytime napping and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is inconsistent, and whether the effects of napping differ by body fat percentage (BFP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) is unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between daytime napping frequency and T2D risk and whether such an association was modified by BFP and CRP.

METHODS

We included 435 342 participants free of diabetes from the UK Biobank. Participants were categorized as nonnappers, occasional nappers, and frequent nappers based on napping frequency, and BFP/CRP was divided into quartiles. Cox proportional hazards models were used.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 9.2 years, 17 592 T2D cases occurred. Higher frequency of daytime napping was significantly associated with an increased risk of T2D. Compared with nonnappers, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for occasional nappers and habitual nappers were 1.28 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-1.32) and 1.49 (95% CI: 1.41-1.57), respectively. There was a significant additive and multiplicative interaction (relative excess risk due to interaction [RERI] = 0.490, 95% CI 0.307-0.673; p for multiplicative interaction <.001) between napping and BFP, whereby a higher hazard of T2D associated with more frequent napping was greatest among participants in the highest BFP quartile (HR = 4.45, 95% CI: 3.92-5.06). The results for CRP were similar (RERI = 0.266, 95% CI: 0.094-0.439; p for multiplicative interaction <.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher daytime napping frequency is associated with an increased T2D risk, and such relationships are modified by BFP and CRP. These findings underscore the importance of adiposity and inflammation control to mitigate diabetes risk.

A platform for phenotyping disease progression and associated longitudinal risk factors in large-scale EHRs, with application to incident diabetes complications in the UK Biobank

Objective

Modern healthcare data reflect massive multi-level and multi-scale information collected over many years. The majority of the existing phenotyping algorithms use case-control definitions of disease. This paper aims to study the time to disease onset and progression and identify the time-varying risk factors that drive them.

Materials and Methods

We developed an algorithmic approach to phenotyping the incidence of diseases by consolidating data sources from the UK Biobank (UKB), including primary care electronic health records (EHRs). We focused on defining events, event dates, and their censoring time, including relevant terms and existing phenotypes, excluding generic, rare, or semantically distant terms, forward-mapping terminology terms, and expert review. We applied our approach to phenotyping diabetes complications, including a composite cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcome, diabetic kidney disease (DKD), and diabetic retinopathy (DR), in the UKB study.

Results

We identified 49 049 participants with diabetes. Among them, 1023 had type 1 diabetes (T1D), and 40 193 had type 2 diabetes (T2D). A total of 23 833 diabetes subjects had linked primary care records. There were 3237, 3113, and 4922 patients with CVD, DKD, and DR events, respectively. The risk prediction performance for each outcome was assessed, and our results are consistent with the prediction area under the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve (AUC) of standard risk prediction models using cohort studies.

Discussion and Conclusion

Our publicly available pipeline and platform enable streamlined curation of incidence events, identification of time-varying risk factors underlying disease progression, and the definition of a relevant cohort for time-to-event analyses. These important steps need to be considered simultaneously to study disease progression.

Association of Cardiovascular Health With Life Expectancy Free of Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Cancer, and Dementia in UK Adults

Importance

The average life expectancy has increased substantially in the past few decades in most industrialized countries; however, not all of the increased life expectancy is being spent in optimal health, especially among individuals with low socioeconomic status.

Objective

To quantify the associations between levels of cardiovascular health (CVH), estimated by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) metrics, with life expectancy free of major chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, cancer, and dementia, in UK adults.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study included 135 199 adults in the UK Biobank study who were initially free of major chronic disease and had complete data on LE8 metrics. Data analyses were performed in August 2022.

Exposures

Cardiovascular health levels, as estimated by LE8 score. The LE8 score, which consists of 8 components: (1) diet, (2) physical activity, (3) tobacco/nicotine exposure, (4) sleep, (5) body mass index, (6) non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (7) blood glucose, and (8) blood pressure. The CVH level was evaluated at baseline and categorized into low (LE8 score <50), moderate (LE8 score ≥50 but <80), and high (LE8 score ≥80) levels.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the life expectancy free of 4 major chronic diseases (CVD, diabetes, cancer, and dementia).

Results

Of the 135 199 adults (44.7% men; mean [SD] age, 55.4 [7.9] years) included in the study, a total of 4712, 48 955, and 6748 men had low, moderate, and high CVH levels, respectively, and the corresponding numbers for women were 3661, 52 192, and 18 931. At age 50 years, the estimated disease-free years were 21.5 (95% CI, 21.0-22.0), 25.5 (95% CI, 25.4-25.6), and 28.4 (95% CI, 27.8-29.0) for men with low, moderate, and high CVH levels, respectively; the corresponding estimated disease-free years at age 50 years for women were 24.2 (95% CI, 23.5-24.8), 30.5 (95% CI, 30.4-30.6), and 33.6 (95% CI, 33.1-34.0). Equivalently, men with moderate or high CVH levels lived on average 4.0 (95% CI, 3.4-4.5) or 6.9 (95% CI, 6.1-7.7) longer years free of chronic disease, respectively, at age 50 years, compared with men with low CVH levels. The corresponding longer years lived free of disease for women were 6.3 (95% CI, 5.6-7.0) or 9.4 (95% CI, 8.5-10.2). For participants with high CVH level, there was not a statistically significant difference in disease-free life expectancy between participants with low and other socioeconomic status.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cohort study, a high level of CVH, evaluated using the LE8 metrics, was associated with longer life expectancy free of major chronic diseases and may contribute to narrowing socioeconomic health inequalities in both men and women.

Healthy sleep, mental health, genetic susceptibility, and risk of irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

We aimed to investigate the prospective association of individual and combined sleep behaviors and mental health (psychological distress and neuroticism) with incident irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

METHODS

A total of 302,839 participants without prior IBS in the UK Biobank were enrolled. A healthy sleep score was created according to five sleep factors and defined the low-risk groups as follows: sleep 7-8 h/day, early chronotype, never/rarely insomnia, no snoring, and no frequent excessive daytime sleepiness. Psychological distress and neuroticism were ascertained using the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised Short Form, respectively. The primary outcome was incident IBS, based on self-report or linkage to death register and/or primary care and/or hospital admission data.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 5574 participants developed IBS. Overall, low-risk sleep behaviors and a healthy sleep score (per one point increment, HR, 0.81, 95%CI, 0.79-0.83) were associated with a lower risk of incident IBS, 29.4 %-32.4 % of which was mediated by mental health. Psychological distress (per one point increment, HR, 1.16, 95%CI, 1.14-1.17) and neuroticism (HR, 1.11, 95%CI, 1.10-1.12) were positively associated with incident IBS, and healthy sleep scores mediated 8.3 %-9.7 % of the association. Moreover, participants with lowest healthy sleep score/highest mental health score and higher genetic risk of IBS showed the highest risk of incident IBS.

