Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for JPM Edit a Special Issue

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health"

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Journal of Personalized Medicine (ISSN 2075-4426). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2023 | Viewed by 3643

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Martina Barchitta

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via S.Sofia, Catania, Italy
Interests: public health; epidemiology; precision nutrition; nutrigenetics; nutrigenomics; nutriepigenomics; molecular biomarkers

Dr. Roberta Magnano San Lio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: public health; epidemiology

Dr. Giuliana Favara
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "GF Ingrassia", University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Interests: public health; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Precision medicine represents an emerging field for the early identification of those factors (e.g., biological, genetic and epigenetic, social, environmental, and clinical factors) that have a greater impact on people’s health and wellbeing. In this scenario, precision medicine—supported by a large amount of health data—could guide epidemiology and public health issues through the development of novel and more targeted preventive strategies.

In this scenario, the proposed Special Issue aims to provide novel insights into the role of precision medicine in human health and public health issues.

In recent decades, there has been an increased interest in the field of precision medicine, especially in accurately identifying effective treatments and preventive strategies targeted toward at-risk groups. Recently, an explosion of healthcare data and advances in smart technologies provide epidemiologists with the instruments for applying precision health, both in preventing disease and promoting health.

Here, we aim to provide an overview of the opportunities and challenges concerning the application of precision medicine in the fields of epidemiology and public health, through original research, reviews, and communications.

Prof. Dr. Martina Barchitta
Dr. Roberta Magnano San Lio
Dr. Giuliana Favara
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Personalized Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

epidemiology
precision medicine
precision public health
human health
risk factors
prevention
diseases

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Risk Calculator to Predict Erectile Dysfunction in HIV-Positive Men

and

J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(4), 679; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13040679 - 18 Apr 2023

Viewed by 511

Abstract

HIV infection is considered to be a lifelong medical condition, requiring follow-up and treatment for decades. HIV-positive men are reported to have erectile dysfunction more often than age-matched healthy controls, and improving sexuality is known to potentially improve overall health-related quality of life. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the presence of ED in HIV-positive men and the associated contributing factors and to create a statistical model to assess the risk to develop ED in this population. In a prospective study, we analyzed a group of HIV-positive men in a cross-sectional manner, looking at demographics, blood test results, and smoking habits. Data were statistically analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. In our series, the overall incidence of ED was 48.5%, increasing with age. Our analysis showed no correlation with blood sugar level, but a very strong correlation with total serum lipids. We were able to develop and validate a risk calculator for ED in HIV-positive men. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Prognosis Factors of Patients Undergoing Renal Replacement Therapy

José Manuel Muñoz-Terol

José L. Rocha

Pablo Castro-de la Nuez

Juan José Egea-Guerrero

Luis Gil-Sacaluga

Emilio García-Cabrera

and

Angel Vilches-Arenas

J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(4), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13040605 - 30 Mar 2023

Viewed by 514

Abstract

Background: Survival in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on renal replacement therapy (RRT) is less than that of the general population of the same age, and depends on patient factors, the medical care received, and the type of RRT used. The objective of this study is to analyze the factors associated with survival in patients undergoing RRT. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of adult patients with an incident of ESKD on RRT in Andalusia from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2018. Patient characteristics, nephrological care received, and survival from the beginning of RRT were evaluated. A survival model for the patient was developed according to the variables studied. Results: A total of 11,551 patients were included. Median survival was 6.8 years (95% CI (6.6; 7.0)). After starting RRT, survival at one year and five years was 88.7% (95% CI (88.1; 89.3)) and 59.4% (95% CI (58.4; 60.4)), respectively. Age, initial comorbidity, diabetic nephropathy, and a venous catheter were independent risk factors. However, non-urgent initiation of RRT and follow-up in consultations for more than six months had a protective effect. It was identified that renal transplantation (RT) was the most influential independent factor in patient survival, with a risk ratio of 0.13 (95% CI (0.11; 0.14)). Conclusions: The receiving of a kidney transplant was the most beneficial modifiable factor in the survival of incident patients on RRT. We consider that the mortality of the renal replacement treatment should be adjusted, taking into account both modifiable and nonmodifiable factors to achieve a more precise and comparable interpretation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Association between Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and All-Cause Mortality in Geriatric Patients with Hip Fractures: A Prospective Cohort Study of 339 Patients

and

J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(2), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13020345 - 16 Feb 2023

