International Journal of Medicine and Health Development (Jan 2003)

A comparison of Glycosylated Haemoglobin (GHL) in obesity and diabetes mellitus in Enugu metropolis

  • J C Onyeanusi,
  • S O Ureme,
  • E N Ofoegbu,
  • C Ndiokwelu,
  • I G Maduka,
  • Z Okwuowulu

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 2
pp. 17 – 19

Abstract

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Aim: To compare the blood concentation of Glycosylated haemoglobin in obesity and diabetes mellitus in Enugu metropolis. Materials and Method: A total of seventy-five patients (male and female) that attended medical Clinic of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu were recruited for the study. Fifteen patients were obese, seventeen were obese-diabetics, forty-three were non-obese -diabetics while twenty were non-obese-diabetics with various complications. Twenty apparently healthy subjects served as controls. Fasting blood samples were collected with fluoride-oxalate bottles from both test and control groups. Glycosylated haemoglobin (GHb) and fasting blood sugar (FBG) were determined by the spectrophotometric method while the haematocril (PCV) was determined by microhaematocril method. Results: In obese subjects, the following results were obtained GHb 55.40±3.9 mmol/L fructose, FBG 6.3±1.07 mmol/L, PCV 0.38±0.03 L/L while in obese-diabetics, the following results were recorded GHb 093.45± 6.06 mmol/L fructose, FBG 12.30 ±5.62 mmol/L, PCV 0.39±0.02 L/L. In non-obese-diabetics the results were GHb 95.05. 9mmol/L fructose, FBG 4.90±0.34 mmol/L and PCV 0.41± 0.03 L/L. Statistical comparison of mean results for GHb and FBG showed no significant differences between obese and control groups (P>0.05) while significant differences were recorded between obese-diabetics non-obese diabetics and control groups respectively, (P<0.05). In addition, when the results of the test groups were compared with one another, significant differences were obtained in obese vs non-obese-diabctics (P<0.05) with regard to FBG and GHb. No significant differences were obtained with PCV in all test and control groups. Conclusion: This study has shown that elevated glycosylated haemoglobin and hyperglycemia may not be regular features of obesity whereas they are consistently documented in diabetes.

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