ORCID Profile
0000-0002-4655-416X
Current Organisation
Queen's University Belfast
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Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 11-01-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-05-2023
Abstract: To examine the prevalence of novel newborn types among 165 million live births in 23 countries from 2000 to 2021. Population‐based, multi‐country analysis. National data systems in 23 middle‐ and high‐income countries. Liveborn infants. Country teams with high‐quality data were invited to be part of the Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Collaboration. We classified live births by six newborn types based on gestational age information (preterm weeks versus term ≥37 weeks) and size for gestational age defined as small (SGA, th centile), appropriate (10th–90th centiles), or large (LGA, th centile) for gestational age, according to INTERGROWTH‐21st standards. We considered small newborn types of any combination of preterm or SGA, and term + LGA was considered large. Time trends were analysed using 3‐year moving averages for small and large types. Prevalence of six newborn types. We analysed 165 017 419 live births and the median prevalence of small types was 11.7% – highest in Malaysia (26%) and Qatar (15.7%). Overall, 18.1% of newborns were large (term + LGA) and was highest in Estonia 28.8% and Denmark 25.9%. Time trends of small and large infants were relatively stable in most countries. The distribution of newborn types varies across the 23 middle‐ and high‐income countries. Small newborn types were highest in west Asian countries and large types were highest in Europe. To better understand the global patterns of these novel newborn types, more information is needed, especially from low‐ and middle‐income countries.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-01-2021
DOI: 10.1038/S41380-020-00987-X
Abstract: DNA methylation profiles of aggressive behavior may capture lifetime cumulative effects of genetic, stochastic, and environmental influences associated with aggression. Here, we report the first large meta-analysis of epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) of aggressive behavior ( N = 15,324 participants). In peripheral blood s les of 14,434 participants from 18 cohorts with mean ages ranging from 7 to 68 years, 13 methylation sites were significantly associated with aggression (alpha = 1.2 × 10 −7 Bonferroni correction). In cord blood s les of 2425 children from five cohorts with aggression assessed at mean ages ranging from 4 to 7 years, 83% of these sites showed the same direction of association with childhood aggression ( r = 0.74, p = 0.006) but no epigenome-wide significant sites were found. Top-sites (48 at a false discovery rate of 5% in the peripheral blood meta-analysis or in a combined meta-analysis of peripheral blood and cord blood) have been associated with chemical exposures, smoking, cognition, metabolic traits, and genetic variation (mQTLs). Three genes whose expression levels were associated with top-sites were previously linked to schizophrenia and general risk tolerance. At six CpGs, DNA methylation variation in blood mirrors variation in the brain. On average 44% (range = 3–82%) of the aggression–methylation association was explained by current and former smoking and BMI. These findings point at loci that are sensitive to chemical exposures with potential implications for neuronal functions. We hope these results to be a starting point for studies leading to applications as peripheral biomarkers and to reveal causal relationships with aggression and related traits.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-05-2023
Abstract: To compare neonatal mortality associated with six novel vulnerable newborn types in 125.5 million live births across 15 countries, 2000–2020. Population‐based, multi‐country study. National data systems in 15 middle‐ and high‐income countries. We used in idual‐level data sets identified for the Vulnerable Newborn Measurement Collaboration. We examined the contribution to neonatal mortality of six newborn types combining gestational age (preterm [PT] versus term [T]) and size‐for‐gestational age (small [SGA], th centile, appropriate [AGA], 10th–90th centile or large [LGA], th centile) according to INTERGROWTH‐21st newborn standards. Newborn babies with PT or SGA were defined as small and T + LGA was considered as large. We calculated risk ratios (RRs) and population attributable risks (PAR%) for the six newborn types. Mortality of six newborn types. Of 125.5 million live births analysed, risk ratios were highest among PT + SGA (median 67.2, interquartile range [IQR] 45.6–73.9), PT + AGA (median 34.3, IQR 23.9–37.5) and PT + LGA (median 28.3, IQR 18.4–32.3). At the population level, PT + AGA was the greatest contributor to newborn mortality (median PAR% 53.7, IQR 44.5–54.9). Mortality risk was highest among newborns born before 28 weeks (median RR 279.5, IQR 234.2–388.5) compared with babies born between 37 and 42 completed weeks or with a birthweight less than 1000 g (median RR 282.8, IQR 194.7–342.8) compared with those between 2500 g and 4000 g as a reference group. Preterm newborn types were the most vulnerable, and associated with the highest mortality, particularly with co‐existence of preterm and SGA. As PT + AGA is more prevalent, it is responsible for the greatest burden of neonatal deaths at population level.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 03-2017
