Prevalence of prediabetes in secondary school students in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of prediabetes using impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in secondary school students aged 10 to 19 years in Port Harcourt; Nigeria; and to determine associated risk factors. Fasting blood glucose (FBG); blood pressure (BP); and body mass index (BMI) was measured. All students who had a FBG of 5.6 - 6.9mmol/l were asked to undergo an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). A total of 880 students were studied. The prevalence of IFG using the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) criteria was 17% and prevalence was comparatively higher in subjects who were obese; had systolic prehypertension or diastolic hypertension; as well as a family history of diabetes. There was; however; no statistical association between the BMI percentile categories; BP category; sex and age category; or family history of diabetes and occurrence of IFG. The prevalence of IFG was 4% using the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Only one child had diabetes. Sixty-six (42%) students who had IFG had an OGTT; of which 10(15%) had IGT. We conclude that prediabetes is common in this population; and screening should be considered; at least in those with obesity or a family history in diabetes

Hypoglycaemia in Children Aged 1 Month to 10 Years Admitted to the Children's Emergency Centre of Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Nigeria

Background. Hypoglycaemia occurs in many disease states common in the tropics; and may also complicate treatment of malaria. It may contribute significantly to morbidity and mortality. Objectives. To determine the prevalence of and clinical conditions associated with hypoglycaemia. Methods. A total of 430 patients aged 1 month to 10 years were recruited consecutively from the Children's Emergency Centre of Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Clinical and demographic data were entered into a predesigned study proforma. Blood glucose was determined in the laboratory using the glucose oxidase method. Hypoglycaemia was defined as plasma glucose 2.5 mmol/L. Results. The median age of the study subjects was 24 months; with a range of 1.5 - 120 months. A total of 248 patients (57.6) were 24 months old. The mean (standard deviation) blood glucose of all the study subjects was 5.19 (2.05) mmol/L (median 4.9 mmol/L). Twenty-four patients (5.6) were hypoglycaemic. The predominant disease conditions in which hypoglycaemia occurred were severe malaria; multisystemic infections; marasmus; malignancies and gastroenteritis. Mortality was higher in hypoglycaemic patients than in those without hypoglycaemia (33.3 v. 5.4; p0.01). Conclusion. Hypoglycaemia complicates many common childhood illnesses seen in the emergency room and is associated with significant mortality. Hypoglycaemia should be suspected in severely ill children with severe malaria; multisystemic infections; marasmus; malignancies and gastroenteritis

Relationship between Vitamin D Levels and Outcome of Pneumonia in Children

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia; a common childhood infection in Nigerian children with a number of debilitating complications such as empyema thoracis; has been linked to vitamin D deficiency due to its ability to modulate the T lymphocyte of the immune system . OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between vitamin D and outcome of pneumonia in children. METHODS: This was a case-control study involving 24 children; admitted for pneumonia as subjects and 10 children without pneumonia as controls. Pre-formatted questionnaire was utilized to obtain background information; anthropometric measurements were made to determine nutritional status and estimation of 25- hydroxy cholecalciferol (25OHD) done for all those studied. RESULTS: The mean (SD) serum 25OHD concentration was 104 (59) nmol/L and 130 (107) nmol/L for subjects and controls respectively. Amongst the subjects 15 (54) had serum 25OHD less than 70nmol/L and 11 (46) serum 25OHD greater than70nmol/L. Hypocalcaemia was present in 15 (54) of the subjects. Further analysis of hypocalcaemia with regards to the concentration of serum 25OHD showed that 2 (13) had levels below 40nmol/L; 10 (67) had levels below 70nmol/L and 3 (20) above 70nmol/L. Hypocalcaemia was more frequent among subjects with 25OHD below 70nmol/L compared with those above70nmol/L; (p = 0.01). Empyema thoracis and death occurred amongst the two subjects with 25OHD between 27.5 and 40nmol/ L. Anaemia was more frequent among subjects with 25OHD below 70nmol/L compared with those above70nmol/L (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: The study showed that Vitamin D insufficiency; and not solely its deficiency; may have an important role to play in the immune and haemopoetic system. It may therefore affect the response of a child to infections especially pneumonia