LIMITATIONS

Sleep behaviors and mental health were assessed by self-reported questionnaires.

CONCLUSIONS

Healthy sleep scores and low psychological distress/neuroticism were associated with a lower risk of IBS, regardless of genetic predisposition.

Stair climbing, genetic predisposition, and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes: A large population-based prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional evidence and small-scale trials suggest positive effects of stair climbing on cardiometabolic disease and glucose regulation. However, few studies have examined the long-term association between stair climbing and the incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association of stair climbing with T2D and assess modifications by genetic predisposition to T2D.

METHODS

We included 451,699 adults (mean age = 56.3 ± 8.1 years, mean ± SD; 55.2% females) without T2D at baseline in the UK Biobank and followed up to March 31, 2021. Stair climbing information was collected through the touchscreen questionnaire. Genetic risk score for T2D consisted of 424 single nucleotide polymorphisms.

RESULTS

During a median follow up of 12.1 years, 14,896 T2D cases were documented. Compared with participants who reported no stair climbing, those who climbed stairs regularly had a lower risk of incident T2D (10-50 steps/day: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.89-1.00; 60-100 steps/day: HR = 0.92, 95%CI: 0.87-0.98; 110-150 steps/day: HR = 0.86, 95%CI: 0.80-0.91; >150 steps/day: HR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.87-0.99, p for trend = 0.0007). We observed a significant interaction between stair climbing and genetic risk score on the subsequent T2D risk (p for interaction = 0.0004), where the risk of T2D showed a downward trend in subjects with low genetic risk and those who reported stair climbing activity of 110-150 steps/day appeared to have the lowest overall T2D risk among those with intermediate to high genetic risk.

CONCLUSION

A higher number of stairs climbed at home was associated with lower T2D incidence risk, especially among individuals with a low genetic predisposition to T2D. These findings highlight that stair climbing, as incidental physical activity, offers a simple and low-cost complement to public health interventions for T2D prevention.

Association of circadian rest-activity rhythms with cardiovascular disease and mortality in type 2 diabetes

AIMS

To examine the associations of disrupted circadian rest-activity rhythm (CRAR) with cardiovascular diseases and mortality among people with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

A total of 3147 participants with baseline type 2 diabetes (mean age 65.21 years, 39.78% female; mean HbA1c 50.02 mmol/mol) from UK Biobank were included. The following CRAR parameters were derived from acceleration data: interdaily stability (IS), intradaily variability (IV), relative amplitude (RA), most active 10 h period onset (M10 onset), and least active 5 h period onset (L5 onset). We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the associations of CRAR with cardiovascular diseases and mortality, adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health characteristics.

RESULTS

Participants in the lowest quartile of IS and RA exhibited the greatest risk of developing cardiovascular disease (IS, hazard ratio [HR]_{Q1 vs. Q4} 1.40 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04, 1.88]; RA, HR_{Q1 vs. Q4} 2.45 [95% CI 1.73, 3.49]). However, the association between delayed L5 onset and cardiovascular disease risk did not reach statistical significance. Additionally, we found that high IV and low RA were associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.

CONCLUSION

Objectively determined CRAR disturbances may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality among people with type 2 diabetes.

Association between polypharmacy and depression relapse in individuals with comorbid depression and type 2 diabetes: a UK electronic health record study

BACKGROUND

Individuals with physical comorbidities and polypharmacy may be at higher risk of depression relapse, however, they are not included in the 'high risk of relapse' group for whom longer antidepressant treatment durations are recommended.

AIMS

In individuals with comorbid depression and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), we aimed to investigate the association and interaction between depression relapse and (a) polypharmacy, (b) previous duration of antidepressant treatment.

METHOD

This was a cohort study using primary care data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) from years 2000 to 2018. We used Cox regression models with penalised B-splines to describe the association between restarting antidepressants and our two exposures.

RESULTS

We identified 48 001 individuals with comorbid depression and T2DM, who started and discontinued antidepressant treatment during follow-up. Within 1 year of antidepressant discontinuation, 35% of participants restarted treatment indicating depression relapse. As polypharmacy increased, the rate of restarting antidepressants increased until a maximum of 18 concurrent medications, where individuals were more than twice as likely to restart antidepressants (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.15, 95% CI 1.32-3.51). As the duration of previous antidepressant treatment increased, the rate of restarting antidepressants increased - individuals with a previous duration of ≥25 months were more than twice as likely to restart antidepressants than those who previously discontinued in <7 months (HR = 2.36, 95% CI 2.25-2.48). We found no interaction between polypharmacy and previous antidepressant duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Polypharmacy and longer durations of previous antidepressant treatment may be associated with depression relapse following the discontinuation of antidepressant treatment.

Association of frailty with the incidence risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus in long-term cancer survivors: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Comorbidities among cancer survivors remain a serious healthcare burden and require appropriate management. Using two widely used frailty indicators, this study aimed to evaluate whether frailty was associated with the incidence risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among long-term cancer survivors.

METHODS

We included 13,388 long-term cancer survivors (diagnosed with cancer over 5 years before enrolment) free of CVD and 6101 long-term cancer survivors free of T2DM, at the time of recruitment (aged 40-69 years), from the UK Biobank. Frailty was assessed by the frailty phenotype (FP_Frailty, range: 0-5) and the frailty index (FI_Frailty, range: 0-1) at baseline. The incident CVD and T2DM were ascertained through linked hospital data and primary care data, respectively. The associations were examined using Cox proportional hazards regression models.

