Approved Research

Exploratory data analysis applied to the role of endocrine hormones and moderating effects in diabetes and cardiovascular disease within the UK Biobank participant cohort.

Lay summary

The UK Biobank (UKB) cohort data aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious diseases. This study aligns very closely with the purpose of UKB and addresses significant issues in public health.

The UKB biochemical markers selected for assay have been chosen because they are established risk factors for disease, and include endocrine factors, for instance adrenal cortex hormones and androgens. There is a significant role of sex hormones in metabolism, obesity and diabetes in males and females. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in both women and men. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial, with sex hormones playing an important role.

UKB cohort data provides a fabulous opportunity to progress knowledge within these areas as there is linked medical data with objectively assessed criteria of moderating effects such as a number of environmental and lifestyle factors such as diet, alcohol consumption, occupational exposures, genetics, body composition and physical fitness and physical activity within an adequately powered population sample to satisfy meaningful interrogation.

We will conduct a population-based retrospective cohort study to determine the relationship between hormones (particularly steroid), moderating factors, in incidence and prevalence amongst diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The study will last 36 months and draw from advanced technologies appropriate to the diverse forms of available data, including data mining, geospatial, temporal and network analysis.

UKB aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of serious diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The findings from this study will be useful for stakeholders in hormone treatment, public health and generate new knowledge for prevention and care.