Large-scale meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified >175 loci associated with fasting cholesterol levels, including total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG). With differences in linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure and allele frequencies between ancestry groups, studies in additional large samples may detect new associations. We conducted staged GWAS meta-analyses in up to 69,414 East Asian individuals from 24 studies with participants from Japan, the Philippines, Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan. These meta-analyses identified (P < 5 × 10-8) three novel loci associated with HDL-C near CD163-APOBEC1 (P = 7.4 × 10-9), NCOA2 (P = 1.6 × 10-8), and NID2-PTGDR (P = 4.2 × 10-8), and one novel locus associated with TG near WDR11-FGFR2 (P = 2.7 × 10-10). Conditional analyses identified a second signal near CD163-APOBEC1. We then combined results from the East Asian meta-analysis with association results from up to 187,365 European individuals from the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium in a trans-ancestry meta-analysis. This analysis identified (log10Bayes Factor ≥6.1) eight additional novel lipid loci. Among the twelve total loci identified, the index variants at eight loci have demonstrated at least nominal significance with other metabolic traits in prior studies, and two loci exhibited coincident eQTLs (P < 1 × 10-5) in subcutaneous adipose tissue for BPTF and PDGFC. Taken together, these analyses identified multiple novel lipid loci, providing new potential therapeutic targets.

ERM is common in Asians, particularly among Chinese. Older age is the most consistent risk factor for any ERM, and previous cataract surgery and diabetic retinopathy are the strongest risk factors for secondary ERM.

Ulnar fractures in patients with bisphosphonate therapy demonstrate features similar to those described for atypical femoral fractures, suggesting that these fractures could also possibly be due to bisphosphonate use. However, the ulna appears to be able to tolerate longer periods of alendronate use prior to fracture development. The mechanism and characteristics of these fractures additionally suggest the presence of repetitive stress that accumulates over time due to suppressed bone remodelling in patients on bisphosphonates, eventually resulting in these fractures.

To examine the association of systemic, ocular and genetic risk factors in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in a large cohort of Asian patients, and to further compare risk factors between those with typical AMD and polypoidal choroidal vasculoapthy (PCV) subtypes. We recruited 456 cases and 1,824 controls matched for age, gender and ethnicity. Data on systemic and ocular risk factors were collected on questionnaires. In a subgroup of subjects, we included genetic data on four AMD-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Risk factors for nAMD and subtypes were analyzed. Systemic risk factors for nAMD included older age, male gender, higher BMI and higher HDL-cholesterol. Ocular risk factors included pseudophakic and shorter axial length. Risk factors common to both typical AMD and PCV subtypes included age, BMI and HDL-cholesterol. Shorter axial length was only associated with PCV, while male gender and pseudophakia were only associated with typical AMD. In the subgroup with genotype data, ARMS2 rs10490924 and CFH rs800292 were associated with nAMD. None of the risk factors were significantly different between PCV and typical AMD. Systemic, ocular and genetic risk factors were largely similar for typical AMD and PCV subtypes in this Asian population based in Singapore.