RESULTS

Compared with non-frail participants, those with pre-frailty (FP_Frailty [met 1-2 of the components]: hazard ratio [HR]=1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.32; FI_Frailty [0.10< FI ≤0.21]: HR=1.51, 95% CI: 1.32, 1.74) and frailty (FP_Frailty [met ≥3 of the components]: HR=2.12, 95% CI: 1.73, 2.60; FI_Frailty [FI >0.21]: HR=2.19, 95% CI: 1.85, 2.59) had a significantly higher risk of CVD in the multivariable-adjusted model. A similar association of FI_Frailty with the risk of incident T2DM was observed. We failed to find such an association for FP_Frailty. Notably, the very early stage of frailty (1 for FP_Frailty and 0.1-0.2 for FI_Frailty) was also positively associated with the risk of CVD and T2DM (FI_Frailty only). A series of sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty, even in the very early stage, was positively associated with the incidence risk of CVD and T2DM among long-term cancer survivors, although discrepancies existed between frailty indicators. While the validation of these findings is required, they suggest that routine monitoring, prevention, and interventive programs of frailty among cancer survivors may help to prevent late comorbidities and, eventually, improve their quality of life. Especially, interventions are recommended to target those at an early stage of frailty when healthcare resources are limited.

Polygenic Risk of Prediabetes, Undiagnosed Diabetes, and Incident Type 2 Diabetes Stratified by Diabetes Risk Factors

Context

Early diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is crucial to reduce severe comorbidities and complications. Current screening recommendations for type 2 diabetes include traditional risk factors, primarily body mass index (BMI) and family history, however genetics also plays a key role in type 2 diabetes risk. It is important to understand whether genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes modifies the effect of these traditional factors on type 2 diabetes risk.

Objective

This work aimed to investigate whether genetic risk of type 2 diabetes modifies associations between BMI and first-degree family history of diabetes with 1) prevalent prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes; and 2) incident confirmed type 2 diabetes.

Methods

We included 431 658 individuals aged 40 to 69 years at baseline of multiethnic ancestry from the UK Biobank. We used a multiethnic polygenic risk score for type 2 diabetes (PRST2D) developed by Genomics PLC. Prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes was defined as baseline glycated hemoglobin greater than or equal to 42 mmol/mol (6.0%), and incident type 2 diabetes was derived from medical records.

Results

At baseline, 43 472 participants had prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes, and 17 259 developed type 2 diabetes over 15 years follow-up. Dose-response associations were observed for PRST2D with each outcome in each category of BMI or first-degree family history of diabetes. Those in the highest quintile of PRST2D with a normal BMI were at a similar risk as those in the middle quintile who were overweight. Participants who were in the highest quintile of PRST2D and did not have a first-degree family history of diabetes were at a similar risk as those with a family history who were in the middle category of PRST2D.

Conclusion

Genetic risk of type 2 diabetes remains strongly associated with risk of prediabetes, undiagnosed diabetes, and future type 2 diabetes within categories of nongenetic risk factors. This could have important implications for identifying individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes for prevention and early diagnosis programs.

Vitamin D Status, Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms, and Risk of Microvascular Complications Among Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE

Evidence is limited regarding the associations between vitamin D status and microvascular complications in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D), among whom vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is particularly common. In this study we aimed to prospectively investigate the associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms with risk of diabetic microvascular complications.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

This analysis included 14,709 participants with T2D who were free of microvascular complications from the UK Biobank. Incidence of diabetic microvascular complications was ascertained via electronic health records. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs.

RESULTS

Median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 40.7 nmol/L (interquartile range 27.5, 56.4). During a median of 11.2 years of follow-up, 1,370 people developed diabetic microvascular complications. Compared with participants with 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L, individuals with 25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L had a multivariable-adjusted HR of 0.65 (95% CI 0.51, 0.84) for composite diabetic microvascular complications, 0.62 (0.40, 0.95) for diabetic retinopathy, 0.56 (0.40, 0.79) for diabetic nephropathy, and 0.48 (0.26, 0.89) for diabetic neuropathy. In addition, in comparisons with participants with 25(OH)D <25 nmol/L and minor allele homozygotes (TT of rs1544410 and GG of rs731236), the multivariable-adjusted HRs of composite diabetic microvascular complications were 0.54 (0.38, 0.78) and 0.55 (0.38, 0.80) for participants with serum 25(OH)D ≥50 nmol/L and major allele homozygotes (CC and AA), respectively, although no significant interaction was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly associated with lower risk of diabetic microvascular complications, including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, and diabetic neuropathy. Our findings suggest a potential beneficial role of maintaining adequate vitamin D status in the prevention of diabetic microvascular complications.

Association of type 1 diabetes and age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes with brain volume and risk of dementia in the UK Biobank: A prospective cohort study of community-dwelling participants

AIMS

To investigate the association of type 1 diabetes (T1D) and age at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with brain structure and incident dementia.

METHODS

Our analysis was based on the UK Biobank. We included 1376 participants with diabetes and 2752 randomly selected controls for brain volume analysis, and 25,141 participants with diabetes and 50,282 randomly selected controls for dementia analysis. Brain volume was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Dementia was identified using hospital inpatient records and mortality register data until January 2021.

RESULTS

T2D diagnosed at a younger age was associated with larger reductions in brain volume. After adjustment for glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and other covariates, only T2D diagnosed <50 years was associated with smaller total brain volume (β (95% CI): -14.56 (-24.67, -4.44) ml), and grey (-6.47[-12.75, -0.20] ml) and white matter volumes (-8.08[-14.66, -1.51] ml). Corresponding numbers for total brain, grey matter and white matter volumes associated with T1D were -62.86 (-93.71,-32.01), -34.27 (-53.72, -14.83), and -28.59 (-47.65, -9.52) ml, respectively. During a median follow-up of 11.9 years, 2035 new dementia cases were identified. Younger age at diagnosis of T2D was associated with larger excessive risk of dementia, whereas T2D diagnosed <50 years was associated with the largest hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI: 2.03[1.53-2.69]) in the multivariable analysis. The HR (95% CI) for dementia associated with T1D was 2.08 (1.40-3.09).

CONCLUSION

Individuals with T1D or T2D diagnosed at younger age are at larger excessive risk of brain volume reduction and dementia.

Walking pace, handgrip strength, age, APOE genotypes, and new-onset dementia: the UK Biobank prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The independent and additive associations of walking pace and grip strength on dementia risk and the potential modifying effects of age, APOE phenotypes, and other dementia risk factors on the walking pace and dementia relationships demand further clarification. We aimed to investigate the independent and additive relationships of walking pace and handgrip strength on the risk of new-onset dementia and examine the potentially modifying effects of age, APOE phenotypes, lifestyle factors, and family history of dementia in the relationships.

