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James-Todd, Tamarra

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James-Todd

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Tamarra

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James-Todd, Tamarra
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    Pregnancy Hyperglycaemia and Risk of Prenatal and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms
    (Wiley-Blackwell, 2015) Huang, Tianyi; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl; Ertel, K; Rich-Edwards, Janet; Kleinman, Kenneth Paul; Gillman, Matthew; Oken, Emily; James-Todd, Tamarra
    Background Glucose dysregulation in pregnancy may affect maternal depressive symptoms during the prenatal and postpartum periods via both physiologic and psychological pathways. Methods During mid-pregnancy, a combination of 50-g 1-h non-fasting glucose challenge test (GCT) and 100-g 3-h fasting oral glucose tolerance test was used to determine pregnancy glycaemic status among women participating in Project Viva: normal glucose tolerance (NGT), isolated hyperglycaemia (IHG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), we assessed depressive symptoms at mid-pregnancy and again at 6 months postpartum. We used logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle factors, to estimate the odds of elevated prenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥ 13 on 0–30 scale) in relation to GCT glucose levels and GDM status in separate models. Results A total of 9.6% of women showed prenatal and 8.4% postpartum depressive symptoms. Women with higher GCT glucose levels were at greater odds of elevated prenatal depressive symptoms [multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (OR) per standard deviation (SD) increase in glucose levels (27 mg/dL): 1.25; 95%: 1.07, 1.48]. Compared with NGT women, the association appeared stronger among women with IHG [OR: 1.80; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08, 3.00] than among those with GDM (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 0.72, 2.91) or IGT (OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 0.59, 3.46). Neither glucose levels assessed from the GCT nor pregnancy glycaemic status were significantly associated with elevated postpartum depressive symptoms. Conclusion Pregnancy hyperglycaemia was cross-sectionally associated with higher risk of prenatal depressive symptoms, but not with postpartum depressive symptoms.
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    Preterm Birth and Subsequent Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in Black Women
    (Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health), 2014) James-Todd, Tamarra; Wise, Lauren; Boggs, Deborah; Rich-Edwards, Janet; Rosenberg, Lynn; Palmer, Julie
    Background: Gestational diabetes is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Little is known about the relation of other common pregnancy complications, such as preterm birth, to risk of type 2 diabetes. Methods: We assessed preterm birth in relation to incident type 2 diabetes among 31,101 participants from the Black Women’s Health Study. Preterm birth, defined as <37 weeks gestation, was reported at baseline (1995) and on subsequent biennial follow-up questionnaires. Self-reported type 2 diabetes diagnoses were ascertained on biennial questionnaires through 2009. We used Cox proportional hazards models to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for potential confounders. Results:At baseline, 5162 participants (19%) reported a history of giving birth preterm, of which 16% occurred at <32 weeks gestation. A total of 3261 cases of type 2 diabetes were ascertained during follow-up. Ever having had a preterm birth was associated with a 20% increased risk (95% CI = 1.11–1.31) after adjusting for age at first birth, family history of diabetes, education, respondent having been born preterm, and body mass index. Gestational age <32 weeks was associated with the greatest risk (IRR = 1.27 [95% CI = 1.06–1.51]). Among women without a history of gestational diabetes, the IRR for type 2 diabetes among women who ever had a preterm birth was 1.17 (1.07–1.28). Conclusion: Preterm birth was associated with an increased type 2 diabetes risk in black mothers, independent of gestational diabetes.
