Browsing by Author "George, Cindy"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The agreement between fasting glucose and markers of chronic glycaemic exposure in individuals with and without chronic kidney disease : a cross-sectional study
    (BMC (part of Springer Nature), 2020-01-30) George, Cindy; Matsha, Tandi E.; Korf, Marizna; Zemlin, Annalise E.; Erasmus, Rajiv T.; Kengne, Andre P.
    Background: To assess whether the agreement between fasting glucose and glycated proteins is affected by chronic kidney disease (CKD) in a community-based sample of 1621 mixed-ancestry South Africans. Methods: CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Fasting plasma glucose and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) concentrations were measured by enzymatic hexokinase method and highperformance liquid chromatography, respectively, with fructosamine and glycated albumin measured by immunoturbidimetry and enzymatic method, respectively. Results: Of those with CKD (n = 96), 79, 16 and 5% where in stages 3, 4 and 5, respectively. Those with CKD had higher levels of HbA1c (6.2 vs. 5.7%; p < 0.0001), glycated albumin (15.0 vs. 13.0%; p < 0.0001) and fructosamine levels (269.7 vs. 236.4 μmol/l; p < 0.0001), compared to those without CKD. Higher fasting glucose levels were associated with higher HbA1c, glycated albumin and fructosamine, independent of age, gender, and CKD. However, the association with HbA1c and glycated albumin differed by CKD status, at the upper concentrations of the respective markers (interaction term for both: p ≤ 0.095). Conclusion: Our results suggest that although HbA1c and glycated albumin perform acceptably under conditions of normoglycaemia, these markers correlate less well with blood glucose levels in people with CKD who are not on dialysis.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Chronic prosopis glandulosa treatment blunts neutrophil infiltration and enhances muscle repair after contusion injury
    (MDPI, 2015-01) George, Cindy; Smith, Carine; Isaacs, Ashwin W.; Huisamen, Barbara
    The current treatment options for soft tissue injuries remain suboptimal and often result in delayed/incomplete recovery of damaged muscle. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral Prosopis glandulosa treatment on inflammation and regeneration in skeletal muscle after contusion injury, in comparison to a conventional treatment. The gastrocnemius muscle of rats was subjected to mass-drop injury and muscle samples collected after 1-, 3 h, 1- and 7 days post-injury. Rats were treated with P. glandulosa (100 mg/kg/day) either for 8 weeks prior to injury (up until day 7 post-injury), only post-injury, or with topically applied diclofenac post-injury (0.57 mg/kg). Neutrophil (His48-positive) and macrophage (F4/80-positive) infiltration was assessed by means of immunohistochemistry. Indicators of muscle satellite cell proliferation (ADAM12) and regeneration (desmin) were used to evaluate muscle repair. Chronic P. glandulosa and diclofenac treatment (p < 0.0001) was associated with suppression of the neutrophil response to contusion injury, however only chronic P. glandulosa treatment facilitated more effective muscle recovery (increased ADAM12 (p < 0.05) and desmin (p < 0.001) expression), while diclofenac treatment had inhibitory effects on repair, despite effective inhibition of neutrophil response. Data indicates that P. glandulosa treatment results in more effective muscle repair after contusion.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Haematological profile of chronic kidney disease in a mixed-ancestry South African population : a crosssectional study
    (BMJ Publishing Group, 2018-11) George, Cindy; Matsha, Tandi E.; Erasmus, Rajiv T.; Kengne, Andre P.
