Anthropometric profile and complications in patients with diabetes mellitus seen at Maluti Adventist Hospital, Lesotho

Figures & data

Table 1: Socio-demographic and disease characteristics

Variable	n (%)
Gender (n = 150)
Male	29 (19.3)
Female	121 (80.7)
Level of education (n = 143)
None	9 (6.3)
Primary	82 (57.3)
Secondary	29 (20.3)
Tertiary	23 (16.1)
Type of diabetes mellitus (DM) (n = 150)
Type 1	8 (5.3)
Type 2	142 (94.7)
Type of current treatment (n = 147)
Oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA)	114 (77.6)
Insulin alone	13 (8.8)
Insulin and OHA	16 (10.9)
No pharmacological treatment	4 (2.7)
Years since diagnosis (n = 120)
0–5	72 (60.1)
6–10	22 (18.3)
11–20	19 (15.8)
21–30	7 (5.8)

Table 2: Relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) complications and patients’ duration of DM

Complication		Patients (n)	Median DM duration (years)	p-value
Glycaemic control:
Blood glucose				0.0379
	High*	73	5
	Normal	42	3
HbA1c				0.0122
	> 7.0%	61	6
	≤ 7.0%	47	3
Chronic complications:
Neuropathy				0.2355
	Present	50	5
	Absent	70	4
Proteinuria				0.0951
	Present	7	10
	Absent	102	4
Co-morbid condition:
Blood pressure (mmHg)				0.4171
	High (> 130/80)	60	5
	Normal (≤ 130/80)	60	4
Eye complications:
Cataracts				0.0157
	Present	29	5
	Absent	73	4
Abnormal fundoscopy				0.0135
	Present	33	6
	Absent	71	3
Microangiopathy				0.9514
	Present	5	4
	Absent	99	5
Vitreous/retinal abnormal				0.004
	Present	4	21.5
	Absent	100	4
Cotton wool spots				0.058
	Present	6	9.5
	Absent	98	4
Macular abnormality				0.2372
	Present	5	7
	Absent	99	4

Note: * Fasting > 6.0 mmol/l; non-fasting > 8.0 mmol/l.

Table 3: Relationship between short-term and long-term glycaemic control and diabetes mellitus (DM) complications

		Glycaemic control
Complication		Blood glucose		HbA1c
		High n = 97	Normal n = 48	> 7.0%	≤ 7.0%
				n = 77	n = 57
Chronic complications:
Neuropathy
	n (%)	46 (47.4)	18 (37.5)	35 (45.5)	22 (38.6)
	RR (95% CI)	1.26 (0.83; 1.93)		1.18 (0.78; 1.77)
	p-value	0.2575		0.4273
Proteinuria		n = 87	n = 44	n = 72	n = 50
	n (%)	6 (6.9)	3 (6.8)	5 (6.9)	2 (4.0)
	RR (95% CI)	1.01 (0.27; 3.85)		1.74 (0.35; 8.60)
	p-value	1.0000		0.6990
Co-morbid condition:
High blood pressure
	n (%)	56 (57.7)	26 (54.2)	37 (48.1)	38 (66.7)
	RR (95% CI)	1.07 (0.78; 1.45)		0.72 (0.54; 0.97)
	p-value	0.6836		0.0319
Eye complications:
Cataracts		n = 83	n = 41	n = 67	n = 49
	n (%)	26 (31.3)	10 (24.4)	19 (28.4)	16 (32.7)
	RR (95% CI)	1.28 (0.69; 2.40)		0.87 (0.50; 1.51)
	p-value	0.4235		0.6186
Abnormal fundoscopy		n = 84	n = 41	n = 69	n = 50
	n (%)	28 (33.3)	14 (34.2)	21 (30.4)	17 (34.0)
	RR (95% CI)	0.98 (0.58; 1.64)		0.90 (0.53; 1.51)
	p-value	0.9280		0.6805
Microangiopathy		n = 84	n = 41	n = 69	n = 50
	n (%)	5 (6.0)	1 (2.4)	5 (7.3)	0 (0)
	RR (95% CI)	2.44 (0.29; 20.22)		–
	p-value	0.6627		0.0731
Retinal/vitreous abnormality		n = 84	n = 41	n = 69	n = 50
	n (%)	5 (6.0)	1 (2.4)	6 (8.7)	0 (0)
	RR (95% CI)	2.44 (0.29; 20.22)		–
	p-value	0.6627		0.0391
Cotton wool spots		n = 84	n = 41	n = 69	n = 50
	n (%)	5 (6.0)	3 (7.3)	3 (4.4)	5 (10.0)
	RR (95% CI)	0.81 (0.20; 3.24)		0.43 (0.11; 1.74)
	p-value	0.7166		0.2780
Macular abnormalities		n = 84	n = 41	n = 69	n = 50
	n (%)	5 (6.0)	3 (7.3)	4 (5.8)	4 (8.0)
	RR (95% CI)	0.81 (0.23; 3.24)		0.72 (0.19; 2.76)
	p-value	0.7166		0.7191

Notes: CI = confidence interval; RR = relative risk.