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    Racial discrimination, response to unfair treatment, and depressive symptoms among pregnant black and African American women in the United States
    (Elsevier BV, 2012) Ertel, K; James-Todd, Tamarra; Kleinman, Kenneth Paul; Krieger, Nancy; Gillman, Matthew; Wright, Rosalind Jo; Rich-Edwards, Janet
    Purpose To assess the association between self-reported racial discrimination and prenatal depressive symptoms among black women. Methods Our study population consisted of two cohorts of pregnant women: the Asthma Coalition on Community, Environment, and Social Stress project (ACCESS) and Project Viva. We measured self-reported racial discrimination among black women using a modified Experiences of Discrimination scale (score 0–8). We assessed elevated depressive symptoms (EDS) with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (≥13 on a 0–30 scale). Results Fifty-four percent of ACCESS and 78% of Viva participants reported experiencing racial discrimination. After adjusting for age, marital status, income, education, and nativity, a 1-U increment in Experiences of Discrimination score was associated with 48% increased odds of EDS (odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–1.76) for ACCESS participants but was not significantly associated among Viva participants (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 0.92–1.37). In both cohorts, responding to unfair treatment by talking to others was associated with the lowest odds of EDS. Conclusions Our findings suggest that higher levels of perceived racial discrimination may increase depressive symptoms during pregnancy among U.S. black women. Interventions involving talking to others may aid in reducing the risk of depressive symptoms among black women experiencing higher levels of racial discrimination.
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    Racial/Ethnic Differences in Hormonally-Active Hair Product Use: A Plausible Risk Factor for Health Disparities
    (Springer Science + Business Media, 2011) James-Todd, Tamarra; Senie, Ruby; Terry, Mary Beth
    Estrogen and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that are associated with several health outcomes have been found in hair products. We evaluated the proportion, frequency, duration, and content of hair products in a racially/ethnically diverse population. We recruited n = 301 African-American, African-Caribbean, Hispanic, and white women from the New York metropolitan area. We collected data on hair oil, lotion, leave-in conditioner, root stimulator, perm, and other product use. Estrogen and EDC information was collected from commonly used hair products’ labels (used by >3% of population). African-American and African-Caribbean women were more likely to use all types of hair products compared to white women (P < 0.0001). Among hair product users, frequency varied significantly by race/ethnicity, but not duration. More African-Americans (49.4%) and African-Caribbeans (26.4%) used products containing placenta or EDCs compared to whites (7.7%). African-American and African-Caribbean women were more likely to be exposed to hormonally-active chemicals in hair products.
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    Hair product use, age at menarche and mammographic breast density in multiethnic urban women
    (BioMed Central, 2018) McDonald, Jasmine A.; Tehranifar, Parisa; Flom, Julie D.; Terry, Mary Beth; James-Todd, Tamarra
    Background: Select hair products contain endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that may affect breast cancer risk. We hypothesize that, if EDCs are related to breast cancer risk, then they may also affect two important breast cancer risk factors: age at menarche and mammographic breast density. Methods: In two urban female cohorts (N = 248): 1) the New York site of the National Collaborative Perinatal Project and 2) the New York City Multiethnic Breast Cancer Project, we measured childhood and adult use of hair oils, lotions, leave-in conditioners, root stimulators, perms/relaxers, and hair dyes using the same validated questionnaire. We used multivariable relative risk regression models to examine the association between childhood hair product use and early age at menarche (defined as <11 years of age) and multivariable linear regression models to examine the association between childhood and adult hair product use and adult mammographic breast density. Results: Early menarche was associated with ever use of childhood hair products (RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1, 4.8) and hair oil use (RR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2, 5.2); however, additional adjustment for race/ethnicity, attenuated associations (hair products RR 1.8, 95% CI 0.8, 4.1; hair oil use RR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0, 5.5). Breast density was not associated with adult or childhood hair product or hair oil use. Conclusions: If confirmed in larger prospective studies, these data suggest that exposure to EDCs through hair products in early life may affect breast cancer risk by altering timing of menarche, and may operate through a mechanism distinct from breast density.
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    Trimester-specific phthalate concentrations and glucose levels among women from a fertility clinic
    (BioMed Central, 2018) James-Todd, Tamarra; Chiu, Yu-Han; Messerlian, Carmen; Mínguez-Alarcón, Lidia; Ford, Jennifer; Keller, Myra; Petrozza, John; Williams, Paige; Ye, Xiaoyun; Calafat, Antonia M.; Hauser, Russ
    Background: Subfertile women are at increased risk of glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Based on epidemiologic studies, exposure to certain phthalates is associated with diabetes, elevated glucose, and increased insulin resistance. Objectives: To evaluate the association between urinary phthalate metabolites and pregnancy glucose levels in women seeking medically assisted reproduction. Methods: We evaluated 245 women participating in a prospective cohort study based at a large fertility clinic who delivered live births and had data on pregnancy urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and blood glucose levels. Urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations were from single spot urine samples collected in 1st and 2nd trimesters. Blood glucose data was abstracted from medical records for non-fasting 50-g glucose challenge tests at 24–28 weeks gestation. Multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between 7 urinary phthalate metabolites in quartiles and mean glucose adjusted for potential confounders. Results: Eighteen percent of women had glucose levels ≥ 140 mg/dL. Second trimester monoethyl phthalate (MEP) concentrations were positively associated with glucose levels, with adjusted mean (95%CI) glucose levels of 121 mg/dl (114, 128) vs. 109 mg/dL (103, 116) for women in highest and lowest quartiles, respectively. Women in the highest quartile of second trimester mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP) concentrations had a mean glucose level 14 mg/dL lower compared to women in the lowest quartile. No other urinary phthalate metabolites were associated with glucose levels. Conclusions: MEP and MiBP—metabolites of diethyl phthalate and dibutyl phthalate, respectively—were associated with higher pregnancy glucose in subfertile women—a population at high risk of glucose intolerance in pregnancy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12940-018-0399-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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    Racial Differences in Neonatal Hypoglycemia among Very Early Preterm Births
    (2017) James-Todd, Tamarra; March, Melissa I.; Seiglie, Jacqueline; Gupta, Munish; Brown, Florence M.; Majzoub, Joseph A.
    Objective: To determine whether the prevalence of neonatal hypoglycemia differs by race/ethnicity. Study Design A retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data from 515 neonates born very preterm (<32 weeks) to normoglycemic women and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a major tertiary hospital in Boston, MA between 2008 and 2012. Results: A total of 61%, 12%, 7%, 7%, and 13% were White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Other, respectively. Among the 66% spontaneous preterm births, 63% of the black neonates experienced hypoglycemia (blood glucose level<40 mg/dL), while only 22–30% of the other racial/ethnic neonates did so (Black v. White RR 2.15; 95% CI: 1.54–3.00). After adjusting for maternal education, maternal age, multiple gestations, delivery type, gestational age, birth weight and neonates’ sex, this association remained significant (adjusted Black v. White RR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.13–2.29). An increased risk of infant hypoglycemia was not seen in infants of other racial/ethnic groups, nor in any racial/ethnic group with a medically-indicated preterm birth. Conclusions: Black neonates delivered for spontaneous (but not medical) indications at <32 weeks had a higher risk of hypoglycemia, which could provide critical information about mechanisms of preterm birth and adverse postnatal outcomes in this high-risk group.
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    Gender and racial/ethnic differences in the associations of urinary phthalate metabolites with markers of diabetes risk: national health and nutrition examination survey 2001–2008
    (BioMed Central, 2014) Huang, Tianyi; Saxena, Aditi R; Isganaitis, Elvira; James-Todd, Tamarra
    Background: Phthalates are ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemicals associated with diabetes. Although women and minorities are more likely to be exposed to phthalates, no prior studies have examined phthalate exposure and markers of diabetes risk evaluating effect modification by gender and race/ethnicity. Methods: We analyzed CDC data for 8 urinary phthalate metabolites from 3,083 non-diabetic, non-pregnant participants aged 12- < 80 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2008. We used median regression to assess the associations between urinary phthalate metabolites and fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin and Homeostatic Model Assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), controlling for urinary creatinine as well as several sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Stratified analyses were conducted to compare the gender- and race/ethnicity-specific patterns for the associations. Results: Urinary levels of several phthalate metabolites, including MBzP, MnBP, MiBP, MCPP and ∑DEHP showed significant positive associations with FBG, fasting insulin and HOMA-IR. No clear difference was noted between men and women. Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic blacks had stronger dose–response relationships for MnBP, MiBP, MCPP and ∑DEHP compared to non-Hispanic whites. For example, the highest quartile of MiBP relative to its lowest quartile showed a median FBG increase of 5.82 mg/dL (95% CI: 3.77, 7.87) in Mexican-Americans, 3.63 mg/dL (95% CI: 1.23, 6.03) in blacks and 1.79 mg/dL (95% CI: -0.29, 3.87) in whites. Conclusions: The findings suggest that certain populations may be more vulnerable to phthalates with respect to disturbances in glucose homeostasis. Whether endocrine disrupting chemicals contribute to gender and racial/ethnic differences in diabetes risk will be an important area for further study.
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    Race/Ethnicity, Educational Attainment, and Pregnancy Complications in New York City Women with Pre-existing Diabetes
    (John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2013) James-Todd, Tamarra; Janevic, Teresa; Brown, Florence; Savitz, David A
    Background: More women are entering pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes. Disease severity, glycaemic control, and predictors of pregnancy complications may differ by race/ethnicity or educational attainment, leading to differences in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: We used linked New York City hospital record and birth certificate data for 6291 singleton births among women with pre-existing diabetes between 1995 and 2003. We defined maternal race/ethnicity as non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, South Asian, and East Asian, and education level as <12, 12, and >12 years. Our outcomes were pre-eclampsia, preterm birth (PTB) (<37 weeks gestation and categorised as spontaneous or medically indicated), as well as small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA). Using multivariable binomial regression, we estimated the risk ratios for pre-eclampsia, SGA, and LGA. We used multivariable multinomial regression to estimate odds ratios (OR) for PTB. Results: Compared with non-Hispanic white women with pre-existing diabetes, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women with pre-existing diabetes had a 1.50-fold increased risk of pre-eclampsia compared with non-Hispanic whites with pre-existing diabetes, after full adjustment. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic women with pre-existing diabetes had adjusted ORs of 1.72 [adj. 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38, 2.15] and 1.65 [adj.95% CI 1.32, 2.05], respectively, for medically indicated PTB. South Asian women with pre-existing diabetes had the highest risk for having an SGA infant [adj. OR: 2.29; adj. 95% CI 1.73, 3.03]. East Asian ethnicity was not associated with these pregnancy complications. Conclusions: Non-Hispanic black, Hispanic, and South Asian women with pre-existing diabetes may benefit from targeted interventions to improve pregnancy outcomes.
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    Short-Term Insulin Requirements Following Gastric Bypass Surgery in Severely Obese Women with Type 1 Diabetes
    (Springer US, 2014) Middelbeek, Roeland; James-Todd, Tamarra; Patti, Mary-Elizabeth; Brown, Florence
    Background: In severely obese type 2 diabetes patients, gastric bypass surgery (GB) reduces body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and allows reduced doses of insulin and other medications. Data regarding the effects of GB on severely obese patients with type 1 diabetes are limited. Methods: Severely obese women with type 1 diabetes (n = 9) were studied immediately before and after GB (7.7 ± 5.8 weeks, mean ± SD). Results: On average, GB reduced mean BMI by 11 % and mean HbA1c by 0.9 % (from 8.0 to 7.1 %), with a parallel 38 % decrease in basal insulin requirements (expressed per kilogram of body weight). Conclusion: GB rapidly decreased BMI, HbA1c, and insulin requirements in severely obese women with type 1 diabetes. However, physiologic insulin replacement remains necessary in patients with type 1 diabetes.