Abstract Background/aims The effect modification by smoking and menopausal status in the association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and liver cancer risk has not been reported. Methods This population-based cohort study included 4.486 million cancer-free individuals among those who underwent national cancer screening in 2010 and were followed up until December 2017. We conducted analyses in populations that excluded people with chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis (Model I) and that included those diseases (Model III). HDL-C level was classified in ..read more

Abstract Background Distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) are the reference framework for modelling lagged non-linear associations. They are usually used in large-scale multi-location studies. Attempts to study these associations in small areas either did not include the lagged non-linear effects, did not allow for geographically-varying risks or downscaled risks from larger spatial units through socioeconomic and physical meta-predictors when the estimation of the risks was not feasible due to low statistical power. Methods Here we proposed spatial Bayesian DLNMs (SB-DLNMs) as a new frame ..read more

Abstract Background Accurate characterization of how age influences body weight and metabolism at different stages of life is important for understanding ageing processes. Here, we explore observational longitudinal associations between metabolic health and weight from the fifth to the seventh decade of life, using carefully adjusted statistical designs. Methods Body measures and biochemical data from blood and urine (220 measures) across two visits were available from 10 104 UK Biobank participants. Participants were divided into stable (within ±4% per decade), weight loss and weight gain cat ..read more

Abstract Background Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) may disproportionately suffer the adverse cardiovascular effects of air pollution, but relevant evidence on microvascular outcome is lacking. We aimed to examine the association between air pollution exposure and the risk of microvascular complications among patients with T2D. Methods This prospective study included 17 995 participants with T2D who were free of macro- and micro-vascular complications at baseline from the UK Biobank. Annual average concentrations of particulate matter (PM) with diameters <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10 ..read more

Ionizing radiationradiation workersoccupational exposurehealth risk ..read more

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been extensively studied for its impact on mortality, particularly in older age groups. However, the pandemic effects on stillbirths and mortality rates in neonates, infants, children and youth remain poorly understood. This study comprehensively analyses the pandemic influence on young mortality and stillbirths across 112 countries and territories in 2020 and 104 in 2021. Methods Using data from civil registers and vital statistics systems (CRVS) and the Health Management Information System (HMIS), we estimate expected mortality levels in a non-pa ..read more

Birth cohortBrazilchild developmentphysical activityviolence ..read more

Abstract Background Congenital hearing loss (HL), one of the most common paediatric chronic conditions, significantly affects speech and language development. Its early diagnosis and medical intervention can be achieved via newborn hearing screening. However, data on the prevalence and aetiology of congenital HL in infants who fail newborn hearing screening are limited. Methods The sample population included 153 913 infants who underwent newborn hearing screening, and the prevalence of congenital HL, defined as moderate to profound bilateral HL (BHL) or unilateral HL (UHL) (≥40 dB HL), in one ..read more

Abstract Background Epidemiological studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the link between smoking and breast cancer risk, despite the biological plausibility of a positive association. Methods Participants were 166 611 women from nine prospective cohort studies in Japan which launched in 1984–1994 and followed for 8–22 years. Information on smoking and secondhand smoke was obtained through self-administered baseline questionnaires. Breast cancer was defined as code C50 according to the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, 3rd Edition or the International Classifi ..read more

Mendelian randomizationassumptionsinstrumental variableindependence assumptionpopulation stratificationassortative mating ..read more