Concurrent Heavy Metal Exposures and Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case-Control Study from the Katanga Mining Area of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Blood and/or urine levels of 27 heavy metals were determined by ICPMS in 41 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 29 presumably healthy subjects from the Katanga Copperbelt (KC), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After adjusting for age, gender, education level, and renal function, DCM probability was almost maximal for blood concentrations above 0.75 and 150 µg/dL for arsenic and copper, respectively. Urinary concentrations above 1 for chromium, 20 for copper, 600 for zinc, 30 for selenium, 2 for cadmium, 0.2 for antimony, 0.5 for thallium, and 0.05 for uranium, all in µg/g of creatinine, were also associated with increased DCM probability. Concurrent and multiple exposures to heavy metals, well beyond permissible levels, are associated with increased probability for DCM. Study findings warrant screening for metal toxicity in case of DCM and prompt public health measures to reduce exposures in the KC, DRC.

Evaluation of the anemic condition of type 2 diabetes cases of the city of Lubumbashi.

BACKGROUND: Many non- hormonal abnormalities can be observed in type 2 diabetes, including hematological disturbances and especially anemia. AIM: Determine biological characteristics of anemia in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This is a case-control study conducted from June to August 2014 in Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo) where assays of serum hemoglobin (Hb) , measuring the mean corpuscular volume (MCV ) and the calculation of the rate hematocrit ( Hct ) were done in 30 people with type 2 diabetes (group I ) and in 30 other considered healthy with a normal rate of glucose ( group II). The results obtained were compared in the two groups and the level of significance was set at p <0.05. RESULTS: Seventeen patients with diabetes (57 %) had anemia, the mean age of patients was 55 ± 8.1 years for men and 48 ± 4.1 years in women. Hypo hemoglobin was found in 53 % of cases in male diabetics , reduced MCV in 47 % of cases and a filtration rate decrease glomerular in 33 % of cases. In the group of female diabetic patients, 60% of cases showed a hypo hemoglobin , MCV and decreased in 33 % of cases and a filtration rate decrease glomerular in 20 % of cases. In contrast, in the control groups of both sexes, the parameters studied rates remained in the standard. CONCLUSION: Anemia is often found in diabetic patients. Its etiology appears to be dominated by the presence of diabetic nephropathy, in which the kidneys are affected by hyperglycemia and erythropoietin is affected and not known to produce red blood cells. These anemias rarely require a blood transfusion and well conducted etiological treatment allows the correction of the anemia.