Associations Between Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Adverse Brain Health Outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are linked to cardiometabolic diseases and neurologic outcomes, such as cognitive decline and stroke. However, it is unclear whether food processing confers neurologic risk independent of dietary pattern information. We aimed to (1) investigate associations between UPFs and incident cognitive impairment and stroke and (2) compare these associations with other commonly recommended dietary patterns in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. This prospective, observational cohort study enrolled Black and White adults in the United States from 2003 to 2007. METHODS: The NOVA system was used to categorize items from a baseline food frequency questionnaire according to the level of processing. Participants with incomplete or implausible self-reported dietary data were excluded. Consumption for each category (grams) was normalized to total grams consumed. Scores quantifying adherence to a Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet were also calculated. Incident cognitive impairment was defined using performance relative to a normative sample on memory and fluency assessments. Incident stroke was identified through adjudicated review of medical records. RESULTS: The cognitive impairment cohort (n = 14,175) included participants without evidence of impairment at baseline who underwent follow-up testing. The stroke cohort (n = 20,243) included participants without a history of stroke. In multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, a 10% increase in relative intake of UPFs was associated with higher risk of cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.16, 95% CI 1.09-1.24, p = 1.01 × 10-5) and intake of unprocessed or minimally processed foods with lower risk of cognitive impairment (HR = 0.88, 95% CI 0.83-0.94, p = 1.83 × 10-4). Greater intake of UPFs (HR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.02-1.14, p = 1.12 × 10-2) and unprocessed or minimally processed foods (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.86-0.95, p = 2.13 × 10-4) were also associated with risk of stroke in multivariable Cox models. The effect of UPFs on stroke risk was greater among Black than White participants (UPF-by-race interaction HR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.03-1.29, p = 1.50 × 10-2). Associations between UPFs and both cognitive impairment and stroke were independent of adherence to the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets. DISCUSSION: Food processing may be important to brain health in older adults independent of known risk factors and adherence to recommended dietary patterns.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Mismatch on Portable, Low-Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging Among Acute Stroke Patients.

OBJECTIVE: For stroke patients with unknown time of onset, mismatch between diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can guide thrombolytic intervention. However, access to MRI for hyperacute stroke is limited. Here, we sought to evaluate whether a portable, low-field (LF)-MRI scanner can identify DWI-FLAIR mismatch in acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: Eligible patients with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke underwent LF-MRI acquisition on a 0.064-T scanner within 24 h of last known well. Qualitative and quantitative metrics were evaluated. Two trained assessors determined the visibility of stroke lesions on LF-FLAIR. An image coregistration pipeline was developed, and the LF-FLAIR signal intensity ratio (SIR) was derived. RESULTS: The study included 71 patients aged 71 ± 14 years and a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of 6 (interquartile range 3-14). The interobserver agreement for identifying visible FLAIR hyperintensities was high (κ = 0.85, 95% CI 0.70-0.99). Visual DWI-FLAIR mismatch had a 60% sensitivity and 82% specificity for stroke patients <4.5 h, with a negative predictive value of 93%. LF-FLAIR SIR had a mean value of 1.18 ± 0.18 <4.5 h, 1.24 ± 0.39 4.5-6 h, and 1.40 ± 0.23 >6 h of stroke onset. The optimal cut-point for LF-FLAIR SIR was 1.15, with 85% sensitivity and 70% specificity. A cut-point of 6.6 h was established for a FLAIR SIR <1.15, with an 89% sensitivity and 62% specificity. INTERPRETATION: A 0.064-T portable LF-MRI can identify DWI-FLAIR mismatch among patients with acute ischemic stroke. Future research is needed to prospectively validate thresholds and evaluate a role of LF-MRI in guiding thrombolysis among stroke patients with uncertain time of onset. ANN NEUROL 2024.

