Ferroportin Q248H mutation, hyperferritinemia and atypical type 2 diabetes mellitus in South Kivu

BackgroundThe ferroportin Q248H mutation is relatively common in sub-Saharan Africa. No previous study examined its relationship with atypical diabetes mellitus (DM) in this area.ObjectiveTo determine the potential interactions between ferroportin Q248H mutation, hyperferritinemia and DM in South Kivu (RDC).MethodologyPresence of ferroportin Q248H mutation and iron status were investigated in diabetic patients (n = 179, age (mean) 57.7 years, CRP (median) 0.16 mg/L) and non-diabetic subjects (n = 86, age 44.5 years, CRP 0.07 mg/L) living in the city of Bukavu. Hyperferritinemia was considered for values greater than 200 and 300 μg/L in women and in men, respectively.ResultsThe prevalence of ferroportin Q248H mutation [12.1%] was non-significantly higher in diabetics than non-diabetics [14.0% vs. 8.1%, p = 0.17]. Similarly, hyperferritinemia frequency was higher in diabetic patients with Q248H mutation [44.0% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.16] and in mutation carriers [37.0% vs 16.5%, p = 0.001] than in the control groups, respectively. The association between Q248H mutation and DM was nevertheless not significant [adjusted OR 1.70 (95% CI: 0.52–5.58), p = 0.37], whereas hyperferritinemia [OR 2.72 (1.24–5.98), p = 0.01] showed an independent effect after adjustment for age and metabolic syndrome.ConclusionsThe present work suggests a potential association between abnormal iron metabolism, ferroportin Q248H mutation and atypical DM in Africans, which may be modulated by environmental factors.