2026-09-20T06:42:31Zhttps://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/oai/requestoai:ecommons.cornell.edu:1813/1120302026-05-15T19:50:35Zcom_1813_35col_1813_47
Patchen, Bonnie K
Cassano, Patricia Ann
Mezey, Jason G.
Clark, Andrew
2022-10-31T16:20:33Z
2022-08
ProQuest Submission ID: 13187
ProQuest Publication ID: 29319273
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/112030
https://doi.org/10.7298/far8-zm76
15578839
232 pages
This dissertation aimed to investigate causality in the associations of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs), two nutrients recognized for their immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties,with lung health and disease. We used multiple methods with the goal of addressing context-specific limitations and improving causal inference. We first investigated causality in the association of serum vitamin D levels and COVID-19. We conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) study of genetic variants associated with vitamin D nutritional status and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity, including severe respiratory infection and hospitalization. We found no evidence for a causal effect of genetically predicted differences in long-term vitamin D nutritional status on susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19 infection. Next, we investigated causality in the association of circulating ω-3 FAs with spirometry-measured long-term lung outcomes. We applied two complementary approaches: 1) a longitudinal study of plasma phospholipid ω-3 FAs, lung function decline, and incident airway obstruction, and 2) an MR study of genetically predicted ω-3 FAs and lung function parameters. The longitudinal study found that higher ω-3 FAs were associated with an attenuation in lung function decline and reduced risk of airway obstruction, with the strongest effects for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The MR study corroborated these findings, with evidence for positive effects of genetically predicted ω-3 FAs on lung function parameters. Lastly, we studied the evidence for the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in early life for preventing childhood asthma. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant or lactating women or young children. We identified 17 studies meeting the eligibility criteria for the review, and found moderate-certainty evidence that vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy or early childhood reduces the risk of childhood asthma or wheeze, and may also reduce the risk of atopic dermatitis and decrease markers of allergic sensitization, both of which are thought to contribute to the development of asthma. Ultimately the studies comprising this dissertation demonstrate the application of different methods to improve causal inference for nutrition and lung health. The findings could help inform public health strategies to prevent lung disease.
en
asthma
COVID-19
lung function
omega-3 fatty acids
vitamin D
INVESTIGATING THE CAUSAL ROLE OF VITAMIN D AND OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS IN LUNG HEALTH
dissertation or thesis
https://newcatalog.library.cornell.edu/catalog/15578839
application/pdf
Nutrition
Cornell University
Doctor of Philosophy
Ph. D., Nutrition
https://hdl.handle.net/1813/59810.2
Publication
Cornell Theses and Dissertations
Patchen, Bonnie K
5893a6ea-7af3-41d7-abc6-04bcd26ab5df
open.access
open.access
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<Abstract>This dissertation aimed to investigate causality in the associations of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 FAs), two nutrients recognized for their immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties,with lung health and disease. We used multiple methods with the goal of addressing context-specific limitations and improving causal inference. We first investigated causality in the association of serum vitamin D levels and COVID-19. We conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) study of genetic variants associated with vitamin D nutritional status and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity, including severe respiratory infection and hospitalization. We found no evidence for a causal effect of genetically predicted differences in long-term vitamin D nutritional status on susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19 infection. Next, we investigated causality in the association of circulating ω-3 FAs with spirometry-measured long-term lung outcomes. We applied two complementary approaches: 1) a longitudinal study of plasma phospholipid ω-3 FAs, lung function decline, and incident airway obstruction, and 2) an MR study of genetically predicted ω-3 FAs and lung function parameters. The longitudinal study found that higher ω-3 FAs were associated with an attenuation in lung function decline and reduced risk of airway obstruction, with the strongest effects for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The MR study corroborated these findings, with evidence for positive effects of genetically predicted ω-3 FAs on lung function parameters. Lastly, we studied the evidence for the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in early life for preventing childhood asthma. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in pregnant or lactating women or young children. We identified 17 studies meeting the eligibility criteria for the review, and found moderate-certainty evidence that vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy or early childhood reduces the risk of childhood asthma or wheeze, and may also reduce the risk of atopic dermatitis and decrease markers of allergic sensitization, both of which are thought to contribute to the development of asthma. Ultimately the studies comprising this dissertation demonstrate the application of different methods to improve causal inference for nutrition and lung health. The findings could help inform public health strategies to prevent lung disease.</Abstract>
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