METHODS

A total of 495,700 participants from the UK Biobank, who were free of dementia at baseline, were included in this study. Walking pace was self-defined as slow, average, or brisk. Handgrip strength was assessed by dynamometer and was divided into sex-specific quartiles. The APOE genotypes were determined by a combination variant of rs429358 and rs7412. Other dementia risk factors, including education, physical activity, hypertension, depression, diabetes, and family history of dementia, were also collected. The primary outcome was new-onset all-cause dementia.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up duration of 12.0 years, 3986 (0.8%) participants developed new-onset all-cause dementia. Compared with those with slow walking pace, participants with average (HR, 0.61; 95%CI: 0.55-0.68) or brisk (HR, 0.59; 95%CI: 0.52-0.67) walking pace had a significantly lower risk of new-onset all-cause dementia. Moreover, compared with those with both slow walking pace and lower handgrip strength (the first quartile), the lowest risk of new-onset all-cause dementia was observed in participants with both average or brisk walking pace and higher handgrip strength (the 2-4 quartiles) (HR, 0.45; 95%CI: 0.40-0.52). Notably, the negative relationship between walking pace and the risk of new-onset all-cause dementia was significantly reduced as APOE ε4 dosage increased (APOE ε4 dosages = 0 or 1: brisk vs. slow: HR, 0.55; 95%CI: 0.48-0.63; vs. APOE ε4 dosages = 2: brisk vs. slow: HR, 1.14; 95%CI: 0.77-1.68; P for interaction = 0.001) or age increased (< 58 [median]: brisk vs. slow: HR, 0.27; 95%CI: 0.18-0.41; vs. ≥ 58 years: brisk vs. slow: HR, 0.55; 95%CI: 0.48-0.63; P for interaction = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Walking pace was inversely associated with new-onset dementia in the general population, especially in younger participants and those with lower APOE ε4 dosage. Participants with both faster walking pace and higher handgrip strength had the lowest risk of dementia, suggesting that maintaining both high handgrip strength and fast walking pace may be a more comprehensive strategy for preventing dementia risk.

Individual frailty phenotype components and mortality in adults with type 2 diabetes: A UK Biobank study

AIMS

This study aimed to explore associations between frailty components and mortality and rank prognostic relevance of each frailty component in predicting mortality in adults with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

We used data from the UK Biobank. Associations and prognostic discrimination of individual Fried's frailty components and the overall frailty status with all-cause and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality were investigated using Cox proportional-hazard models and C-index in adults with and without T2D.

RESULTS

In both populations the strongest association with all-cause mortality across all frailty components and overall frailty status was observed for slow walking pace (without T2D Hazard Ratio [HR] 2.25, 95 %CI: 2.12-2.38 and with T2D HR 1.95, 95 %CI: 1.67-2.28). Similarly, slow walking pace was associated with a greater risk of CVD mortality. The combination of T2D and slow walking pace had the strongest association with all-cause and CVD mortality, compared to the combination of T2D and other frailty components or overall frailty status. Slow walking pace also provided the greatest prognostic discrimination.

CONCLUSION

Slow walking pace has a stronger predictive factor for all-cause and CVD mortality compared to other frailty components and overall frailty status, especially when simultaneously present with T2D.

Genetic footprints of assortative mating in the Japanese population

Assortative mating (AM) is a pattern characterized by phenotypic similarities between mating partners. Detecting the evidence of AM has been challenging due to the lack of large-scale datasets that include phenotypic data on both partners, especially in populations of non-European ancestries. Gametic phase disequilibrium between trait-associated alleles is a signature of parental AM on a polygenic trait, which can be detected even without partner data. Here, using polygenic scores for 81 traits in the Japanese population using BioBank Japan Project genome-wide association studies data (n = 172,270), we found evidence of AM on the liability to type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, as well as on dietary habits. In cross-population comparison using United Kingdom Biobank data (n = 337,139) we found shared but heterogeneous impacts of AM between populations.

Mobile Phone Use, Genetic Susceptibility and New-Onset Chronic Kidney Diseases

Objective: To examine the associations of mobile phone use and its use characteristics with new-onset CKD. Methods: 408,743 participants without prior CKD in the UK Biobank were included. The primary outcome was new-onset CKD. Results: During a median follow-up of 12.1 years, 10,797 (2.6%) participants occurred CKD. Compared with mobile phone non-users, a significantly higher risk of new-onset CKD was found in mobile phone users (HR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02-1.13). Moreover, among mobile phone users, compared with participants with weekly usage time of mobile phone making or receiving calls <30 min, a significantly higher risk of new-onset CKD was observed in those with usage time ≥30 min (HR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.07-1.18). Moreover, participants with both high genetic risks of CKD and longer weekly usage time of mobile phones had the highest risk of CKD. Similar results were found using the propensity score matching methods. However, there were no significant associations of length of mobile phone use, and hands-free device/speakerphone use with new-onset CKD among mobile phone users. Conclusion: Mobile phone use was significantly associated with a higher risk of new-onset CKD, especially in those with longer weekly usage time of mobile phones making or receiving calls. Our findings and the underlying mechanisms should be further investigated.

The contribution of functional HNF1A variants and polygenic susceptibility to risk of type 2 diabetes in ancestrally diverse populations

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

We examined the contribution of rare HNF1A variants to type 2 diabetes risk and age of diagnosis, and the extent to which their impact is affected by overall genetic susceptibility, across three ancestry groups.

METHODS

Using exome sequencing data of 160,615 individuals of the UK Biobank and 18,797 individuals of the BioMe Biobank, we identified 746 carriers of rare functional HNF1A variants (minor allele frequency ≤1%), of which 507 carry variants in the functional domains. We calculated polygenic risk scores (PRSs) based on genome-wide association study summary statistics for type 2 diabetes, and examined the association of HNF1A variants and PRS with risk of type 2 diabetes and age of diagnosis. We also tested whether the PRS affects the association between HNF1A variants and type 2 diabetes risk by including an interaction term.

