Family-based cohort study is a special type of study design, in which biological samples and environmental exposure information of the member in a family are collected and related follow up is conducted. Family-based cohort study can be applied to explore the effect of genetic factors, environmental factors, gene-gene interaction, and gene-environment interaction in the etiology of complex diseases. This paper summarizes the objectives, methods and results, as well as the opportunities and challenges of the family-based cohort study on common chronic non-communicable diseases in rural population in northern China.
China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/ethnology* ; Cohort Studies ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Noncommunicable Diseases/ethnology* ; Research Design ; Rural Population

Objective: To explore the relations between the prevalence of multiple chronic diseases and cigarette smoking behavior in the Chinese adults. Methods: Based on the results: from the 2013 Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance (NCD Surveillance), 176 534 Chinese residents aged 18 years and above, covering 298 counties (districts) in 31 provinces, was randomly recruited, using the multi-stage stratified clustering sampling method. Information on demographics, cigarette smoking (status, quantity and period) was obtained through face-to-face interviews and questionnaires. Anthropometric data and blood samples were collected and properly stored for analysis. Results In total, 175 386 adults were included for statistical analyses, with 42.7% as males and 57.3% as females. The prevalence rates of hypertension, high total cholesterol and high triglycerides were 30.4%, 7.2% and 18.0% in male smokers, 35.6%, 14.0%, 10.3% and 15.9% in female smokers respectively, which were all higher than those in the respective non-smokers. Male smokers were found under lower risk on hypertension, but 19% higher on total glycerides when compared with non-smokers of the same sex(OR=1.19, 95%CI:1.10-1.30), when multiple risk factors were under control. Male current smokers with more than 20 cigarettes per day have 41% (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.28-1.55) higher risk of high TG than non-smokers. Female smokers presented 40% (OR=1.40, 95%CI: 1.15-1.70) higher risk in high glycerides than the non-smokers. Specifically, women smoking longer than 20 years have 60% (OR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.31-1.95) higher risk of high TG than women smoking less than 20 years. Conclusions: Prevalence rates of certain chronic diseases were seen higher in smokers of both genders. People with longer history of smoking or being heavier smokers, appeared at advanced risk on developing chronic diseases.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian People ; Chronic Disease/ethnology* ; Cigarette Smoking/ethnology* ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Male ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sex Distribution ; Sex Factors ; Smoking Cessation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To understand the distribution and characteristics of people aged ≥40 years who are at high risk of COPD in China and provide evidence for COPD prevention and control. Methods: The survey was conducted among the subjects selected through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China for 2014-2015 national chronic obstructive pulmonary disease surveillance. A total of 75 107 people aged ≥40 years in 125 surveillance points were surveyed in face to face interviews. Subjects who met at least one of the following conditions, including chronic respiratory symptoms, exposure to risk factors, medical history of respiratory diseases, and family history, were defined as population at high risk. The weighted proportion of the population at high risk of COPD and 95%CI were estimated by using complex sampling design. Results: Among eligible 74 296 subjects, the proportion of population at high risk of COPD was 89.5% (95%CI: 87.8%-91.2%). The proportion significantly increased with age (P<0.001). The proportion of the population at high risk was significantly higher in men than in women (P<0.001), and in rural area than in urban area (P<0.001). The highest proportion of population at high risk was observed in men in rural area in western China. The proportion of population at high risk of COPD who met at least two conditions was 32.0% (95%CI:29.7%-34.2%), the proportion of those who met at least three conditions was 7.4% (95%CI: 6.6%- 8.3%), and the proportion of those who met all the conditions was 1.5% (95%CI: 1.2%-1.8%). Among population at high risk of COPD, those who only had exposure to one risk factor accounted for 61.7% (95%CI: 59.8%-63.7%). Conclusion: About 90% of people aged ≥40 years in China are at high risk for COPD. It is necessary to conduct population-based screening for COPD and take comprehensive measures to reduce prevalence of risk factors.
Adult ; Asian People/statistics & numerical data* ; China/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Prevalence ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/ethnology* ; Risk Factors ; Rural Population ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Urban Population

Objective: To estimate the health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) of adults in Zhejiang province and evaluate the health status of the adults. Methods: This study was based on the mortality data collected from Zhejiang Chronic Disease Surveillance Information and Management System, and mortality rates from the underreporting survey and self-reported health data in 2016. Hierarchical Ordered Probit (HOPIT) model was used to estimate the severity-weighted prevalence of disability. Sullivan's method was used to calculate the HALE. Results: After adjustment by HOPIT model, the severity-weighted prevalence of disability increased significantly with age (χ(2)=5 795.81,P<0.001), and it was higher in females than in males (χ(2)=5 353.27, P<0.001). The life expectancy and self-evaluated HALE were 59.08 years and 48.68 years, respectively, in those aged ≥20 years, the difference was 10.40 years due to disability. The proportion of HALE loss due to disability in the total life expectancy was 17.61%, and it increased with age. HALE was higher in males than in females (49.21 years vs. 48.14 years), and in urban residents than in rural residents (49.92 years vs. 47.43 years). Conclusion: The proportion of loss of HALE in the total life expectancy in adults was high in Zhejiang, and it higher in males than in females, in urban residents than rural residents. Programs on improving health care in women and rural residents should be promoted.
Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology* ; Disabled Persons/statistics & numerical data* ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Life Expectancy/ethnology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Sex Distribution

