Dysglycaemia among Adult Outpatients in Banjul, The Gambia

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Glucose intolerance is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Besides a few epidemiological studies on diabetes mellitus, there is limited information on glucose intolerance in the Gambia. The few studies that have been were several years ago. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of, and associated risk factors for, dysglycaemia among outpatients in Banjul, The Gambia. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 308 adult patients were enrolled at the Outpatient clinics of Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and Medical Research Council Laboratories in Fajara, Banjul. Data gathered included socio-demographic, anthropometric ,and clinical features as well as glucose tolerance status. Glucose tolerance status was assessed using a WHO standard oral glucose tolerance test. Summary data are presented as mean±(SD) and proportions as percentages. Association between and among variables are presented as odds ratios. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Statistical significance is set at p<.0.05 RESULTS: A total of 296 participants had complete data for analysis, of which 101(34.1%) were males. The mean age of the participants was 53.2 ± 12 years. . The mean fasting plasma glucose was 5.3 ± 0.8 mmol/l while the mean ± (SD) plasma glucose at 120 min after glucose load was 7.7 ± 2.3 mmol/l. About 56% of the participants had a normal glucose tolerance, 8% had impaired fasting glycaemia, 26% had impaired glucose tolerance, and 10% had previously undiagnosed type2 diabetes mellitus . The main risk factors for dysglycaemia were age, hypertension, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of previously undiagnosed diabetes mellitus and prediabetes in patients attending clinics in Banjul , the Gambia appears to be high. Rates for impaired glucose tolerance appear higher than in many other reportrd studies from Africa. The risk factors for dysglycaemia in the Gambian attending clinics include age, hypertension, and obesity. The reason for the particularly high rates of impaired glucose tolerance among the Gambians are unclear and deserve further studies. BJM 2017; 1(1): 8–14.