RESULTS

Rare HNF1A variants that are predicted to impair protein function are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals of European ancestry (OR 1.46, p=0.049), particularly when the variants are located in the functional domains (OR 1.89, p=0.002). No association was observed for individuals of African ancestry (OR 1.10, p=0.60) or Hispanic-Latino ancestry (OR 1.00, p=1.00). Rare functional HNF1A variants were associated with an earlier age at diagnosis in the Hispanic-Latino population (β=-5.0 years, p=0.03), and this association was marginally more pronounced for variants in the functional domains (β=-5.59 years, p=0.03). No associations were observed for other ancestries (African ancestry β=-2.7 years, p=0.13; European ancestry β=-3.5 years, p=0.20). A higher PRS was associated with increased odds of type 2 diabetes in all ancestries (OR 1.61-2.11, p<10-5) and an earlier age at diagnosis in individuals of African ancestry (β=-1.4 years, p=3.7 × 10-6) and Hispanic-Latino ancestry (β=-2.4 years, p<2 × 10-16). Furthermore, a higher PRS exacerbated the effect of the functional HNF1A variants on type 2 diabetes in the European ancestry population (pinteraction=0.037).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

We show that rare functional HNF1A variants, in particular those located in the functional domains, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, at least among individuals of European ancestry. Their effect is even more pronounced in individuals with a high polygenic susceptibility. Our analyses highlight the importance of the location of functional variants within a gene and an individual's overall polygenic susceptibility, and emphasise the need for more genetic data in non-European populations.

Interactive relationships of Type 2 diabetes and bipolar disorder with cognition: evidence of putative premature cognitive ageing in the UK Biobank Cohort

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is disproportionately prevalent in bipolar disorder (BD) and is associated with cognitive deficits in psychiatrically healthy cohorts. Whether there is an interaction effect between T2D and BD on cognition remains unclear. Using the UK Biobank, we explored interactions between T2D, BD and cognition during mid and later life; and examined age-related cognitive performance effects in BD as a function of T2D. Data were available for 1511 participants with BD (85 T2D), and 81,162 psychiatrically healthy comparisons (HC) (3430 T2D). BD and T2D status were determined by validated measures created specifically for the UK Biobank. Diagnostic and age-related associations between T2D status and cognition were tested using analyses of covariance or logistic regression. There was a negative association of T2D with visuospatial memory that was specific to BD. Processing speed and prospective memory performance were negatively associated with T2D, irrespective of BD diagnosis. Cognitive deficits were evident in BD patients with T2D compared to those without, with scores either remaining the same (processing speed) or improving (visuospatial memory) as a function of participant age. In contrast, cognitive performance in BD patients without T2D was worse as participant age increased, although the age-related trajectory remained broadly equivalent to the HC group. BD and T2D associated with cognitive performance deficits across the mid-life period; indicating comorbid T2D as a potential risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in BD. In comparison to BD participants without T2D and HCs, age-independent cognitive impairments in BD participants with comorbid T2D suggest a potential premature deterioration of cognitive functioning compared to what would normally be expected.

Identifying type 1 and 2 diabetes in research datasets where classification biomarkers are unavailable: assessing the accuracy of published approaches

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the performance of approaches for classifying insulin-treated diabetes within research datasets without measured classification biomarkers, evaluated against two independent biological definitions of diabetes type.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING

We compared accuracy of ten reported approaches for classifying insulin-treated diabetes into type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes in two cohorts: UK Biobank (UKBB) n = 26,399 and Diabetes Alliance for Research in England (DARE) n = 1,296. The overall performance for classifying T1D and T2D was assessed using: a T1D genetic risk score and genetic stratification method (UKBB); C-peptide measured at >3 years diabetes duration (DARE).

RESULTS

Approaches' accuracy ranged from 71% to 88% (UKBB) and 68% to 88% (DARE). When classifying all participants, combining early insulin requirement with a T1D probability model (incorporating diagnosis age and body image issue [BMI]), and interview-reported diabetes type (UKBB available in only 15%) consistently achieved high accuracy (UKBB 87% and 87% and DARE 85% and 88%, respectively). For identifying T1D with minimal misclassification, models with high thresholds or young diagnosis age (<20 years) had highest performance. Findings were incorporated into an online tool identifying optimum approaches based on variable availability.

CONCLUSION

Models combining continuous features with early insulin requirement are the most accurate methods for classifying insulin-treated diabetes in research datasets without measured classification biomarkers.

Four missense genetic variants in CUBN are associated with higher levels of eGFR in non-diabetes but not in diabetes mellitus or its subtypes: A genetic association study in Europeans

AIM

Rare genetic variants in the CUBN gene encoding the main albumin-transporter in the proximal tubule of the kidneys have previously been associated with microalbuminuria and higher urine albumin levels, also in diabetes. Sequencing studies in isolated proteinuria suggest that these variants might not affect kidney function, despite proteinuria. However, the relation of these CUBN missense variants to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is largely unexplored. We hereby broadly examine the associations between four CUBN missense variants and eGFR_creatinine in Europeans with Type 1 (T1D) and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). Furthermore, we sought to deepen our understanding of these variants in a range of single- and aggregate- variant analyses of other kidney-related traits in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

We carried out a genetic association-based linear regression analysis between four CUBN missense variants (rs141640975, rs144360241, rs45551835, rs1801239) and eGFR_creatinine (ml/min/1.73 m², CKD-EPI_{creatinine(2012)}, natural log-transformed) in populations with T1D (n ~ 3,588) or T2D (n ~ 31,155) from multiple European studies and in individuals without diabetes from UK Biobank (UKBB, n ~ 370,061) with replication in deCODE (n = 127,090). Summary results of the diabetes-group were meta-analyzed using the fixed-effect inverse-variance method.

RESULTS

Albeit we did not observe associations between eGFR_creatinine and CUBN in the diabetes-group, we found significant positive associations between the minor alleles of all four variants and eGFR_creatinine in the UKBB individuals without diabetes with rs141640975 being the strongest (Effect=0.02, P_{eGFR_creatinine}=2.2 × 10^-9). We replicated the findings for rs141640975 in the Icelandic non-diabetes population (Effect=0.026, P_{eGFR_creatinine}=7.7 × 10^-4). For rs141640975, the eGFR_creatinine-association showed significant interaction with albuminuria levels (normo-, micro-, and macroalbuminuria; p = 0.03). An aggregated genetic risk score (GRS) was associated with higher urine albumin levels and eGFR_creatinine. The rs141640975 variant was also associated with higher levels of eGFR_{creatinine-cystatin C} (ml/min/1.73 m², CKD-EPI₂₀₂₁, natural log-transformed) and lower circulating cystatin C levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The positive associations between the four CUBN missense variants and eGFR in a large population without diabetes suggests a pleiotropic role of CUBN as a novel eGFR-locus in addition to it being a known albuminuria-locus. Additional associations with diverse renal function measures (lower cystatin C and higher eGFR_{creatinine-cystatin C} levels) and a CUBN-focused GRS further suggests an important role of CUBN in the future personalization of chronic kidney disease management in people without diabetes.

