Evaluation of Plasma Glucose and Glycated Haemoglobin Levels of Diabetic Patients in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Several studies have reported the presence of oxidative stress in diabetes mellitus as a result of increased generation of reactive oxygen species and diminished antioxidant defense. The current study evaluated the plasma concentrations of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) as indices of glycaemic control in type- 2 diabetic patients and non-diabetic control subjects. A total of 266 subjects were recruited for the cross-sectional study, 165 type 2 diabetic patients and 101 non-diabetic controls from Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital, and Specialist Hospital, Sokoto. FBG was measured using glucose oxidase method and HbA1C using micro column method. The mean activities of FBG, HbA1C were higher (p< 0.05) in diabetic patients when compared to non-diabetic controls. These findings confirm that diabetic patients have high levels of FBG and HbA1C compared to the non-diabetic control subjects. Periodic assay of the activities of FBG and HbA1C in diabetic patients as adjunct biochemical analytes in monitoring is suggested.