Original article
English
Abdul-Nasser Elzouki and Wrida Bubtaina
Department of Medicine, Al-Jamahiriya Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Garyounis University. Benghazi-Libya
JMJ Vol.6 No.1 (Autumn) 2006: 20-24
Abstract
Background/ objective: Diabetes Mellitus has emerged as a major health problem in Libya importing an enormous burden on the health care system. The presented study aimed to determine the pattern of hospitalization of diabetic patients to the medical units of the major Teaching hospital in Benghazi – Libya, and to determine the mortality and risk factors associated with mortality. Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of all diabetic admissions to the medical units of the Department of Medicine at Al-Jamahiriya Teaching Hospital, Benghazi, between January 1999 to July 2000. Patient’s age, gender, body mass index (BMI), type and duration of diabetes mellitus, and presence of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and smoking were recorded as well as the causes of admission and mortality. Results: A total of 1537 patients were admitted, 250 of them were diabetics, more than 90% of them Libyans. The mean age was 60.3+14.8 years with male to female ratio of 1:1.2 and mean BMI of 28.4 +4.5. 85.6% of the diabetic patients were type 2, 10% were type 1 whereas 4.4% discovered on admission. Admission for macrovascular complications (i.e. cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases) was the commonest cause of admission (49.6%) followed by infection (19.2%) and blood glucose control (14%). Microvascular complications were found in 40% of the patients. Mortality rate was 15.6%. Hypertension, smoking, poor glycaemic control, infection and old age were risk factors associated with high mortality. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that diabetes mellitus is a common cause of admission to the medical unites in the largest Teaching hospital in Benghazi. Macrovascular complications, infection and uncontrolled blood glucose were the most common causes of admission of diabetic patients.
Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Hospital admission, Complications
Link/DOI: http://www.jmj.org.ly/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1157