BACKGROUND: The ferroportin Q248H mutation is relatively common in sub-Saharan Africa. No previous study examined its relationship with atypical diabetes mellitus (DM) in this area. OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential interactions between ferroportin Q248H mutation, hyperferritinemia and DM in South Kivu (RDC). METHODOLOGY: Presence of ferroportin Q248H mutation and iron status were investigated in diabetic patients (n=179, age (mean) 57.7 years, CRP (median) 0.16 mg/L) and non-diabetic subjects (n=86, age 44.5 years, CRP 0.07 mg/L) living in the city of Bukavu. Hyperferritinemia was considered for values greater than 200 and 300 μg/L in women and in men, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of ferroportin Q248H mutation [12.1%] was non-significantly higher in diabetics than non-diabetics [14.0% vs. 8.1%, p=0.17]. Similarly, hyperferritinemia frequency was higher in diabetic patients with Q248H mutation [44.0% vs. 14.3%, p=0.16] and in mutation carriers [37.0% vs 16.5%, p=0.001] than in the control groups, respectively. The association between Q248H mutation and DM was nevertheless not significant [adjusted OR 1.70 (95% CI: 0.52-5.58), p=0.37], whereas hyperferritinemia [OR 2.72 (1.24-5.98), p=0.01] showed an independent effect after adjustment for age and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The present work suggests a potential association between abnormal iron metabolism, ferroportin Q248H mutation and atypical DM in Africans, which may be modulated by environmental factors.
BACKGROUND: The ferroportin Q248H mutation is relatively common in sub-Saharan Africa. No previous study examined its relationship with atypical diabetes mellitus (DM) in this area. OBJECTIVE: To determine the potential interactions between ferroportin Q248H mutation, hyperferritinemia and DM in South Kivu (RDC). METHODOLOGY: Presence of ferroportin Q248H mutation and iron status were investigated in diabeticpatients (n=179, age (mean) 57.7 years, CRP (median) 0.16 mg/L) and non-diabetic subjects (n=86, age 44.5 years, CRP 0.07 mg/L) living in the city of Bukavu. Hyperferritinemia was considered for values greater than 200 and 300 μg/L in women and in men, respectively. RESULTS: The prevalence of ferroportin Q248H mutation [12.1%] was non-significantly higher in diabetics than non-diabetics [14.0% vs. 8.1%, p=0.17]. Similarly, hyperferritinemia frequency was higher in diabeticpatients with Q248H mutation [44.0% vs. 14.3%, p=0.16] and in mutation carriers [37.0% vs 16.5%, p=0.001] than in the control groups, respectively. The association between Q248H mutation and DM was nevertheless not significant [adjusted OR 1.70 (95% CI: 0.52-5.58), p=0.37], whereas hyperferritinemia [OR 2.72 (1.24-5.98), p=0.01] showed an independent effect after adjustment for age and metabolic syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The present work suggests a potential association between abnormal iron metabolism, ferroportin Q248H mutation and atypical DM in Africans, which may be modulated by environmental factors.
Authors: John Muthii Muriuki; Alexander J Mentzer; Gavin Band; James J Gilchrist; Tommy Carstensen; Swaib A Lule; Morgan M Goheen; Fatou Joof; Wandia Kimita; Reagan Mogire; Clare L Cutland; Amidou Diarra; Anna Rautanen; Cristina Pomilla; Deepti Gurdasani; Kirk Rockett; Neema Mturi; Francis M Ndungu; J Anthony G Scott; Sodiomon B Sirima; Alireza Morovat; Andrew M Prentice; Shabir A Madhi; Emily L Webb; Alison M Elliott; Philip Bejon; Manjinder S Sandhu; Adrian V S Hill; Dominic P Kwiatkowski; Thomas N Williams; Carla Cerami; Sarah H Atkinson Journal: Sci Adv Date: 2019-09-04 Impact factor: 14.136