ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the rate of diabetes and pre-diabetes in previously undiagnosed individuals who came to the Detroit Receiving Hospital-Ambulatory Rapid Center (DRH-ARC), which is part of the emergency room. This region has a high minority population with over 83% being African-Americans (AAs). Diabetes screening is especially important for this population because AAs are more prone to develop complications. METHODS: Free diabetes screening was done for all patients coming to the walk in unit of the DRH-ARC. This program was supported by the "Healthy Detroit-Diabetes Initiative". The initiative was developed by the Detroit Receiving Hospital and Wayne State University Physicians Group (WSUPG) administration. RESULTS: A total of 15,971 patients, who did not have a history of diabetes, consented for screening during the period of March 2010 through March 2014. A total of 6,149 (38.5%) patients were found to have HbAlc values in the range of pre-diabetes or diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes increased with age in both men and women. The data showed high prevalence of undiagnosed pre-diabetes and diabetes in this population approaching 31% and 8%, respectively. Among patients with elevated blood pressure 41.2% had abnormal HbAlc values. In contrast, 32% of patients with normal blood pressure had abnormal HbAlc values. CONCLUSION: Continued screening of population at risk for diabetes is essential. Public health awareness programs, such as the Healthy Detroit-Diabetes Initiative should be initiated in similar areas where minority populations are prevalent.
ABSTRACT
Meconium drug analysis is a new and sensitive test for detecting the intrauterine exposure of infants to drugs of abuse. To explore other potential, diagnostic use of the test, we studied, in timed pregnant rats, the relationship between timing, dosage, and duration of morphine administration to the dam and the concentration of morphine, analyzed by radioimmunoassay, in their pups' meconium. The term 'meconium' refers to both the intestine and its contents. Due to the minute size of the pups' intestines, the intestinal contents were not separated from the intestines. The mean morphine concentration in meconium was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the groups treated with a higher morphine dose (10 vs. 5 mg/ kg/day), longer duration of treatment (7-20 vs. 18-20 days), or treated during the last week of gestation (14-20 vs. 1-6 or 7-13 days). We conclude that the concentration of a drug in the meconium is related to amount, timing, or duration of the drug exposure of the fetus, in utero. The quantitative analysis of drugs in the meconium, therefore, provides added information which enhances the diagnostic use of the test.