Plasma Metabolites and Life's Simple 7 in REGARDS.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) is a health metric that captures important factors associated with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular health. Previous studies highlight the potential of plasma metabolites to serve as a marker for lifestyle and health behavior that could be a target for stroke prevention. The objectives of this study were to identify metabolites that were associated with LS7 and incident ischemic stroke and mediate the relationship between the two. METHODS: Targeted metabolomic profiling of 162 metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to identify candidate metabolites in a stroke case-cohort nested within the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke). Weighted linear regression and weighted Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify metabolites that were associated with LS7 and incident ischemic stroke, respectively. Effect measures were based on a 1-SD change in metabolite level. Metabolite mediators were examined using inverse odds ratio weighting mediation analysis. RESULTS: The study comprised 1075 ischemic stroke cases and 968 participants in the random cohort sample. Three out of 162 metabolites were associated with the overall LS7 score including guanosine (ß, -0.46 [95% CI, -0.65 to -0.27]; P=2.87×10-6), cotinine (ß, -0.49 [95% CI, -0.70 to -0.28]; P=7.74×10-6), and acetylneuraminic acid (ß, -0.59 [95% CI, -0.77 to -0.42]; P=4.29×10-11). Guanosine (hazard ratio, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.31-1.65]; P=6.97×10-11), cotinine (hazard ratio, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.16-1.44]; P=2.09×10-6), and acetylneuraminic acid (hazard ratio, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.15-1.45]; P=9.24×10-6) were associated with incident ischemic stroke. The mediation analysis identified guanosine (27% mediation, indirect effect; P=0.002), cotinine (30% mediation, indirect effect; P=0.004), and acetylneurminic acid (22% mediation, indirect effect; P=0.041) partially mediated the relationship between LS7 and ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: We identified guanosine, cotinine, and acetylneuraminic acid that were associated with LS7, incident ischemic stroke, and mediated the relationship between LS7 and ischemic stroke.

Trimethylamine N-Oxide and White Matter Hyperintensity Volume Among Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Importance: Although increasing evidence suggests that trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) is associated with atherosclerosis, little is known about whether TMAO and its related metabolites (ie, choline, betaine, and carnitine) are associated with small vessel disease. Objective: To evaluate the association between TMAO and its related metabolites with features of cerebral small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV) and acute lacunar infarction. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study included patients enrolled in the Specialized Programs of Translational Research in Acute Stroke biorepository. The registry included 522 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were 18 years or older who presented at the Massachusetts General Hospital or Brigham and Women's Hospital within 9 hours after onset between January 2007 and April 2010. The analyses in this study were conducted between November 2022 and April 2023. Exposures: Plasma TMAO, choline, betaine, and carnitine were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Main Outcomes and Measures: WMHV was quantified by a semiautomated approach using signal intensity threshold with subsequent manual editing. Ischemic stroke subtype was classified using the Causative Classification System. Results: Among 351 patients included in this study, the mean (SD) age was 69 (15) years; 209 patients (59.5%) were male and had a median (IQR) admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of 6 (3-13). The magnetic resonance imaging subgroup consisted of 291 patients with a mean (SD) age of 67 (15) years. Among these, the median (IQR) WMHV was 3.2 (1.31-8.4) cm3. TMAO was associated with WMHV after adjustment for age and sex (ß, 0.15; 95% CI, 0.01-0.29; P < .001). TMAO remained significant in a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking (ß, 0.14; 95% CI, 0-0.29; P = .05). TMAO was associated with lacunar stroke but not other ischemic stroke subtypes in a model adjusted for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, and smoking (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.05-2.66; P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance: In this observational study, TMAO was associated with cerebral small vessel disease determined by WMHV and acute lacunar infarction. The association was independent of traditional vascular risk factors.

Acetylglutamine Differentially Associated with First-Time Versus Recurrent Stroke.

Approximately one-quarter of strokes occur in individuals with prior stroke. Despite the advancement in secondary stroke prevention, the long-term risk of recurrent stroke has remained unchanged. The objective of this study was to identify metabolite risk markers that are associated with recurrent stroke. We performed targeted metabolomic profiling of 162 metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in baseline plasma in a stroke case-cohort study nested within the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, an observational cohort study of 30,239 individuals aged 45 and older enrolled in 2003-2007. Weighted Cox proportional hazard models were used to identify metabolites that had a differential effect on first-time versus recurrent stroke using an interaction term between metabolite and prior stroke at baseline (yes or no). The study included 1391 incident stroke cases identified during 7.1 ± 4.5 years of follow-up and 1050 participants in the random cohort sample. Among 162 metabolites, 13 candidates had a metabolite-by-prior stroke interaction at a p-value <0.05, with one metabolite, acetylglutamine, surpassing the Bonferroni adjusted p-value threshold (p for interaction = 5.78 × 10-5). In an adjusted model that included traditional stroke risk factors, acetylglutamine was associated with recurrent stroke (HR = 2.27 per SD increment, 95% CI = 1.60-3.20, p = 3.52 × 10-6) but not with first-time stroke (HR = 0.96 per SD increment, 95% CI = 0.87-1.06, p = 0.44). Acetylglutamine was associated with recurrent stroke but not first-time stroke, independent of traditional stroke risk factors. Future studies are warranted to elucidate the pathogenesis of acetylglutamine and recurrent stroke risk.

