Concurrent Heavy Metal Exposures and Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case-Control Study from the Katanga Mining Area of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Blood and/or urine levels of 27 heavy metals were determined by ICPMS in 41 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and 29 presumably healthy subjects from the Katanga Copperbelt (KC), in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). After adjusting for age, gender, education level, and renal function, DCM probability was almost maximal for blood concentrations above 0.75 and 150 µg/dL for arsenic and copper, respectively.

Evaluation of the anemic condition of type 2 diabetes cases of the city of Lubumbashi.

Background: Many non- hormonal abnormalities can be observed in type 2 diabetes, including hematological disturbances and especially anemia.

Aim: Determine biological characteristics of anemia in type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This is a case-control study conducted from June to August 2014 in Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo) where assays of serum hemoglobin (Hb) , measuring the mean corpuscular volume (MCV ) and the calculation of the rate hematocrit ( Hct ) were done in 30 people with type 2 diabetes (group I ) and in 30 other considered healthy with a normal rate of glucose ( group II).