Cohort profile: the multigeneration Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) cohort

Abstract

PurposeThe Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) cohort was established to (1) investigate how exposures before conception and in previous generations influence health and disease, particularly allergies and respiratory health, (2) identify susceptible time windows and (3) explore underlying mechanisms. The ultimate aim is to facilitate efficient intervention strategies targeting multiple generations.ParticipantsRHINESSA includes study participants of multiple generations from ten study centres in Norway (1), Denmark (1), Sweden (3), Iceland (1), Estonia (1), Spain (2) and Australia (1). The RHINESSA core cohort, adult offspring generation 3 (G3), was first investigated in 2014–17 in a questionnaire study (N=8818, age 18–53 years) and a clinical study (subsample, n=1405). Their G2 parents participated in the population-based cohorts, European Community Respiratory Heath Survey and Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, followed since the early 1990s when they were 20–44 years old, at 8–10 years intervals. Study protocols are harmonised across generations.Findings to dateCollected data include spirometry, skin prick tests, exhaled nitric oxide, anthropometrics, bioimpedance, blood pressure; questionnaire/interview data on respiratory/general/reproductive health, indoor/outdoor environment, smoking, occupation, general characteristics and lifestyle; biobanked blood, urine, gingival fluid, skin swabs; measured specific and total IgE, DNA methylation, sex hormones and oral microbiome. Research results suggest that parental environment years before conception, in particular, father’s exposures such as smoking and overweight, may be of key importance for asthma and lung function, and that there is an important susceptibility window in male prepuberty. Statistical analyses developed to approach causal inference suggest that these associations may be causal. DNA methylation studies suggest a mechanism for transfer of father’s exposures to offspring health and disease through impact on offspring DNA methylation.Future plansFollow-up is planned at 5–8 years intervals, first in 2021–2023. Linkage with health registries contributes to follow-up of the cohort.

Association between lipid-A-producing oral bacteria of different potency and fractional exhaled nitric oxide in a Norwegian population-based adult cohort

“…A total of 477 adults from the community-based generation study RHINESSA, Bergen center, were analyzed, 223 (47%) women and 254 (53%) men. The women were slightly younger than the men (mean (± sd): 27.2 (± 6.6) and 28.7 (± 6.8) years; median (IQR): 26 (22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32) and 28 (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34) years; min-max: 18-45 and 18-47 years, respectively). The outcome variable F eNO had a right-skewed distribution, with median (IQR) equal to 18 (13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) ppb.…”

“…A total of 477 adult participants, generation 3 (G3), from the community-based generation study Respiratory Health In Northern Europe, Spain, and Australia (RHINESSA) [ 32 ], Bergen center, were examined in 2014–2015 with questionaries, interviews, and a clinical investigation, including gingival fluid sampling.…”

“…Descriptive statistics are presented as mean [± standard deviation (sd)] and median [interquartile range (IQR)] for continuous variables (compared by Shapiro–Wilk test) and as frequency (percentage) for categorical variables. Potential confounders were selected based on the factors that we know affect both the exposure (oral microbiota composition) and the outcome (F eNO ) from the RHINESSA cohort [ 32 ] using directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). We adjusted for age, sex, height, weight, smoking habits (never/previous/current), gingival bleeding upon brushing teeth (never/rarely/sometimes/often/always), an attack of asthma in the last 12 months (no/yes), and the use of asthma medication (no/yes).…”

Heritability of cough across two generations: the RHINESSA study

“…16 The RHINESSA study investigates the offspring of the RHINE study participants, with the baseline study conducted in 2012-2019 including over 10,000 participants. 17 Parents participating in RHINE with at least one offspring ≥20 years old participating in RHINESSA were included for analysis. Most RHINESSA participants (98%) had only one parent participating in RHINE.…”

Association of oral bacteria with oral hygiene habits and self‐reported gingival bleeding

“…This analysis is based on the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) study (http://www.rhinessa.net), a community‐based generation study (Svanes et al, 2022). In the present analysis, only participants from the Bergen study centre were included.…”