Journal articles
Green HD, Jones A, Evans JP, Wood AR, Beaumont RN, Tyrrell J, Frayling TM, Smith C, Weedon MN (In Press). A genome wide association study of frozen shoulder identifies a common variant of <i>WNT7B</i> and diabetes as causal risk factors.
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A genome wide association study of frozen shoulder identifies a common variant of WNT7B and diabetes as causal risk factors
AbstractFrozen shoulder is a painful condition that often requires surgery and affects up to 5% of individuals aged 40-60 years. Little is known about the causes of the condition, but diabetes is a strong risk factor. To begin to understand the biological mechanisms involved, we aimed to identify genetic variants associated with frozen shoulder and to use Mendelian randomization to test the causal role of diabetes.We performed a genome wide association study (GWAS) of frozen shoulder in the UK Biobank using data from 2064 cases identified from ICD-10 codes. We used data from FinnGen for replication. We used one-sample and two-sample Mendelian randomization approaches to test for a causal association of diabetes with frozen shoulder.We identified a single genome-wide significant locus (lead SNP rs62228062; OR=1.34 [1.28-1.41], p=2×10−16) that contained WNT7B. A recent transcriptome study identified WNT7B as amongst the most enriched transcripts in anterior capsule tissue in patients undergoing arthroscopic capsulotomy surgery for frozen shoulder suggesting WNT7B as a potential causal gene at the locus. The lead SNP was also strongly associated with Dupuytren’s contracture (OR=2.61 [2.50, 2.72], p<1×10−100). The Mendelian randomization results provided evidence that type 1 diabetes is a causal risk factor for frozen shoulder (OR=1.04 [1.02-1.07], p=6×10−5). There was no evidence that obesity was causally associated with frozen shoulder, suggesting that diabetes influences risk of the condition through glycemic rather than mechanical effects.We have identified the first genetic variant associated with frozen shoulder. WNT7B is a potential causal gene at the locus. Diabetes is a likely causal risk factor. Our results provide evidence of biological mechanisms involved in this common painful condition.
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Bailey S, Green H, Merriel S, Oram R, Thirlwell C, Ruth K, Tyrrell J, Weedon M (In Press). Applying a genetic risk score for prostate cancer to men with lower urinary tract symptoms in primary care to predict prostate cancer diagnosis: a cohort study in the UK Biobank. British Journal of Cancer
Green HD, Merriel SWD, Oram RA, Ruth KS, Tyrrell J, Jones SE, Thirlwell C, Weedon MN, Bailey SER (2023). Response to: Genetic risk scores may compound rather than solve the issue of prostate cancer overdiagnosis (BJC-LT3342090).
Br J Cancer,
128(4), 487-488.
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Heald AH, Martin S, Fachim H, Green HD, Young KG, Malipatil N, Siddals K, Cortes G, Tyrrell J, Wood AR, et al (2021). Genetically defined favourable adiposity is not associated with a clinically meaningful difference in clinical course in people with type 2 diabetes but does associate with a favourable metabolic profile.
Diabetic Medicine,
38(9).
Abstract:
Genetically defined favourable adiposity is not associated with a clinically meaningful difference in clinical course in people with type 2 diabetes but does associate with a favourable metabolic profile
AbstractAimsChange in weight, HbA1c, lipids, blood pressure and cardiometabolic events over time is variable in individuals with type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that people with a genetic predisposition to a more favourable adiposity distribution could have a less severe clinical course/progression.MethodsWe involved people with type 2 diabetes from two UK‐based cohorts: 11,914 individuals with GP follow‐up data from the UK Biobank and 723 from Salford. We generated a ‘favourable adiposity’ genetic score and conducted cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies to test its association with weight, BMI, lipids, blood pressure, medication use and risk of myocardial infarction and stroke using 15 follow‐up time points with 1‐year intervals.ResultsThe ‘favourable adiposity’ genetic score was cross‐sectionally associated with higher weight (effect size per 1 standard deviation higher genetic score: 0.91 kg [0.59,1.23]) and BMI (0.30 kg/m2 [0.19,0.40]), but higher high‐density lipoprotein (0.02 mmol/L [0.01,0.02]) and lower triglycerides (−0.04 mmol/L [−0.07, −0.02]) in the UK Biobank at baseline, and this pattern of association was consistent across follow‐up.There was a trend for participants with higher ‘favourable adiposity’ genetic score to have lower risk of myocardial infarction and/or stroke (odds ratio 0.79 [0.62, 1.00]) compared to those with lower score. A one standard deviation higher score was associated with lower odds of using lipid‐lowering (0.91 [0.86, 0.97]) and anti‐hypertensive medication (0.95 [0.91, 0.99]).ConclusionsIn individuals with type 2 diabetes, having more ‘favourable adiposity’ alleles is associated with a marginally better lipid profile long‐term and having lower odds of requiring lipid‐lowering or anti‐hypertensive medication in spite of relatively higher adiposity.