Association of Circulating Metabolites With Racial Disparities in Hypertension and Stroke in the REGARDS Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In the United States, the risk of stroke is greater among Black compared with that among White individuals. However, the reasons for the difference in stroke incidence are not fully elucidated. We aimed to identify metabolites that account for higher prevalent hypertension and incident ischemic stroke among Black adults. METHODS: We used a stroke case cohort nested within the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Targeted metabolomic profiling of 162 plasma metabolites was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We identified metabolites that were associated with prevalent hypertension and incident ischemic stroke and mediated the relationship between hypertension and ischemic stroke by weighted logistic regression, Cox proportional hazard model, and inverse odds ratio weighting mediation analysis. RESULTS: Incident ischemic stroke cases adjudicated through April 1, 2019 (n = 1,075) were included in the study. The random cohort sample was derived from the full cohort using stratified sampling (n = 968). Among 162 metabolites, gluconic acid was associated with prevalent hypertension in Black adults (odds ratio [OR] 1.86, 95% CI 1.39-2.47, p = 2.58 × 10-5) but not in White adults (OR 1.00, 95% CI 0.80-1.24, p = 0.97; p for interaction = 4.57 × 10-4). Gluconic acid also demonstrated an association with incident ischemic stroke among Black participants (hazard ratio [HR] 1.53, 95% CI 1.28-1.81, p = 1.76 × 10-6) but not White participants (HR 1.16, 95% CI 1.00-1.34, p = 0.057; p for interaction = 0.019). In mediation analysis, gluconic acid mediated 25.4% (95% CI 4.1%-46.8%, p = 0.02) of the association between prevalent hypertension and incident ischemic stroke among Black individuals. Specific socioeconomic factors were linked to elevated gluconic acid level among Black adults in multivariable analysis, including a Southern dietary pattern (ß = 0.18, 95% CI 0.08-0.28, p < 0.001), lower educational attainment (ß = 0.45, 95% CI 0.19-0.72, p = 0.001), and a lack of exercise (ß = 0.26, 95% CI 0.01-0.51, p = 0.045). DISCUSSION: Gluconic acid is associated with prevalent hypertension and incident ischemic stroke and mediates the relationship between hypertension and ischemic stroke in Black but not White adults. Gluconic acid is a biomarker that is associated with social determinants of health including a Southern diet, low educational attainment, and low physical activity.

Gut microbiota-associated metabolites and risk of ischemic stroke in REGARDS.

Several metabolite markers are independently associated with incident ischemic stroke. However, prior studies have not accounted for intercorrelated metabolite networks. We used exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to determine if metabolite factors were associated with incident ischemic stroke. Metabolites (n = 162) were measured in a case-control cohort nested in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which included 1,075 ischemic stroke cases and 968 random cohort participants. Cox models were adjusted for age, gender, race, and age-race interaction (base model) and further adjusted for the Framingham stroke risk factors (fully adjusted model). EFA identified fifteen metabolite factors, each representing a well-defined metabolic pathway. Of these, factor 3, a gut microbiome metabolism factor, was associated with an increased risk of stroke in the base (hazard ratio per one-unit standard deviation, HR = 1.23; 95%CI = 1.15-1.31; P = 1.98 × 10-10) and fully adjusted models (HR = 1.13; 95%CI = 1.06-1.21; P = 4.49 × 10-4). The highest tertile had a 45% increased risk relative to the lowest (HR = 1.45; 95%CI = 1.25-1.70; P = 2.24 × 10-6). Factor 3 was also associated with the Southern diet pattern, a dietary pattern previously linked to increased stroke risk in REGARDS (ß = 0.11; 95%CI = 0.03-0.18; P = 8.75 × 10-3). These findings highlight the role of diet and gut microbial metabolism in relation to incident ischemic stroke.

