Cardiovascular Risk Indices and Their Impact on Outcome in Patients with Hyperglycaemic Emergencies in a Nigerian Hospital.

BACKGROUND: High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) are recognised independent novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Few studies have assessed cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hyperglycaemic emergencies (HE), despite it being a major cause of death in diabetics. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine cardiovascular risk indices in patients with hyperglycaemic emergencies and related these with outcome. METHODS: This cross sectional study involved 45 patients that presented with HE and 45 age and sex matched diabetics without HE who served as controls. Historical features, physical findings and laboratory parameters including hsCRP and PAI-1 were compared between subjects and controls. RESULTS: The mean values of serum hsCRP and PAI-1 were significantly higher in patients with HE compared to diabetic control. (49.52 ± 13.6 vs. 2.4 ± 1.35, 51.2 ± 28.7 vs. 33.2 ± 10.7 respectively). Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as HbA1c, Atherogenic Index and microalbuminuria were also significantly higher in them. Mortality was associated with increasing age, higher values of waist circumference, pulse rate, respiratory rate, hsCRP, Atherogenic index and lower blood pressure and HDL values. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk indices are higher in patients with HE.

Insulin resistance and plasma glucose tolerance abnormalities in Nigerians with chronic liver disease.

AIMS: Glucose tolerance abnormalities are frequently observed in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Insulin resistance (IR) has been suggested to be a major factor responsible for these abnormalities in CLD. However studies relating IR with severity of CLD are scarce in Nigeria. This study assessed insulin resistance and glucose tolerance abnormalities in CLD and their relationship with the severity of CLD in a tertiary hospital in South-West, Nigeria. METHODS: This cross sectional study involved 100 subjects with CLD. Ethical clearance was obtained and informed consent was granted by participants. Participants were interviewed using a structured proforma; physical examination and relevant investigations were performed. Insulin resistance was measured using the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR) Data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 and p value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Mean age of the study participants was 51.9 ±â€¯11.9 years, and mean duration of CLD was 15.9 ±â€¯5.8 months. Glucose tolerance abnormalities were present in 66 subjects (66%) and increased from 16.1% in Child Pugh's class A to 90.0% in class C. HOMA-IR positively correlated with age, body mass index, serum blood glucose, duration and severity of CLD. Increasing age, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, Child Pugh's class B and class C were associated with glucose tolerance abnormalities. CONCLUSION: Glucose tolerance abnormalities and insulin resistance were highly prevalent among chronic liver disease subjects studied and seemed to parallel the severity of CLD, determined by the Child Pugh's score.