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Nice R, Chanchlani N, Green H, Bewshea C, Ahmad T, Goodhand JR, McDonald TJ, Perry MH, Kennedy NA (2021). Validating the positivity thresholds of drug-tolerant anti-infliximab and anti-adalimumab antibody assays.
Aliment Pharmacol Ther,
53(1), 128-137.
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Validating the positivity thresholds of drug-tolerant anti-infliximab and anti-adalimumab antibody assays.
BACKGROUND: When used proactively, drug-tolerant anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antibody assays provide early opportunity to suppress immunogenicity. AIM: to validate positivity thresholds of IDKmonitor drug-tolerant anti-infliximab and -adalimumab antibody assays. METHODS: We applied positivity thresholds, defined by testing sera from 498 anti-TNF naive healthy adults, from the Exeter Ten Thousand study to data from our therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) service and Personalised Anti-TNF Therapy in Crohn's disease (PANTS) cohort to explore associations with drug level and treatment outcomes. RESULTS: the 80% one-sided lower confidence interval of the 99th centile concentration for anti-infliximab and -adalimumab antibodies were lower than the manufacturers threshold of 10 arbitrary units (AU)/mL; 9 and 6 AU/mL, respectively. Using these new thresholds in the TDM cohort, more adalimumab- than infliximab- (11.2% [814/7272] vs 3.1% [390/12 683] P
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Lin S, Green HD, Hendy P, Heerasing NM, Chanchlani N, Hamilton B, Walker GJ, Heap GA, Hobart J, Martin RJ, et al (2020). Clinical Features and Genetic Risk of Demyelination Following Anti-TNF Treatment.
J Crohns Colitis,
14(12), 1653-1661.
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Clinical Features and Genetic Risk of Demyelination Following Anti-TNF Treatment.
BACKGROUND: Anti-TNF exposure has been linked to demyelination events. We sought to describe the clinical features of demyelination events following anti-TNF treatment and to test whether affected patients were genetically predisposed to multiple sclerosis [MS]. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study to describe the clinical features of demyelination events following anti-TNF exposure. We compared genetic risk scores [GRS], calculated using carriage of 43 susceptibility loci for MS, in 48 cases with 1219 patients exposed to anti-TNF who did not develop demyelination. RESULTS: Overall, 39 [74%] cases were female. The median age [range] of patients at time of demyelination was 41.5 years [20.7-63.2]. The median duration of anti-TNF treatment was 21.3 months [0.5-99.4] and 19 [36%] patients were receiving concomitant immunomodulators. Most patients had central demyelination affecting the brain, spinal cord, or both. Complete recovery was reported in 12 [23%] patients after a median time of 6.8 months [0.1-28.7]. After 33.0 months of follow-up, partial recovery was observed in 29 [55%] patients, relapsing and remitting episodes in nine [17%], progressive symptoms in three [6%]: two [4%] patients were diagnosed with MS. There was no significant difference between MS GRS scores in cases (mean -3.5 × 10-4, standard deviation [SD] 0.0039) and controls [mean -1.1 × 10-3, SD 0.0042] [p = 0.23]. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who experienced demyelination events following anti-TNF exposure were more likely female, less frequently treated with an immunomodulator, and had a similar genetic risk to anti-TNF exposed controls who did not experience demyelination events. Large prospective studies with pre-treatment neuroimaging are required to identify genetic susceptibility loci.
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Green HD, Beaumont RN, Wood AR, Hamilton B, Jones SE, Goodhand JR, Kennedy NA, Ahmad T, Yaghootkar H, Weedon MN, et al (2020). Genetic evidence that higher central adiposity causes gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a Mendelian randomization study.
International Journal of Epidemiology,
49(4), 1270-1281.
