The large Northern Dutch population study Lifelines tries to find out why one gets a more serious corona than the other.
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Over 135,000 inhabitants of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe will receive a weekly questionnaire for this in the near future. Their answers are linked to data from biobank Lifelines.
The medical researchers hope to find out whether hereditary properties or so-called environmental factors such as lifestyle or air pollution partly determine whether someone becomes seriously ill from the corona virus or develops mild complaints.
Little corona
In the Northern Netherlands there is still relatively little corona and relatively few people have been tested positive. However, according to Prof. Lude Franke, professor of genetics, there must be an idea. “Participants in the study can indicate whether they have had symptoms that indicate corona. Later, we can determine whether these phenomena match in a small group that has been tested positive. “
It is not yet easy to demonstrate in the blood or other body materials of participants whether someone has had corona. But serological tests like that are in the works. At that time, a large group of Lifelines participants would be able to investigate whether they had corona. Then these data can be linked to other data about their DNA, hereditary characteristics, diet, lifestyle and environment.
Lifelines also investigates to what extent the coronavirus affects the welfare and well-being of the Northerners. Do people get gloomy or anxious? Does this affect their eating behavior and health? How does it affect their daily life, including work? And what effects will this have in the longer term?
Map distribution
Thanks to this research, Lifelines is also mapping out how the distribution of the coronavirus will develop in the three northern provinces over the coming months. This knowledge can help to predict more accurately what will happen in other infectious diseases in the future.
The Lifelines corona research is a joint initiative of the UMCG, University of Groningen, Aletta Jacobs School of Public Health and Lifelines. It is made possible in part by the University of the North, a collective of northern knowledge institutions.
The weekly questionnaires are sent to participants in the research programs Lifelines and NEXT. Their answers are combined with previously collected data, including genetic information.
Only participants in the Lifelines and Lifelines NEXT research programs are invited to participate in this research. They receive the invitation by email. More information can be found at www.lifelines.nl/covid19.
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