Nucleosides Associated With Incident Ischemic Stroke in the REGARDS and JHS Cohorts.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to stroke risk. We sought to identify novel metabolites associated with incident stroke in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort and determine whether they reflected genetic or environmental variation. METHODS: This was a stroke case-cohort observational study nested in REGARDS. Cases were defined as incident stroke and metabolomic profiles were compared to a randomly selected control cohort. In baseline plasma samples, 162 metabolites were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Cox proportional hazards models were adjusted for age, sex, race, and age by race in the base model. Fully adjusted models included traditional stroke risk factors. Mediation analyses conducted for these stroke risk factors used the metabolite as mediator. Genome-wide associations with the leading candidate metabolites were calculated using array data. Replication analyses in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) were conducted using random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: There were 2,043 participants who were followed over an average period of 7.1 years, including 1,075 stroke cases and 968 random controls. Nine metabolites were associated with stroke in the base model, 8 of which were measured and remained significant in meta-analysis with JHS. In the fully adjusted model in REGARDS, guanosine (hazard ratio [HR] 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-1.53; p = 7.26 × 10-6) and pseudouridine (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.13-1.45; p = 1.03 × 10-4) were associated with incident ischemic stroke following Bonferroni adjustment. Guanosine also partially mediated the relationship between hypertension and stroke (17.6%) and pseudouridine did not mediate any risk factor. Genome-wide association analysis identified loci rs34631560 and rs34631560 associated with pseudouridine, but these did not explain the association of pseudouridine with stroke. DISCUSSION: Guanosine and pseudouridine are nucleosides associated with incident ischemic stroke independently of other risk factors. Genetic and mediation analyses suggest that environmental exposures rather than genetic variation link nucleoside levels to stroke risk. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that guanosine and pseudouridine are associated with incident stroke.

Transcranial Doppler in autonomic testing: standards and clinical applications.

When cerebral blood flow falls below a critical limit, syncope occurs and, if prolonged, ischemia leads to neuronal death. The cerebral circulation has its own complex finely tuned autoregulatory mechanisms to ensure blood supply to the brain can meet the high metabolic demands of the underlying neuronal tissue. This involves the interplay between myogenic and metabolic mechanisms, input from noradrenergic and cholinergic neurons, and the release of vasoactive substrates, including adenosine from astrocytes and nitric oxide from the endothelium. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) is a non-invasive technique that provides real-time measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity. TCD can be very useful in the work-up of a patient with recurrent syncope. Cerebral autoregulatory mechanisms help defend the brain against hypoperfusion when perfusion pressure falls on standing. Syncope occurs when hypotension is severe, and susceptibility increases with hyperventilation, hypocapnia, and cerebral vasoconstriction. Here we review clinical standards for the acquisition and analysis of TCD signals in the autonomic laboratory and the multiple methods available to assess cerebral autoregulation. We also describe the control of cerebral blood flow in autonomic disorders and functional syndromes.

Metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a public hospital in Peru: a cross-sectional study in a low-middle income country.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess patients' achievement of ADA (American Diabetes Association) guideline recommendations for glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile, and blood pressure in a type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) outpatient clinic in a low-middle income country (LMIC) setting. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study with 123 ambulatory T2DM patients who are being treated at a public hospital in Lima, Peru. Data was gathered via standardized interviews, clinical surveys, and anthropomorphic measurements for each patient. Blood samples were drawn in fasting state for measures of glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and lipid profile. Laboratory parameters and blood pressure were evaluated according to ADA recommendations. RESULTS: Of the 123 patients, 81 were women and the mean age was 61.8 years. Glycemic control was abnormal in 82 (68.33%) participants, and 45 (37.50%) were unable to control their blood pressure. Lipid profile was abnormal in 73 (60.83%) participants. Only nine (7.50%) participants fulfilled ADA recommendations for glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control. CONCLUSIONS: Amongst individuals with type 2 diabetes, there was poor attainment of the ADA recommendations (HbA1c, blood pressure and LDL-cholesterol) for ambulatory T2DM patients. Interventions are urgently needed in order to prevent long-term diabetic complications.