Polypharmacy and antidepressant acceptability in comorbid depression and type 2 diabetes: a cohort study using UK primary care data

Background

Polypharmacy may increase the risk of drug interactions, side effects, and poor adherence; however, the impact of polypharmacy on antidepressant acceptability in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is unknown.

Aim

To investigate the association between number of prescribed medications and early antidepressant discontinuation in adults with T2DM.

Design and setting

Cohort study using UK primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2018.

Method

Cox regression with penalised B-splines was used to describe the association between the number of concurrently prescribed medications at the time of starting antidepressant treatment and each of the outcomes.

Results

A total of 73 808 individuals with comorbid depression and T2DM starting antidepressant treatment for the first time were identified. A median of 7 concurrent medications were prescribed. Within 32 weeks, 44.26% (n= 32 665) of participants discontinued antidepressant treatment altogether, and 11.75% (n= 8672) of participants switched antidepressant agents. An inverse relationship between the number of concurrent medications and discontinuing antidepressant treatment altogether was found. The median of 7 concurrent medications was associated with a 65.06% decrease in early antidepressant discontinuation; hazard ratio 0.45, 95% confidence interval = 0.37 to 0.55. No evidence of an association between the number of concurrent medications and switching antidepressant agents was found.

Conclusion

Early discontinuation of antidepressants is common in adults with T2DM; however, individuals with higher levels of concurrent polypharmacy may be more adherent to treatment. These are likely to represent individuals with worse physical or mental health. Individuals with lower levels of concurrent polypharmacy may benefit from adherence support.

Proton Pump Inhibitor Use and Risks of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used drugs for gastric-acid-related diseases, which may have an impact on the gut microbiome. We aimed to evaluate the associations of PPI use with risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

We analysed the associations of PPI use with risks of coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), stroke, and all-cause mortality in 19,229 adults with T2D using data from the UK Biobank study.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 10.9-11.2 years, we documented a total of 2,971 CAD, 1,827 MI, 1,192 HF, and 738 stroke cases, along with 2,297 total deaths. PPI use was significantly associated with higher risks of CAD (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.15-1.40), MI (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.18-1.52), HF (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.16-1.57) and all-cause mortality (HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.16-1.45). No significant association was observed between PPI use and stroke (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.90-1.36). The results were consistent in the subgroup analyses stratified by factors including indications of PPI, anti-diabetic medication use, and antiplatelet drug use. Analyses in a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort of PPI users versus non-users yielded similar results.

INTERPRETATION

Our data suggested that PPI use was associated with higher risks of CVD events and mortality among patients with T2D. The benefits and risks of PPI use should be carefully balanced among patients with T2D, and monitoring of adverse CVD events during PPI therapy should be enhanced.

Habitual Fish Oil Supplementation and Incident Chronic Kidney Disease in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

To explore the relation of habitual fish oil use with the risk of chronic kidney diseases (CKD).

METHODS

408,023 participants (54.2% female) without prior CKD and with completed information regarding their consumption of major food groups and fish oil in the UK Biobank were enrolled. Fish oil use and dietary intakes were assessed by touch screen questionnaire and food frequency questionnaire, respectively. Incident CKD was recorded from hospital inpatient records.

RESULTS

At baseline, 128,843 (31.6%) participants reported taking fish oil supplements. During a median follow-up period of 12.0 years, a total of 10,782 (2.6%) participants developed CKD. With adjustments for important confounders, habitual fish oil use was associated with a significantly lower hazard of incident CKD (hazard ratio [HR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-0.95), compared with non-use. Consistently, participants reporting ≥2 servings/week of oily fish (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79-0.94) and nonoily fish (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77-0.97) consumption had a lower hazard of incident CKD compared to those reporting no consumption ever. Additionally, among the 97,914 participants with data on plasma fatty acid, there were significant inverse relationships of plasma omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) (per SD increment, HR, 0.89, 95% CI, 0.84-0.94) and eicosatetraenoic acid (per SD increment, HR, 0.91, 95% CI, 0.87-0.96) with incident CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

Habitual fish oil use was associated with a lower hazard of CKD, which was further confirmed by the consistent inverse relations between fish consumption and circulating omega-3 PUFA concentration with incident CKD.

Damaging missense variants in IGF1R implicate a role for IGF-1 resistance in the etiology of type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a heritable metabolic disorder. While population studies have identified hundreds of common genetic variants associated with T2D, the role of rare (frequency < 0.1%) protein-coding variation is less clear. We performed exome sequence analysis in 418,436 (n = 32,374 T2D cases) individuals in the UK Biobank. We identified previously reported genes (GCK, GIGYF1, HNF1A) in addition to missense variants in ZEB2 (n = 31 carriers; odds ratio [OR] = 5.5 [95% confidence interval = 2.5-12.0]; p = 6.4 × 10^-7), MLXIPL (n = 245; OR = 2.3 [1.6-3.2]; p = 3.2 × 10^-7), and IGF1R (n = 394; OR = 2.4 [1.8-3.2]; p = 1.3 × 10^-10). Carriers of damaging missense variants within IGF1R were also shorter (-2.2 cm [-1.8 to -2.7]; p = 1.2 × 10^-19) and had higher circulating insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) protein levels (2.3 nmol/L [1.7-2.9]; p = 2.8 × 10^-14), indicating relative IGF-1 resistance. A likely causal role of IGF-1 resistance was supported by Mendelian randomization analyses using common variants. These results increase understanding of the genetic architecture of T2D and highlight the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis as a potential therapeutic target.

Frailty and risk of microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional studies found that frailty was associated with prevalent diabetic microvascular complications (DMC). Longitudinal evidence in this regard is inconclusive and insufficient. We aimed to prospectively evaluate the association of pre-frailty and frailty with DMC in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS

We included 18,062 adults (mean age 59.4 ± 7.2 years, 37.4% female) with T2D at baseline in the UK Biobank. Frailty was defined using the frailty phenotype according to five components (weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, slow gait speed, and low grip strength). DMC, defined as diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy, or diabetic retinopathy, was identified using hospital inpatient records and death registries. Cox proportional hazard regression models considering competing risks were used to evaluate the associations of frailty phenotype with overall DMC events and subtypes.

