Prenatal opioid exposure and the early life epigenome: results from ECHO.

Background: Prenatal opioid exposure has been associated with adverse child health outcomes. Changes to the epigenome provide a plausible mechanism through which effects may be elicited. We investigated whether prenatal opioid exposure was associated with locus-specific changes in umbilical cord blood DNA methylation (DNAm) and gestational epigenetic age.

Racial/ethnic-derived maternal diets predict birth outcomes better than a diet derived from a combined sample among Hispanic/Latina and non-Hispanic White pregnant individuals in the ECHO Cohort.

Little is known about diet based on maternal fasting blood glucose (FBG) and birth outcomes in diverse populations. We hypothesized that racial/ethnic-derived FBG-based diets would predict birth outcomes better than a diet derived from the overall sample. Pregnant Hispanic/Latina (n = 420) and non-Hispanic White (n = 564) individuals (combined, n=984) from two Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts provided ≥ 1 24-h diet recalls.

Newborn blood DNA methylation and childhood asthma: findings from the ECHO program.

Background: DNA methylation (DNAm) at birth has been linked to childhood asthma in epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs). However, existing EWASs have limited representation of non-European and extremely preterm participants and have not explored sex-specific DNAm differences. This study examined the association between DNAm in newborn blood and subsequent childhood asthma risk in a diverse population.

Child Opportunity Index at birth and asthma with recurrent exacerbations in the US ECHO program.

Background: Environmental exposures and social determinants likely influence specific childhood asthma phenotypes.

Objective: We hypothesized that the Child Opportunity Index (COI) at birth, measuring multiple neighborhood opportunities, influences incidence rates (IRs) for asthma with recurrent exacerbations (ARE).

Methods: We tested for COI associations with ARE IRs in 15,877 children born between 1990 and 2018 in the ECHO (Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes) program.

Clinical Prediction Models Combining Routine Clinical Measures Have High Accuracy in Identifying Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes Defined by Maintained Endogenous Insulin Secretion: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study.

Objective: With high prevalence of obesity and overlapping features between diabetes subtypes, accurately classifying youth-onset diabetes can be challenging. We aimed to develop prediction models that, using characteristics available at diabetes diagnosis, can identify youth who will retain endogenous insulin secretion at levels consistent with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Research Design And Methods: We studied 2,966 youth with diabetes in the prospective SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study (diagnosis age ≤19 years) to develop prediction models to identify participants with fasting C-peptide ≥250 pmol/L (≥0.

Clinical prediction models combining routine clinical measures identify participants with youth-onset diabetes who maintain insulin secretion in the range associated with type 2 diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study.

Objective: With the high prevalence of pediatric obesity and overlapping features between diabetes subtypes, accurately classifying youth-onset diabetes can be challenging. We aimed to develop prediction models that, using characteristics available at diabetes diagnosis, can identify youth who will retain endogenous insulin secretion at levels consistent with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: We studied 2,966 youth with diabetes in the prospective SEARCH study (diagnosis age ≤19 years) to develop prediction models to identify participants with fasting c-peptide ≥250 pmol/L (≥0.

Evaluation of pediatric epigenetic clocks across multiple tissues.

Background: Epigenetic clocks are promising tools for assessing biological age. We assessed the accuracy of pediatric epigenetic clocks in gestational and chronological age determination.

Results: Our study used data from seven tissue types on three DNA methylation profiling microarrays and found that the Knight and Bohlin clocks performed similarly for blood cells, while the Lee clock was superior for placental samples.

Childhood Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption: an Agent-Based Model of Context-Specific Reduction Efforts.

Introduction: Despite widespread recognition among public health experts that childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption should be reduced, doing so has proven to be a challenge. An agent-based model of early childhood sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was applied to data from three high-quality, longitudinal cohort studies to gain insight into potentially effective intervention strategies across contexts.

Methods: From 2021 to 2023, a single agent-based model design was applied to data sets derived from three separate cohorts of children followed from infancy to childhood, with very different populations and environments (participants recruited in 1999-2002; 2003-2010; and 2009-2014).

Exposure to Gestational Diabetes and BMI Trajectories Through Adolescence: The Exploring Perinatal Outcomes Among Children Study.

Context: Previous studies have shown that exposure to maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased offspring body mass index (BMI) and risk for overweight or obesity.

Objective: This study aimed to explore differences in BMI trajectories among youth exposed or not exposed to maternal GDM and understand whether these associations differ across life stages.

Methods: Data from 403 mother/child dyads (76 exposed; 327 not exposed) participating in the longitudinal Exploring Perinatal Outcomes among Children (EPOCH) study in Colorado were used.

Endocrine Health and Health Care Disparities in the Pediatric and Sexual and Gender Minority Populations: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement.

Endocrine care of pediatric and adult patients continues to be plagued by health and health care disparities that are perpetuated by the basic structures of our health systems and research modalities, as well as policies that impact access to care and social determinants of health. This scientific statement expands the Society's 2012 statement by focusing on endocrine disease disparities in the pediatric population and sexual and gender minority populations. These include pediatric and adult lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA) persons.

