Preconceptional paternal obesity may increase the risk of congenital urogenital anomalies in offspring: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital urogenital anomalies affect 4-60 per 10,000 births. Maternal obesity, along with other risk factors, is well documented as a contributing factor. However, the impact of paternal obesity on risk is unclear. Obesity is prevalent among men of reproductive age, highlighting the need for further research into the potential association between paternal obesity and offspring congenital urogenital anomalies. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the association between paternal obesity and the risk of congenital urogenital malformations in offspring. METHODS: Case-control study conducted on 179 newborns (91 cases, 88 controls) selected from the Notre Dame des Secours-university hospital database. Cases were identified as newborns presenting at least one congenital urogenital abnormality, defined as developmental anomalies that can result in a variety of malformations affecting the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Controls were identified as newborns without any congenital abnormalities. The exclusion criteria were maternal obesity, infections during pregnancy, chronic diseases, prematurity, growth retardation, assisted reproductive technologies for conception, substance abuse, down syndrome, and other malformations. Data were collected through phone interviews, medical records, and questionnaires. In this study, the exposure was the preconceptional paternal body mass index (BMI), which was calculated based on self-reported height and weight. According to guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals are considered to be in the healthy weight range if their BMI (kg/m2) is between 18.5 and < 25. They are classified as overweight if their BMI is ≥ 25, obese class I if their BMI is between 30 and < 35, obese class II if their BMI is between 35 and < 40, and obese class III if their BMI is 40 or higher. Logistic regression analysis was employed to quantify the association between paternal obesity and urogenital conditions in offspring. RESULTS: Significant differences in median (minimum-maximum) paternal BMI values were noted between the cases and controls at the time of conception (cases: 27.7 (43-20.1), controls: 24.8 (40.7-19.6); p < 0.0001). Logistic regression analysis confirmed that at the time of conception, compared to normal-weight fathers, overweight fathers displayed a heightened risk of offspring congenital malformations, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.44 (95% CI = 2.1-9.1). Similarly, fathers categorized as obese Class I at conception had approximately eight times higher odds (OR = 8.62, 95% CI = 2.91-25.52) of having offspring with urogenital conditions compared to normal-weight fathers. Additionally, fathers classified as obese Class II at conception exhibited 5.75 times higher odds (OR = 5.75, 95% CI = 0.96-34.44) of having offspring with urogenital conditions in comparison to normal-weight fathers. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We found that the risk of urogenital malformations increased with paternal BMI during the preconceptional period. The findings suggest the importance of addressing paternal obesity in efforts to reduce the risk of urogenital congenital malformations in offspring.

The Long-Term Effect of COVID-19 Infection on Body Composition.

BACKGROUND: The effect of COVID-19 infection versus the indirect effect of the pandemic on body composition remains unclear. This study investigates the long-term changes in body composition in COVID-19 survivors compared to a contemporary control group. METHOD: This is a prospective study involving adults who underwent a pre-pandemic whole-body DXA scan (DXA#1) between 2017 and 2019. Participants were asked to return for a repeat whole-body DXA scan (DXA#2) after the pandemic. Detailed data were collected including their medical and COVID-19 history. Inflammation markers and fasting lipids were measured. For those participants who experienced a COVID-19 infection between the two DXAs, DXA#2 was acquired at least one year after COVID-19 infection. RESULTS: Overall, 160 adults were enrolled; 32.5% females, 51.8% non-white, with mean age of 43.2 years. Half (n = 80) of the participants experienced a COVID-19 infection between their two DXA scans (COVID-19+ group), and the other half had never had COVID-19. COVID-19-negative participants displayed an increase in annualized trunk fat (g) [922.5 vs. 159.7; p = 0.01], total fat (g) [1564.3 vs. 199.9; p = 0.2], and LBM (g) [974.9 vs. -64.5; p = 0.0002] when compared to the COVID-19+ group. However, among the COVID-19+ group, no differences were seen in annualized trunk fat, total fat mass, or LBM between those with PASC and without (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, both the COVID-19 survivors and the COVID-19-negative group exhibited increases in weight, total fat, and trunk fat, likely associated with pandemic-linked lifestyle modifications. However, only COVID-19 survivors displayed a decline in lean body mass over the same period, regardless of PASC symptoms.

Paternal peri-conceptional physical activity and the risk of congenital heart disease in offspring: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Genetic and environmental factors have been shown to contribute to the development of congenital heart disease (CHD). To date, the focus of scientific articles has primarily centered on genetics and maternal environmental factors, with comparatively less attention given to paternal risk factors. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the potential association between paternal pre-conceptional physical activity levels (PA), along with paternal peri-conceptional smoking and alcohol consumption, and the risk of CHD in offspring. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An observational case-control study was conducted in Lebanon, with 279 participants, aiming to investigate potential risk factors for CHD. We included children with confirmed CHD, born between 2012 and 2022. Controls born in the same timeframe were selected randomly from the general population using online questionnaire forms. Mean age of children included was 6 years old (0-10). The pre-conceptional PA was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire validated in Arabic. In addition, paternal smoking, alcohol consumption, and maternal risk factors were collected. RESULTS: The study included 128 CHD cases (45.9%) and their parents, as well as 151 healthy infants (54.1%) and their parents. There were no statistically significant variations in the alcohol consumption noted between the fathers in the case and control groups (p = 0.18). The paternal involvement in recreational-related PA during the peri-conception period was associated with a reduced risk of the CHD development in offspring by 46.9% (OR = 0.531, 95% CI: 0.301-0.936, p = 0.029). Additionally, increasing paternal total sitting time by 1 h above the average, which was approximately 260 min (4 h), increased the risk of CHD in offspring by 0.4% (p = 0.001). Moreover, paternal smoking exhibited an apparent association with a 56% increased risk of offspring developing CHD, notwithstanding that the confidence intervals included the null (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 0.86-2.8, p = 0.136). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This observational study is the first to report a potential association between paternal PA, and CHD in offspring. This study aligns with previous reports, advocating for the paternal engagement in PA and the adoption of healthy lifestyle habits, especially during the critical stages of conception. Such practices are strongly recommended to enhance fertility and promote optimal health for offspring. However, due to the subjectivity in reporting PA and lack of molecular proof, additional prospective and molecular studies are required to validate these findings.