RESULTS

Among all participants, 6101 (33.8%) were classified as non-frail, 10,073 (55.8%) were classified as pre-frail, and 1888 (10.4%) were classified as frail. During a median follow-up of 12.0 years, 3678 DMC cases were documented, including 2213 diabetic nephropathy, 1520 diabetic retinopathy, and 673 diabetic neuropathy events. In the multivariable-adjusted model, compared with participants with non-frail, both pre-frailty and frailty were significantly associated with increased risk of overall DMC (HR 1.10, 95% CI: [1.02, 1.18] for pre-frailty and HR 1.52 [95% CI: 1.36, 1.69] for frailty). Similar results were observed in the subtypes of DMC. For each one-point increase in frailty phenotype score, the risk of overall DMC, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and diabetic neuropathy event increased by 13%, 16%, 10%, and 20%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Both pre-frailty and frailty were associated with an increased risk of DMC in patients with T2D. These findings have important implications for integrating early assessment and surveillance of frailty in diabetes and may favor the identification of at-risk patients.

Associations of polysocial risk score, lifestyle and genetic factors with incident type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study

AIM/HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to investigate the association between polysocial risk score (PsRS), an estimator of individual-level exposure to cumulative social risks, and incident type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank study.

METHODS

This study includes 319,832 participants who were free of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer at baseline in the UK Biobank study. The PsRS was calculated by counting the 12 social determinants of health from three social risk domains (namely socioeconomic status, psychosocial factors, and neighbourhood and living environment) that had a statistically significant association with incident type 2 diabetes after Bonferroni correction. A healthy lifestyle score was calculated using information on smoking status, alcohol intake, physical activity, diet quality and sleep quality. A genetic risk score was calculated using 403 SNPs that showed significant genome-wide associations with type 2 diabetes in people of European descent. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyse the association between the PsRS and incident type 2 diabetes.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 8.7 years, 4427 participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. After adjustment for major confounders, an intermediate PsRS (4-6) and high PsRS (≥7) was associated with higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes with the HRs being 1.38 (95% CI 1.26, 1.52) and 2.02 (95% CI 1.83, 2.22), respectively, compared with those with a low PsRS (≤3). In addition, an intermediate to high PsRS accounted for approximately 34% (95% CI 29, 39) of new-onset type 2 diabetes cases. A healthy lifestyle slightly, but significantly, mitigated PsRS-related risks of type 2 diabetes (p_interaction=0.030). In addition, the additive interactions between PsRS and genetic predisposition led to 15% (95% CI 13, 17; p<0.001) of new-onset type 2 diabetes cases (p_interaction<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

A higher PsRS was related to increased risks of type 2 diabetes. Adherence to a healthy lifestyle may attenuate elevated diabetes risks due to social vulnerability. Genetic susceptibility and disadvantaged social status may act synergistically, resulting in additional risks for type 2 diabetes.

Microvascular Burden and Incident Heart Failure Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between microvascular disease (MVD) and risk of heart failure (HF) among individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We included 1,713 and 28,624 participants with T1DM and T2DM, respectively, from the UK Biobank who were free of HF during enrollment. MVD burden reflected by the presence of retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) at baseline was prospectively evaluated for the association with incidence of HF. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs of HF were estimated by Cox regression models adjusted for multiple traditional risk factors.

RESULTS

There were 145 and 2,515 incident cases of HF recorded among participants with T1DM and T2DM, respectively, during a median follow-up of 11.5 years. The association between the number of MVD and HF was stronger among participants with T1DM than among those with T2DM (P for interaction <0.001). Compared with participants with no MVD, those with all three MVD had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of 11.37 (5.62, 22.99) in T1DM and 3.66 (2.74, 4.88) in T2DM. In T1DM, HRs (CIs) were 2.69 (1.75, 4.14) for retinopathy, 2.11 (1.38, 3.23) for peripheral neuropathy, and 2.21 (1.53, 3.18) for CKD. The corresponding estimates in T2DM were 1.24 (1.13, 1.36), 1.63 (1.36, 1.96), and 1.73 (1.59, 1.89), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

While a heavier burden of MVD was associated with excess risk of HF both in T1DM and T2DM, the association was evidently more pronounced in T1DM.

Genetic analysis of the PCSK9 locus in psychological, psychiatric, metabolic and cardiovascular traits in UK Biobank

The association between severe mental illness (SMI) and cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CMD) is poorly understood. PCSK9 is expressed in systems critical to both SMI and CMD and influences lipid homeostasis and brain function. We systematically investigated relationships between genetic variation within the PCSK9 locus and risk for both CMD and SMI. UK Biobank recruited ~500,000 volunteers and assessed a wide range of SMI and CMD phenotypes. We used genetic data from white British ancestry individuals of UK Biobank. Genetic association analyses were conducted in PLINK, with statistical significance defined by the number of independent SNPs. Conditional analyses and linkage disequilibrium assessed the independence of SNPs and the presence of multiple signals. Two genetic risk scores of lipid-lowering alleles were calculated and used as proxies for putative lipid-lowering effects of PCSK9. PCSK9 variants were associated with central adiposity, venous thrombosis embolism, systolic blood pressure, mood instability, and neuroticism (all p < 1.16 × 10-4). No secondary signals were identified. Conditional analyses and high linkage disequilibrium (r2 = 0.98) indicated that mood instability and central obesity may share a genetic signal. Genetic risk scores suggested that the lipid-lowering effects of PCSK9 may be causal for greater mood instability and higher neuroticism. This is the first study to implicate the PCSK9 locus in mood-disorder symptoms and related traits, as well as the shared pathology of SMI and CMD. PCSK9 effects on mood may occur via lipid-lowering mechanisms. Further work is needed to understand whether repurposing PCSK9-targeting therapies might improve SMI symptoms and prevent CMD.

Association of Combined Healthy Lifestyle Factors With Incident Dementia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Type 2 diabetes and lifestyle factors have been associated with dementia risk, but the effect of a healthy lifestyle on diabetes-related dementia remains largely unknown. We aimed to investigate whether the increased risk of dementia among individuals with diabetes can be offset by a broad combination of healthy lifestyle factors.

