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Milliken T, Beiler D, Hoffman S, Olenginski A, Troiani V. Recruitment in Appalachian, Rural and Older Adult Populations in an Artificial Intelligence World: Study Using Human-Mediated Follow-Up. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e38189. [PMID: 39173153 PMCID: PMC11377916 DOI: 10.2196/38189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Participant recruitment in rural and hard-to-reach (HTR) populations can present unique challenges. These challenges are further exacerbated by the need for low-cost recruiting, which often leads to use of web-based recruitment methods (eg, email, social media). Despite these challenges, recruitment strategy statistics that support effective enrollment strategies for underserved and HTR populations are underreported. This study highlights how a recruitment strategy that uses email in combination with follow-up, mostly phone calls and email reminders, produced a higher-than-expected enrollment rate that includes a diversity of participants from rural, Appalachian populations in older age brackets and reports recruitment and demographic statistics within a subset of HTR populations. OBJECTIVE This study aims to provide evidence that a recruitment strategy that uses a combination of email, telephonic, and follow-up recruitment strategies increases recruitment rates in various HTR populations, specifically in rural, older, and Appalachian populations. METHODS We evaluated the overall enrollment rate of 1 recruitment arm of a larger study that aims to understand the relationship between genetics and substance use disorders. We evaluated the enrolled population's characteristics to determine recruitment success of a combined email and follow-up recruitment strategy, and the enrollment rate of HTR populations. These characteristics included (1) enrollment rate before versus after follow-up; (2) zip code and county of enrollee to determine rural or urban and Appalachian status; (3) age to verify recruitment in all eligible age brackets; and (4) sex distribution among age brackets and rural or urban status. RESULTS The email and follow-up arm of the study had a 17.4% enrollment rate. Of the enrolled participants, 76.3% (4602/6030) lived in rural counties and 23.7% (1428/6030) lived in urban counties in Pennsylvania. In addition, of patients enrolled, 98.7% (5956/6030) were from Appalachian counties and 1.3% (76/6030) were from non-Appalachian counties. Patients from rural Appalachia made up 76.2% (4603/6030) of the total rural population. Enrolled patients represented all eligible age brackets from ages 20 to 75 years, with the 60-70 years age bracket having the most enrollees. Females made up 72.5% (4371/6030) of the enrolled population and males made up 27.5% (1659/6030) of the population. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that a web-based recruitment method with participant follow-up, such as a phone call and email follow-up, increases enrollment numbers more than web-based methods alone for rural, Appalachian, and older populations. Adding a humanizing component, such as a live person phone call, may be a key element needed to establish trust and encourage patients from underserved and rural areas to enroll in studies via web-based recruitment methods. Supporting statistics on this recruitment strategy should help researchers identify whether this strategy may be useful in future studies and HTR populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ashlee Olenginski
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Toikumo S, Vickers-Smith R, Jinwala Z, Xu H, Saini D, Hartwell EE, Pavicic M, Sullivan KA, Xu K, Jacobson DA, Gelernter J, Rentsch CT, Stahl E, Cheatle M, Zhou H, Waxman SG, Justice AC, Kember RL, Kranzler HR. A multi-ancestry genetic study of pain intensity in 598,339 veterans. Nat Med 2024; 30:1075-1084. [PMID: 38429522 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-024-02839-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a common problem, with more than one-fifth of adult Americans reporting pain daily or on most days. It adversely affects the quality of life and imposes substantial personal and economic costs. Efforts to treat chronic pain using opioids had a central role in precipitating the opioid crisis. Despite an estimated heritability of 25-50%, the genetic architecture of chronic pain is not well-characterized, in part because studies have largely been limited to samples of European ancestry. To help address this knowledge gap, we conducted a cross-ancestry meta-analysis of pain intensity in 598,339 participants in the Million Veteran Program, which identified 126 independent genetic loci, 69 of which are new. Pain intensity was genetically correlated with other pain phenotypes, level of substance use and substance use disorders, other psychiatric traits, education level and cognitive traits. Integration of the genome-wide association studies findings with functional genomics data shows enrichment for putatively causal genes (n = 142) and proteins (n = 14) expressed in brain tissues, specifically in GABAergic neurons. Drug repurposing analysis identified anticonvulsants, β-blockers and calcium-channel blockers, among other drug groups, as having potential analgesic effects. Our results provide insights into key molecular contributors to the experience of pain and highlight attractive drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvanus Toikumo
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel Vickers-Smith
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Zeal Jinwala
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Heng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Divya Saini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily E Hartwell
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mirko Pavicic
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Kyle A Sullivan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel A Jacobson
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Joel Gelernter
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christopher T Rentsch
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Eli Stahl
- Regeneron Genetics Center, Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Martin Cheatle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hang Zhou
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Section of Biomedical Informatics and Data Science, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Stephen G Waxman
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Amy C Justice
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rachel L Kember
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Henry R Kranzler