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Genetic evidence that higher central adiposity causes gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a Mendelian randomization study
Abstract
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. Background
. Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is associated with multiple risk factors but determining causality is difficult. We used a genetic approach [Mendelian randomization (MR)] to identify potential causal modifiable risk factors for GORD.
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. Methods
. We used data from 451 097 European participants in the UK Biobank and defined GORD using hospital-defined ICD10 and OPCS4 codes and self-report data (N = 41 024 GORD cases). We tested observational and MR-based associations between GORD and four adiposity measures [body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio (WHR), a metabolically favourable higher body-fat percentage and waist circumference], smoking status, smoking frequency and caffeine consumption.
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. Results
. Observationally, all adiposity measures were associated with higher odds of GORD. Ever and current smoking were associated with higher odds of GORD. Coffee consumption was associated with lower odds of GORD but, among coffee drinkers, more caffeinated-coffee consumption was associated with higher odds of GORD. Using MR, we provide strong evidence that higher WHR and higher WHR adjusted for BMI lead to GORD. There was weak evidence that higher BMI, body-fat percentage, coffee drinking or smoking caused GORD, but only the observational effects for BMI and body-fat percentage could be excluded. This MR estimated effect for WHR equates to a 1.23-fold higher odds of GORD per 5-cm increase in waist circumference.
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. Conclusions
. These results provide strong evidence that a higher waist–hip ratio leads to GORD. Our study suggests that central fat distribution is crucial in causing GORD rather than overall weight.
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Hamilton B, Green H, Heerasing N, Hendy P, Moore L, Chanchlani N, Walker G, Bewshea C, Kennedy NA, Ahmad T, et al (2020). Incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in Devon, UK.
Frontline Gastroenterology,
12(6), 461-470.
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Incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in Devon, UK
Background and aimsWe sought to define temporal changes in prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in East Devon, UK, in order to facilitate service planning over the next 5 years.MethodsMultiple primary and secondary care databases were used to identify and verify cases. Point prevalence and incidence of IBD were reported in April 2017 and from 2008 to 2016, respectively. Future prevalence and healthcare activity requirements were estimated by linear regression.ResultsPrevalence of ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD) and inflammatory bowel disease unclassified (IBDU) were 479.72, 265.94 and 35.34 per 100 000 persons, respectively. In 2016, the incidence rates of UC, CD and IBDU were 15.4, 10.7 and 1.4 per 100 000 persons per year, respectively. There were no significant changes in the incidence of CD (p=0.49, R=0.26) or UC (p=0.80, R=0.10). IBD prevalence has increased by 39.9% (95% CI 28.2 to 53.7) in the last 10 years without differences in the rate of change between UC and CD. Overall, 27% of patients were managed in primary care, a quarter of whom were eligible but not receiving endoscopic surveillance. Outpatient clinics, MRI and biologic use, but not helpline calls, admissions, or surgeries increased over and above the change in IBD prevalence.ConclusionsWe report one of the highest prevalence and incidence rates of IBD from Northern Europe. Overall, IBD incidence is static, but prevalence is increasing. We estimate that 1% of our population will live with IBD between 2025 and 2030.
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Nice R, Chanchlani N, Green H, Bewshea C, Kennedy N, Ahmad T, Goodhand J, McDonald T, Perry M (2020). OP21 Positivity thresholds of total infliximab and adalimumab anti-drug antibody assay: the prevalence of clearing and transient anti-drug antibodies in a national therapeutic drug monitoring service. Journal of Crohn's and Colitis, 14(Supplement_1), s018-s019.
Walker GJ, Lin S, Chanchlani N, Thomas A, Hendy P, Heerasing N, Moore L, Green HD, Chee D, Bewshea C, et al (2020). Quality improvement project identifies factors associated with delay in IBD diagnosis.
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,
52(3), 471-480.
