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BackgroundThis study determined the diagnostic performance of new biomarkers for a composite diagnosis of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among Central Africans.MethodsThis case-control study was conducted at LOMO Medical Centre, Kinshasa, DR Congo (DRC) between January – December, 2008. The cases comprised 226 participants with concurrent presence of at least 2 or more of NCDs. Anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were measured while blood samples were assayed for biomarkers. The receiver operating characteristics curve and the logistic regression model were applied.ResultsSerum selenium (Se) had specificity and sensitivity of 72.4% and 91.1%, respectively with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.802; Nitric oxide (NO) (specificity: 72.4%; sensitivity: 93.0%) (AUC = 0.800); Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels > 6 Mu/L (specificity: 75%; sensitivity: 65%) (AUC = 0.0.727); serum calcium levels of ≥ 110g/L (specificity: 76%; sensitivity: 75%) (AUC = 0.822); and daily salt intake of ≥10 g/day (specificity: 75%; sensitivity: 67%) (AUC = 0.653) in the diagnosis of all NCDs, which were all highly significant (<0.0001).ConclusionSerum Se, NO, calcium, TSH and daily salt intake had high diagnostic performance as biomarkers for identification of patients with concurrent NCDs in the study population.

Objectives: To assess the associations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and Framingham cardiovascular (CVD) with diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: A cross-sectional study of random sample of 200 T2DM Central Africans. Sociobiographical, laboratory and eye examination main outcome measures were investigated using Tertiles of HDL-C (stratification = lowest < 40 mg/dL, normal or interdemiate = 40 -74.9 mg/dL, highest ≥ 75 mg/dL) and Framingham risk stratification (<10% and ≥10%) by logistic regression models. Results: Out of 200 T2DM patients, 120 (35.5%) had DR and out of DR patients, 116 (n = 96.7%) had VD. There was a significant Ushaped relationship between DR rates and HDL-C stratification. In the normal HDL-C group, elevated 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and 10-year Framingham risk > 10% were the significant independent determinants for DR. In the highest HDL-C group, smoking status and 10-year Framingham risk ≥ 10% were the significantly independent determinants for DR. In 10-year Framingham risk ≥ 10% group, smoking status, insulin resistance and increasing levels of HDL-C were the significantly independent determinants for DR. Conclusion: DR and VD remain a public health problem in T2DM Central Africans. Some Central Africans with DR and VD appear to have higher HDL-C than T2DM Central Africans without DR and VD. HDL-C in T2DM patients with DR, may be tightly * Corresponding author. B. Longo-Mbenza et al. 180controlled by genetic factors (black Bantu ethnicity) than the other lipoproteins as reported among Indians, African-Americans, and Japanese individuals. The most preventable environmental risk factors for DR were smoking status, global cardiovascular disease risk, insulin resistance and oxidative stress.

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