    Objectives The objectives were to characterise the haematological profile of screen-detected chronic kidney disease (CKD) participants and to correlate the complete blood count measures with the commonly advocated kidney function estimators. Methods The current cross-sectional study used data, collected between February 2015 and November 2016, of 1564 adults of mixed-ancestry, who participated in the Cape Town Vascular and Metabolic Health study. Kidney function was estimated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equations. CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, and anaemia as haemoglobin level <13.5 g/dL (men) and <12 g/dL (women). Results Based on the MDRD and CKD-EPI equations, the crude prevalence of CKD was 6% and 3%. Irrespective of the equation used, median red blood cell (RBC) indices were consistently lower in those with CKD compared with those without CKD (all p<0.0001). Despite not showing any significant difference in total white blood cell (WBC) count between the two groups, the number of lymphocytes were lower (p=0.0001 and p<0.0001 for MDRD and CKDEPI, respectively) and neutrophil count (both p<0.0297) and the ratio of lymphocytes to neutrophil (both p<0.0001) higher in the CKD group compared with those without CKD; with the remaining WBC indices similar in the two groups. The platelet count was similar in both groups. Of the screen-detected CKD participants, 45.5% (MDRD) and 57.8% (CKD-EPI) were anaemic, with the prevalence increasing with increasing severity of CKD, from 37.2% (stage 3) to 82.4% (stages 4–5). Furthermore, CKD-EPIestimated kidney function, but not MDRD, was positively associated with RBC indices. Conclusion Though it remains unclear whether common kidney function estimators provide accurate estimates of CKD in Africans, the correlation of their estimates with deteriorating RBC profile, suggests that advocated estimators, to some extent approximate kidney function in African populations.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The regenerative and anti-inflammatory capability of Prosopis Glandulosa
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014-12) George, Cindy; Huisamen, Barbara; Smith, Carine; Dietrich, Daneel; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Biomedical Sciences: Medical Physiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction and aims: The use of herbal preparations for the treatment of various ailments has gained enormous prominence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a plant-derived product, consisting solely of dry-milled pods of the Prosopis glandulosa tree, on various altered metabolic demands placed on skeletal muscle. This study included the evaluation of (i) altered glucose uptake as a result of insulin resistance, (ii) exercise-induced fatigue and (iii) the inflammatory and regenerative process of skeletal muscle after a contusion injury, with particular attention paid to the infiltration of immune cells and the adaptation of regenerative markers. Methodology: P. glandulosa (100 mg/kg/day) mixed into jelly, was orally administered daily to rats for a period of 8-10 weeks. Aim 1: Rats were rendered insulin resistant after being on a high caloric diet for 16 weeks, where after half the animals underwent a 120 min intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance test. The rest were fasted, body weight and intra-peritoneal fat weight determined, sacrificed, blood collected for blood glucose- and insulin level determination and soleus muscles removed for insulin sensitivity determination. Aim 2: Soleus muscles were excised, weighed, measured and mounted for isometric force determination. Muscles were vertically placed in Krebs Henseleit buffer solution in a water-jacketed organ bath (25˚C). Twitch- and tetanic force production, contraction time, half-relaxation time, force-frequency relationship and fatigue were measured. Aim 3: The gastrocnemius muscle was injured by a contusion injury (mass-drop model) and left for 1-, 3 hours, 1- or 7 days before further experimentation commenced. Following the different time periods, the gastrocnemius muscles were removed, divided and stored either in liquid nitrogen or 4% formaldehyde. Immune cell infiltration was analyzed with immunohistochemistry (neutrophils - His48-positive; macrophages - F4/80-positive). ADAM12 (Western blotting) and desmin (immunohistochemistry) were used as markers to evaluate muscle regeneration. Results: Aim 1: P. glandulosa treatment had no effect on body- or fat mass. Treatment significantly decreased the elevated blood glucose levels observed in the obese rats. Aim 2: P. glandulosa treatment had: (i) no effect on muscle mass or optimal muscle length; (ii) no significant effect on muscle fatigue tolerance, as both treated and untreated groups fatigued at the same rate and (iii) P. glandulosa-treated rats generated significantly increased force when the muscle was stimulated to generate a single twitch and tetanus. This augmented effect disappeared after the fatigue protocol. Aim 3: Chronic P. glandulosa treatment as well as post-injury treatment led to a significant reduction in neutrophil infiltration into the injured area. Additionally, chronic P. glandulosa treatment significantly increased the expression of both ADAM12 (day 1) and desmin (day 7) after injury, indicating faster muscle regeneration. Conclusion: The data obtained from this study is novel, since there is no known literature on the effect of P. glandulosa on insulin resistance, force generation, fatigue tolerance or muscle recovery after injury. Given the current evidence, we conclude that P. glandulosa treatment might prove beneficial as supplement, aiding physical ability and assisting in the sooner recovery.