Temporal trend analysis of stroke and salt intake: a 15-year population-based study

Excessive salt intake accelerates the progression of cerebral small vessel disease in older adults

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether excessive salt intake accelerates the progression of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The major objective of this study was to investigate the harmful effect of excessive salt intake on the progression of CSVD in older individuals.

METHODS

Between May 2007 and November 2010, 423 community-dwelling individuals aged 60 years and older were recruited from the Shandong area, China. Salt intake was estimated using 24-hour urine collection for 7 consecutive days at baseline. Participants were classified into low, mild, moderate and high groups according to the salt intake estimation. CSVD including white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), lacunes, microbleeds and an enlarged perivascular space (EPVS) were determined using brain magnetic resonance imaging.

RESULTS

During an average of five years of follow-up, the WMH volume and WMH-to-intracranial ratio were increased in the four groups. However, the increasing trends in the WMH volume and WMH-to-intracranial ratio were significantly faster in the higher salt intake groups compared with the lower salt intake groups (P_adjusted < 0.001). The cumulative hazard ratios of new-incident WMHs (defined as those with Fazekas scale scores ≥ 2), new-incident lacunes, microbleeds or an EPVS, as well as composites of CSVD, were respectively 2.47, 2.50, 3.33, 2.70 and 2.89 for the mild group; 3.72, 3.74, 4.66, 4.01 and 4.49 for the moderate group; and 7.39, 5.82, 7.00, 6.40 and 6.61 for the high group, compared with the low group after adjustment for confounders (P_adjusted < 0.001). The risk of new-incident WMHs, lacunes, microbleeds or an EPVS, and composites of CSVD was significantly increased with each 1-standard-deviation increment in salt intake (P_adjusted < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our data indicates that excessive salt intake is an important and independent contributor to the progression of CVSD in older adults.

The impact of potentially modifiable risk factors for stroke in a middle-income area of China: A case-control study

Aims

To reveal the impact of eleven risk factors on stroke and provide estimates of the prevention potential.

Methods

We completed a multicenter case-control study in Jiangxi, China, a middle-income area. Neuroimaging examination was performed in all cases. Controls were stroke-free adults recruited from the community in the case concentration area. Conditional logistic regression and unconditional logistic regression were used for subgroup analysis of stroke type, and other groups (sex, age and urban-rural area), respectively. Odds ratios (ORs) and their population attributable risks (PARs) were calculated, with 95% confidence intervals.

Results

A total of 43,615 participants (11,735 cases and 31,880 controls) were recruited from February to September 2018, of whom we enrolled 11,729 case-control pairs. Physical inactivity [PAR 69.5% (66.9-71.9%)] and hypertension [53.4% (49.8-56.8%)] were two major risk factors for stroke, followed by high salt intake [23.9% (20.5-27.3%)], dyslipidemia [20.5% (17.1-24.0%)], meat-based diet [17.5% (14.9-20.4%)], diabetes [7.7% (5.9-9.7%)], cardiac causes [5.3% (4.0-6.7%)], alcohol intake [4.7% (0.2-10.0%)], and high homocysteine [4.3% (1.4-7.4%)]. Nine of these factors were associated with ischemic stroke, and five were associated with intracerebral hemorrhage. Collectively, eleven risk factors accounted for 59.9% of the PAR for all stroke (ischemic stroke: 61.0%; intracerebral hemorrhage: 46.5%), and were consistent across sex (men: 65.5%; women: 62.3%), age (≤55: 65.2%; >55: 63.5%), and urban-rural areas (city: 62.2%; county: 65.7%).

Conclusion

The 11 risk factors associated with stroke identified will provide an important reference for evidence-based planning for stroke prevention in middle-income areas. There is an urgent need to improve awareness, management and control of behavioral and metabolic risk factors, particularly to promote physical activity and reduce blood pressure.

