Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Parkinson's Disease: Data from a Large Prospective European Cohort

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) etiology is not well understood. Reported inverse associations with smoking and coffee consumption prompted the investigation of alcohol consumption as a risk factor, for which evidence is inconclusive. Objective: To assess the associations between alcohol consumption and PD risk. Methods: Within NeuroEPIC4PD, a prospective European population-based cohort, 694 incident PD cases were ascertained from 209,998 PD-free participants. Average alcohol consumption at different time points was self-reported at recruitment. Cox regression hazard ratios were estimated for alcohol consumption and PD occurrence. Results: No associations between baseline or lifetime total alcohol consumption and PD risk were observed. Men with moderate lifetime consumption (5-29.9 g/day) were at ~50% higher risk compared with light consumption (0.1-4.9 g/day), but no linear exposure-response trend was observed. Analyses by beverage type also revealed no associations with PD. Conclusion: Our data reinforce previous findings from prospective studies showing no association between alcohol consumption and PD risk. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

Association of Plasma Vitamin D Metabolites With Incident Type 2 Diabetes: EPIC-InterAct Case-Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence for the prospective association of vitamin D status with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is focused almost exclusively on circulating total 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] without distinction between its subtypes: nonepimeric and epimeric 25(OH)D3 stereoisomers, and 25(OH)D2, the minor component of 25(OH)D. We aimed to investigate the prospective associations of circulating levels of the sum and each of these three metabolites with incident T2D. METHODS: This analysis in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-InterAct case-cohort study for T2D included 9671 incident T2D cases and 13,562 subcohort members. Plasma vitamin D metabolites were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We used a multivariable Prentice-weighted Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of T2D for each metabolite. Analyses were performed separately within country, and estimates were combined across countries using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: The mean concentrations (SD) of total 25(OH)D, nonepimeric 25(OH)D3, epimeric 25(OH)D3, and 25(OH)D2 were 41.1 (17.2), 40.7 (17.3), 2.13 (1.31), and 8.16 (6.52) nmol/L, respectively. Plasma total 25(OH)D and nonepimeric 25(OH)D3 were inversely associated with incident T2D [multivariable-adjusted HR per 1 SD = 0.81 (95% CI, 0.77, 0.86) for both variables], whereas epimeric 25(OH)D3 was positively associated [per 1 SD HR = 1.16 (1.09, 1.25)]. There was no statistically significant association with T2D for 25(OH)D2 [per 1 SD HR = 0.94 (0.76, 1.18)]. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma nonepimeric 25(OH)D3 was inversely associated with incident T2D, consistent with it being the major metabolite contributing to total 25(OH)D. The positive association of the epimeric form of 25(OH)D3 with incident T2D provides novel information to assess the biological relevance of vitamin D epimerization and vitamin D subtypes in diabetes etiology.The InterAct project was funded by the European Union Framework 6 (LSHM_CT_2006_037197). Biomarker measurements for vitamin D metabolites were funded jointly by the InterAct project, the MRC Cambridge Initiative (RG71466, SJAH/004) and the EPIC-CVD project. EPIC-CVD has been supported by the European Union Framework 7 (HEALTH-F2-2012-279233), the European Research Council (268834), the UK Medical Research Council (G0800270 and MR/L003120/1), the British Heart Foundation (SP/09/002 and RG/08/014 and RG13/13/30194) and the UK National Institute of Health Research. In addition, InterAct investigators acknowledge funding from the following agencies: Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit MC_UU_12015/1 and MC_UU_12015/5, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre Cambridge: Nutrition, Diet, and Lifestyle Research Theme (IS-BRC-1215-20014), Regional Government of Asturias and Regional Governments of Basque Country. Dr. Ivonne Sluijs is supported by the Junior Dr. Dekker grant (2015T019) from the Dutch Heart Foundation. Dr. Guy Fagherazzi is supported by the French Research Agency (Agence Nationale de la Recherche) via an “Investissement d’Avenir” grant (investment for the future grant, ANR-10-COHO-0006) and by the IDEX Paris Saclay Nutriperso Project. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 701708

Epidemiology of septo-optic dysplasia with focus on prevalence and maternal age – A EUROCAT study

Septo-optic nerve dysplasia is a rare congenital anomaly with optic nerve hypoplasia, pituitary hormone deficiencies and midline developmental defects of the brain. The clinical findings are visual impairment, hypopituitarism and developmental delays. The aim of this study was to report prevalence, associated anomalies, maternal age and other epidemiological factors from a large European population based network of congenital anomaly registries (EUROCAT). Data from 29 full member registries for the years 2005–2014 were included, covering 6.4 million births. There were 99 cases with a diagnosis of septo-optic dysplasia. The prevalence of septo-optic dysplasia in Europe was calculated to lie between 1.9 and 2.5 per 100,000 births after adjusting for potential under-reporting in some registries. The prevalence was highest in babies of mothers aged 20–24 years of age and was significantly higher in UK registries compared with other EUROCAT registries (P = 0.021 in the multilevel model) and the additional risk for younger mothers was significantly greater in the UK compared to the rest of Europe (P = 0.027). The majority of septo-optic dysplasia cases were classified as an isolated cerebral anomaly (N = 76, 77%). Forty percent of diagnoses occurred in fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis. The anomaly may not be visible at birth, which is reflected in that 57% of the postnatal diagnoses occurred over 1 month after birth. This is the first population based study to describe the prevalence of septo-optic dysplasia in Europe. Septo-optic dysplasia shares epidemiological patterns with gastroschisis and this strengthens the hypothesis of vascular disruption being an aetiological factor for septo-optic dysplasia

