Falciparum malaria is associated with risk markers of type 2 diabetes mellitus in individuals with or without COVID-19 exposure
Afr. J. Clin. Exp. Microbiol
; 25(1): 6-16, 2024. figures, tables
Article
in En
| AIM
| ID: biblio-1532982
Responsible library:
CG1.1
ABSTRACT
Background:
Scientific information on the impact of malaria on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after recovery from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is limited in the Ghanaian context. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between selected risk markers of T2DM in falciparum malaria patients post-COVID-19 or not at a tertiary hospital in Ghana.Methodology:
This was a descriptive cross-sectional comparative study of 38-recovered COVID-19 adult participants with malaria and 40 unexposed COVID-19 adults with malaria at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Demographic, anthropometric and levels of glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein and lipid profiles were measured in the two groups of participants under fasting conditions. Parasitaemia was assessed microscopically but insulin resistance and beta-cell function were assessed by the homeostatic model.Results:
The COVID-19 exposed participants were older (p=0.035) with lower parasitaemia (p=0.025) but higher mean levels of insulin, insulin resistance, and beta-cell function compared with their unexposed counterparts (p<0.05). Parasitaemia correlated positively with a number of the measured indices of diabetogenic risk markers in the COVID-19 exposed group only, and predicted (Adjusted R2=0.751; p=0.031) by beta-cell function, C-reactive protein and triglycerides with the model explaining about 75% of the observed variation. Parasitaemia could only be predicted (Adjusted R2=0.245; p=0.002) by C-reactive protein with the model explaining just about a quarter of the observed variation in the COVID-19 unexposed group. Insulin resistance and sub-optimal beta-cell function were detected in both groups of participants.Conclusion:
Falciparum malaria is associated with risk markers for development of T2DM irrespective of COVID-19 exposure. Insulin resistance, inflammation and sub-optimal beta-cell secretory function may drive the risk. The observed diabetogenic risk is higher in the recovered COVID-19 participants.Key words
Full text:
1
Index:
AIM
Main subject:
Malaria, Falciparum
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
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COVID-19
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Inflammation
Limits:
Female
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Humans
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Male
Language:
En
Journal:
Afr. J. Clin. Exp. Microbiol
Year:
2024
Type:
Article