Objective: To describe the study design, the characteristics of participants as well as the pedigrees included in the baseline survey of Fujian Tulou Family Cohort Study. Methods: Fujian Tulou Family Cohort Study was a prospective open cohort study with a biological sample bank. A baseline survey was conducted in Tulou areas of Nanjing county in Fujian province from 2015 to 2018, including questionnaire survey, physical and biochemical indicators examinations, and blood sample collection in adults aged ≥18 years. In addition, family relationship of the participants was also recorded. The pedigree information of the juveniles under 18 years old were also collected. Results: The baseline survey included 2 727 individuals in two clans, of whom 2 373 (87.0%) were adults, and 2 126 participants completed questionnaires, physical examinations and biochemical tests. The average age of the 2 126 participants was (57.9±13.3) years, with 39.4% being males. The current smoking rates in male and female participants were 41.2% and 2.1%, respectively. The corresponding rates of current alcohol consumption were 19.0% and 2.6%. For common chronic diseases, the prevalence rates were 51.3% for hypertension, 9.7% for diabetes and 26.7% for hyperlipemia according to the self-reported disease diagnoses, health examination results and biochemical examination results in class Ⅱ or Ⅲ hospitals. Based on the family relationship information and genealogical data, 710 pedigrees were finally identified, consisting of 5 087 family members. The numbers of five, four, three, and two generations pedigrees were 3, 88, 238 and 381, respectively. The pairs of the first to the fifth degree relatives were 12 039, 2 662, 1 511, 202 and 31, respectively. Conclusion: The establishment of Fujian Tulou Family Cohort provides valuable resources for exploring the genetic risk factors, environmental risk factors and gene-environment interactions contributing to the risk of common chronic diseases.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/ethnology* ; Cohort Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/ethnology* ; Family Health ; Female ; Gene-Environment Interaction ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/ethnology* ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/ethnology* ; Hypertension/ethnology* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pedigree ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Objective: To examine the associations between family history of major chronic diseases and healthy lifestyle in adults in China. Methods: Data were from the baseline and second survey of China Kadoorie Biobank study, which were conducted during 2004-2008 and 2013-2014, respectively. After excluding participants with self-reported histories of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer or diabetes, a total of 461 213 adults from baseline survey and 20 583 adults from second survey were included in the current study. Participants who reported a family history of acute myocardial infarction, stroke, cancer, or diabetes of any first-degree relative (i.e., biological father, mother, or siblings) were defined as having a family history of major chronic diseases. Healthy lifestyles were defined as current nonsmoking, non-excessive alcohol drinking, eating vegetables and fruits daily, upper quarter of physical activity level, body mass index (BMI) of (18.5-23.9) kg/m(2), and waist- to-hip ratio (WHR) <0.90 (man)/<0.85 (women). Results: At baseline survey, 36.5% of the participants had family history of major chronic diseases. Proportions of the above six healthy lifestyles were 70.5%, 93.0%, 18.0%, 25.0%, 53.4%, and 43.5%, respectively. Compared with participants without family history, the proportions of current nonsmoking, non-excessive drinking, normal BMI, and normal WHR were lower in participants with family history of major chronic diseases, while the proportions of eating vegetables and fruits daily, and being physically active, were higher. In general, the absolute differences in these proportions between participants with and without a family history were only slight. Similar results were observed when other family history status (the type or number of disease, the category or number of affected family members) were analysed. The association between family history of major chronic diseases and healthy lifestyles was consistently observed in the second survey 10 years later. Conclusion: In Chinese population, adults with family history of major chronic diseases did not adopt healthier lifestyles.
Adult ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Chronic Disease/ethnology* ; Female ; Healthy Lifestyle ; Humans ; Risk Factors ; Waist-Hip Ratio

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of KIR-HLA gene polymorphism with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) among ethnic Hans from southern China.

METHODSA total of 172 adult CML patients and 480 unrelated healthy controls were screened for the presence of KIR with sequence-specific primers-PCR (PCR-SSP) and sequence-based typing (SBT) of HLA-A, -B and -C loci. Polymorphisms of the KIR-HLA system were analyzed at 4 levels, and the frequencies of KIR framework genes and KIR profiles, classⅠHLA ligands, matched KIR+HLA pairs and KIR-HLA compound profile were compared between the two groups. P values were calculated using SPSS 13.0 software.

