Intake of Gnetum africanum and Dacryodes edulis, imbalance of oxidant/antioxidant status and prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in central Africans.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of DR and to correlate cardiometabolic, sociodemographic, and oxidant/antioxidant imbalance data to the prevalence of DR. DESIGN: This case-control study included type 2 DM (T2 DM) patients with DR (n = 66), T2 DM patients without DR (N = 84), and healthy controls (n = 45) without DR, in Kinshasa town. Diet, albuminemia, serum vitamins, and 8-isoprostane were examined. RESULTS: No intake of safou (OR = 2.7 95% CI 1.2-5.8; P = 0.014), low serum albumin <4.5 g/dL (OR-2.9 95% CI 1.4-5.9; P = 0.003), no intake of fumbwa (OR = 2.8 95% CI 1.2-6.5; P = 0.014), high 8-isoprostane (OR = 14.3 95% CI 4.5-46; P<0.0001), DM duration ≥ 5 years (OR = 3.8 95% CI 1.6-9.1; P = 0.003), and low serum vitamin C (OR = 4.5 95% CI 1.3-15.5; P = 0.016) were identified as the significant independent determinants of DR. CONCLUSION: The important role of oxidant/antioxidant status imbalance and diet is demonstrated in DR.

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 ≥10 U/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.