Fundamental study of systematic epidemiology in big data

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15354
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Narita Akira 東北大学, 東北メディカル・メガバンク機構, 助教 (50459468)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 田宮 元 東北大学, 東北メディカル・メガバンク機構, 教授 (10317745)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 疫学 / ビッグデータ / 遺伝統計学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of the study is to establish a high-precision system for prediction of risk of disease, which is one of main components of personalized prevention and medicine, by making the maximum use of larger and larger-scale data sets.
First, the association between natural disaster-related mild physical injury and psychological distress was evaluated using a data set of the Shichigahama Health Promotion Project in cross-sectional study design. Secondly, the association between residential area and psychological distress, and that between extent of house damage and bone density were evaluated using a data set of the the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project. In addition, genetic variants associated with blood pressure were searched for in an international consortium, and a population-based genome-wide interaction analysis was conducted to detect genetic variants that modulate the effect of salt intake on blood pressure.

Free Research Field

遺伝疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた一連の成果は、東日本大震災で被災した地域住民において、具体的な被災程度や内容、また性、年齢、生活習慣や、その他様々な社会的・経済的因子が、メンタルヘルスや骨密度などの健康指標とどのように関連しているか、またその結果を踏まえて、どのようなケアやその他の施策が重要かを示唆する一助となり得る。
一方で、ゲノム多型データなど、日々大規模化、多様化するデータを活用し、高血圧などの疾患やその他の形質と関連する遺伝的多様体の探索を通じて、個別化予防・医療の柱の一つである、高精度疾患発症リスク評価システムの確立につながる成果と言える。