RESULTSFor the CML group, the frequencies of HLA-C2 ligand, 2DL1+HLA-C2 pair and HLA-B Bw4-80I were significantly lower than those of the control group, suggesting a protective effect against CML (HLA-C2: OR=0.386, 95%CI:0.240-0.620, P<0.01; 2DL1+HLA-C2: OR=0.316, 95%CI:0.191-0.525, P<0.01; HLA-B Bw4-80I: OR=0.576, 95%CI:0.384-0.862, P<0.01). The frequencies of KIR2DL1 ligand (HLA-C2) and KIR3DL1 ligand (HLA-B Bw4-80I) in the CML group were significantly lower than that of the control group, suggesting that the HLA-C2 and HLA-B Bw4-80I expression is probably decreased in the CML patient group, which led to reduced inhibitory signal and enhanced activating signal of KIR2DL1and/or KIR3DL1NK cells. Notably, the frequency of KIR-HLA compound profiles ID2 (KIR AA1-HLA-C1/C1-Bw6/Bw6-A3/11) in CML patients significantly increased in the CML patient group compared with the control group, suggesting that the KIR-HLA compound profiles ID2 may be a risk factor for CML (OR=2.163, 95%CI 1.198-3.906, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONAbove analysis has identified certain protective and risk factors for CML from the KIR-HLA system, which may provide a clue for the pathogenesis of leukemia and development of individualized immune therapy.

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; genetics ; China ; Gene Frequency ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; ethnology ; genetics ; Genotyping Techniques ; HLA Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-A Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-B Antigens ; genetics ; HLA-C Antigens ; genetics ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive ; ethnology ; genetics ; Odds Ratio ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Protein Isoforms ; genetics ; Receptors, KIR ; genetics ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Roflumilast is the only oral phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor approved to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients [post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) <50% predicted] with chronic bronchitis and a history of frequent exacerbations. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of roflumilast in Korean patients with COPD and compared the efficacy based on the severity of airflow limitation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A post-hoc subgroup analysis was performed in Korean COPD patients participating in JADE, a 12-week, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, phase III trial in Asia. The primary efficacy endpoint was the mean [least-squares mean adjusted for covariates (LSMean)] change in post-bronchodilator FEV1 from baseline to each post-randomization visit. Safety endpoints included adverse events (AEs) and changes in laboratory values, vital signs, and electrocardiograms. RESULTS: A total of 260 Korean COPD patients were recruited, of which 207 were randomized to roflumilast (n=102) or placebo (n=105) treatment. After 12 weeks, LSMean post-bronchodilator FEV1 increased by 43 mL for patients receiving roflumilast and decreased by 60 mL for those taking placebo. Adverse events were more common in the roflumilast group than in the placebo group; however, the types and frequency of AEs were comparable to those reported in previous studies. CONCLUSION: Roflumilast significantly improved lung function with a tolerable safety profile in Korean COPD patients irrespective of the severity of airflow limitation.
Aged ; Aminopyridines/*therapeutic use ; *Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Benzamides/*therapeutic use ; Cyclopropanes/therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitors/*therapeutic use ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*drug therapy/*ethnology/physiopathology ; Republic of Korea ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cigarette smoking is the most common risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, few studies of the attitudes toward COPD of smokers, the group at risk of developing this condition, have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to explore the awareness of and attitudes toward COPD of current smokers. METHODS: The sample consisted of 502 individuals aged 45 and older from throughout Korea who smoked at least 10 packs of cigarettes per year. Telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire were conducted with respondents. RESULTS: First, we evaluated the health status of subjects, finding that 45.4% considered themselves to be in good health. We also asked about COPD-related symptoms, and 60.6% of subjects reported such symptoms. However, only 1.2% of subjects had been diagnosed with or treated for COPD, only 0.4% spontaneously mentioned COPD as a respiratory disease, and only 26.5% recognized COPD as a respiratory disease after seeing a list of such diseases. Television ranked as the top source of information about COPD. The willingness of 45.0% of subjects to stop smoking increased after being informed about COPD. CONCLUSIONS: Despite having COPD-related symptoms, most smokers did not know that COPD is a respiratory disease. The attitudes of smokers toward COPD and smoking cessation varied according to socioeconomic status. In summary, a continuous effort to increase the awareness of COPD among smokers is needed. Additionally, strategies tailored according to different socioeconomic groups will also be necessary.
Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*psychology ; *Awareness ; Consumer Health Information ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/*ethnology ; Health Promotion ; Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Media ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance/ethnology ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/diagnosis/*ethnology/psychology/therapy ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Risk Reduction Behavior ; Smoking/*adverse effects/*ethnology/prevention & control/psychology ; Smoking Cessation/ethnology ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Time Factors

No abstract available.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group/*psychology ; *Awareness ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/*ethnology ; Humans ; Male ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*ethnology ; Smoking/*adverse effects/*ethnology