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Dexter Tadiwanashe Chiveto,1,2 Cuthbert Musarurwa,3 Herbert T Mapira,3 Farayi Kaseke,4 Tawanda Nyengerai,5 Timothy Kaseke,6 Elizabeth Gori7 1Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences - Chemical Pathology Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; 2Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; 3Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda; 4Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda; 5The Best Health Solutions, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa; 6Zimbabwe Aids Prevention Project, ZAPP, Harare, Zimbabwe; 7Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Huye, RwandaCorrespondence: Elizabeth Gori, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences-School of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Rwanda, P.O. Box 117-Butare, Huye, Rwanda, Tel +250 7920 47482, Email e.gori@ur.ac.rwPurpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) frequently presents with modified cardiometabolic risk profiles, indicative of an elevated susceptibility to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiometabolic risk factors such as obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, insulin resistance and dyslipidemia are known contributors to increased CVD hazard in individuals with T2DM. This study evaluated the glycemic control-based cardiometabolic risk profiles of black Zimbabweans with T2DM.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 116 T2DM patients recruited from diabetic clinics at Parirenyatwa and Sally Mugabe Hospitals, Harare, Zimbabwe, was conducted. Blood samples were collected for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and lipid profile assessment. The Framingham risk scores (FRS) based on body mass index (BMI) and lipid profile were used to determine CVD risk. Parametric variables were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with post hoc Bonferroni correction, while non-parametric variables were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis test with post hoc Dunn test for multiple comparisons.Results: The overall frequency of dyslipidemia was 83.6% (n=97) and hypoalphalipoproteinemia was the most prevalent dyslipidemia (79.3%). Median HDLC levels were significantly lower in participants with poor glycemic control (1.12 mmol/L) compared to those with good glycemic control group (1.37 mmol/L) (p=0.011). Despite lack of significant variations in Framingham Risk Scores, there was a trend towards lower FRS-BMI in the good control group (29.8%) compared to the inadequate control (35.4%) and poor control (32.7%) groups (p=0.078).Conclusion: Duration since DM diagnosis was observed to be an important risk factor for poor glycemic control being significantly shorter in those with good glycemic control compared to those with inadequate and poor control. Overall, there was no significant difference in HbA1c status by age but individuals with poor glycemic control were significantly older than those with good control. The most prevalent dyslipidemia among the study participants was hypoalphalipoproteinemia which is reportedly associated with genetic predisposition, warranting further investigations.Keywords: glycated hemoglobin, dyslipidemia, hypoalphalipoproteinemia, Framingham risk score

Elizabeth Gori,1,2 Takafira Mduluza,3,4 Mudavanhu Nyagura,2 Babill Stray-Pedersen,5 Zvenyika Alfred Gomo1 1Chemical Pathology Department, College of Health Sciences, 2Preclinical Veterinary Studies Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, 3Biochemistry Department, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe; 4School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa; 5Institute of Clinical Medicine, University in Oslo, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway Abstract: HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) are associated with changes in plasma levels of lipoproteins, thus posing the risk of cardiovascular complications in infected individuals. The alteration in plasma lipoprotein levels results from dysregulation of inflammation-modulating cytokines that control lipid metabolism. Little is understood regarding the relationship between the cytokines and serum lipid levels, which have been reported to be altered in adults receiving ART. The objective of this study was to describe the profiles of inflammation-modulating cytokines and their relationship to lipids as cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in HIV infection. This observational cross-sectional study measured plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF)-α, IL-4, total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in HIV-infected and uninfected adults. A total of 219 HIV-infected participants were enrolled from an HIV treatment center; of them, 187 were receiving ART and 32 were ART naïve, while 65 were HIV-uninfected blood donors. HIV-infected individuals had higher levels of IL-10 (HIV-infected ART-naïve [P=0.0024] and ART-receiving [P=0.033]) than their uninfected counterparts. ART-naïve subjects had significantly higher plasma levels of IL-10 than ART-receiving subjects (P=0.0014). No significant difference was observed in plasma levels of IL-4 and TNF-α across the three groups. Regarding plasma lipoproteins, HDL-c levels were reduced in HIV ART-naïve (P=0.002) and ART-receiving (P=0.015) subjects compared to HIV-uninfected subjects. Similarly, TC levels were lower in the HIV-infected than in the HIV-uninfected group regardless of whether the patients were undergoing ART or not (P

Objectives: To retrospectively assess the rate of oesophagostomy tube‐related complications in azotaemic dogs, the influence of the oesophagostomy tube (o‐tube) duration and the therapeutic approach (medical versus haemodialysis) on the complication rate. Materials and Methods: Medical records were retrospectively reviewed in order to identify azotaemic dogswhich underwent o‐tube placement. o‐Tube duration (short‐term versus long‐term), time of o‐tube change, therapeutic approach (medical versus haemodialysis), prevalence of minor (malposition, suture related, inflammation, muco‐purulent discharge, abscess) and major (haemorrhage, malposition, obstruction, dislodgement, vomiting of the tube, food coming from the stoma) o‐tube‐related complications were extracted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the risk factors for o‐tube‐related complications. Results: Tube‐related complications were reported in 74 of 139 dogs (53%). Minor complications were reported in 66 of 74 (89%) and major complications in eight of 74 (11%). In azotaemic dogs, o‐tube indwelling time (odds ratio (OR) 1.03; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 to 1.05), and the use of haemodialysis (OR 40.12; 95% CI 9.18 to 175.20) were risk factors for o‐tube‐related complications. Clinical Significance: The majority of o‐tube‐related complications were minor, and easily manageable, with no need of hospitalisation, tube‐removal or euthanasia. In azotaemic dogs, the use of haemodialysis was strongly associated with a higher risk of o‐tube‐related complications, possibly as a consequence of the presence of the neck bandage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]