Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity: a retrospective case-control study

Robust evidence of whether vitamin D deficiency is associated with COVID-19 infection and its severity is still lacking. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between vitamin D levels and the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe disease in those infected. A retrospective study was carried out among members of Clalit Health Services (CHS), the largest healthcare organization in Israel, between March 1 and October 31, 2020. We created two matched case-control groups of individuals for which vitamin D levels and body mass index (BMI) were available before the pandemic: group (A), in which 41,757 individuals with positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests were matched with 417,570 control individuals without evidence of infection, and group (B), in which 2533 patients hospitalized in severe condition for COVID-19 were matched with 2533 patients who were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, but were not hospitalized. Conditional logistic models were fitted in each of the groups to assess the association between vitamin D levels and outcome. An inverse correlation was demonstrated between the level of vitamin D and the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and of severe disease in those infected. Patients with very low vitamin D levels (< 30 nmol/L) had the highest risks for SARS-CoV-2 infection and also for severe COVID-19 when infected-OR 1.246 [95% CI 1.210-1.304] and 1.513 [95% CI 1.230-1.861], respectively. In this large observational population study, we show a significant association between vitamin D deficiency and the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and of severe disease in those infected.

Epidemiology of Dupuytren's Disease in Japanese General Population

Background: Dupuytren's disease (DD) is well known as a fibromatous disorder of the palmar aponeurosis. Although there is a large body of literature on the etiology of DD in Europe, there have been few studies in Japan. The purpose of our study was to investigate the etiology and risk factors of DD in a large population in Japan. Methods: The subjects were voluntary participants from the 2014 Health Promotion Project, and 1,112 individuals were included (421 men and 691 women; mean age = 54.2 ± 15.3 years) in this study. The severity of DD was assessed using the Meyerding classification. All participants completed a questionnaire on age, sex, lifestyle, and occupations. All participants also completed the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to investigate the QOL. Fasting venous blood specimens were taken for biochemical analysis. Results: DD was found in 44 participants (3.9%). The prevalence was 8.3% among the men and 1.3% among the women. The prevalence in these older than 60 years was 7.7% (men; 18.5%, women; 2.4%). There were 17 participants that had DD of both hands. Multiple digits were affected in 9 participants. The ring finger was the most affected finger (71.2%), followed by the little finger (16.4%), and middle finger (12.3%). In Meyerding classification, 39 cases were stage 0, one case was stage 1, and four cases were stage 2. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age, sex, smoking, and occupation were significantly associated with DD. There was no significant association between DD and other parameters. When associations between DD and the SF-36 subscales were analyzed, there were significant associations with physical functioning, physical role functioning, and mental health. Conclusions: Our study is the largest in Japan to date. These results will provide very useful data to aid understanding of DD.

Whole Genome Analyses of Chinese Population and De Novo Assembly of A Northern Han Genome

To unravel the genetic mechanisms of disease and physiological traits, it requires comprehensive sequencing analysis of large sample size in Chinese populations. Here, we report the primary results of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Precision Medicine Initiative (CASPMI) project launched by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, including the de novo assembly of a northern Han reference genome (NH1.0) and whole genome analyses of 597 healthy people coming from most areas in China. Given the two existing reference genomes for Han Chinese (YH and HX1) were both from the south, we constructed NH1.0, a new reference genome from a northern individual, by combining the sequencing strategies of PacBio, 10× Genomics, and Bionano mapping. Using this integrated approach, we obtained an N50 scaffold size of 46.63 Mb for the NH1.0 genome and performed a comparative genome analysis of NH1.0 with YH and HX1. In order to generate a genomic variation map of Chinese populations, we performed the whole-genome sequencing of 597 participants and identified 24.85 million (M) single nucleotide variants (SNVs), 3.85 M small indels, and 106,382 structural variations. In the association analysis with collected phenotypes, we found that the T allele of rs1549293 in KAT8 significantly correlated with the waist circumference in northern Han males. Moreover, significant genetic diversity in MTHFR, TCN2, FADS1, and FADS2, which associate with circulating folate, vitamin B12, or lipid metabolism, was observed between northerners and southerners. Especially, for the homocysteine-increasing allele of rs1801133 (MTHFR 677T), we hypothesize that there exists a "comfort" zone for a high frequency of 677T between latitudes of 35-45 degree North. Taken together, our results provide a high-quality northern Han reference genome and novel population-specific data sets of genetic variants for use in the personalized and precision medicine.

Association between Age at Menarche and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in China: A Large Population-Based Investigation

BACKGROUND

The association between age at menarche (AAM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has previously been investigated with controversial results. The relationship between the psychological characteristic of AAM and many cardiovascular risk factors remains unclear.

PURPOSE

To assess the association between AAM and CVD risk factors in a large population.

DESIGN AND SETTING

13,242 women aged 24-79 years were recruited from China mainland during 2009-2013 for a cross-sectional, population-based study to investigate the association between AAM and CVD risk factors. Information on AAM was obtained from self-report and information on CVD risk factors from physical examination.

RESULTS

In age-, body-mass-index- and height-adjusted analyses, AAM was positively associated with hypertension and 'college or above' educational level and incident CVD events. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for hypertension across AAM categories (≤12, 13-14, 15-16, and ≥17 years) were 0.820 (0.70-0.96), 0.82 (0.70-0.96), 0.88 (0.79-0.99) and 1 (referent), respectively; adjusted ORs for high educational level ('college or above') were 0.29 (0.24-0.34), 0.60 (0.41-0.51), 0.69 (0.62-0.76), and 1 (referent), respectively; adjusted ORs for incident CVD events were 0.18 (0.08-0.41), 0.18 (0.08-0.41), 0.62 (0.41-0.93), 1 (referent), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Earlier AAM were positively associated with incident CVD events, hypertension and 'college or above' educational level.

Body burden of cadmium and its related factors: a large-scale survey in China

A survey of more than 6000 participants from four distinct non-polluted and polluted regions in China was conducted to evaluate the body burden of cadmium (Cd) on the Chinese populations using urinary Cd (UCd) as a biomarker. The findings revealed that the UCd level was 1.24 μg/g creatinine (μg/g cr) for the sample population from non-polluted Shanghai, and the UCd levels exceeded 5 μg/g cr, which is the health-based exposure limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1.1% of people. The mean UCd levels in moderately polluted (Hubei and Liaoning) and highly polluted areas (Guizhou) were 4.69 μg/g cr, 3.62 μg/g cr and 6.08 μg/g cr, respectively, and these levels were 2.9 to 4.9 times the levels observed in Shanghai. Notably, the UCd levels exceeded the recently updated human biomonitoring II values (i.e., intervention or "action level") in 44.8%-87.9% of people from these areas compared to only 5.1%-21.4% of people in Shanghai. The corresponding prevalence of elevated UCd levels (>WHO threshold, 5 μg/g cr) was also significantly higher (30.7% to 63.8% vs. 1.1%), which indicates that elevated Cd-induced health risks to residents in these areas. Age and region were significant determinants for UCd levels in a population, whereas gender did not significantly influence UCd.