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Stéphanie Forté: The Hidden Burden of Stroke in Adults Living with Sickle Cell Disease
Stéphanie Forté/LinkedIn
Feb 24, 2026, 15:24

Stéphanie Forté: The Hidden Burden of Stroke in Adults Living with Sickle Cell Disease

Stéphanie Forté, Principal Researcher at the Innovation Hub at the CHUM Research Center (CRCHUM), shared a post on LinkedIn about a recent article she and her colleagues co-authored, adding:

“Stroke and sickle cell disease: a Montreal study reveals lasting impacts on adults.

This Black History Month, British Journal of Hematology is releasing a study led by our team at CHUM – Montreal University Hospital Center, CHUM Research Center (CRCHUM) and University of Montreal that highlights a reality that is still under-recognized: stroke in adults living with sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease, also known as sickle cell disease, is a genetic blood disorder that primarily affects people of African and Caribbean descent.

While the risk of stroke is well documented in children, data in adults remain limited.

By analyzing the trajectories of 454 adults followed at the CHUM, we found that nearly 1 in 20 people had already suffered a stroke.

Importantly, these strokes do not only affect the most severe forms of the disease, but also forms that are sometimes perceived as ‘milder’.

The sequelae observed are often long-lasting:

  • Difficulty with memory and concentration
  • Loss of autonomy in daily activities

This study is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration bringing together researchers in hematology, vascular neurology (ICranium) and the next generation of committed physicians.

Congratulations to Jonathan St-Onge, future hematology resident at the University of Montreal for his teamwork, perseverance and commitment to advancing care and research.

‘Sickle cell anemia accompanies people all their lives. Its neurological complications in adulthood remain underestimated and require increased attention.’

Our results highlight the importance of:

  • better prevention of stroke in sickle cell disease
  • rapid recognition of symptoms
  • specialized follow-up adapted to adults

This publication is part of a broader effort to reduce health inequalities, a central issue of Black History Month.

Thank you to all the co-investigators who generously gave their time, expertise and energy! Christian Stapf, Gregory Jacquin, Olena Bereznyakova, Chrystelle Charles, Tzvetena Hristova, Olivier Pouliot, Janick Caron-Lecuyer, Costa Kazadi, Sara-Maude Desforges, Mia Stevanovik, Julián Alejandro Rivillas.

Thank you also to the members of the clinical and administrative team Sangre, in the hematology and oncology department of the CHUM, to patients, as well as to L’Association d’Anémie Falciforme du Québec AAFQ- The Sickle Cell Anemia Association of Quebec SCAAQ and the Foundation of the Montreal University Hospital Center (CHUM).”

Title: Stroke burden and functional impacts in adults with sickle cell disease.

Authors: Jonathan St-Onge, Tzvetena Hristova, Chrystelle Charles, Olena Bereznyakova, Gregory Jacquin, Olivier Pouliot, Janick Caron-Lecuyer, Mia Stevanovik, Sara-Maude Desforges, Costa M. Kazadi, Julian Alejandro Rivillas, Christian Stapf, Stéphanie Forté

Read the Full Article on British Journal of Hematology

Stéphanie Forté: The Hidden Burden of Stroke in Adults Living with Sickle Cell Disease

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British Journal of Hematology Christian Stapf Chrystelle Charles Costa M. Kazadi Gregory Jacquin Health Hematology Hemostasis News Hemostasis Today Janick Caron-Lecuyer Jonathan St-Onge Julián Alejandro Rivillas Medicine Mia Stevanovik Olena Bereznyakova Olivier Pouliot Sara-Maude Desforges Sickle Cell Disease Stéphanie Forté stroke Tzvetena Hristova
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