The Gene-Environment Interactions in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) Project

Abstract

The role of genetic and environmental factors, as well as their interaction, in the natural history of asthma, allergic rhinitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is largely unknown. This is mainly due to the lack of large-scale analytical epidemiological/genetic studies aimed at investigating these 3 respiratory conditions simultaneously. The GEIRD project is a collaborative initiative designed to collect information on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, individual and ecological exposures, diet, early-life factors, smoking habits, genetic traits and medication use in large and accurately defined series of asthma, allergic rhinitis and COPD phenotypes. It is a population-based multicase-control design, where cases and controls are identified through a 2-stage screening process (postal questionnaire and clinical examination) in pre-existing cohorts or new samples of subjects. It is aimed at elucidating the role that modifiable and genetic factors play in the occurrence, persistence, severity and control of inflammatory airway diseases, by way of the establishment of a historical multicentre standardized databank of phenotypes, contributed by and openly available to international epidemiologists. Researchers conducting population-based surveys with standardized methods may contribute to the public-domain case-control database, and use the resulting increased power to answer their own scientific questions.

Mild Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis Seem to Influence Functional Exercise Capacity: A Multi-Case Control Study

“…Chronic exposure to cigarette smoking may explain the shorter 6MWD of current smokers with respect to nonsmokers, but recent smoking may also have contributed [38]. Intense physical activity and greater FEV 1 % predicted were associated with a longer 6MWD [9,33,39]. Comorbidity was not associated with the test performance, which could be due to the fact that subjects with moderate/severe comorbidities who fulfilled the 6MWT exclusion criteria were not considered.…”

“…The Genes Environment Interaction in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) project is an ongoing multicase-control study involving seven Italian centers [9]. In stage 1, new random samples or pre-existing randomly sampled cohorts from the general population (20–64 years of age, male/female = 1/1) were mailed a screening questionnaire on respiratory symptoms [10].…”

“…table S1; for all online supplementary material, see www.karger.com?doi=10.1159/000345137) were invited to clinics, where they underwent interviews and clinical tests. All measurement protocols were in agreement with international guidelines (www.geird.org) [9]. Ethical approval was obtained in each center from the appropriate ethics committee, and written consent was obtained from each participant.…”

“…• Potential confounders: study cohort [9,10], calendar period (accounting for seasonality), gender, age, height, weight, comorbidity [at least one of: hypertension or diabetes (subjects currently under medication), ‘cardiovascular comorbidity’ (at least one of: lifetime heart attack, ictus, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, heart or aorta surgery) or cancer]. The questions on cardiovascular comorbidities were taken from the WHO/Rose validated questionnaire [14].…”

The Heterogeneity Hidden in Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Co-Existing Asthma in Adults: A Population-Based Survey

“…In the frame of this study, random samples of about 3,000 subjects from the general population aged 20-44 years (male:female ratio = 1:1) were selected from the registry of the local health authority in each of the four Italian centres of Pavia, Sassari, Turin and Verona [16]. …”