Epidemiology of Pierre-Robin sequence in Europe: A population-based EUROCAT study

Background: Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is a rare congenital anomaly. Respiratory disorders and feeding difficulties represent the main burden. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of PRS using a cohort of cases from EUROCAT, the European network of population-based registries of congenital anomalies. Methods: We analysed cases of PRS born in the period 1998-2017 collected by 29 population-based congenital anomaly registries in 17 different countries. We calculated prevalence estimates, prenatal detection rate, survival up to 1 week, and proportions of associated anomalies. The effect of maternal age was tested using a Poisson regression model. Results: Out of 11 669 155 surveyed births, a total of 1294 cases of PRS were identified. The estimate of the overall prevalence was 12.0 per 100 000 births (95% CI 9.9, 14.5). There was a total of 882 (68.2%) isolated cases, and the prevalence was 7.8 per 100 000 births (95% CI 6.7, 9.2). A total of 250 cases (19.3%) were associated with other structural congenital anomalies, 77 cases (6.0%) were associated with chromosomal anomalies and 77 (6.0%) with genetic syndromes. The prenatal detection rate in isolated cases was 12.0% (95% CI 9.8, 14.5) and increased to 16.0% (95% CI 12.7, 19.7) in the sub-period 2008-2017. The prevalence rate ratio of non-chromosomal cases with maternal age ≥35 was higher than in cases with maternal age <25 for total (PRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.05, 1.51) and isolated cases (PRR 1.33, 95% CI 1.00, 1.64). Survival of chromosomal cases (94.2%) and multiple anomaly cases (95.3%) were lower than survival of isolated cases (99.4%). Conclusions: This epidemiological study using a large series of cases of PRS provides insights into the epidemiological profile of PRS in Europe. We observed an association with higher maternal age, but further investigations are needed to test potential risk factors for PRS

Epidemiology of septo-optic dysplasia with focus on prevalence and maternal age - A EUROCAT study.

Septo-optic nerve dysplasia is a rare congenital anomaly with optic nerve hypoplasia, pituitary hormone deficiencies and midline developmental defects of the brain. The clinical findings are visual impairment, hypopituitarism and developmental delays. The aim of this study was to report prevalence, associated anomalies, maternal age and other epidemiological factors from a large European population based network of congenital anomaly registries (EUROCAT). Data from 29 full member registries for the years 2005-2014 were included, covering 6.4 million births. There were 99 cases with a diagnosis of septo-optic dysplasia. The prevalence of septo-optic dysplasia in Europe was calculated to lie between 1.9 and 2.5 per 100,000 births after adjusting for potential under-reporting in some registries. The prevalence was highest in babies of mothers aged 20-24 years of age and was significantly higher in UK registries compared with other EUROCAT registries (P = 0.021 in the multilevel model) and the additional risk for younger mothers was significantly greater in the UK compared to the rest of Europe (P = 0.027). The majority of septo-optic dysplasia cases were classified as an isolated cerebral anomaly (N = 76, 77%). Forty percent of diagnoses occurred in fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis. The anomaly may not be visible at birth, which is reflected in that 57% of the postnatal diagnoses occurred over 1 month after birth. This is the first population based study to describe the prevalence of septo-optic dysplasia in Europe. Septo-optic dysplasia shares epidemiological patterns with gastroschisis and this strengthens the hypothesis of vascular disruption being an aetiological factor for septo-optic dysplasia

Alcohol Consumption and Risk of Parkinson's Disease: Data From a Large Prospective European Cohort

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) etiology is not well understood. Reported inverse associations with smoking and coffee consumption prompted the investigation of alcohol consumption as a risk factor, for which evidence is inconclusive. Objective: To assess the associations between alcohol consumption and PD risk. Methods: Within NeuroEPIC4PD, a prospective European population-based cohort, 694 incident PD cases were ascertained from 209,998 PD-free participants. Average alcohol consumption at different time points was self-reported at recruitment. Cox regression hazard ratios were estimated for alcohol consumption and PD occurrence. Results: No associations between baseline or lifetime total alcohol consumption and PD risk were observed. Men with moderate lifetime consumption (5–29.9 g/day) were at ~50% higher risk compared with light consumption (0.1–4.9 g/day), but no linear exposure–response trend was observed. Analyses by beverage type also revealed no associations with PD. Conclusion: Our data reinforce previous findings from prospective studies showing no association between alcohol consumption and PD risk. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2020 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society