Antioxidant status of adult Nigerian asthmatics: implications for prognosis.

Serum antioxidant status of 50 (19M, 31F) adult asthmatic patients, aged 40 to 50 yr and attending the medical outpatient clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has been assessed, by measurement of serum ascorbic acid, copper, zinc, albumin, uric acid and magnesium levels, to determine the relationship between antioxidant status and severity of bronchial asthma. Twenty-five (25) age matched adults (10M, 15F) served as controls. The test subjects were classified into two groups (1&2) based on the degree of respiratory distress. Questionnaires were also used to obtain data on subjects' fruit and vegetable intake. Fruit and vegetable intake was similar in patients and controls, 96% and 100% respectively reporting adequate intake. Copper (Cu) level was not significantly different between patients and control subjects, but was significantly higher in female asthmatics than in males (p < 0.05). Magnesium (Mg) level was also lower in asthmatics than in control subject (p < 0.001). Plasma Zinc level was not different between patients and control (p > 0.05). The levels of the other antioxidants, vitamin C, uric acid and albumin were all lower in asthmatics than in controls (p < 0.05, p < 0.001, p < 0.001) respectively. The magnesium level of group 2 (severe asthmatics) was lower than in controls (p < 0.05) unlike moderate asthmatics (group 1) which do not differ significantly from controls. These findings support the emerging concept that antioxidants are consumed in this inflammatory disease and that a corresponding increase in antioxidant supply may improve prognosis for bronchial asthma.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in a group of urban adults in Nigeria.

This survey was undertaken to determine the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in a group of urban adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 998 subjects randomly selected from five main ministries and departments in the Government Secretariat participated in the survey. Each subject was asked to fast overnight and ingested 75 g of glucose dissolved in 250 mL of water after answering a questionnaire. Relevant anthropometric measurements such as weight, height, waist and hip diameters, and blood pressure also were taken. After 2 hours, of blood was drawn and plasma glucose concentration measured. Diagnosis of diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance was based on 1985 World Health Organization (WHO) cut-off values. Blood glucose results were available in 875 subjects. Seven subjects were found to be diabetic for a prevalence of 0.8%, with the majority (5 subjects) being newly diagnosed. Nineteen were found to have impaired glucose tolerance for a prevalence of 2.2%. There were no sex differences between the two groups. All of the newly diagnosed diabetics were asymptomatic. Multivariate analysis revealed that subjects with a family history of diabetes, higher body mass index, and higher systolic blood pressure had higher blood glucose levels. The prevalence of diabetes in this survey is lower than rates reported in recent surveys in Nigeria that used less stringent criteria and different methodologies. The rate is comparable to that of a Tanzanian study that used WHO criteria. However, the rate of impaired glucose tolerance in this study, first to be reported in Nigeria, is lower than that obtained in the Bantu population.