Cladistic analysis of the apolipoprotein AI-CIH-AIV gene cluster using a healthy French Canadian sample. I. Haploid analysis

A cladistic analysis was carried out to identify haplotypes hypothesized to differ for functional DNA sequence variations within the apolipoprotein (apo) AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster that affect plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein levels. A sample of unrelated healthy French Canadians was studied. First, a cladogram of the observed apo AI-CIII-AIV haplotypes was estimated. Then this cladogram was used to define a statistical analysis of the association between haplotype variation and variation in plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein levels. Three haplotypes were identified which were associated with small (5–12% of the total sum of squares) pleiotropic effects on plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein traits and these effects were context, i.e. gender, dependent.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66070/1/j.1469-1809.1995.tb00742.x.pd

Does women’s place of birth affect their opportunity for an informed choice about Down syndrome screening? A population-based study in France

International audienceBackground: To examine disparities by maternal place of birth in the opportunity to make an informed choice about Down syndrome screening, in France, where the national guidelines recommend that physicians offer it to all pregnant women. Methods: We used population-based data from the nationally representative French Perinatal Surveys in 2010 and 2016 (N=24,644 women) to analyze the opportunity for an informed choice for prenatal screening, measured by a composite indicator. Results: Among the 24 644 women in the study, 20 612 (83.6%) were born in France, 861 (3.5%) elsewhere in Europe, 1550 (6.3%) in North Africa, and 960 (3.9%) in sub-Saharan Africa. The probability of screening was lower for women born outside France. After adjustment for survey year, maternal age, parity, education level, and the maternity unit's level of perinatal care, women born outside France had the opportunity to make an informed choice less often than women born in France. This association remained essentially the same even after excluding women without adequate prenatal care. Conclusions: Women born outside France, including those with adequate prenatal care, had less opportunity than women born in France to make an informed choice about prenatal screening for Down syndrome

Rationale and design of REDUCE‐IT: Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial

Residual cardiovascular risk persists despite statins, yet outcome studies of lipid‐targeted therapies beyond low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) have not demonstrated added benefit. Triglyceride elevation is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. High‐dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) reduces triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins without raising LDL‐C. Omega‐3s have postulated pleiotropic cardioprotective benefits beyond triglyceride‐lowering. To date, no large, multinational, randomized clinical trial has proved that lowering triglycerides on top of statin therapy improves cardiovascular outcomes. The Reduction of Cardiovascular Events with Icosapent Ethyl–Intervention Trial (REDUCE‐IT; NCT01492361) is a phase 3b randomized, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled trial of icosapent ethyl, a highly purified ethyl ester of EPA, vs placebo. The main objective is to evaluate whether treatment with icosapent ethyl reduces ischemic events in statin‐treated patients with high triglycerides at elevated cardiovascular risk. REDUCE‐IT enrolled men or women age ≥45 years with established cardiovascular disease or age ≥50 years with diabetes mellitus and 1 additional risk factor. Randomization required fasting triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL and 40 mg/dL and ≤100 mg/dL with stable statin (± ezetimibe) ≥4 weeks prior to qualifying measurements. The primary endpoint is a composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, coronary revascularization, or unstable angina. The key secondary endpoint is the composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. Several secondary, tertiary, and exploratory endpoints will be assessed. Approximately 8000 patients have been randomized at approximately 470 centers worldwide. Follow‐up will continue in this event‐driven trial until approximately 1612 adjudicated primary‐efficacy endpoint events have occurred