Evaluating the Impact of Family History and Polygenic Risk Scores on Cardiometabolic Disease Risk.

Background: Cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. While both family history (FH) and polygenic risk scores (PRS) are predictive of CMD risk, few studies have systematically evaluated their independent and joint effects. This study aimed to quantify the individual contributions of FH and PRS, as well as their combined impact on CMD risk.

Pathway-Specific Polygenic Risk Scores for Blood Pressure Traits in a West African Cohort.

Introduction: Genome-wide polygenic risk scores (PRS) are useful for stratifying individuals' risk for polygenic diseases such as hypertension. However, a downside of genome-wide PRS is the lack of information about the distribution of risk burden across biologic pathways. We used pathway-specific PRS to investigate these effects within common anti-hypertensive therapy-target pathways on disease risk in a cohort of West Africans.

A data model for population descriptors in genomic research.

Population descriptors used in genetic studies have broad social and translational implications. There are no globally agreed-upon definitions or usages of common population descriptors (e.g.

Development and Validation of Polygenic Risk Scores for Blood Pressure Traits in Continental African Populations.

Background: Most polygenic risk scores (PRS) have been developed in European populations, frequently leading to limited transferability across diverse ancestry populations. This study aimed to develop and evaluate PRS for blood pressure (BP) traits in continental African populations and investigate how African genetic diversity influences PRS performance.

Methods: We generated PRS for systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and hypertension.

The global diet quality score (GDQS) of foods consumed by Nigerian adults.

Background: Poor diet quality is a significant and modifiable risk factor associated with numerous non-communicable diseases. Despite its critical importance, there is a paucity of comprehensive data concerning diet quality in Nigeria. In this study, we evaluated the healthiness of food intake among Nigerian adults to identify the factors associated with them and seasonal variations in food consumption patterns.

Impact of Conventional Stroke Risk Factors on Early- and Late-Onset Ischemic Stroke: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Stroke incidence is decreasing in older ages but increasing in young adults. These divergent trends are at least partially attributable not only to diverging trends in stroke risk factors but may also be due to differences in the impact of stroke risk factors at different ages. To address this latter possibility, we used Mendelian randomization to assess differences in the association of stroke risk factors between early-onset ischemic stroke ([EOS]; onset 18-59 years) and late-onset ischemic stroke ([LOS]; onset ≥60 years).

A meta-analysis and polygenic score study identifies novel genetic markers for waist-hip ratio in African populations.

Objective: Understanding the genetic underpinnings of anthropometric traits in diverse populations is crucial for gaining insights into their biological mechanisms and potential implications for health.

Methods: We conducted a genome-wide association study, meta-analysis, and gene set analysis of waist-hip ratio (WHR), WHR adjusted for BMI (WHRadjBMI), waist circumference, BMI, and height using the African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME) cohort (n = ~11,000) for discovery and polygenic score target analyses and the Africa America Diabetes Mellitus (AADM) study (n = ~5200) for replication and polygenic score validation. We generated and compared polygenic scores from European, African, Afro-Caribbean, and multiethnic ancestry populations.

Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Health-Related Quality of Life Among Cancer Survivors in the United States.

Purpose: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a critical aspect of cancer survivorship, influenced by various social determinants of health (SDoH) such as economic stability, education access, and healthcare coverage. Understanding the impact of these determinants is essential for developing interventions that improve the well-being of cancer survivors.

Methods: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using data from 20,534 adults with cancer, including 15,754 from the All of Us (AOU) Research Program (2015-2024) and 4,780 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2001-2018).

Mapping Epigenetic Gene Variant Dynamics: Comparative Analysis of Frequency, Functional Impact and Trait Associations in African and European Populations.

Epigenetic modifications influence gene expression levels, impact organismal traits, and play a role in the development of diseases. Therefore, variants in genes involved in epigenetic processes are likely to be important in disease susceptibility, and the frequency of variants may vary between populations with African and European ancestries. Here, we analyse an integrated dataset to define the frequencies, associated traits, and functional impact of epigenetic gene variants among individuals of African and European ancestry represented in the UK Biobank.

The Impact of Conventional Stroke Risk Factors on Early and Late Onset Ischemic Stroke: a Mendelian Randomization Study.

Objective: Although stroke incidence is decreasing in older ages, it is increasing in young adults. While these divergent trends in stroke incidence are at least partially attributable to diverging prevalence trends in stoke risk factors, age-dependent differences in the impact of stroke risk factors on stroke may also contribute. To address this issue, we utilized Mendelian Randomization (MR) to assess differences in the association of stroke risk factors between early onset ischemic stroke (EOS) and late onset ischemic stroke (LOS).

Validity and Reproducibility of a Semiquantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire and Food Picture Book in Nigeria.

Background: Increasing noncommunicable diseases in Nigeria are partly related to dietary factors. However, the lack of validated nutrition assessment tools hinders the conduct of nutritional epidemiology research in this population.

Objectives: To develop a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and Food Picture Book (FPB) for Nigerian adults, and to assess its reproducibility and validity compared with 24-h dietary recalls (24DRs) during different seasons in the year.

Association Between Cervical Inflammatory Mediators and Prevalent Cervical Human Papillomavirus Infection.