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Toikumo S, Vickers-Smith R, Jinwala Z, Xu H, Saini D, Hartwell E, Venegas MP, Sullivan KA, Xu K, Jacobson DA, Gelernter J, Rentsch CT, Stahl E, Cheatle M, Zhou H, Waxman SG, Justice AC, Kember RL, Kranzler HR. The genetic architecture of pain intensity in a sample of 598,339 U.S. veterans. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.03.09.23286958. [PMID: 36993749 PMCID: PMC10055465 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.09.23286958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a common problem, with more than one-fifth of adult Americans reporting pain daily or on most days. It adversely affects quality of life and imposes substantial personal and economic costs. Efforts to treat chronic pain using opioids played a central role in precipitating the opioid crisis. Despite an estimated heritability of 25-50%, the genetic architecture of chronic pain is not well characterized, in part because studies have largely been limited to samples of European ancestry. To help address this knowledge gap, we conducted a cross-ancestry meta-analysis of pain intensity in 598,339 participants in the Million Veteran Program, which identified 125 independent genetic loci, 82 of which are novel. Pain intensity was genetically correlated with other pain phenotypes, level of substance use and substance use disorders, other psychiatric traits, education level, and cognitive traits. Integration of the GWAS findings with functional genomics data shows enrichment for putatively causal genes (n = 142) and proteins (n = 14) expressed in brain tissues, specifically in GABAergic neurons. Drug repurposing analysis identified anticonvulsants, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers, among other drug groups, as having potential analgesic effects. Our results provide insights into key molecular contributors to the experience of pain and highlight attractive drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvanus Toikumo
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rachel Vickers-Smith
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Kentucky College of Public Health; Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Zeal Jinwala
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Heng Xu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Divya Saini
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily Hartwell
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Mirko P. Venegas
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Kyle A. Sullivan
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Ke Xu
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Joel Gelernter
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Christopher T. Rentsch
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Eli Stahl
- Regeneron Genetics Center, Tarrytown, NY, USA
| | - Martin Cheatle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hang Zhou
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Stephen G. Waxman
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Amy C. Justice
- Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Yale University School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Rachel L. Kember
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Henry R. Kranzler
- Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Crescenz VAMC, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Farrell SF, Kho PF, Lundberg M, Campos AI, Rentería ME, de Zoete RMJ, Sterling M, Ngo TT, Cuéllar-Partida G. A Shared Genetic Signature for Common Chronic Pain Conditions and its Impact on Biopsychosocial Traits. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:369-386. [PMID: 36252619 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The multiple comorbidities & dimensions of chronic pain present a formidable challenge in disentangling its aetiology. Here, we performed genome-wide association studies of 8 chronic pain types using UK Biobank data (N =4,037-79,089 cases; N = 239,125 controls), followed by bivariate linkage disequilibrium-score regression and latent causal variable analyses to determine (respectively) their genetic correlations and genetic causal proportion (GCP) parameters with 1,492 other complex traits. We report evidence of a shared genetic signature across chronic pain types as their genetic correlations and GCP directions were broadly consistent across an array of biopsychosocial traits. Across 5,942 significant genetic correlations, 570 trait pairs could be explained by a causal association (|GCP| >0.6; 5% false discovery rate), including 82 traits affected by pain while 410 contributed to an increased risk of chronic pain (cf. 78 with a decreased risk) such as certain somatic pathologies (eg, musculoskeletal), psychiatric traits (eg, depression), socioeconomic factors (eg, occupation) and medical comorbidities (eg, cardiovascular disease). This data-driven phenome-wide association analysis has demonstrated a novel and efficient strategy for identifying genetically supported risk & protective traits to enhance the design of interventional trials targeting underlying causal factors and accelerate the development of more effective treatments with broader clinical utility. PERSPECTIVE: Through large-scale phenome-wide association analyses of >1,400 biopsychosocial traits, this article provides evidence for a shared genetic signature across 8 common chronic pain types. It lays the foundation for further translational studies focused on identifying causal genetic variants and pathophysiological pathways to develop novel diagnostic & therapeutic technologies and strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott F Farrell
- RECOVER Injury Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence: Better Health Outcomes for Compensable Injury, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; Tess Cramond Pain & Research Centre, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Pik-Fang Kho
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California; Molecular Cancer Epidemiology Laboratory, Population Health Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia; School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mischa Lundberg
- UQ Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland & Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia; Transformational Bioinformatics, CSIRO Health & Biosecurity, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Adrián I Campos
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia; Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Mental Health & Neuroscience Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Miguel E Rentería
- Genetic Epidemiology Laboratory, Mental Health & Neuroscience Program, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rutger M J de Zoete
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Michele Sterling
- RECOVER Injury Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia; NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence: Better Health Outcomes for Compensable Injury, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Trung Thanh Ngo
- RECOVER Injury Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gabriel Cuéllar-Partida
- UQ Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland & Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia
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