Viewed by 531

Abstract

Background: Many factors affect the prognosis of hip fractures in the elderly. Some studies have suggested a direct or indirect association among serum lipid levels, osteoporosis, and hip fracture risk. LDL levels were found to have a statistically significant nonlinear U-shaped relationship with hip fracture risk. However, the relationship between serum LDL levels and the prognosis of patients with hip fractures remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the influence of serum LDL levels on patient mortality over a long-term follow-up period. Methods: Elderly patients with hip fractures were screened between January 2015 and September 2019, and their demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. Linear and nonlinear multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify the association between LDL levels and mortality. Analyses were performed using Empower Stats and R software. Results: Overall, 339 patients with a mean follow-up period of 34.17 months were included in this study. Ninety-nine patients (29.20%) died due to all-cause mortality. Linear multivariate Cox regression models showed that LDL levels were associated with mortality (HR = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.53, 0.91, p = 0.0085) after adjusting for confounding factors. However, the linear association was unstable, and nonlinearity was identified. An LDL concentration of 2.31 mmol/L was defined as the inflection point for prediction. A LDL level < 2.31 mmol/L was associated with mortality (HR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.25, 0.69, p = 0.0006), whereas LDL > 2.31 mmol/L was not a risk factor for mortality (HR = 1.06, 95%CI: 0.70, 1.63, p = 0.7722). Conclusions: The preoperative LDL level was nonlinearly associated with mortality in elderly patients with hip fractures, and the LDL level was a risk indicator of mortality. Furthermore, 2.31 mmol/L could be considered a predictor cut-off for risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

Open AccessReview

Psychometric Properties of Suboptimal Health Status Instruments: A Systematic Review

Mohamed Ali Alzain

Collins Otieno Asweto

Sehar-un-Nisa Hassan

Mohammed Elshiekh Saeed

Ahmed Kassar

and

Bandar Alsaif

J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(2), 299; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13020299 - 08 Feb 2023

Viewed by 922

Abstract

Background: Suboptimal health status (SHS) measurement has now been recognized as an essential construct in predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine. Currently, there are limited tools, and an ongoing debate about appropriate tools. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate and generate conclusive evidence about the psychometric properties of available SHS tools. Objective: This research aimed to identify and critically assess the psychometric properties of available SHS instruments and provide recommendations for their future use. Methods: Articles were retrieved by following the guidelines of the PRISMA checklist, and the robustness of methods and evidence about the measurement properties was assessed using the adapted COSMIN checklist. The review was registered in PROSPERO. Results: The systematic review identified 14 publications describing four subjective SHS measures with established psychometric properties; these included the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaire-25 (SHSQ-25), Sub-health Measurement Scale Version 1.0 (SHMS V1.0), Multidimensional Sub-health Questionnaire of Adolescents (MSQA), and the Sub-Health Self-Rating Scale (SSS). Most studies were conducted in China and reported three reliability indices: (1) the internal consistency measured by Cronbach’s α value ranged between 0.70 and 0.96; (2) the test–retest reliability; and (3) the split-half reliability coefficient values ranged between 0.64 and 0.98, and between 0.83 and 0.96, respectively. For the values of validity coefficients in the case of SHSQ-25 > 0.71, the SHMS-1.0 ranged from 0.64 to 0.87, and the SSS ranged from 0.74 to 0.96. Using these existing and well-characterized tools rather than constructing original tools is beneficial, given that the existing choice demonstrated sound psychometric properties and established norms. Conclusions: The SHSQ-25 stood out as being more suitable for the general population and routine health surveys, because it is short and easy to complete. Therefore, there is a need to adapt this tool by translating it into other languages, including Arabic, and establishing norms based on populations from other regions of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Open AccessReview

How Wearable Sensors Can Support the Research on Foetal and Pregnancy Outcomes: A Scoping Review

Andrea Maugeri

Martina Barchitta

and

Antonella Agodi

J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13(2), 218; https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13020218 - 26 Jan 2023

Viewed by 780

Abstract

The application of innovative technologies, and in particular of wearable devices, can potentially transform the field of antenatal care with the aim of improving maternal and new-born health through a personalized approach. The present study undertakes a scoping review to systematically map the literature about the use wearable sensors in the research of foetal and pregnancy outcomes. Online databases were used to identify papers published between 2000–2022, from which we selected 30 studies: 9 on foetal outcomes and 21 on maternal outcomes. Included studies focused primarily on the use of wearable devices for monitoring foetal vital signs (e.g., foetal heart rate and movements) and maternal activity during pregnancy (e.g., sleep patterns and physical activity levels). There were many studies that focused on development and/or validation of wearable devices, even if often they included a limited number of pregnant women without pregnancy complications. Although their findings support the potential adoption of wearable devices for both antenatal care and research, there is still insufficient evidence to design effective interventions. Therefore, high quality research is needed to determine which and how wearable devices could support antenatal care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Special Issue "Precision Medicine for Epidemiology and Public Health"

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (5 papers)

Research

Review

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI