ABSTRACT
The mechanisms of diabetogenesis in children remain largely obscure. This study aimed to determine the impact of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on pancreatic ß-cells function in terms of insulin secretion and sensitivity. This was a quasi-experimental study involving 30 obese and prepubescent Tunisian children (57% boys). During three months, the children received calcium and vitamin D supplementation at therapeutic doses. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed at the beginning and at the end of the study. The following metabolic definitions were applied: i) hyperinsulinism: insulinemia sum > 300 µ UI/ml during OGTT, ii) insulin-resistance: homeostatic model assessment of insulin-resistance > 2, iii) normal glycaemic profile: normal plasma levels during OGTT without any spike, and iv) pancreatic ß-cells dysfunction reversibility: disappearance of the aforementioned disorders. The means ± standard-deviation of age and body mass index were 10.87 ± 1.9 years, and 30.17 ± 4.99 kg/m2, respectively. All children were at the stage of hyperinsulinism associated with insulin-resistance. These disturbances were noted even in children having a normal glycaemic profile at OGTT. After calcium and vitamin D supplementation, glycaemic profile as well as insulin-secretion improved significantly (p < 0.0001). Hyperinsulinism and insulin-resistance decreased significantly by 56.67% (p < 0.0001) and 70.00% (p < 0.0001), respectively. Complete reversibility of these two disorders was noted in 26.6% of children. To conclude, in obese and prepubescent children, vitamin D and calcium supplementation led to the reversibility of the pancreatic ß-cells dysfunction.
Subject(s)
Calcium , Insulin Resistance , Blood Glucose/metabolism , Child , Dietary Supplements , Female , Humans , Insulin , Male , Obesity , Pilot Projects , Vitamin D , VitaminsABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to evaluate anterior chamber aqueous flare (ACAF) in Tunisian patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome with or without associated glaucoma. This is a prospective, cross-sectional, comparative study including 53 patients (88 eyes) with PEX syndrome, 48 patients with PEX glaucoma (86 eyes), and 53 healthy sex-and age-matched control subjects (106 eyes). All patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination and laser flare photometry. Mean ACAF was significantly higher in the PEX syndrome group in comparison with the control group (17.96 ± 10.05 vs 7.06 ± 2.95 ph/ms; p = 10(-4)), in patients with PEX glaucoma compared to PEX syndrome without associated glaucoma (27.99 ± 15.45 vs 17.96 ± 10.05 ph/ms; p = 10(-4)), in the PEX glaucoma group in comparison with control group (27.99 ± 15.45 vs 7.06 ± 2.95 ph/ms; p = 10(-4)), and in patients with unilateral PEX syndrome in comparison with contralateral-unaffected eyes (25.72 ± 14.88 vs 8.58 ± 3.45 ph/ms; p = 0.000). For patients with PEX syndrome, a high ACAF might be a predictor for the development of glaucoma. Further investigations are needed to clarify the role of laser flare photometry in predicting the risk of glaucoma in patients with PEX syndrome.