Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity

Here we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 COVID-19 positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (p < 5x10-8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (p = 1.3x10-22 and p = 8.1x10-12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (p = 4.4x10-8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (p = 2.7x10-8) and ARHGAP33 (p = 1.3x10-8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, p = 4.1x10-8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥ 60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.

Influence of the diagnostic protocol and age on the prostate cancer incidence rate in Castilla y León according to the national registry 2010

OBJECTIVE

Cross-sectional descriptive observational study of incidence and association, to determine whether the higher incidence of prostate cancer in Castilla y León (with respect to the national rate) could be due to modifiable factors.

LOCATION

University Hospital Río Hortega.

PARTICIPANTS

New prostate cancer diagnoses.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

Incidence rate (IR). Age, family history, symptoms, comorbidity, rectal examination, ultrasound volume (cc), PSA (ng/mL), cylinders, volume cylinder ratio, Gleason, TNM and D'Amico groups.

RESULTS

Castilla y León showed the highest prostate cancer IR in Spain (141.1 per 100,000 inhabitants per year), with a peak of early incidence (65-74 years) and significant differences in < 64 and 65-74 years. Age at diagnosis was the lowest (Castilla y León, 66.9 ±7.1 vs. Spain, 69.1 ± 8.2 years; P < .001). No differences: family history, symptoms, comorbidity and PSA. The number of cylinders was 10.7 ± 1.8. In multivariate analysis (AUC = 0.801; P < .001), they were more frequent in Castilla y León: grade i rectal examination, non-palpable rectal examination, Gleason < 6, stage T2c and the volume cylinder ratio < 6 (only in < 64 years: OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.2-22-22.3; P = .027). In Spanish regions, volume cylinder ratio showed inverse correlation with IR in < 74 years, while age showed positive correlation in all age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher prostate cancer IR in Castilla y León in 2010 was not associated to an older population. However, the biopsy technique influenced IR, as more cylinders were obtained in younger subjects, without conditioning overdiagnosis.

Influence of the diagnostic protocol and age on the prostate cancer incidence rate in Castilla y León according to the national registry 2010

OBJECTIVE

Cross-sectional descriptive observational study of incidence and association, to determine whether the higher incidence of prostate cancer in Castilla y León (with respect to the national rate) could be due to modifiable factors.

LOCATION

University Hospital Río Hortega.

PARTICIPANTS

New prostate cancer diagnoses.

MAIN MEASUREMENTS

Incidence rate (IR). Age, family history, symptoms, comorbidity, rectal examination, ultrasound volume (cc), PSA (ng/mL), cylinders, volume cylinder ratio, Gleason, TNM and D'Amico groups.

RESULTS

Castilla y León showed the highest prostate cancer IR in Spain (141.1 per 100,000 inhabitants per year), with a peak of early incidence (65-74 years) and significant differences in<64 and 65-74 years. Age at diagnosis was the lowest (Castilla y León, 66.9±7.1 vs. Spain, 69.1±8.2 years; P<.001). No differences: family history, symptoms, comorbidity and PSA. The number of cylinders was 10.7±1.8. In multivariate analysis (AUC=0.801; P<.001), they were more frequent in Castilla y León: grade i rectal examination, non-palpable rectal examination, Gleason<6, stage T2c and the volume cylinder ratio<6 (only in<64 years: OR 5.2; 95% CI 1.2-22.3; P=.027). In Spanish regions, volume cylinder ratio showed inverse correlation with IR in<74 years, while age showed positive correlation in all age groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher prostate cancer IR in Castilla y León in 2010 was not associated to an older population. However, the biopsy technique influenced IR, as more cylinders were obtained in younger subjects, without conditioning overdiagnosis.

Beneficial effects of liraglutide on adipocytokines, insulin sensitivity parameters and cardiovascular risk biomarkers in patients with Type 2 diabetes: a prospective study

AIMS

To evaluate the effects of liraglutide after 14 weeks of treatment on serum adipokines, insulin resistance index and cardiovascular risk biomarkers in overweight or obese T2DM patients unable to achieve glycemic control with metformin alone or in association with a sulfonylurea in daily clinical practice.

METHODS

Prospective study in 59 consecutive overweight or obese (BMI≥25kg/m(2)) T2DM patients unable to achieve glycemic control (HbA1c>7%, 53mmol/mol) with metformin alone or in association with sulfonylurea that require initiation of liraglutide in progressive dose increase up to 1.8mg/day subcutaneously. Weight, body composition, blood pressure, glucose, HbA1c, C-peptide, insulin, plasma lipids, adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin and visfatin) as well as cardiovascular biomarkers (IL-6 and TNF-a) levels were measured fasting at baseline and 14 weeks after liraglutide initiation.

RESULTS

14 weeks of liraglutide treatment significantly reduced HbA1c, BMI and total body fat mass by 0.9%, 1.4kg/m(2) and 0.5% respectively. Statistically significant lower insulin resistance and higher insulin secretion was found by HOMA-IR 8.4 (1.6) vs 4.6 (0.9)molmIU/L(2) and HOMA-B 48.2 (9.0) vs 87.6 (16.3)μIU/mmol. Statistically significantly higher levels of visfatin 6.3 (2.1) vs 6.8 (2.1)ng/ml and resistin 3.6 (2.0) vs 4.3 (2.3)ng/ml were also observed after treatment. Baseline visfatin was negatively correlated with basal fasting plasma glucose r=-0.360 (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Liraglutide treatment for 14 weeks in daily clinical practice led to reduction of BMI and improvement of glucose control and insulin sensitivity and resistance parameters. Additionally, circulating levels of adipokines and pro-inflammatory factors could play an important role in GLP-1 treatment response.

[Evaluation of two methods for correcting the impact factor using the investigation done at the "Del Río Hortega" University Hospital (1999-2004) as the data source]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To adjust the Impact Factor (IF) provided by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) is necessary for improving bibliometric analysis among the various areas of knowledge. Our objective was to evaluate two parameters (the maximum and the median value of each subject area) for IF adjustment using the original (not corrected) IF as the reference method in a tertiary hospital biomedical investigation model.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We retrieved articles from Hospital Universitario "Del Río Hortega" from Valladolid (Spain) for the period 1999-2004 as data source. We have describe the characteristics of the followed IF distributions: IF Corrected by the Maximum value (IFCORMAX), IF Corrected by the Median value (IFCORMED) and IF without adjustments (IF). Besides, we have analyzed both the inter-annual and the inter-subject differences obtained by the three methods.

RESULTS

The three analyzed IF series shown not normal distributions that are positively skewed. The IF adjusted by the median showed the highest coefficient of variation (CV = 357.3%). The IF adjusted by the Maximum value increased the "weight" of journals with the highest not corrected IF for each subject category. Inter-annual differences were similarly estimated by the three methods. The IF adjusted by the median increased the inter-subject difference from 7.3% to 12.4%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggests that IF adjusted by the maximum value of each discipline is the best method to correct the ISI-IF values, because journals with the high IF are always rewarded, while IF adjusted by the median infra-estimated most of them.