Purpose: Inflammatory mediators are important regulators of immune response and can modulate the inflammation caused by viral infections, including human papillomavirus (HPV). In this study, we evaluated the association between cervical immune mediators, including chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors with HPV infections.

Materials And Methods: We used a nonmagnetic bead-based multiplex assay to determine 27 immune mediators in cervical secretions collected from 275 women in a prospective longitudinal cohort design.

Correction: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Relationship Between Peer Mentoring for Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.5334/joc.1268.

Untargeted metabolomic profiling reveals molecular signatures associated with type 2 diabetes in Nigerians.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has reached epidemic proportions globally, including in Africa. However, molecular studies to understand the pathophysiology of T2D remain scarce outside Europe and North America. The aims of this study are to use an untargeted metabolomics approach to identify: (a) metabolites that are differentially expressed between individuals with and without T2D and (b) a metabolic signature associated with T2D in a population of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Genome, HLA and polygenic risk score analyses for prevalent and persistent cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) infections.

Genetic variants that underlie susceptibility to cervical high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infections are largely unknown. We conducted discovery genome-wide association studies (GWAS), replication, meta-analysis and colocalization, generated polygenic risk scores (PRS) and examined the association of classical HLA alleles and cervical hrHPV infections in a cohort of over 10,000 women. We identified genome-wide significant variants for prevalent hrHPV around LDB2 and for persistent hrHPV near TPTE2, SMAD2, and CDH12, which code for proteins that are significantly expressed in the human endocervix.

Association between Serum Folate and Vaginal High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infections in United States Women.

Background: Serum concentration of folate was inversely associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer in some studies. The association between folate and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, a necessary cause of cervical cancer, has not been well elucidated.

Objectives: We evaluated whether serum folate concentrations were associated with high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection.

Population-based study of the reproductive risk factors for transvaginal ultrasound diagnosed uterine fibroids in Nigerian women.

There has been no previous systematic, epidemiological study of the reproductive risk factors for uterine fibroids (UF) in African populations despite African women having the highest burden of UF in the world. Improved knowledge of the associations between UF and reproductive factors would contribute to better understanding of the etiology of UF and may suggest novel opportunities for prevention and therapeutic interventions. We used nurse administered questionnaires to survey the demographic and reproductive risk factors of UF among 484 women who are members of the African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME) Study Cohort in central Nigeria, and who had transvaginal ultrasound diagnosis (TVUS).

Dataset for vaginal human papillomavirus infection among adolescent and early adult girls in Jos, Nigeria.

Objectives: To assess risk factors for HPV infection, determine knowledge about HPV vaccines, assess willingness to receive the HPV vaccine among adolescent and early adult girls in Nigeria, we administered a structured questionnaire. We also collected samples to determine the prevalence and patterns of HPV infections.

Data Description: The dataset contains the responses of 205 participants from 10 randomly selected public and private secondary schools in Jos, Nigeria.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Relationship Between Peer Mentoring for Physical Activity and Cardiometabolic Health.

Background: Studies examining the effect of peer mentoring on physical activity levels have been conducted in mostly elderly and young populations, and the results have been inconsistent. This study examined the impact of one-on-one peer mentoring on physical activity and cardiometabolic parameters in urban adults.

Methods: The study participants were 353 overweight or obese adults residing in Abuja, Nigeria.

The promise of data science for health research in Africa.

Data science health research promises tremendous benefits for African populations, but its implementation is fraught with substantial ethical governance risks that could thwart the delivery of these anticipated benefits. We discuss emerging efforts to build ethical governance frameworks for data science health research in Africa and the opportunities to advance these through investments by African governments and institutions, international funding organizations and collaborations for research and capacity development.

Population-based study of the reproductive risk factors for Transvaginal Ultrasound diagnosed Uterine Fibroids in Nigerian women.

Objective: There has been no previous systematic, epidemiological study of the reproductive risk factors for uterine fibroids (UF) in African populations despite African women having the highest burden of UF in the world. Improved knowledge of the associations between UF and reproductive factors would contribute to better understanding of the etiology of UF and may suggest novel opportunities for prevention and therapeutic interventions.

Design: We used nurse administered questionnaires to survey the demographic and reproductive risk factors of UF among 484 women who are members of the African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME) Study Cohort in central Nigeria, and who had transvaginal ultrasound diagnosis (TVUS).

Validation of self-report of uterine fibroid diagnosis using a transvaginal ultrasound scan.

Self-report of uterine fibroids (UF) has been used for epidemiologic research in different environments. Given the dearth of studies on the epidemiology of UF in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), it is valuable to evaluate its performance as a potential tool for much needed research on this common neoplasm in SSA women. We conducted a cross-sectional study of self-report of UF compared with transvaginal ultrasound diagnosis (TVUS) among 486 women who are members of the African Collaborative Center for Microbiome and Genomics Research (ACCME) Study Cohort in central Nigeria.

Dataset for Vaginal Human Papillomavirus infection among adolescent and early adult girls in Jos, Nigeria.

Objectives: To assess risk factors for HPV infection, determine knowledge about HPV vaccines, assess willingness to receive the HPV vaccine among adolescent and early adult girls in Nigeria, we administered a structured questionnaire. We also collected samples to determine the prevalence and patterns of HPV infections.

Data Description: The dataset contains the responses of 205 participants from 10 randomly selected public and private secondary schools in Jos, Nigeria.