Hyperhomocysteinemia and Type 2 Diabetes in Côte d'Ivoire

The hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with the development and the accentuation of the cardiovascular complications of the type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hyperhomocysteinemia in type 2 diabetic patients. This study was carried out in 200 volunteer type 2 diabetics, regularly monitored at the Antidiabetic Center of Abidjan (CADA). The non-diabetic control population was composed of 31 healthy presumptive volunteers. The homocysteine, the glycemia and the lipid parameters were measured by enzymatic methods on the biochemistry automaton Cobas c-311(Roche Diagnostics). The present study has revealed a prevalence of a moderate hyperhomocysteinemia of 36.50%. The average hyperhomocysteinemia was of 14.84 ± 3.26 μmol/L. It was higher in men (14.95 ± 3.50μmol/L) than in women (14.75 ± 3.05μmol/L), with no significant difference, and was predominant in the Akan ethnic group (57.53%). It evolved with age and was significantly increased between 50 and 70 years. The relative risk of the hyperhomocysteinemia was approximately 3 (RR = 2.83≈3, CI 95%: 1.39-11.53, P(χ2 ) <0.05). That suggests an association between the hyperhomocysteinemia and the type 2 diabetes. The observed χ2 is greater than χ2 (1; 0.95), giving to think that the hyperhomocysteinemia risk is significantly higher in diabetic hyperhomocyteinemic patients than in non-diabetic controls. Moreover, there was a significant difference of homocysteinemia between that of the hyperhomocysteinemic diabetics (14.84 ± 3.26 μmol/L) and the control group (10.74 ± 2.38 μmol/L). That suggests an increased involvement of the hyperhomocysteinemia in the development of the cardiovascular diseases in our diabetic patients. However, the lipid parameters are normalized in our hyperhomocysteinemic diabetic patients, due to the effect of the clinical and nutritional treatment. The hyperhomocysteinemia is a reality in Côte d'Ivoire. It should be the object of sensibilization and reinforcement of the dietary and therapeutic measures, in order to minimize the risk of the cardiovascular diseases incurred by the type 2 diabetics.