Prenatal Exposure to Tobacco and Childhood Cognition and Behavior: Effect Modification by Maternal Folate Intake and Breastfeeding Duration.

In this exploratory analysis, we assessed whether nutrition modified the association between prenatal exposure to tobacco and childhood cognition/behavior among 366 Colorado-based mothers and their offspring (born ≥ 37 weeks with birthweights ≥ 2500 g). Interaction by folate ( View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Incidence rates of childhood asthma with recurrent exacerbations in the US Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program.

Background: Descriptive epidemiological data on incidence rates (IRs) of asthma with recurrent exacerbations (ARE) are sparse.

Objectives: This study hypothesized that IRs for ARE would vary by time, geography, age, and race and ethnicity, irrespective of parental asthma history.

Methods: The investigators leveraged data from 17,246 children born after 1990 enrolled in 59 US with 1 Puerto Rican cohort in the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) consortium to estimate IRs for ARE.

Association of Metformin With the Development of Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Importance: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness with no treatment available for early stages. Retrospective studies have shown an association between metformin and reduced risk of AMD.

Objective: To investigate the association between metformin use and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Prenatal exposure to tobacco and adverse birth outcomes: effect modification by folate intake during pregnancy.

Background: Fetal exposure to tobacco increases the risk for many adverse birth outcomes, but whether diet mitigates these risks has yet to be explored. Here, we examined whether maternal folate intake (from foods and supplements) during pregnancy modified the association between prenatal exposure to tobacco and with preterm delivery, small-for-gestational age (SGA) births, or neonatal adiposity.

Methods: Mother-child pairs (n = 701) from Healthy Start were included in this analysis.

Influences of Chronic Physical and Mental Health Conditions on Child and Adolescent Positive Health.

Objective: Pediatric positive health refers to children's assessments of their well-being. The purpose of this study was to contrast positive health for children aged 8 to 17 years with and without chronic physical and mental health conditions.

Methods: Data were drawn from the National Institutes of Health Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) research program.

Hepatic Fat in Participants With and Without Incident Diabetes in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcome Study.

Context: There is little information about fatty liver in prediabetes as it transitions to early diabetes.

Objective: This study is aimed at evaluating the prevalence and determinants of fatty liver in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP).

Methods: We measured liver fat as liver attenuation (LA) in Hounsfield units (HU) in 1876 participants at ~14 years following randomization into the DPP, which tested the effects of lifestyle or metformin interventions versus standard care to prevent diabetes.

Testosterone Treatment in Infants With 47,XXY: Effects on Body Composition.

Context: Boys with XXY have greater adiposity and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Infants with XXY have lower testosterone concentrations than typical boys, but no studies have evaluated adiposity in infants with XXY or the physiologic effects of giving testosterone replacement.

Objective: To determine the effect of testosterone on body composition in infants with XXY.

Inflammation, adiposity, and progression of arterial stiffness in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: The SEARCH CVD Study.

Aims: We examined the association between inflammation and progression of arterial stiffness in a population of youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Methods: A total of 287 youth with T1D (median age 13 years) from SEARCH CVD, an ancillary study to the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth, were included. Markers of inflammation (CRP, IL-6, fibrinogen, leptin, and adiponectin) and measures of pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the arm (PWV-R), trunk (PWV-T), and lower extremity (PWV-LE) were measured at baseline.

Plasma adiponectin levels are associated with circulating inflammatory cytokines in autoantibody positive first-degree relatives of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Extra-articular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), potentially due to systemic inflammation, include cardiovascular disease and sarcopenic obesity. Adiponectin, an adipose-derived cytokine, has been implicated in inflammatory processes in RA, but little is known regarding its association with inflammation in a pre-clinical period. Therefore, we investigated whether adiponectin was associated with inflammatory markers in individuals at risk for RA, and whether RA-related autoimmunity modifies these associations.

Clinical tool for disease phenotyping in granulomatous lung disease.

Background: Exposure to beryllium may lead to granuloma formation and fibrosis in those who develop chronic beryllium disease (CBD). Although disease presentation varies from mild to severe, little is known about CBD phenotypes. This study characterized CBD disease phenotypes using longitudinal measures of lung function.

Impact of Lifestyle and Metformin Interventions on the Risk of Progression to Diabetes and Regression to Normal Glucose Regulation in Overweight or Obese People With Impaired Glucose Regulation.

Objective: Both lifestyle and metformin interventions can delay or prevent progression to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in people with impaired glucose regulation, but there is considerable interindividual variation in the likelihood of receiving benefit. Understanding an individual's 3-year risk of progressing to DM and regressing to normal glucose regulation (NGR) might facilitate benefit-based tailored treatment.

Research Design And Methods: We used the values of 19 clinical variables measured at the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) baseline evaluation and Cox proportional hazards models to assess the 3-year risk of progression to DM and regression to NGR separately for DPP lifestyle, metformin, and placebo participants who were adherent to the interventions.