Unfavorable Dietary Quality Contributes to Elevated Risk of Ischemic Stroke among Residents in Southwest China: Based on the Chinese Diet Balance Index 2016 (DBI-16)

Background: Little is known about the effects of dietary quality on the risk of ischemic stroke among Southwest Chinese, and evidence from prospective studies is needed. We aimed to evaluate the associations of ischemic stroke with dietary quality assessed by the Chinese Diet Balance Index 2016 (DBI-2016). Methods: The Guizhou Population Health Cohort Study (GPHCS) recruited 9280 residents aged 18 to 95 years from 12 areas in Guizhou Province, Southwest China. Baseline investigations, including information collections of diet and demographic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements were performed from 2010 to 2012. Dietary quality was assessed by using DBI-2016. The primary outcome was incident ischemic stroke diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) until December 2020. Data analyzed in the current study was from 7841 participants with complete information of diet assessments and ischemic stroke certification. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of ischemic stroke associated with dietary quality. Results: During a median follow-up of 6.63 years (range 1.11 to 9.53 years), 142 participants were diagnosed with ischemic stroke. Participants with ischemic stroke had a more excessive intake of cooking oils, alcoholic beverages, and salt, and had more inadequacy in meats than those without ischemic stroke. (p < 0.05). Compared with participants in the lowest quartile (Q1), those in the highest quartile (Q4) of the higher bound score (HBS) and of the dietary quality distance (DQD) had an elevated risk for ischemic stroke, with the corresponding hazard ratios (HRs) of 3.31 (95%CI: 1.57−6.97) and 2.26 (95%CI: 1.28−4.00), respectively, after adjustment for age, ethnic group, education level, marriage status, smoking and waist circumference, and the medical history of diabetes and hypertension at baseline. In addition, excessive intake levels (score 1−6) of cooking oils, excessive intake levels (score 1−6) of salt, and inadequate intake levels (score −12 to −7) of dietary variety were positively associated with an increased risk for ischemic stroke, with the multiple HRs of 3.00 (95%CI: 1.77−5.07), 2.03 (95%CI: 1.33−3.10) and 5.40 (95%CI: 1.70−17.20), respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that unfavorable dietary quality, including overall excessive consumption, excessive intake of cooking oils and salt, or under adequate dietary diversity, may increase the risk for ischemic stroke.

Long-Term Trends in Stroke Management and Burden Among Low-Income Women in a Rural Area From China (1992-2019): A Prospective Population-Based Study

Although an increasing number of studies are considering sex-related differences in stroke burden, the trends in stroke burden and management among women in China, especially among low-income women, remain unclear. This study evaluated the long-term trends in stroke management and burden among low-income Chinese women during the period between 1992 and 2019. Stroke burden was assessed using the age-adjusted incidence of first-ever stroke, whereas stroke management was assessed using the rates of neuroimaging diagnoses, hospitalizations, case fatalities, and stroke recurrence. Stroke burden and management were analyzed during four study periods: 1992–1998, 1999–2004, 2005–2012, and 2013–2019. During the 193,385 person-years of surveillance in this study, 597 female stroke patients were identified. The stroke incidences per 100,000 person-years were 88.1 cases during 1992–1998, 145.4 cases during 1999–2004, 264.3 cases during 2005–2012, and 309.8 cases during 2013–2019 (P < 0.001). Between 1992 and 2019, the incidence of stroke significantly increased (6.4% annually) as did the incidence of ischemic stroke (7.8% annually; both, P < 0.001). The rates of neuroimaging diagnoses and hospitalizations significantly increased during the four periods, while the case fatality rates and 1-year recurrence rates decreased significantly for both overall strokes and ischemic strokes, especially among patients ≥45 years old (all, P < 0.001). Among low-income women in China, stroke management is gradually improving, despite the increasing stroke burden. Thus, improved healthcare coverage is needed to further reduce the stroke burden among low-income Chinese women.

Salt Reduction Initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and Evaluation of Progress towards the 2025 Global Target: A Systematic Review

This study aims at identifying national salt reduction initiatives in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region and describing their progress towards the global salt reduction target. A systematic review of published and grey literature was conducted. Key characteristics of strategies were extracted and classified according to a pre-defined framework: salt intake assessments; leadership and strategic approach; implementation strategies; monitoring and evaluation of program impact. Salt intake levels were estimated in 15 out of the 22 countries (68%), while national salt reduction initiatives were identified in 13 (59%). The majority of countries were found to implement multifaceted reduction interventions, characterized by a combination of two or more implementation strategies. The least common implementation strategy was taxation, while the most common was reformulation (100%), followed by consumer education (77%), initiatives in specific settings (54%), and front of pack labelling (46%). Monitoring activities were conducted by few countries (27%), while impact evaluations were lacking. Despite the ongoing salt reduction efforts in several countries of the region, more action is needed to initiate reduction programs in countries that are lagging behind, and to ensure rigorous implementation and evaluations of ongoing programs. Such efforts are vital for the achievement of the targeted 30% reduction in salt intake.

