ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The diabetic condition is influenced by several factors, some of which can accelerate the disease's progression to various complications that aggravate the morbidity. AIMS: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its individual components and the most critical predictive risk factors of MetS in type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 150 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and was conducted at the Diabetes Centre of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region of Ghana, from February, 2013 to April, 2013. The study involved the use of a questionnaire to obtain some information on the diabetics, undertaking anthropometric measurements, as well as collecting blood samples for the measurement of some biochemical parameters; fasting blood glucose and lipid profile. MetS was defined according to the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS was 58% in the studied Ghanaian population. Hypertension was the commonest risk factor (60%), followed by central obesity (48.67%) and dyslipidemia (37%). Female type 2 diabetics had a higher prevalence of MetS, and carried more components than their male counterparts. Regression analysis showed three factors; femininity, high body mass index and low educational status were the most critical predictive risk factors of MetS, according to this study. CONCLUSION: With hypertension being the commonest component, future cardiovascular disease prevention strategies should focus attention on its management and prevention, through education.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common metabolic diseases worldwide. This metabolic disorder contributes greatly to the significant proportion of the burden of renal damage and dysfunction. The aim of the study was to investigate the renal function of the diabetic patients who visit the Clinical Analysis Laboratory (CAn-Lab) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Demographic data as well as medical history were obtained through the administration of a questionnaire. Anthro-pometric measurements were taken and blood samples were analysed for glucose, uric acid, urea and creatinine. Data collected were analysed using SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS: A total of 34 diabetic patients, aged from 40-77 y were recruited, 22 (64.7%) of them were males with mean age of 57.40 ± 11.8 y (±SD), while 12 (35.3%) were females with mean age of 58.17 ± 7.47 y. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean duration of the disease, as the females had longer duration, 12.50 ± 6.95 y, as compared to 7.32 ± 4.48 y in males (p=0.033). The mean plasma creatinine level in the females was 84.17 ± 54.73 µmol/l. In the diabetic population, there was a positive correlation between age and plasma creatinine level, (r=0.375, p=0.029). In the female diabetics, there was a positive correlation between fasting blood sugar (FBS) and the measured metabolic end products (r>0.5, p<0.05), a positive correlation between body mass index (BMI) and uric acid (r=0.576, p=0.005) and a positive correlation between BMI and FBS (r= 0.625, p= 0.030). CONCLUSION: Our results on the parameters measured; show that the diabetic population was experiencing mild kidney dysfunction, compared to non-diabetic controls.
