What Does Serum Adiponectin Portend in Obese Nigerian Type 2 Diabetes Subjects

Background: Adiponectin is a protein hormone whose levels have been found to correlate with glycaemic control and lipid profile in patients with Type 2 DM. This study evaluates the relationship of adiponectin in Obese and non - obese Nigerian T2DM patients. Method: This cross-sectional hospital-based study included two groups of 60 Obese T2DM and 60 non-obese T2DM subjects. All study participants had clinical assessment, and blood samples collected and assessed  for serum Adiponectin, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein. Results: Obese T2DM subjects had lower levels of adiponectin than Non-obese T2DM subjects (p > 0.05). In both groups, 65% and 77% of the Obese non-Obese diabetic group had good glycemic status, which poorly correlated with serum adiponectin levels, with higher adiponectin values seen in the groups with poorly controlled glycemic status. High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels correlated positively with serum Adiponectin levels in both Obese and non-Obese diabetic groups, however this was significant only in the Obese diabetic group (r = 0.30, p = 0.02). Adiponectin correlated negatively with Triglycerides only in the non-Obese diabetic group (r = -0.12, p = 0.37), and also correlated negatively with atherogenic index (r = -0.092, p = 0.316), though not statistically significant. Conclusion: Adiponectin  is a poor marker for glycaemic control, and does not correlate with lipids such as TG, through its anti-atherogenic properties it may be associated with reduced risk of atherosclerosis as evidenced by its weakly positive and direct correlation with HDL among Nigerian Type 2 DM subjects

Prevalence and clinical relevance of thyroid autoantibodies in patients with goitre in Nigeria

Background: Thyroid autoimmunity was thought to be rare in Africans but there is evidence that its prevalence is increasing. Since undetected autoimmune thyroid disease carries considerable morbidity, this study set out to determine the proportion of patients with goitre who have thyroid autoantibodies and the relationship, if any, between the presence of thyroid autoantibodies, thyroid function and thyroid size. Methods: The study was cross-sectional and conducted over a 12-month period. It involved 100 subjects with goitre and 50 apparently healthy controls without goitre, matched for age and sex. Thyroid dysfunction was assessed by history, clinical examination and biochemical tests, thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies. The size of the thyroid gland was assessed by ultrasound. Results: Fifty-seven percent (57%) of study subjects were euthyroid, 38%were hyperthyroid, while 2%were hypothyroid. The overall prevalence of elevated thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) in the subjects with goitre was 35% and 8% in the controls (p < 0.001). Elevated thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) was found in 24% of subjects with goitre and 12% of controls (p = 0.083). Elevated TPOAb was found in 76.3% of subjects who were hyperthyroid, 7% of subjects who were euthyroid and 100% of subjects who were hypothyroid (p < 0.001). Elevated TgAb level was present in 36.8%, 15.8% and 50% of subjects with hyperthyroid, euthyroid and hypothyroid goitre respectively (p = 0.068). A positive correlation was observed between TPOAb and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.582, p < 0.001) and TgAb and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (r = 0.176, p = 0.08). The correlation between TPOAb and thyroid volume (r = –0.139, p = 0.167) and that of TgAb and thyroid volume (r = –0.119, p = 0.238) was not significant. Conclusion: The prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in patients with goitre is high in Nigeria. Thyroid peroxidase antibody ismoreprevalent than thyroglobulin antibody in thyroid disorders and appears to be a better marker than thyroglobulin antibody in detecting autoimmune thyroid dysfunction

Awareness and knowledge about diabetes mellitus and hypertension amongst adolescents in secondary schools, Oyo State, Nigeria – an interventional study by the SIDCAIN Research Group

Background: Epidemic of obesity has propelled type 2 diabetes into an emerging health problem. Alongside hypertension, diabetes is now a foremost non communicable disease (NCD) in Nigeria. Aims & Objectives: This paper reports the outcome of school health club awareness program amongst school children in Oyo State. Methods: Health clubs were formed with the aim of making adolescents aware of NCDs, and their risk factors through health educational programs over a three year period (2010 – 2013). Data was obtained on awareness, knowledge, and traditional beliefs amongst club members and compared to responses from non-club members. SPSS version 17 was used for data analysis, and the level of statistical significance was set at (

Relationship between Thyroid Hormone levels and Hyperthyroid Signs and symptoms

Objective: Assessment of thyrotoxic patients often involves laboratory and clinical evaluation. We have therefore investigated the relationship between the magnitude of hyperthyroid symptoms and thyroid hormone levels in a set of newly diagnosed thyrotoxic patients. Methods: Fifteen subjects with untreated, newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis were prospectively studied to investigate the relationship between symptom severity and the degree of hormone elevation. Two standardized symptom rating scales the “Waynes score” (WS) and the “Hyperthyroid symptom score” (HSS) as well as laboratory tests of serum T3, T4 and TSH was employed. Results: Four (26.6%) subjects were men, while 11 (73.3%) were women. The mean age of subjects was 43.9±13.3 years. 12 (80%) had Graves disease while 3 (20%) had toxic multinodular goiter. All subjects had elevated thyroid hormones and Waynes score but HSS was normal in 6 940%) patients. WS corrected positively with HSS (r=0.66,

Scleredema diabeticorum – A case report

Scleredema, a medical problem first described by Buschke in 1902, is a rare scleromatosis of unknown aetiology, which is characterized by wooden, nonpitting induration of the skin. This skin disorder first affects the neck and face and may symmetrically spread to the shoulders, trunk, arms, and legs. We report a case of a 65 year-old hypertensive and diabetic male who presented with marked thickening of the upper back with obvious peau d’orange changes. Association with other complications of diabetes is not certain and treatment is difficult, though improvement is possible with optimal glycaemic control. Scleredema diabeticorum is rare and is a cause of significant morbidity in diabetes

Serum C-reactive protein in Nigerians with type II diabetes mellitus

Background: C-reactive protein  is  an  acute-phase proteins, produce in the liver, its release is stimulated by cytokines (interleukin 6 and tumour necrosis factor alpha). Elevated level of it is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Baseline levels of C-reactive protein in apparently healthy men and women predict long-term risk of a first myocardial infarction. Diabetics are at increased risk for coronary heart disease, data from the Framingham Study showed a two-to three-fold elevation in the risk of clinically evident atherosclerotic disease in patients with type II diabetes compared to those without diabetes. However, but data regarding CRP in Nigerian diabetic is lacking.Objectives: The study was to determine serum C-reactive protein in Nigerian with Type II diabetes mellitusMethods: The study design was cross-sectional conducted among patients attending out patient clinic of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals complex (OAUTHC) Ile Ife, Osun State south western Nigeria. Measurement of C- reactive protein was based on the principle of solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).Results: A total of 125 consecutive subjects were recruited comprising 75 patients with type II diabetes mellitus with or without hypertension and 50 apparently healthy age-and-sex comparable controls. There was a significant difference between the mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures of the patients and controls. The fasting blood glucose and C-reactive protein  were  significantly higher  in  diabetics  compared  to  controls. There was a positive and significant correlation between FBG and CRP in both patients and controls.Conclusion: This study showed that diabetics have significantly higher serum C-reactive protein compared to the apparently controls. Also there was a positive and significant correlation between C-reactive protein and fasting blood glucose among both patients and controls.Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, C-reactive protein, Coronary heart diseas