Retinopathy in non diabetics, diabetic retinopathy and oxidative stress: a new phenotype in Central Africa?

AIM:To evaluate the rates of retinopathy without diabetes and diabetic retinopathy(DR),associated with some markers of oxidative stress,antioxidants and cardiometabolic risk factors.METHODS:We determined the prevalence of DR in 150type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)patients,that of retinopathy in 50 non diabetics,the levels of body mass index(BMI),waist circumference(WC),blood pressure,lipids,8-isoprostane,8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine(8-oHdG),gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT),oxidized low density lipoprotein(LDL)(OxLDL),thiobarbituric acid reacting substances(TBARS),reduced glutathione(GSH),superoxide dismutase(SOD),uric acid,creatinine,albumin,total antioxidant status(TAOS),zinc,selenium,magnesium,vitamin C,vitamin D,vitamin E,glucose,apolipoprotein B(ApoB).RESULTS:The prevalences of DR at 53y and Rtp at62y were 44%(n=66)and 10%(n=5),respectively.Thehighest levels of 8-isoprostane,8-OHdG,TBARS,SOD,and OxLDL were in DR.The lowest levels of vitamin D,vitamin C,TAOS,and vitamin E were in DR.In the casecontrol study discriminant analysis,the levels of vitamin C,vitamin D,ApoB,8-OHdG,creatinine,Zn,vitamin E,and WC distinguished significantly non-diabetics without DR(controls),T2DM patients without DR and T2DM patients with DR.CONCLUSION:Anticipation of DR onset is significantly associated with the exageration of oxidative stress biomarkers or decrease of antioxidants in African type 2diabetics.Prevention of oxidative stress and abdominal obesity is needed.Supplementation in vitamin C,D,and E should be recommended as complement therapies of T2DM.

Oxidative stress-elevated high gamma glutamyl transferase levels, and aging, intake of tropical food plants, migration and visual disability in Central Africans

·AIM:To investigate the independent pathogenic role of high serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels, sociodemographic data, dietary and environmental risk factors for visual disability (VD). ·METHODS:This was a case-control study, run in 200 black Congolese patients managed in Saint Joseph Hospital Ophthalmology Division from Kinshasa town. Logistic regression model was used to identify determinants of VD (n = 58) among sex, age, cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, rural-urban migration, education levels, aging ≥60 years, intake of red Beans, Safou fruit and Taro leaves, lipid profile, residence, socioeconomic status, and GGT. ·RESULTS:After adjusting for confounding factors, we identified migration (OR=3.7 95% CI:1.2-11.3; P =0.023), low education level (OR=3.1 95% CI 1.1-8.5; P =0.026), no intake of Safou fruit (OR=34.2 95% CI 11.5-102; P < 0.0001), age ≥60 years (OR=2.5 95% CI 1.01-6.5; P = 0.049), and serum GGT ≥10U/L (OR=3.6 95% CI 1.3-9.6; P = 0.012) as the significant and independent determinants of VD. ·CONCLUSION:VD appears as a major public health problem in Central Africa to be prevented or delayed by control of migration, lifestyle changes, antioxidant supplements, appropriate diet, nutrition education, and blocking of oxidative stress.