PRECIPITATING FACTORS OF HYPERGLYCAEMIC EMERGENCIES IN A TERTIARY HEALTH FACILITY, SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA.

Abstract

Background: Hyperglycaemic emergency (HE) is a potentially fatal acute metabolic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM). Often, mortality from HE results from the precipitating factors and other comorbid conditions. In South East (SE)Nigeria, there is a paucity of published studies on the precipitanting factors of HE, hence the need for this study            .

Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational study done to assess the precipitating factors of HE and their association with treatment outcome in South East, Nigeria. One hundred and ten consecutively recruited adult patients managed for HE at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia were studied. Data obtained included bio-data, gender, precipitants and treatment outcome. Analysis of data was done using SPSS 20.0 and the level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results: Mortality from HE was 10% in this study and their precipitants in SE, Nigeria included infections/sepsis, CVA (stroke), acute malaria, diabetic foot/hand ulcers, traumatic injuries and gastrointestinal bleeding.While infection/sepsis, stroke and diabetic ulcers of foot, leg or hand with or without gangrene were the precipitating factors associated with adverse outcome, stroke (CVA) was the only precipitant of HE that was a predictor/independent risk factor for death from HE.

Conclusion: Infections/sepsis, CVA (stroke) and diabetic ulcers of foot, hand or leg were the precipitants of HE that contributed to adverse HE treatment outcome in SE, Nigeria. Stroke was an independent risk factor/predictor of death fromHE.

Key words: precipitants of hyperglycaemic emergencies (HE), CVA (stroke), treatment outcome of HE, predictors of death from HE.