Compliance with diabetic retinopathy screening in a Nigerian tertiary hospital

There is little information on default rates and reasons for retinal screening in diabetes. We prospectively studied 179 type 2 diabetic patients referred for screening at a tertiary Nigerian medical centre. Defaulting occurred in 100 patients, i.e. over half (56%). Defaulting was associated with not having had a previous eye examination (p=0.027) and either a short (<1 year) or medium (6­10 year) duration of diabetes (p=0.001). Location of residence, level of education, diabetes treatment, age and gender did not correlate with screening compliance. We recommend that screening be carried out as soon as possible after diagnosis, which may improve future compliance

Assessment of Lung Function Parameters in Nigerian Males with Diabetes

Despite scarce information on the implications of diabetes for pulmonary function; existing evidence suggests that the respiratory system might also be affected by diabetes. We therefore conducted a crosssectional study of pulmonary function in male Nigerian diabetes patients using spirometric indices. Seventy-six male diabetes patients aged 27-80 years were studied at the Endocrinology and Diabetes Clinic at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital; Ile-Ife; Nigeria. Overall; all lung function parameters/volumes studied were significantly lower in the diabetes patients compared with predicted values p=0.000. Patients' ages correlated negatively with all spirometric indices but there was no significant relationship between lung function and fasting blood sugar; body mass index; or diabetic microvascular complications. The implications of abnormal lung function parameters for respiratory disease in diabetes are unclear. Routine tests of pulmonary function are not presently indicated in Nigerian diabetes patients

Comparison of lispro insulin and regular insulin in the management of hyperglycaemic emergencies

This study compared the efficacy and safety of Lispro insulin and regular insulin in the management of hyperglycemic emergencies (HE). Fifty patients who presented in HE to the Emergency unit of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile Ife participated in the study. Hyperglycaemic emergency was diagnosed when plasma glucose level was >17 mmol/L (300 mg/dl) in the presence of polyuria and polydipsia that warrants emergency hospital admission. Subjects in the Lispro insulin group had a statum dose of 0.3 IU/kg, while those in the regular insulin group had a statum dose of 20 IU equally split between the intravenous and intramuscular routes. Further insulin therapy was by the intramuscular route. Data was analysed using the Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 11. Hyperglycaemia resolved within the first 8 hours in 60 and 40% percent of subjects in the lispro and regular insulin treated groups respectively. The time taken for resolution of hyperglycaemia was similar in both treatment groups, 6.6 +/- 0.8 hours for the lispro insulin group and 7.4 +/- 0.8 hours for the regular insulin group p = 0.51. The number of episodes of hypoglycaemia and hypokalemia in the two treatment groups did not differ statistically (p = 1.0 and 0.38 respectively). Eight (16%) subjects died. Lispro insulin is a safe and efficacious alternative to regular insulin in the treatment of HE