| ORIGINAL RESEARCH REPORTS |
|
| Year : 2005 | Volume
: 5
| Issue : 2 | Page : 40-42 |
|
|
Assessment of Plasma Electrolytes in Nigerians with Complicated and non-complicated Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
ES Idogun1, EI Unuigbe2, PS Ogunro3, OT Akinola4, AA Famodu4
1 Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria
2 Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria
3 Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University, Benin-City, Nigeria
4 Department of Haematology, College of Medicine, University of Benin, Benin-City, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
E S Idogun
Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, P.M.B. 1111, Benin - City
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
|
|
|
Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the plasma electrolytes of Nigerians with complicated and non-complicated type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Setting: University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin - City.
Study design: The study was cross-sectional in design.
Patients and Methods: A total of 52 patients were studied. The patients' population consisted of 23 normotensive diabetics, 16 hypertensive diabetics and 13 patients with diabetic nephropathy. The plasma electrolytes were assayed in patients and controls using standard and established assay
methods.
Results: The mean serum sodium was significantly lower in patients than the controls: 129.7 ± 4.3 mmol/L in diabetic nephropathy patients, 133.4 ± 12.3 mmol/L in hypertensive diabetics, 132.7.5 mmol/ L in normotensive diabetics compared with 137.7 ± 3.4 mmol/L in controls, P = 0.026. Serum potassium was also higher in patients than controls: 5.4 ± 0.6 mmol/L in diabetic nephropathy, 3.8 ± 0.9 mmol/L in hypertensive diabetics and 4.07 ± 1.0 mmol/L in normotensive diabetics compared with 4.1 ± 0.6 mmol/L in controls, P< 0.0001. But plasma chloride and bicarbonate were not significantly different in the patients and the controls.
Conclusion: We report disorders of sodium and potassium electrolytes in patients with complicated and non-complicated type 2 diabetes mellitus. These data highlight the risk of electrolyte disorders even when the patient is not in any acute complication. |
|
|
|
| [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
