Overview of the current status of familial hypercholesterolaemia care in over 60 countries - The EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC)

PubMed: 30270054

Pooling and expanding registries of familial hypercholesterolaemia to assess gaps in care and improve disease management and outcomes: Rationale and design of the global EAS Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration

WOS: 000393031600001

Childhood intermittent and persistent rhinitis prevalence and climate and vegetation: a global ecologic analysis

Abstract Background The effect of climate change and its effects on vegetation growth, and consequently on rhinitis, are uncertain. Objective To examine between- and within-country associations of climate measures and the normalized difference vegetation index with intermittent and persistent rhinitis symptoms in a global context. Methods Questionnaire data from 6- to 7-year-olds and 13- to 14-year-olds were collected in phase 3 of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. Associations of intermittent (>1 symptom report but not for 2 consecutive months) and persistent (symptoms for ≥2 consecutive months) rhinitis symptom prevalences with temperature, precipitation, vapor…

Familial hypercholesterolaemia: A global call to arms

Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is the commonest autosomal co-dominantly inherited condition affecting man. It is caused by mutation in one of three genes, encoding the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor, or the gene for apolipoprotein B (which is the major protein component of the LDL particle), or in the gene coding for PCSK9 (which is involved in the degradation of the LDL-receptor during its cellular recycling). These mutations result in impaired LDL metabolism, leading to life-long elevations in LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and development of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) [1], [2] and [3]. If left untreated, the relative risk of premature coronary artery d…

Overweight/obesity and respiratory and allergic disease in children : international study of asthma and allergies in childhood (ISAAC) phase two

Background: Childhood obesity and asthma are increasing worldwide. A possible link between the two conditions has been postulated. Methods: Cross-sectional studies of stratified random samples of 8-12-year-old children (n=10 652) (16 centres in affluent and 8 centres in non-affluent countries) used the standardized methodology of ISAAC Phase Two. Respiratory and allergic symptoms were ascertained by parental questionnaires. Tests for allergic disease were performed. Height and weight were measured, and overweight and obesity were defined according to international definitions. Prevalence rates and prevalence odds ratios were calculated. Results: Overweight (odds ratio=1.14, 95%-confidence i…

Contributory presentations/posters

The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Three: A global synthesis

This ISAAC Phase Three synthesis provides summarised information on the main findings of the study, regional tables and figures related to the prevalence and severity of current symptoms of asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in the main regions of the world. The large number of surveyed children (≈1,200,000), the large number of centres (233) and countries (98) that participated in ISAAC Phase Three makes this study the most comprehensive survey of these diseases ever undertaken. Globally, the prevalence for current asthma, rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema in the 13-14-year age group was 14.1%, 14.6% and 7.3%, respectively. In the 6-7-year age group the prevalence for current asthma, rhin…

A multi-centre study of candidate genes for wheeze and allergy: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood Phase 2

BACKGROUND: Common polymorphisms have been identified in genes suspected to play a role in asthma. We investigated their associations with wheeze and allergy in a case-control sample from Phase 2 of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood. METHODS: We compared 1105 wheezing and 3137 non-wheezing children aged 8-12 years from 17 study centres in 13 countries. Genotyping of 55 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 14 genes was performed using the Sequenom System. Logistic regression models were fitted separately for each centre and each SNP. A combined per allele odds ratio and measures of heterogeneity between centres were derived by random effects meta-ana…