METHODS

This prospective study used data from the UK Biobank cohort. An overall lifestyle score ranging from 0 to 7 was created, with 1 point for each of the 7 healthy lifestyle factors: no current smoking, moderate alcohol consumption, regular physical activity, healthy diet, adequate sleep duration, less sedentary behavior, and frequent social contact. Incident dementia was ascertained using linkage with electronic health records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between diabetes, healthy lifestyle score, and dementia incidence.

RESULTS

We included 167,946 participants aged 60 years or older without dementia at baseline (mean age 64.1 [SD 2.8] years, 51.7% female). During a median follow-up of 12.3 years, 4,351 developed all-cause dementia. Participants with diabetes, but not those with prediabetes, showed a higher risk of dementia than those with normoglycemia. Compared with diabetes-free participants who had a lifestyle score of 7, the hazard ratios (HRs) for dementia were 4.01 (95% CI 3.06-5.25) and 1.74 (95% CI 1.11-2.72) for those with diabetes who had a lifestyle score of 0-2 and 7, respectively. Among participants with diabetes, the HR for dementia comparing a lifestyle score of 7 vs 0-2 was 0.46 (95% CI 0.28-0.75). This finding corresponded to a reduction in the 10-year absolute risk of dementia from 5.22% (95% CI 3.94%-6.73%) to 1.72% (95% CI 0.92%-2.97%). The association between higher lifestyle score and lower dementia risk was independent of glycemic control and diabetes medication.

DISCUSSION

Adherence to a broad range of healthy lifestyle factors was associated with a significantly lower risk of dementia among participants with diabetes. Behavioral lifestyle modification through multifactorial approaches should be a priority for prevention and delayed onset of dementia in patients with diabetes.

Association of physical activity and air pollution exposure with the risk of type 2 diabetes: a large population-based prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The interplay between physical activity (PA) and air pollution in relation to type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains largely unknown. Based on a large population-based cohort study, this study aimed to examine whether the benefits of PA with respect to the risk of T2D are moderated by exposure to air pollution.

METHODS

UK Biobank participants (n = 359,153) without diabetes at baseline were included. Information on PA was obtained using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form. Exposure to air pollution, including PM_2.5, PM_coarse (PM_2.5-10), PM₁₀, and NO_2, was estimated from land use regression models. Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).

RESULTS

During a median of 8.9 years of follow-up, 13,706 T2D events were recorded. Compared with a low PA level, the HRs for the risk of T2D among individuals with moderate and high PA were 0.82 (95% CI, 0.79-0.86) and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.70-0.77), respectively. Compared with low levels of air pollution, the HRs for risk of T2D for high levels of air pollution (PM_2.5, PM_coarse, PM₁₀, and NO₂) were 1.19 (1.14-1.24), 1.06 (1.02-1.11), 1.13 (1.08-1.18), and 1.19 (1.14-1.24), respectively. There was no effect modification of the associations between PA and T2D by air pollution (all P-interactions > 0.05). The inverse associations between PA and T2D in each air pollution stratum were generally consistent (all P for trend < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

A higher PA and lower air pollution level were independently associated with a lower risk of T2D. The beneficial effects of PA on T2D generally remained stable among participants exposed to different levels of air pollution. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in moderately and severely polluted areas.

Regular use of ibuprofen or paracetamol and incident type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study in the UK Biobank

BACKGROUND

The relation of regular ibuprofen or paracetamol use with the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) remained undetermined. We aimed to evaluate the prospective association between regular ibuprofen or paracetamol use and incidence of T2DM.

METHODS

This cohort included 372,843 participants with available data of ibuprofen, paracetamol use and without diabetes at baseline from the UK Biobank. The primary outcome was incident T2DM. Cox proportional hazards models were applied to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of T2DM.

RESULTS

During a median of 12.1 years' follow-up, 11,527 (3.1%) participants developed T2DM. Overall, participants with regular use of paracetamol showed a significantly higher risk of incident T2DM (adjusted HR, 1.25; 95%CI: 1.19,1.31), compared with non-users. Moreover, a stronger positive association of paracetamol use with incident T2DM was found among those aged <60 years (vs. ≥60 years, P-interaction =0.008), free of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (vs. CVD patients, P-interaction =0.01), and without the use of anti-hypertensive drugs (vs. users, P-interaction =0.016) at baseline. However, there was no significant association between regular use of ibuprofen (users vs. non-users; adjusted HR, 1.05; 95%CI: 0.99,1.12) and incident T2DM. More importantly, genetic risks of T2DM did not significantly modify the relations of ibuprofen, or paracetamol use with incident T2DM (Both P-interactions >0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Regular use of paracetamol, but not ibuprofen, was associated with a significantly higher risk of incident T2DM among middle aged UK adults. Our current findings highlight the need for greater consideration in the clinical selection of paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Relationships of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations, Diabetes, Genetic Susceptibility, and New-Onset Chronic Kidney Disease

OBJECTIVE

The prospective relation of vitamin D status with the risk of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) remains uncertain. We aimed to examine the association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) with new-onset CKD in participants with and without diabetes at baseline and examine the potential modifications by genetic susceptibility on the association.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Included were 348,243 adults from the UK Biobank without prior CKD at baseline. Serum 25OHD concentrations were measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay method. Genetic risk score of CKD was calculated by 263 single nucleotide polymorphisms, which showed significant associations with estimated glomerular filtration rate. The primary outcome was new-onset CKD.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up duration of 12.1 years, 9,344 new-onset CKD were documented. Overall, there was a significant inverse association between baseline serum 25OHD and new-onset CKD in participants with diabetes (per SD increment, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.91; 95% CI 0.86-0.96), but not in those without diabetes (per SD increment, adjusted HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.96-1.01; P-interaction between serum 25OHD and diabetes = 0.004). Accordingly, among participants with diabetes, compared with those baseline serum 25OHD <25 nmol/L, a significantly lower risk of new-onset CKD was found in those with 25OHD ≥50 nmol/L (adjusted HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.67-0.89). Moreover, the genetic risk of CKD did not significantly modify the association between baseline serum 25OHD and new-onset CKD among participants with diabetes (P-interaction = 0.127).

CONCLUSIONS

There was an inverse association between baseline serum 25OHD and new-onset CKD in participants with diabetes. The inverse association was not found in participants without diabetes.