B4721 - Polygenic risk of internalising-cardiometabolic multimorbidity and early-life health trajectories - 22/10/2024

B number: 
B4721
Principal applicant name: 
Ruby Tsang | MRC IEU
Co-applicants: 
Prof Nicholas Timpson, Dr Daniel Stow
Title of project: 
Polygenic risk of internalising-cardiometabolic multimorbidity and early-life health trajectories
Proposal summary: 

Multimorbidity is a global public health concern. Around a third of people are estimated to be living with two or more long term health conditions. Internalizing conditions (anxiety and depression) often co-occur with cardiometabolic conditions (e.g. hypertension and type 2 diabetes), leading to a type of multimorbidity that is particularly burdensome to patients, and is difficult to treat. There is some evidence of a bidirectional causal relationship between some internalizing and cardiometabolic states, but evidence on early life risk factors is sparse.

Genetic risk may play a role in the development of this type of internalizing and cardiometabolic multimorbidity (ICM-MM). This project aims to understand the early-life health of people who are at high genetic risk of multimorbidity. We aim to identify longitudinal patterns in health that may elucidate [aetiology / shared pathways], and be useful as targets for intervention or for healthcare stratification.

Impact of research: 
Understanding early life manifestations of late life multimorbidity may help us to explore disease aetiology / shared pathways. Also identify ‘at risk’ groups earlier in the life course, where intervention may be more effective to break the chain of disease co-occurrence.
Date proposal received: 
Monday, 21 October, 2024
Date proposal approved: 
Tuesday, 22 October, 2024
Keywords: 
Epidemiology