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Quality improvement project identifies factors associated with delay in IBD diagnosis
SummaryBackgroundDelay in the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is common and contemporary UK studies are lacking.AimTo determine factors associated with, and the consequences of, a prolonged time to diagnosis in IBD.MethodsThis quality improvement study included 304 adults with a new IBD diagnosis made between January 2014 and December 2017 across 49 general practices (GP) and gastroenterology secondary care services. Outcome measures were demographic, clinical and laboratory factors associated with a delayed time, defined as greater than upper quartile, to: (a) patient presentation (b) GP referral (c) secondary care diagnosis, and factors associated with a complicated disease course (hospitalisation and/or surgery and/or biologic treatment) in the year after diagnosis.ResultsThe median [IQR] diagnosis sub‐intervals were: (a) patient = 2.1 months [0.9‐5.1]; (b) GP = 0.3 months [0.0‐0.9]; (c) secondary care = 1.1 months [0.5‐2.1]. 50% of patients were diagnosed within 4 months and 92% were diagnosed within 2 years of symptom onset. Diagnostic delay was more common in Crohn's disease (7.6 months [3.1‐15.0]) than ulcerative colitis (3.3 months [1.9‐7.3]) (P < 0.001). Patients who presented as an emergency (P < 0.001) but not those with a delayed overall time to diagnosis (P = 0.35) were more likely to have a complicated disease course.ConclusionTime to patient presentation is the largest component of time to IBD diagnosis. Emergency presentation is common and, unlike a delayed time to diagnosis, is associated with a complicated disease course.
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Green HD, Beaumont RN, Thomas A, Hamilton B, Wood AR, Sharp S, Jones SE, Tyrrell J, Walker G, Goodhand J, et al (2019). Genome-Wide Association Study of Microscopic Colitis in the UK Biobank Confirms Immune-Related Pathogenesis.
J Crohns Colitis,
13(12), 1578-1582.
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Genome-Wide Association Study of Microscopic Colitis in the UK Biobank Confirms Immune-Related Pathogenesis.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: the causes of microscopic colitis are currently poorly understood. Previous reports have found clinical associations with coeliac disease and genetic associations at the human leukocyte antigen [HLA] locus on the ancestral 8.1 haplotype. We investigated pharmacological and genetic factors associated with microscopic colitis in the UK Biobank. METHODS: in total, 483 European UK Biobank participants were identified by ICD10 coding, and a genome-wide association study was performed using BOLT-LMM, with a sensitivity analysis performed excluding potential confounders. The HLA*IMP:02 algorithm was used to estimate allele frequency at 11 classical HLA genes, and downstream analysis was performed using FUMA. Genetic overlap with inflammatory bowel disease [Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis] was investigated using genetic risk scores. RESULTS: We found significant phenotypic associations with smoking status, coeliac disease and the use of proton-pump inhibitors but not with other commonly reported pharmacological risk factors. Using the largest sample size to date, we confirmed a recently reported association with the MHC Ancestral 8.1 Haplotype. Downstream analysis suggests association with digestive tract morphogenesis. By calculating genetic risk scores, we also report suggestive evidence of shared genetic risk with Crohn's disease, but not with ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS: This report confirms the role of genetic determinants in the HLA in the pathogenesis of microscopic colitis. The genetic overlap with Crohn's disease suggests a common underlying mechanism of disease.
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Bewshea CM, Ahmad T, Kennedy N, Goodhand J, McDonald T, Green H (2019). Predictors of anti-TNF treatment failure in anti-TNF-naive patients with active luminal Crohn's disease: a prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Green HD, Thomas G, Terry JR (2017). Signal reconstruction of pulmonary vein recordings using a phenomenological mathematical model: Application to pulmonary vein isolation therapy.
Frontiers in Physiology,
8(JUL).
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Signal reconstruction of pulmonary vein recordings using a phenomenological mathematical model: Application to pulmonary vein isolation therapy
Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia, is commonly initiated by ectopic beats originating from a small myocardial sleeve extending over the pulmonary veins. Pulmonary vein isolation therapy attempts to isolate the pulmonary veins from the left atrium by ablating tissue, commonly by using radiofrequency ablation. During this procedure, the cardiologist records electrical activity using a lasso catheter, and the activation pattern recorded is used as a guide toward which regions to ablate. However, poor contact between electrode and tissue can lead to important regions of electrical activity not being recorded in clinic. We reproduce these signals through the use of a phenomenological model of the cardiac action potential on a cylinder, which we fit to post-AF atrial cells, and model the bipolar electrodes of the lasso catheter by an approximation of the surface potential. The resulting activation pattern is validated by direct comparison with those of clinical recordings. A potential application of the model is to reconstruct the missing electrical activity, minimizing the impact of the information loss on the clinical procedure, and we present results to demonstrate this.
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