An Environment-Wide Association Study (EWAS) on type 2 diabetes mellitus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and other chronic diseases are caused by a complex combination of many genetic and environmental factors. Few methods are available to comprehensively associate specific physical environmental factors with disease. We conducted a pilot Environmental-Wide Association Study (EWAS), in which epidemiological data are comprehensively and systematically interpreted in a manner analogous to a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS).

Methods and findings

We performed multiple cross-sectional analyses associating 266 unique environmental factors with clinical status for T2D defined by fasting blood sugar (FBG) concentration > or =126 mg/dL. We utilized available Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) c

SUBMITTER: Patel CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2873978 | biostudies-literature | 2010 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature