Analytic Complexity and Challenges in Identifying Mixtures of Exposures Associated with Phenotypes in the Exposome
1Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, 10 Shattuck St, Boston, MA 02115 USA.
Purpose Of Review:
Mixtures, or combinations and interactions between multiple environmental exposures, are hypothesized to be causally linked with disease and health-related phenotypes. Established and emerging molecular measurement technologies to assay the exposome, the comprehensive battery of exposures encountered from birth to death, promise a new way of identifying mixtures in disease in the epidemiological setting. In this opinion, we describe the analytic complexity and challenges in identifying mixtures associated with phenotype and disease.
Recent Findings:
Existing and emerging machine-learning methods and data analytic approaches (e.g., "environment-wide association studies" [EWASs]), as well as large cohorts may enhance possibilities to identify mixtures of correlated exposures associated with phenotypes; however, the analytic complexity of identifying mixtures is immense.
Summary:
If the exposome concept is realized, new analytical methods and large sample sizes will be required to ascertain how mixtures are associated with disease. The author recommends documenting prevalent correlated exposures and replicated main effects prior to identifying mixtures.
More Related Videos
09:38Single-throughput Complementary High-resolution Analytical Techniques for Characterizing Complex Natural Organic Matter Mixtures
Published on: January 7, 2019
14:39Semi-Targeted Ultra-High-Performance Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Phenolic Metabolites in Plasma of Elderly Adults
Published on: April 22, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Strategies for Assessing and Addressing Confounding
Confounding can be addressed at both the design phase of a study and through analytical methods after data...
Confounding in Epidemiological Studies
Mass Spectrometry: Complex Analysis
GC–MS is a powerful hyphenated method commonly used in forensics and environmental...
Epistasis Analysis
Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis
Analysis of Population Pharmacokinetic Data
