Journal of Metabolic Syndrome

Background: Obesity and metabolic syndrome have nowadays a widespread dissemination around the world. Their prevalence is increasing in developing countries, due to modifications in dietary habits and lifestyle. Limited data exist on those issues among school going youths in Cameroon.
Methods: A cross-sectional study including 203 consenting Cameroonian freshmen was conducted at the medical center of the University of Dschang. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose and lipid profile markers were measured using standard procedures. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using a harmonized definition while obesity diagnosis used BMI criterion. Dietary and lifestyle habits were recorded using a questionnaire.
Results: The prevalence of obesity and metabolic syndrome were 3.94% and 11.33% respectively. We found strong associations between the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and high frequency of consumption of “Koki” (OR=9.9, 95% CI: 7.09-14.04, P=0.0000), “Achu soup” (OR=7.3, 95% CI: 4.4-12.3, P=0.0000), corn couscous (OR=5.64, 95% CI: 4.34-7.33, P=0.0000), “Ndolè” (OR=2.4,95% CI: 1.9-3.05, P=0.0000). Regular consumption of green vegetables is associated with low prevalence of metabolic syndrome (OR=0.4, 95% CI: 0.2-0.3, P=0.0000). There is also a strong association between prevalence of obesity and high number of meal per day (OR=5.1, 95% CI: 3.07-8.4, P=0.0000) as well as more than 6 hours of TV watching per day (OR=4.9, 95% CI: 2.8-7.09, P=0.0000).
Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is present in young Cameroonians and is associated to certain dietary and lifestyle habits. Interventions targeting youth may therefore be multiplied with special concern on those dietary and lifestyle issues.

Type 2 Diabetic nephropathy (DN), chronic multifactorial disorder is a devastating complication of DM and a main cause of end stage renal failure. A variety of factors like metabolic, hemodynamic, genetic and multiple pathogenic events contribute to the renal damage in type 2 DN. The present study was designed to assess blood glucose, serum lipid profiles, immune-inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in type 2 DN patients in different stages of the disease and healthy controls. Our study showed that FBS, PPG, HbA1c, TC, TG, LDL-C, ADA, CRP, MDA, NO and DNA damage were significantly high in type 2 DN patients (p<0.01) compared to controls. In stage wise comparison also FBS, PPG, HbA1c, LDL-C, CRP, MDA, NO and DNA damage showed significant difference (p<0.05). Further, a significant positive correlation was found between PLBS, LDL-C and CRP and oxidative stress markers (MDA, NO, DNA damage) suggesting that monitoring these biochemical parameters at regular intervals may reduce the stage wise progression of type 2 DN and might help in early detection, precise prognosis/therapeutic modalities.

Objectives: Obesity is a central risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether COX-2 expression is changed in the arterial wall of experimental obese animals.
Methods: COX-2 expression in the aortas of 12-week-old male Zucker obese or lean rats was investigated using immunoblot and immunohistochemical analyses.
Results: COX-2 expression was detected in the tunica media of the aortas of Zucker obese rats and was prominent in the perinuclear region of smooth muscle cells in the tunica media. In immunoblot analysis, the basal (non-stimulated) levels of COX-2 expression were comparable in the aortas of Zucker obese rats and Zucker lean (control) rats. COX-2 expression in response to interleukin (IL)-1β was significantly lower in the aortas of Zucker obese rats than in those of Zucker lean rats.
Conclusions: The results suggest that IL-1β-induced COX-2 expression is attenuated in arteries of obese rats, and this might be involved in the obesity-induced acceleration of atherosclerosis.

In the past 3 decades, we have been living with the hypothesis that, “HIV causes AIDS.” HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus is considered as the causative agent of AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; wherein the body's immune system gets damaged opening doors for major infections. However, the 3 Noble prize winner prestigious scientists including Luc Montagnier (discovered HIV), Kary Mullis (invented PCR test for HIV detection), and Wangari Maathai, (renowned African environmentalist), along with thousands of other scientists and intellects worked on the other side of the coin to prove back and again that the above said theory is a misconception. Last 35 years have provided immense literature and investigation evidences to firmly conclude that HIV is not the real cause of AIDS. On the other hand, malnutrition and metabolic syndrome due to drug abuse have been pointed as the real convicts. This review article revolves around the same theory for better understanding the HIV-AIDS hypothesis to be fallacious and search for valid causes.

Objective: Although it was reported that cholecystectomy had profound impact on lipid profile and lipoprotein (a) status, no studies were reported on Mucin1 and cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) in Bangladeshi patients with cholelithiasis i.e. gallstone disease (GD). The present study was done about effects of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on Mucin1 and CETP status in Bangladeshi patients with cholelithiasis.
Patients & Methods: Forty-four adult GD patients with cholelithiasis and 30 normal controls (NC) subjects were included in the study. The blood was taken from fasting patients before cholecystectomy (Serum-I°), gall bladder bile during cholecystectomy (Bile-I°) and blood again after 2-3 months at follow-up (Serum-II°) and from fasting NC subjects. Mucin1 and CETP levels were quantified in serum and bile by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method using commercially available research kits. The results were compared by appropriate statistical tests using SPSS program.
Results: Serum levels of both Mucin1 and CETP were increased in Pt-I°(S) compared to NC-I°(S) which were reduced after cholecystectomy in Pts-II°(S). However, serum CETP mean level in Pts-I°(S) was not significantly higher than NC-I°(S).The Mucin1 and CETP levels in patients bile, i.e. Pt-I°(B), were lower compared to serum levels before, Pt-I°(S), and after, (Pt-II°(S), cholecystectomy [Mucin1 (ng/ml): Pts-I°(S): 10.77 ± 2.93, Pts-I°(B): 1.29 ± 1.21, Pts II°(S): 6.67 ± 2.03, NCs(I°): 4.63 ± 0.53; CETP (μg/ml): Pts-I°(S): 11.47 ± 5.04, Pts-I°(B): 1.16 ± 1.19, Pts-II°(S): 9.41 ± 2.42, NCs (I°): 9.57 ± 3.63] . A significantly large proportion of patients had higher levels of Mucin1, but large number of patients had CETP levels within the normal range in Pt-I°(S). Interestingly, this was changed after cholecystectomy that significant proportion of patients had higher CETP levels in Pt-II°(S).
Conclusions: Alterations in serum Mucin1 and CETP status were significant but complex and laparoscopic cholecystectomy had significant impact indicating an important function of gallbladder relevant to their metabolism. Further studies are needed on prevalence and frequency of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, cytokines and other relevant parameters in Bangladeshi patients with GD i.e. cholelithiasis.