Clinical and laboratory profile of episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis in Madina Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Although the precipitating factors and mortality has been previously studied, there is no report of clinical and biochemical profile of patients with Diabetic Ketoacidosis in Saudi Arabia. To study the clinical and laboratory profile of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis in Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia. King Abdul Aziz and Fahad Hospital Madinah-Al-Munawarah Saudi Arabia. May 1991 to April 1992. 85 consecutive admissions among adults =/>age 12 years. Criteria for diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis was arterial pH>7.3, serum bicarbonate <15 m mol/l, hyperglycaemia with blood sugar >12.1 m mol/l. Other causes of metabolic acidosis excluded. Clinical features and results of laboratory profile were noted at the time of hospital admission. Laboratory profile included blood sugar, arterial pH, arterial bicarbonate, serum urea, serum Na+and K+ with calculated serum osmolality. Commonest clinical features included, nausea and vomiting [48%], polyuria and polydipsia[46%], abdominal pain[33%] and dizziness [21%]. Unconsciousness [11%] was a rare presentation. Mean laboratory profile of these cases included, blood sugar 33.9 m. mol/l, arterial pH 7.10, bicarbonate 6.8 m.mol/l, serum urea 9.2, serum Na+ 132 m.mol/l, serum K+ 4.4 m.mol/l and calculated serum osmolality of 317 m.Osmol/l, Our study indicates that nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain are more common in diabetic ketoacidosis patients in Saudi Arabia while the laboratory profile is generally in agreement with other studies in Asia