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 06-09-2019
Abstract: Longitudinal data find a new variant controlling BMI in infancy and reveal genetic differences between infant and adult BMI.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2012
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-2011
Abstract: Antimuscarinic drug prescribing scoring systems might better identify patients at risk of adverse drug reactions. The recently developed Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS) score is significantly associated with the number of antimuscarinic side effects in older outpatients. We sought to identify the clinical and demographic patient-level correlates of the ARS, including a modified version adjusted for daily dose, in elderly hospitalized patients. Clinical and demographic patient characteristics known to be associated with antimuscarinic prescribing, ARS and dose-adjusted ARS scores, and full medication exposure on admission were recorded in 362 consecutive patients (aged 83.6 ± 6.6 years) admitted to 2 geriatric units (NHS Gr ian, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK) between February 1, 2010 and June 30, 2010. Each year of increasing age was associated with reduced number of antimuscarinic drugs (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.963 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.948-0.980 P < 0.001), non-antimuscarinic drugs (IRR, 0.991 95% CI, 0.985-0.997 P = 0.006), and total number of drugs (IRR, 0.988 95% CI, 0.983-0.994 P < 0.001). Multivariate Poisson regression showed that increasing age and history of dementia were negatively associated with the ARS score (IRR, 0.97 95% CI, 0.94-0.99 P = 0.001 and IRR, 0.62 95% CI, 0.41-0.92 P = 0.019, respectively). By contrast, institutionalization (IRR, 1.32 95% CI, 1.00-1.74 P = 0.050), Charlson comorbidity index (IRR, 1.06 95% CI, 1.01-1.11 P = 0.015), and total number of non-antimuscarinic drugs (IRR, 1.13 95% CI, 1.08-1.18 P < 0.001) were all positively associated with the ARS score. Similar results were observed for the dose-adjusted ARS score. Institutionalization, comorbidities, and non-antimuscarinic polypharmacy show independent positive associations with the ARS and dose-adjusted ARS scores in older hospitalized patients. Increasing age and dementia are negatively associated with the ARS score.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2011
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAMDA.2011.03.006
Abstract: The anticholinergic risk scale (ARS) score is associated with the number of anticholinergic side effects in older outpatients. We tested the hypothesis that high ARS scores are negatively associated with "global" parameters of physical function (Barthel Index, primary outcome) and predict length of stay and in-hospital mortality (secondary outcomes) in older hospitalized patients. Prospective study in 2 acute geriatric units. Three hundred sixty-two consecutive patients (age 83.6 ± 6.6 years) admitted between February 1, 2010, and June 30, 2010. Clinical and demographic characteristics, Barthel Index, full medication exposure, and ARS score were recorded on admission. Data on length of stay and in-hospital mortality were obtained from electronic records. After adjustment for age, gender, dementia, institutionalization, Charlson Comorbidity Index, admission site, and number of nonanticholinergic drugs, a unit increase in ARS score was associated with a 29% reduction in the odds of being in a higher Barthel quartile than a lower quartile (odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.86, P = .001). The Barthel components mostly affected were bathing (P < .001), grooming (P < .001), dressing (P < .001), transfers (P =.005), mobility (P < .001), and stairs (P < .001). Higher ARS scores predicted in-hospital mortality among patients with hyponatremia (hazard ratio [HR] 3.66, 95% CI 1.70-7.89, P = .001) but not those without hyponatremia (HR 1.04, 95% CI 0.70-1.54, P = .86). The ARS score did not significantly predict length of stay (HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.88-1.17, P = .82). High ARS scores are negatively associated with various components of the Barthel Index and predict in-hospital mortality in the presence of hyponatremia among older patients. The ARS score may be useful in the acute setting to improve risk stratification.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 12-10-2020
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
No related grants have been discovered for Estelle Lowry.