Obesity and diabetes mellitus association in rural community of Katana, South Kivu, in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo : Bukavu Observ Cohort study results

Background: Factual data exploring the relationship between obesity and diabetes mellitus prevalence from rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa remain scattered and are unreliable. To address this scarceness, this work reports population study data describing the relationship between the obesity and the diabetes mellitus in the general population of the rural area of Katana (South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Methods: A cohort of three thousand, nine hundred, and sixty-two (3962) adults (>15 years old) were followed between 2012 and 2015 (or 4105 person-years during the observation period), and data were collected using the locally adjusted World Health Organization's (WHO) STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) methodology. The hazard ratio for progression of obesity was calculated. The association between diabetes mellitus and obesity was analyzed with logistic regression. Results: The diabetes mellitus prevalence was 2.8 % versus 3.5 % for obese participants and 7.2 % for those with metabolic syndrome, respectively. Within the diabetes group, 26.9 % had above-normal waist circumference and only 9.8 % were obese. During the median follow-up period of 2 years, the incidence of obesity was 535/100,000 person-years. During the follow-up, the prevalence of abdominal obesity significantly increased by 23 % (p < 0.0001), whereas the increased prevalence of general obesity (7.8 %) was not significant (p = 0.53). Finally, diabetes mellitus was independently associated with age, waist circumference, and blood pressure but not body mass index. Conclusion: This study confirms an association between diabetes mellitus and abdominal obesity but not with general obesity. On the other hand, the rapid increase in abdominal obesity prevalence in this rural area population within the follow-up period calls for the urgent promoting of preventive lifestyle measures

Évaluation de l’hygiène buccodentaire dans une cohorte de patients diabétiques. Résultats d’une étude préliminaire chez 100 sujets diabétiques de type 1 et 2

Il existe une relation étroite entre le diabète sucré, en particulier le diabète de type 2 et la maladie parodontale. Le diabète augmente le risque d’une telle pathologie et des liens étiopathogéniques ont été évoqués. À l’inverse, la maladie parodontale augmente aussi le risque de (pre)diabète. De plus, certains auteurs ont rapporté une amélioration du contrôle glycémique chez des patients diabétiques qui avaient bénéficié d’un traitement de leur pathologie dentaire. Eu égard à cette association entre les deux maladies, une hygiène buccodentaire correcte est essentielle. Le but de notre étude a été, via cinq questions, d’évaluer l’hygiène buccodentaire chez 100 patients diabétiques de type 1 ou de type 2, suivis à la consultation externe de diabétologie. Nos résultats montrent que près de 90% des sujets ont au moins un brossage dentaire quotidien et que 60% consultent au moins une fois par an leur dentiste. L’utilisation d’une brosse interdentaire n’est mentionnée que par un quart des patients. Un saignement gingival pendant les soins d’hygiène buccodentaire est rapporté par un tiers des malades, en particulier des diabétiques de type 1. En conclusion, une hygiène buccodentaire est essentielle chez les diabétiques. Nos résultats montrent un bilan relativement satisfaisant qui devrait cependant être davantage optimisé par une politique d’information dans un esprit de prévention, sachant le contexte particulier du diabète[Evaluation of buccodental hygiene in a cohort of diabetic patients] Results of a preliminary study involving 100] Patients suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes. There is a close relationship between diabetes, Type 2 in particular, and periodontal disease. Indeed, diabetes increases the risk of periodontal lesions, and its etiopathogenic mechanisms have been demonstrated. Conversely, periodontal disease also raises the risk of (pre)diabetes. Moreover, periodontal therapy has been associated with an improved glycemic control, as evaluated by glycated hemoglobin. In view of such a bilateral relationship, preventing periodontal disease appears of utmost importance in diabetic patients. This study sought to evaluate, by means of five open questions, the degree of dental and oral hygiene in a cohort of 100 patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes who were followed-up in a university diabetes outpatient clinic. Our preliminary results revealed that most patients (90%) underwent at least one daily tooth brushing and one annual visit (60%) to their dentist. However, only 26% of study participants used an interdental brush. Bleeding during tooth brushing was reported by one-third of individuals, in particular those with Type 1 diabetes. In conclusion, oral hygiene is essential in diabetic subjects. Our study revealed relatively satisfactory results, which could however be optimized in terms of prevention

Efficacy and safety of a combination of red yeast rice and olive extract in hypercholesterolemic patients with and without statin-associated myalgia.

