Cardiovascular Diabetology (Aug 2008)

Anaemia and kidney dysfunction in Caribbean Type 2 diabetic patients

  • Seales Dawn,
  • Nwagbara Emeka,
  • Jones-LeCointe Altheia,
  • Ezenwaka Chidum E,
  • Okali Fidelis

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2840-7-25
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
p. 25

Abstract

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Abstract Background Anaemia has been shown in previous studies to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disorder. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and kidney dysfunction in Caribbean type 2 diabetic patients that have been previously shown to have a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. Methods 155 type 2 diabetic patients and 51 non-diabetic subjects of African origin were studied. Anthropometric parameters were measured and fasting blood samples were collected for glucose, creatinine, glycated hemoglobin and complete blood count. Anaemia was defined as haemoglobin 2. Comparisons for within- and between-gender, between diabetic and non-diabetic subjects were performed using Student's t-test while chi-square test was employed for categorical variables. Results The diabetic patients were older than the non-diabetic subjects. While male non-diabetic subjects had significantly higher red blood cell count (RBC), haemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations than non-diabetic female subjects (p 2, p Conclusion A high prevalence of anaemia was identified in this group of type 2 diabetic patients previously shown to have a high prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. It is therefore recommended that diagnostic laboratories in developing countries and elsewhere should include complete blood count in routine laboratory investigations in the management of diabetic patients.