Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to better understand the respective contributions of protein malnutrition and cassava-derived cyanide poisoning in the development of konzo. We compared data on nutritional status and cyanide exposure of school-age adolescent konzo-diseased patients to th...

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Main Authors: Marius Baguma, Espoir Bwenge Malembaka, Esto Bahizire, Germain Zabaday Mudumbi, Dieudonné Bahati Shamamba, Alain-Narcisse Matabaro, Jean-Michel Rigo, Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi, Joelle Nsimire Chabwine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
Series:Nutrients
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2628
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author Marius Baguma
Espoir Bwenge Malembaka
Esto Bahizire
Germain Zabaday Mudumbi
Dieudonné Bahati Shamamba
Alain-Narcisse Matabaro
Jean-Michel Rigo
Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi
Joelle Nsimire Chabwine
author_facet Marius Baguma
Espoir Bwenge Malembaka
Esto Bahizire
Germain Zabaday Mudumbi
Dieudonné Bahati Shamamba
Alain-Narcisse Matabaro
Jean-Michel Rigo
Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi
Joelle Nsimire Chabwine
author_sort Marius Baguma
collection DOAJ
description This comparative cross-sectional study aimed to better understand the respective contributions of protein malnutrition and cassava-derived cyanide poisoning in the development of konzo. We compared data on nutritional status and cyanide exposure of school-age adolescent konzo-diseased patients to those of non-konzo subjects of similar age from three areas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our results show that konzo patients had a high prevalence of both wasting (54.5%) and stunting (72.7%), as well as of cyanide poisoning (81.8%). Controls from Burhinyi and those from Idjwi showed a similar profile with a low prevalence of wasting (3.3% and 6.5%, respectively) and intermediate prevalence of stunting (26.7% and 23.9%, respectively). They both had a high prevalence of cyanide poisoning (50.0% and 63.0%, respectively), similar to konzo-patients. On the other hand, controls from Bukavu showed the lowest prevalence of both risk factors, namely chronic malnutrition (12.1%) and cyanide poisoning (27.6%). In conclusion, cassava-derived cyanide poisoning does not necessarily coexist with konzo outbreaks. The only factor differentiating konzo patients from healthy individuals exposed to cyanide poisoning appeared to be their worse nutritional status. This further suggests that, besides the known role of cyanide poisoning in the pathogenesis of konzo, malnutrition may be a key factor for the disease occurrence.
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spelling doaj.art-c195b9b7eb694cbf9686daa82cf0774b2023-11-22T09:03:38ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432021-07-01138262810.3390/nu13082628Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional StudyMarius Baguma0Espoir Bwenge Malembaka1Esto Bahizire2Germain Zabaday Mudumbi3Dieudonné Bahati Shamamba4Alain-Narcisse Matabaro5Jean-Michel Rigo6Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi7Joelle Nsimire Chabwine8Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoFaculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoFaculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoDepartment of Pediatrics, Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu (HPGRB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoPlant Pathology Laboratory, Faculty of Agronomy, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoDepartment of Medical Biology, Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu (HPGRB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoBiomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, UHasselt—Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, BelgiumDepartment of Internal Medicine and Specialties/Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé P.O. Box 25625, CameroonFaculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu 285, Democratic Republic of the CongoThis comparative cross-sectional study aimed to better understand the respective contributions of protein malnutrition and cassava-derived cyanide poisoning in the development of konzo. We compared data on nutritional status and cyanide exposure of school-age adolescent konzo-diseased patients to those of non-konzo subjects of similar age from three areas in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our results show that konzo patients had a high prevalence of both wasting (54.5%) and stunting (72.7%), as well as of cyanide poisoning (81.8%). Controls from Burhinyi and those from Idjwi showed a similar profile with a low prevalence of wasting (3.3% and 6.5%, respectively) and intermediate prevalence of stunting (26.7% and 23.9%, respectively). They both had a high prevalence of cyanide poisoning (50.0% and 63.0%, respectively), similar to konzo-patients. On the other hand, controls from Bukavu showed the lowest prevalence of both risk factors, namely chronic malnutrition (12.1%) and cyanide poisoning (27.6%). In conclusion, cassava-derived cyanide poisoning does not necessarily coexist with konzo outbreaks. The only factor differentiating konzo patients from healthy individuals exposed to cyanide poisoning appeared to be their worse nutritional status. This further suggests that, besides the known role of cyanide poisoning in the pathogenesis of konzo, malnutrition may be a key factor for the disease occurrence.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2628cassavacyanide poisoningkonzomalnutritionSouth-Kivu
spellingShingle Marius Baguma
Espoir Bwenge Malembaka
Esto Bahizire
Germain Zabaday Mudumbi
Dieudonné Bahati Shamamba
Alain-Narcisse Matabaro
Jean-Michel Rigo
Alfred Kongnyu Njamnshi
Joelle Nsimire Chabwine
Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
Nutrients
cassava
cyanide poisoning
konzo
malnutrition
South-Kivu
title Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
title_full Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
title_fullStr Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
title_short Revisiting Konzo Risk Factors in Three Areas Differently Affected by Spastic Paraparesis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo Discloses a Prominent Role of the Nutritional Status—A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study
title_sort revisiting konzo risk factors in three areas differently affected by spastic paraparesis in eastern democratic republic of the congo discloses a prominent role of the nutritional status a comparative cross sectional study
topic cassava
cyanide poisoning
konzo
malnutrition
South-Kivu
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/13/8/2628
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