Alterations of Hepcidin and Iron Markers Associated with Obesity and Obesity-related Diabetes in Gambian Women.

Aims: Obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and chronic inflammation are associated with disturbances in iron metabolism. Hepcidin is hypothesized to play a role in these alterations owing to its strong association with inflammation via the JAK-STAT3 pathway. The current study investigated the differences between inflammatory markers and iron indices and their association with hepcidin in lean women, women with obesity, and women with obesity and T2D (obesity-T2D) in The Gambia.

Trends over time in age-standardised prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in Senegal between 1975 and 2021 by sex: an ecological study from the WHO Inequality Data Repository.

Objective: We aimed to analyse the time trends of cardiometabolic risk factors in Senegal from 1975 to 2021.

Design: Ecological study of publicly available data from the WHO Health Inequality Data Repository.

Setting: Disaggregated datasets from publicly available sources.

Hypertension in Sub-Saharan Africa: Burden, Barriers and Priorities for Improving Treatment Outcomes.

The burden of hypertension is rising rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), posing significant health challenges and economic costs that hinder national development. Despite being well-studied in clinical medicine, the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension in SSA remain inadequate. This is due to barriers across the care continuum, including individual-, provider-, and system-level obstacles within the health system.

A heart failure program in low-income patients in Argentina (COMM-HF).

Objective: In low- and middle-income countries, heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of death and disability.

Materials And Methods: A feasibility study was conducted to assess the fidelity, reach, and adoption of an educational program led by non-medical staff to improve outpatient care for patients hospitalized with HF in the local public health system.

Results: Thirty patients were included, with a mean age of 55.

Sub-Saharan Africa's Contribution to Clinical Trials in International Acute Coronary Syndromes and Heart Failure Guidelines.

Background: There is a growing burden of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and heart failure (HF) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), yet outcomes remain poor compared to high-income countries. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) international guidelines are pivotal to the delivery of evidence-based care; however, their representation of populations from SSA remains unclear.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the representation of populations from SSA in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that inform ESC ACS and HF guidelines.

Promotion of Cardiovascular Health in Africa: The Alliance for Medical Research in Africa (AMedRA) Expert Panel.

This proposed scientific statement is focused on providing new insights regarding challenges and opportunities for cardiovascular health (CVH) promotion in Africa. The statement includes an overview of the current state of CVH in Africa, with a particular interest in the cardiometabolic risk factors and their evaluation through metrics. The statement also explains the main principles of primordial prevention, its relevance in reducing noncommunicable disease and the different strategies that have been effective worldwide.

Determining the optimal diagnostic and risk stratification approaches for people with hypertension in two rural populations in Kenya and The Gambia: a study protocol for IHCoR-Africa Work Package 2.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has one of the highest prevalences of hypertension worldwide. The impact of hypertension is of particular concern in rural SSA, where access to clinics and hospitals is limited. Improvements in the management of people with hypertension in rural SSA could be achieved by sharing diagnosis and care tasks between the clinic and the community.

Epidemiology of multimorbidity in low-income countries of sub-Saharan Africa: Findings from four population cohorts.

We investigated prevalence and demographic characteristics of adults living with multimorbidity (≥2 long-term conditions) in three low-income countries of sub-Saharan Africa, using secondary population-level data from four cohorts; Malawi (urban & rural), The Gambia (rural) and Uganda (rural). Information on; measured hypertension, diabetes and obesity was available in all cohorts; measured hypercholesterolaemia and HIV and self-reported asthma was available in two cohorts and clinically diagnosed epilepsy in one cohort. Analyses included calculation of age standardised multimorbidity prevalence and the cross-sectional associations of multimorbidity and demographic/lifestyle factors using regression modelling.

Evaluating the hypertension care cascade in middle-aged and older adults in The Gambia: findings from a nationwide survey.

Background: Hypertension is a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa with poor treatment coverage and high case-fatality rates. This requires assessment of healthcare performance to identify areas where intervention is most needed. To identify areas where health resources should be most efficiently targeted, we assessed the hypertension care cascade i.

Global Effect of Modifiable Risk Factors on Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality.

Background: Five modifiable risk factors are associated with cardiovascular disease and death from any cause. Studies using individual-level data to evaluate the regional and sex-specific prevalence of the risk factors and their effect on these outcomes are lacking.

Methods: We pooled and harmonized individual-level data from 112 cohort studies conducted in 34 countries and 8 geographic regions participating in the Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium.

Concealed pregnancy as an act of care? A qualitative analysis of motivations for concealing and non-disclosure of early pregnancy in The Gambia.

Background: A barrier to achieving first trimester antenatal care (ANC) attendance in many countries has been the widespread cultural practice of not discussing pregnancies in the early stages. Motivations for concealing pregnancy bear further study, as the interventions necessary to encourage early ANC attendance may be more complicated than targeting infrastructural barriers to ANC attendance such as transportation, time, and cost.

Methods: Five focus groups with a total of 30 married, pregnant women were conducted to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of early initiation of physical activity and/or yoghurt consumption in reducing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in pregnant women in The Gambia.

Socioeconomic position and eye health outcomes: identifying inequality in rapid population-based surveys.

Objective: Monitoring health outcomes disaggregated by socioeconomic position (SEP) is crucial to ensure no one is left behind in efforts to achieve universal health coverage. In eye health planning, rapid population surveys are most commonly implemented; these need an SEP measure that is feasible to collect within the constraints of a streamlined examination protocol. We aimed to assess whether each of four SEP measures identified inequality-an underserved group or socioeconomic gradient-in key eye health outcomes.

Sex-specific associations between cardiovascular risk factors and physical function: the Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study.

Background: In Sub-Saharan Africa, the prevalence of obesity, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and impaired physical function are increasing due to rapid urbanization. We investigated sex differences in associations between cardiac workload, arterial stiffness, peripheral vascular calcification (PVC) and physical function in Gambian adults.

Methods: A total of 488 Gambians aged 40-75+ years were recruited (men: 239; and women: 249).

Possible mediators of metabolic endotoxemia in women with obesity and women with obesity-diabetes in The Gambia.

Aims/hypothesis: Translocation of bacterial debris from the gut causes metabolic endotoxemia (ME) that results in insulin resistance, and may be on the causal pathway to obesity-related type 2 diabetes. To guide interventions against ME we tested two hypothesised mechanisms for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ingress: a leaky gut and chylomicron-associated transfer following a high-fat meal.

Methods: In lean women (n = 48; fat mass index (FMI) 9.

Intense and Mild First Epidemic Wave of Coronavirus Disease, The Gambia.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is evolving differently in Africa than in other regions. Africa has lower SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates and milder clinical manifestations. Detailed SARS-CoV-2 epidemiologic data are needed in Africa.

Establishing and operating a 'virtual ward' system to provide care for patients with COVID-19 at home: experience from The Gambia.

Health systems in sub-Saharan Africa have remained overstretched from dealing with endemic diseases, which limit their capacity to absorb additional stress from new and emerging infectious diseases. Against this backdrop, the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic presented an additional challenge of insufficient hospital beds and human resource for health needed to deliver hospital-based COVID-19 care. Emerging evidence from high-income countries suggests that a 'virtual ward' (VW) system can provide adequate home-based care for selected patients with COVID-19, thereby reducing the need for admissions and mitigate additional stress on hospital beds.

The Role of Nutrition in COVID-19 Susceptibility and Severity of Disease: A Systematic Review.

Background: Many nutrients have powerful immunomodulatory actions with the potential to alter susceptibility to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, progression to symptoms, likelihood of severe disease, and survival.

Objective: The aim was to review the latest evidence on how malnutrition across all its forms (under- and overnutrition and micronutrient status) may influence both susceptibility to, and progression of, COVID-19.

Methods: We synthesized information on 13 nutrition-related components and their potential interactions with COVID-19: overweight, obesity, and diabetes; protein-energy malnutrition; anemia; vitamins A, C, D, and E; PUFAs; iron; selenium; zinc; antioxidants; and nutritional support.