Mild Hyperhomocysteinemia, Decreased Vitamins B6, B12 and Folic Acid in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia has been identified as a risk factor for stroke and other vascular diseases in the general population, its role in sickle cell disease (SCD) has not been investigated in children with SCD in Nigeria. Aim: This study was designed to evaluate plasma homocysteine, B-vitamins, folate and lipid profile in sickle cell disease (SCD) HbSS children in Nigeria. Methods: Fifty (50) SCD children (12.04±4.17 years) consisting of 30 females and 20 males were selected from Sickle club center Abeokuta. Fifty non SCD (HbAA) children (12.62±4.28 years) consisting of 25 males and 25 females were included as controls. Anthropometric indices and plasma homocysteine, B12, B6, folic acid, lipids and lipoproteins were determined using standard procedures. Results: The results showed significant decreases in body weight (29.84±10.68 kg) and height (1.37±0.16 m), (p<0.045) in all SCD patients. Plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) (6.40±3.37 µmol/L) was significantly increased (p< 0.05), whereas plasma vitamins B6 (28.81±12.44 nmol/), B12 (184.16±35.13 pmol/L), folic acid (46.73±9.93 µmol/L), total cholesterol (102.42±28.62 mg/dl), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (24.45±5.25mg/dl) (p< 0.01) and triglyceride (71.98±22.61 mg/dl) (p<0.04) were markedly decreased compared with the control values. Plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol was however not significantly different from the control value. Plasma tHcy) did not correlate with any of the measured parameters. Conclusion: Increased plasma total homocysteine level and reduced B vitamins as well as lipids profile obtained in this study are prominent features of sickle cell disease in this environment.

Sex Hormones and Their Relationship with Leptin and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Pre and Post- Menopausal Nigerian Women with Metabolic Syndrome.

Metabolic Syndrome (MS), which affects 33.1% of Nigerians, predisposing them to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, has been associated with the female gender. The cardioprotective effect of oestradiol against CVD is now controversial and was investigated in premenopausal with MS (PRMMS) and postmenopausal women with MS (POMMS). A total of 191 women (44 PRMMS, 126 POMMS and 21 premenopausal women without MS (PRM) (controls) with mean (s.d) age of 40.0 (6.9), 57.0 (8.8), 29.0 (6.8) years were participants of this study. Demography, blood pressure (BP), anthropometry, hormones, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and lipids were obtained by standard methods. Data were significant at (P<.05). Age, parity, all anthropometric measures, FPG, leptin, ET ratio and FSH were significantly higher while HDLC, testosterone and prolactin were significantly lower in PRMMS compared with controls (P<.03). In comparison of POMMS with PRMMS, age, parity, WHR, systolic BP, TG, FSH and LH were significantly higher while body weight, HC, and leptin were lower in POMMS compared with PRMMS (P<.05). DBP positively predicted oestradiol in PRM only (P=.044) while oestradiol positively predicted testosterone in PRMMS only (P<.001). In POMMS only, DBP positively predicted testosterone; testosterone, ET ratio and FSH positively predicted oestradiol while LDLC and oestradiol positively predicted the ET ratio (P<.03). Metabolic syndrome may predispose both pre and postmenopausal women to the risk cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Oestradiol may protect against cardiovascular diseases in women without metabolic syndrome only.

Prevalent Components of Metabolic Syndrome and Their Correlates in Apparently Healthy Individuals in Sub-saharan Africa.

Aim: To assess the prevalent components of metabolic syndrome (MSC) and their related determinants of lipid metabolism in the Nigerian for early diagnosis, prevention and management of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and its associated diseases. Study Design: Cohort study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan between March and August 2010. Methodology: 534 apparently healthy Nigerian traders aged 18–105 years were participants of a cohort study. The IDF (2005) criteria was used for MS diagnosis. Anthropometric indices and blood pressure (BP) were obtained by standard methods. Fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) were determined by enzymatic methods while low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) was calculated. Data analysed were statistically significant at P<0.05. Results: 60.1% of traders had 2 and 3MSC. 0.6%, 1.1% and 9.6% of traders had all 5MSC, ≥3MSC without elevated waist circumference (WC) and zero MSC respectively. Elevated WC, reduced HDLC and high BP were more frequent MSC representing 70.2%, 63.1% and 47.9% while FPG and TG were less frequent representing 11.2% and 2.2% of traders respectively. This pattern was similar in MS and non-MS groups. 25.3% of males and only 2.2% of females had no MSC. Reduced HDLC and elevated WC were the most frequent MSC in males and females respectively. All metabolic risk factors (MRF) except TC were significantly different in comparison between MS and non-MS groups as well as among traders with 0-5 MSC. WHR was the only parameter that correlated significantly with all MRF. Conclusion: Elevated waist circumference, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high blood pressure may be prevalent metabolic syndrome components and important in managing metabolic syndrome in Nigeria. Regional specific cut-offs for these components for the African population is needed.

Association between Anthropometric Indices, Plasma Insulin, Lipids and Lipoproteins in Overweight and Obese Nigerians.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between excess body weight gain and plasma insulin, lipid profile and anthropometric indices in overweight/obese civil servants urban city dwellers in Nigeria where fast food outlets are fast growing. Study Design: This study was designed to access anthropometric indices, plasma lipid profile and insulin in non diagnosed disease overweight/obese individuals. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Chemical Pathology University College Hospital Ibadan Nigeria, between February 2010 and June 2011. Methodology: Ninety (90) male and female subjects consisting of sixty overweight/obese with mean age of 36.38±1.04 years and thirty normal weight with mean age of 35.93±1.73 years served as controls. Anthropometric indices were measured usingstandard procedures. Plasma total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and triglyceride (TG) were estimated using biochemical procedures. Insulin was measured with the Ultrasensitive Insulin assay on the Access® immunoassay system. The low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) was calculated. Results: The results showed increased plasma insulin (P=.031), TC (P=.004), TG (P=.008) and LDLC (P=.001), BMI (P=.005), weight, waist and hip circumferences (P=.000) were significantly increased compared to the corresponding control values. Insulin was significantly correlated with BMI (r=.403, P=.003) body weight (r=.464, P=.001) and height (r=.380, P=.02) in overweight/obese subjects. Conclusion: Our results suggest that risk factors for cardio metabolic syndrome exist in overweight /obese civil servants urban city dwellers that have no known diagnosed diseases.

Effects of Tea Consumption on Plasma Lipids and Lipoproteins in Apparently Healthy Individuals

Possible alterations in total plasma cholesterol; triglyceride; HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol concentrations were studied in forty healthy human subjects (twenty-two males and eighteen adult females) after twenty eight days of tea consumption. A commercial brand of tea preparation was drunk by each of the subjects and they were made to take two standard cups (4.0g) of tea infusion per day. The result showed a significant decrease in mean HDL-cholesterol and increase in LDL-cholesterol concentrations compared with the mean control values. The mean total cholesterol was statistically unchanged. When the subjects were grouped into males and females; the mean LDL-C concentration was significantly elevated in both male and female groups while the mean HDL-C and triglyceride levels only in female subjects when compared with the corresponding control group. The difference observed in the value of the mean total cholesterol was not statistically significant in individual male and female groups.Findings from this study suggest that tea consumption could affect the metabolism of atherogenic lipid fractions and may thus be important in the aetiology of coronary heart disease