Browsing by Author "Karabarinde, Alex"

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    The General Population Cohort in Rural South Western Uganda: A Platform for Communicable and Non-Communicable Disease Studies
    (International journal of epidemiology, 2013) Asiki, Gershim; Murphy, Georgina; Miiro, Jessica Nakiyingi; Seeley, Janet; Nsubuga, Rebecca N.; Karabarinde, Alex; Waswa, Laban; Biraro, Sam; Kasamba, Ivan; Pomilla, Cristina; Maher, Dermot; Young, Elizabeth H; Kamali, Anatoli; Sandhu, Manjinder S
    The General Population Cohort (GPC) was set up in 1989 to examine trends in HIV prevalence and incidence, and their determinants in rural south-western Uganda. Recently, the research questions have included the epidemiology and genetics of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to address the limited data on the burden and risk factors for NCDs in sub-Saharan Africa. The cohort comprises all residents (52% aged ≥13years, men and women in equal proportions) within one-half of a rural sub-county, residing in scattered houses, and largely farmers of three major ethnic groups. Data collected through annual surveys include; mapping for spatial analysis and participant location; census for individual socio-demographic and household socioeconomic status assessment; and a medical survey for health, lifestyle and biophysical and blood measurements to ascertain disease outcomes and risk factors for selected participants. This cohort offers a rich platform to investigate the interplay between communicable diseases and NCDs. There is robust infrastructure for data management, sample processing and storage, and diverse expertise in epidemiology, social and basic sciences. For any data access enquiries you may contact the director, MRC/UVRI, Uganda Research Unit on AIDS by email to mrc@mrcuganda.org or the corresponding author.
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    Prevalence and Factors Associated With Liver Fibrosis Among Adult HIV-Infected Patients Attending Urban and Rural Care Clinics in Uganda
    (Oxford University Press, 2020) Wekesa, Clara; Kirk, Gregory D.; Aizire, Jim; Benson, Eve-Marie; Karabarinde, Alex; Parkes-Ratanshi, Rosalind; Ocama, Ponsiano
    Liver fibrosis is common among HIV-infected patients. Risk factors vary by location. Understanding this variation may inform prevention strategies. We compared the prevalence and correlates of liver fibrosis among HIV-infected patients attending care clinics in Uganda. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study involving 2030 HIV-infected patients attending care clinics in urban and rural Uganda. Liver fibrosis was defined as liver stiffness measurement (LSM) >7.1 KPa. Proportions and correlates of liver fibrosis were assessed and compared using logistic regression stratified by gender and site. Results. Prevalence of liver fibrosis was higher among participants in the rural clinic (15% vs 11%; P = .017). History of tobacco use (urban P = .022; rural P = .035) and serologic evidence of hepatitis C infection (HCV; urban P = .028; rural P = .03) was associated with liver fibrosis in all men. Elevated liver transaminases (urban P = .002; rural P = .028) and increasing age (urban P = .008; rural P = .052) were risk factors among all women. Tobacco use among women was only a risk factor in those attending the rural clinic (P = .003), and detectable HIV viral load (P = .002) for men in the urban clinic. Conclusions. Liver fibrosis is prevalent among HIV-infected persons in Uganda. HIV viral suppression and avoiding tobacco may be strategies to prevent liver fibrosis and cancer risk.