Cholesfytol, a lipid-lowering dietary supplement with antioxidant and anti-atherosclerotic properties, combines red yeast rice (RYR) and olive extract (5mg hydroxytyrosol equivalent) and represents an alternative for patients who do not wish or are unable to use chemical statins, including individuals with previous statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS). A 2-months observational non-randomized study was performed to evaluate the efficacy, tolerance and safety of Cholesfytol (1 tablet/day) in 642 hypercholesterolemic patients (mean age: 59 yrs; total cholesterol (TC) ≥200; LDL-C ≥140mg/dl). Patients were followed by 126 GPs, and included irrespective of SAMS history and/or diabetes. None of the patients were taking statins or other lipid-modifying therapy at inclusion. At baseline, 26% had fasting glucose >100 ≤125mg/dL, and 5% >125mg/dL; 32% (n=194) had a SAMS history; and 21% had atherogenic dyslipidemia (AD). In the entire cohort, pre-treatment TC; non-HDL-C; LDL-C; and TG were 259; 200; 168; 158mg/dL, respectively, and decreased significantly on treatment (-17.5% (TC) and -23.3% (LDL-C)). Fasting glucose and HbA decreased between visits. The reduction in lipids was greater in patients with higher values at baseline. For comparable pre-treatment values, patients with SAMS history had reductions in TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and apoB slightly less than patients without myalgia. AD patients had greater on-treatment decrease in TG. Overall, 13 patients reported minor side-effects, and 4 patients reporting myalgia had antecedent SAMS. In conclusion, a substantial decrease in LDL-C was obtained with a combination of RYR and olive extract in high-risk hypercholesterolemic patients, without inducing new-onset SAMS

Dynamics in the Prevalence of Insulin Resistance between 2005 and 2023 in Type 2 Diabetics in South Kivu in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Cross-Sectional Studies

AIM: Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing an epidemiological transition responsible for a change in the metabolic profile in favour of insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the prevalence of insulin resistance and associated risk factors in diabetic patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2005 and 2023. METHOD: We measured fasting blood glucose and insulin levels and looked for metabolic syndrome parameters (2009 criteria) in type 2 diabetes patients in 2005-2008 (n = 176) and in 2018-2023 (n = 303). The HOMA model was used to measure insulin sensitivity and islet β-cell secretory function. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2013, the trend was towards an increase in the prevalence of insulin resistance (from 13.1% to 50.8%; p < 0.0001), obesity (from 17.0% to 31.7%; p = 0.0005) and abdominal obesity (from 32.4% to 49.8%; p = 0.0002). Diabetes mellitus without insulin resistance remained more prevalent in rural than in urban areas (60.2% vs. 24.5%; p < 0.0001). Finally, the Triglycerides/HDL-C ratio [AUC = 0.513 (0.46 - 0.56); p = 0.64] and the metabolic syndrome [AUC = 0.539 (0.49 - 0.58), p = 0.12] were not predictive of insulin resistance. CONCLUSION: This present study shows an increase in insulin resistance in Congolese urban areas and a persistence of atypical diabetes mellitus in Congolese rural areas, confirming the particularity of the pathophysiology of the disease in African areas currently influenced by the epidemiological transition. Further studies using an appropriate methodology are required

Risk of Chronic Disease after an Episode of Marasmus, Kwashiorkor or Mixed–Type Severe Acute Malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of Congo : The Lwiro Follow‐Up Study

Background: Long‐term impact of different forms of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in childhood on the emergence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) is poorly known. Aim: To explore the association between subtypes of SAM during childhood, NCDs, and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in young adults 11 to 30 years after post‐SAM nutritional rehabilitation. Methods: In this follow‐up study, we investigated 524 adults (mean age 22 years) treated for SAM during childhood in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between 1988 and 2007. Among them, 142 had a history of marasmus, 175 of kwashiorkor, and 207 had mixed‐form SAM. These participants were compared to 407 aged‐ and sex‐matched control adults living in the same community without a history of SAM. Our outcomes of interest were cardiometabolic risk markers for NCDs. Logistic and linear regressions models were sued to estimate the association between subtype of SAM in childhood and risk of NCDs. Results: Compared to unexposed, former mixed‐type SAM participants had a higher adjusted ORs of metabolic syndrome [2.68 (1.18; 8.07)], central obesity [1.89 (1.11; 3.21)] and low HDL‐C (High‐density lipoprotein cholesterol) [1.52 (1.08; 2.62)]. However, there was no difference between groups in terms of diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated LDL‐C (low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol) and hyper TG (hypertriglyceridemia) and overweightness. Former mixed‐type SAM participants had higher mean fasting glucose [3.38 mg/dL (0.92; 7.7)], reduced muscle strength [−3.47 kg (−5.82; −1.11)] and smaller hip circumference [−2.27 cm (−4.24; −0.31)] compared to non‐exposed. Regardless of subtypes, SAM‐exposed participants had higher HbA1c than unexposed (p < 0.001). Those with a history of kwashiorkor had cardiometabolic and nutritional parameters almost superimposable to those of unexposed. Conclusion: The association between childhood SAM, prevalence of NCDs and their CVRFs in adulthood varies according to SAM subtypes, those with mixed form being most at risk. Multicenter studies on larger cohorts of older participants are needed to elucidate the impact of SAM subtypes on NCDs risk.publishedVersionPeer reviewe