Salt intake and blood pressure in Iranian children and adolescents: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have reported a high prevalence of hypertension in Iranian students, especially in rural areas. The aim of this study was to investigate the daily intake of salt in students and its association with high blood pressure.

METHODS

A random sub-sample was selected from the participants of the second phase of Shahroud schoolchildren eye cohort study and then a random urine sample was tested for sodium, potassium and creatinine. Urine electrolyte esexcretion and daily salt intake were calculated by Tanaka et al.'s formula.

RESULTS

Among 1455 participants (including 230 participants from rural area and 472 girls), the mean age was 12.9 ± 1.7 year and the mean daily salt intake was 9.7 ± 2.6 g (95% CI 9.5-9.8). The mean salt consumption in rural areas [10.8 (95% CI 10.4-11.2)] was higher than urban areas [9.4 (95% CI 9.3-9.6)], in people with hypertension [10.8 (95% CI 10.3-11.3)] was more than people with normal blood pressure [9.4 (95% CI 9.3-9.6)], and in boys [9.8 (95% CI 9.7-10.0)] was more than girls [9.3 (95% CI 9.1-9.6)]. Higher age, BMI z-score, male sex and rural life, were associated with increased daily salt intake. Increased salt intake was associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSION

Daily salt intake in Iranian adolescents was about 2 times the recommended amount of the World Health Organization, was higher in rural areas and was associated with blood pressure. Reducing salt intake should be considered as an important intervention, especially in rural areas.

Temporal Trends of the Incidence of Ischemic Heart Disease in Iran Over 15 Years: A Comprehensive Report from a Multi-Centric Hospital-Based Registry

BACKGROUND

We sought to explore the temporal trend of ischemic heart disease (IHD) incidence rate (IR) in a large city of Iran.

METHODS

The study population comprised hospitalized patients who were living in Isfahan, Iran, with first or recurrent IHD during the period of 2001 to 2016. To identify patients, clinical diagnostic codes were applied according to the International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-10: I20.0, I21-I25) and the "World Health Organization Monitoring Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease" diagnostic categories (WHO-MONICA). Using a direct method, we calculated age-, sex-, and place-of-residence-adjusted incidence rates based on multiple reference populations. To examine the long-term trend for the IR, a bootstrap robust zero-truncated negative binomial regression model was used.

RESULTS

A total of 102,254 hospitalized patients, with a mean (SD) age of 61.85 (12.79), were registered between 2001 and 2016. After an initial reduction from 2006 to 2010, crude and adjusted IRs of IHD increased between 2010 and 2016. We further observed a significant increasing long-term temporal trend in the IR with an average annual change of 1.42% to 3.36% over the study period.

CONCLUSION

Our findings showed a decreasing trend in the IR of IHD between 2006 and 2010, possibly attributed to the comprehensive community-based interventions named "Isfahan Healthy Heart Program" performed from 2001 to 2007, followed by an increase in the adjusted IR of IHD between 2010 and 2016 in Isfahan; this indicates the importance of continuing the preventive measures to preclude the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in our population.

Sodium Intake and Target Organ Damage in Hypertension-An Update about the Role of a Real Villain

Salt intake is too high for safety nowadays. The main active ion in salt is sodium. The vast majority of scientific evidence points out the importance of sodium restriction for decreasing cardiovascular risk. International Guidelines recommend a large reduction in sodium consumption to help reduce blood pressure, organ damage, and cardiovascular risk. Regulatory authorities across the globe suggest a general restriction of sodium intake to prevent cardiovascular diseases. In spite of this seemingly unanimous consensus, some researchers claim to have evidence of the unhealthy effects of a reduction of sodium intake, and have data to support their claims. Evidence is against dissenting scientists, because prospective, observational, and basic research studies indicate that sodium is the real villain: actual sodium consumption around the globe is far higher than the safe range. Sodium intake is directly related to increased blood pressure, and independently to the enlargement of cardiac mass, with a possible independent role in inducing left ventricular hypertrophy. This may represent the basis of myocardial ischemia, congestive heart failure, and cardiac mortality. Although debated, a high sodium intake may induce initial renal damage and progression in both hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Conversely, there is general agreement about the adverse role of sodium in cerebrovascular disease. These factors point to the possible main role of sodium intake in target organ damage and cardiovascular events including mortality. This review will endeavor to outline the existing evidence.