Presentation and character for adult patients with diabetes in Libya

ABSTRACT

Diabetes is a global issue, the diabetes epidemic is expected to continue, and the burden of diabetes causes catastrophic expenditure for healthcare system. The current study aimed to determine the presentation, the clinical feature and cardio-vascular risk factors in patients with diabetes. A retrospective observational study had been conducted in out-patients department at Almustaqpal Almosherq Centre during September, 2013 till September, 2020, the total number of attended out-patients department were 1 024, 820 patients who were selected for this study. A special perform was completed for every patient, which included details about patient's demographics, points in clinical history, relevant investigations and clinical examinations were recorded. The study reported that out of 820 patients, 66% (n = 538) was female and their age range was between 14 - 87 years with a mean age of 56.53 ± 13.49 years, 96% (n = 791) were clinically diagnosed as type II diabetes, 07% of the patients were diagnosed as pre-diabetes, the duration of diabetes ranged from newly diagnosed to more than 10 years, with 46% (n = 379) of the studied population were more than 10 years diabetes duration, 70% (581) were presented with classical symptoms of diabetes. Initial treatment for diabetes also different in the studied sample, were absent of anti-diabetic medications in 30% (n = 248) of the patients, they refused to start glucose lowering drugs, 34.6% (n = 284) of them have morbid obesity (body mass index is more than 40), 80% (n = 662) have high HBA1c (more than 8 g%), 40.3% (n = 240/596) were uncontrolled hypertension on anti-hypertension drugs, 95.6% (n = 682/713) were controlled on treatment of lipid lowering drugs. This study showing the presentation of diabetes were the common, type II diabetes, at age group between 41 - 66 years about 65%, female sex, with high body mass index, high glycated hemglobulin and uncontrolled hypertension. There is concern that diabetic patients were occurring at a high frequency in younger adults, where longer duration of illness could increase the risk of developing more complications in later life. The rate of coexist cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidaemia and obesity) in Libyan patients with diabetes is highlighted.