Genetic factors and regional disparities in comorbidities significantly affect stroke risk, RGCB study finds

• Study Overview: Genetic factors and regional disparities in comorbidities significantly influence stroke burden, as per the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB).
• Genetic Impact: Genetic factors are crucial in determining regional variations that affect stroke and its comorbidities, thereby influencing the overall stroke burden.
• Research Findings: The study, led by Moinak Banerjee, found ethnic- and regional-specific genetic risk variants that define stroke burden and phenotypic traits.
• Regional Disparities: Metabolic risk is the main driver of stroke in the Americas and Europe, whereas vascular risk is predominant in Asia and Africa.
• Comorbidities: Comorbidities in stroke amplify the risk and outcomes of the disease, showing strong regional disparities and genetic specificity.
• Large-Scale Study: The research, one of the largest globally, analyzed data from 2009 to 2019 across 204 countries on stroke and its comorbid risks.
• Disease Coverage: The study examined eleven diseases, including ischemic stroke (IS), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), ischemic heart disease (IHD), diabetes, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, high BMI, and high LDL cholesterol.
• Global Impact: Stroke affected over 101 million people and caused more than 6.55 million deaths in 2019, making it a leading cause of death worldwide.
• Preventive Insights: The study offers significant insights for stroke prevention and treatment by considering the disease from a population perspective, as emphasized by RGCB Director Chandrabhas Narayana.
• Policy Implications: The study suggests that policymakers should consider regional disparities and comorbid factors in planning programs to reduce the stroke burden.