Abstract:
Falciparum malaria and Type 2 diabetes (T2D) affect millions of people
globally but the effect of the dual conditions on the cardiovascular health of the
affected has not been investigated. To better understand this, a study was
designed to evaluate the effect of Plasmodium falciparum malaria on levels of
selected biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in diabetics
compared with non-diabetic controls by measuring anthropometric indices,
blood pressure (Bp), fasting levels of glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, lipid
profile, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, C-reactive protein, total antioxidants power
(TAP) and lipid peroxides of 200 diabetics and non-diabetic controls before
and during P. falciparum malaria. Insulin resistance and β-cell secretory
function were assessed. Associations among the various parameters were
investigated. At baseline, the two groups differed significantly (P < 0.05) in
some of the anthropometric indices and levels of most biomarkers except
insulin and TAP. Some of the parameters associated linearly in the two study
groups with gender-specific variations. During malaria, levels of
anthropometric indices and Bp did not change in the defined study groups. In
diabetics, apart from TAP that decreased significantly (P < 0.05), the levels of
all the other biomarkers increased. Non-diabetic controls had decreased (P <
0.05) TAP and leptin levels but elevated levels in the others. Anthropometric
indices did not associate (P > 0.05) with the levels of measured biomarkers in
malaria. Falciparum malaria increased the CVD risk of respondents in the two
study groups. However, the two groups differed in their response to malaria.
