Correlates of hand grip strength in a cohort of older Nigerian Africans: Findings from the population-based VALIANT project.

Previous evidence suggests there are racial, genetic, and geographic differences in hand grip strength (HGS) underlying the need to define population-specific normative values and their determinants. We determined the normative values of HGS and investigated its correlates in an urban community sample in Nigeria. We assessed 607 participants from the Vascular heAlth, fraiLty, and cognItion in Ageing Nigerians sTudy [VALIANT] - a population-based cohort of 1031 older persons in Ibadan, a city in Southwestern Nigeria.

Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer's Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the ADSP (READD-ADSP): A global effort to identify genetic factors in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains a major neurocognitive disorder of global health significance. Globalizing ancestral diversity in AD genetics is essential to identify causal variants, improve diagnosis, and enable equitable therapeutic interventions across populations. The Recruitment and Retention for Alzheimer's Disease Diversity Genetic Cohorts in the ADSP (READD-ADSP) initiative addresses this by including African ancestry and Hispanic/Latinx (HL) ancestry populations.

ABCA7 deletion lowers age at onset of Alzheimer's disease and interacts with APOE ε4 synergistically in African-ancestry populations.

Introduction: Apolipoprotein E (APOE) and ABCA7 genes are among the strongest heritable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in African-ancestry (AA) populations. APOE 𝜀4 affects both risk and age at onset (AAO), with lower risk in AA populations. This study evaluates the independent and interactive effects of the AA-specific ABCA7 frameshift deletion and APOE 𝜀4 allele on AAO.

Inflammatory Markers are Associated with Ischemic Stroke among Indigenous Africans: Evidence from the SIREN Study.

Background: Inflammation might predispose to worse outcomes after an ischemic stroke. This has not been characterized among indigenous Africans.

Purpose: We investigated the association between inflammatory biomarkers, stroke severity, and outcomes in Africans.

Low vegetable consumption doubles the odds of stroke among people with hypertension: Findings from the SIREN Study in West Africa.

Background: While hypertension is a primary risk factor for higher stroke risk, adequate vegetable consumption has been linked with a lower odds of stroke. However, it is unclear whether low/inadequate vegetable consumption could aggravate the odds of stroke among people with hypertension. This study assessed the interaction of low vegetable consumption and hypertension with stroke among West Africans.

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and severity of intracerebral hemorrhage: Insights from the SIREN study.

Background: We investigated the link between LDL-C and markers of ICH severity among Indigenous West Africans in the Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network study.

Methods: ICH severity was evaluated using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Stroke Levity Scale (SLS), and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). The serum LDL-c of the study population was dichotomized into <133 mg/dl and ≥ 133 mg/dl using the optimum threshold by the Youden Index after assessing the linear relationship between the serum LDL-c measured at admission and ICH severity markers.

Admitting neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio and severity of first-ever acute ischemic stroke among indigenous West Africans.

Background: We hypothesized that the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) alone, compared with a combination of the NLR and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) [(NLR + NIHSS)], may help identify persons with severe stroke in a low-resource setting, with few personnel trained to assess the NIHSS score.

Methods: We studied 212 participants which included 106 patients with clinico-radiologic diagnosis of AIS and 106 comparative group. At inception, patients with clinico-laboratory features of sepsis, or infection were excluded.

ACHIEVE conference proceedings: implementing action plans to reduce and control hypertension burden in Africa.

The prevalence of hypertension, the commonest risk factor for preventable disability and premature deaths, is rapidly increasing in Africa. The African Control of Hypertension through Innovative Epidemiology, and a Vibrant Ecosystem [ACHIEVE] conference was convened to discuss and initiate the co-implementation of the strategic solutions to tame this burden toward achieving a target of 80% for awareness, treatment, and control by the year 2030. Experts, including the academia, policymakers, patients, the WHO, and representatives of various hypertension and cardiology societies generated a 12-item communique for implementation by the stakeholders of the ACHIEVE ecosystem at the continental, national, sub-national, and local (primary) healthcare levels.

Clinical and neuroimaging factors associated with 30-day fatality among indigenous West Africans with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background: Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with a high case fatality rate in resource-limited settings. The independent predictors of poor outcome after ICH in sub-Saharan Africa remains to be characterized in large epidemiological studies. We aimed to determine factors associated with 30-day fatality among West African patients with ICH.

Secondhand smoke exposure is independently associated with stroke among non-smoking adults in West Africa.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, but little is known about the contribution of secondhand smoke exposure (SHSE) to stroke epidemiology among indigenous Africans.

Objective: To evaluate the association of SHSE with stroke among indigenous Africans.

Methods: We analyzed the relationship of SHSE with stroke among 2990 case-control pairs of adults who had never smoked (identified in the SIREN study) using conditional logistic regression at a two-sided P < 0.