Prevalence of Hypoglycaemia among Patients Presenting with Cholestasis of infancy in a Nigerian Teaching Hospital

ABSTRACT

In the paediatric age group, particularly in infancy, hypoglycaemia is a common metabolic problem complicating a variety of clinical conditions, and its coexistence may influence the outcome of the primary disease. This study assesses the prevalence of hypoglycaemia among patients presenting at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria with cholestasis of infancy. Forty patients aged between 15 days and 12 months who presented with cholestasis of infancy were admitted and screened for hypoglycaemia, using Acutrend glucometer. For patients with low blood glucose values, blood samples were further analyzed, using the standard glucose-oxidase method. Of 2,835 patients admitted over a five-year period, 40 (1.4%) had cholestasis of infancy, giving an incidence of 14 cases per 1000 admissions, with a sex ratio of 2.1 1 in favour of males. Nine (22.5%) of the 40 infants with cholestasis had at least one blood glucose concentration less than 2.6 mmol/L (hypoglycaemia). Of the nine hypoglycaemic infants, three (33.3%) had one blood glucose concentration less than 1.6 mmol/L (severe hypoglycaemia). Seven (77.8%) of the nine hypoglycaemic infants were diagnosed in the first 36 hours of admission. Lethargy and poor feeding were observed in three infants with severe hypoglycaemia. Six (66.7%) of the hypoglycaemic infants were below 3 months of age. Hypoglycaemia was observed among patients with cholestasis of infancy; the prevalence was higher among infants below 3 months of age.