Search

Diabetic patients are vulnerable to developing severe complications and have a higher risk of death due to COVID-19 infection. Vaccination remains the mainstay during the current situation to mitigate the risks related to COVID-19 infection. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to assess the vaccination status and the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine uptake among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Sudan. A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to February 2022 at Gadarif Hospital in eastern Sudan. Information on sociodemographics, the contracting of COVID-19 during the pandemic, beliefs toward COVID-19 vaccinations, and barriers related to COVID-19 vaccinations was obtained through an interview questionnaire among adult (≥18 years) patients with DM. Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression analyses performed. A total of 568 diabetic patients were enrolled, with a mean (SD) age of 53.07 (12.69) years. The majority of the participants were female (67.6%), urban residents (63.4%), uneducated (60.6%) and employed (73.2%). There was a history of COVID-19 in 97.4% of participants, and 29.2% of them had hypertension along with DM. About 31% received the vaccine, out of which 17.9% received the first dose, 13.2% received the second dose, and 0.2% received the third dose. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between belief in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine and having had two doses of it (adjusted Odds ratio = 20.42, p < 0.001). The prevalence of COVID-19 infection was high, while the rate of COVID-19 vaccination uptake was low and inadequate among the participants. Appropriate health education and targeted interventions toward awareness of safety concerns are highly recommended.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that is increasing globally. It is associated with chronic complications that are more common among patients with poor glycaemic control. Glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA 1c ) is the gold standard for monitoring glycaemic control. Measurements of HbA 1c are relatively expensive and not available in some remote areas of developing countries., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the agreement between the calculated and measured HbA 1c levels. The equation to compute the calculated HbA 1c also incorporated the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level and was as follows: HbA 1c  = 2.6 + 0.03 × FBG (mg/dl)., Result: We enrolled 290 patients with type 2 DM in this study. Of these, 204 (70.3%) were females and the mean (SD) age was 54.9 (12.8) years. The mean (SD) diabetes duration was 6.8 (5.5) years. There were 211 (72.8%) patients using oral hypoglycaemic agents, 62 (21.4%) were using insulin and 17 (5.9%) were using both insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents. There was a borderline difference between the mean (SD) calculated and measured HbA 1c levels (p = 0.054). There was a significant correlation between the calculated and measured HbA 1c (r = 0.595, p < 0.001). However, there was no agreement between the calculated and measured HbA 1c . The bias ±SD (limits of agreement) for calculated versus measured HbA 1c was -1.008 ± 2.02% (-5.05, 2.032)., Conclusion: Despite the presence of a significant correlation between the calculated and measured HbA 1c , the calculated level has shown an unacceptable agreement with the measured HbA 1c ., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Laboratory Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) represents a global health threat and burden. It is associated with medical and psychological complications, especially depression. Depression among patients with DM may affect the general prognosis. Hence, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Gadarif, eastern Sudan to evaluate the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among patients with type 2 DM (T2DM)., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study. Data on anthropometric parameters, demographic characteristics and blood glucose levels were collected via questionnaire. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)., Results: Three hundred and fifty patients with T2DM were enrolled in the study and 205 (58.6%) were women. The median (interquartile range) age and duration of diabetes were 56.0 (14.0) years and 8 (8) years, respectively. The prevalence of depression in patients with T2DM was 35.6%. Logistic regression analysis showed significant associations between depression and rural residence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.20-3.72), non-employee (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.34-4.00), co-morbidity (AOR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.43-3.86) and obesity AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.48-4.18)., Conclusion: The prevalence of depression is high among Sudanese patients with T2DM. Rural residence, unemployment, co-morbidity and obesity are significant risk factors for developing depression among patients with T2DM.

Aim: The current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is a global public health concern that has resulted in the rapid growth in the number of infected patients with significant mortality rates. Hence, we conducted a retrospective study in Gadarif Hospital to evaluate the presenting manifestations, mortality rate, and the risk factors associated with mortality in hospitalized patients., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at Gadarif Hospital in Eastern Sudan. Medical files of the patients admitted during the period between April and July 2020 were reviewed. All the files of the adult patients (aged 18 or above), of both sexes, who had a confirmed COVID-19-positive status via laboratory testing using PCR and who were admitted during this period were reviewed. The data extracted included patients' demographics and initial clinical presentation, symptoms, signs, and the laboratory and radiographic findings. The data were analyzed using SPSS v22., Results: Eighty-eight patients were admitted with COVID-19. The median (interquartile) age was 62 (55.00-70.00) years old, and 72 (81.8%) of them were males. Most patients (75%) experienced a one-week duration of symptoms. A fever (87.5%), cough (80.68%), and shortness of breath (77.27%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Following a clinical assessment, both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure were found to be normal in most patients, at 92.05% and 89.77%, respectively. An oxygen saturation of less than 90% was seen in 71.59% of patients. The general mortality rate was 37.5% and most deaths occurred during the first 24 h of admission (21/33 [63.64%]). There was no significant difference in the death rate between females and males (5/16 [31.3%] vs 28/72 [38.9%], P = 0.776). There was no significant difference in the body mass index, tobacco use, or education level between the patients who died and those who survived. A logistic regression showed that being older (AOR = 1.05, 95% CI = [1.01, 1.10]) and having a lower PO 2 level (AOR = 1.11, 95% CI = [1.04, 1.16]) were associated with mortality., Conclusion: The general mortality rate was 37.5%, and the risk factors that could predict increased mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 positive cases included old age and a lower PO 2 level., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work., (© 2020 Omar et al.)

Background: Electronic devices for measuring blood pressure (BP) need to go through independent clinical validation as recommended by different authorities, both in general and specific populations. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the Omron RS6 (HEM-6221-E) wrist oscillometric devices in obese Sudanese patients. Methods: Of 90 obese individuals invited for recruitment, 33 were included in the study, and had their BP at the level of the wrist measured using Omron RS6 and standard mercury sphygmomanometer. Two observations were made and the mean was taken. BP differences between the two methods for the 33 participants were classified into three categories (≤5, ≤10, and ≤15 mmHg), according to the European Society of Hypertension-International Protocol revision 2010 (ESH-IP2) criteria. This was then used to assess the validity of the tested Omron RS6 device. Results: Participants had a mean age of 56.97 years (standard deviation (SD), 8.75; range, 36-79). Average systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 146.21 mmHg (SD, 23.07; range, 107-182), and average diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was 93.82 mmHg (SD, 16.06; range, 67-128). There was a good agreement between the two observations using the OMRON RS6 and the standard sphygmomanometer: -4 to + 3 mmHg for SBP and -4 to +4 mmHg for DBP, with the mean difference of 1.73±1.11 mmHg for SBP and 1.49±1.02 mmHg for DBP. Conclusion: Thus, the Omron RS6 (HEM-6221-E) is a valid and suitable measure of BP according to ESH-IP2., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2020 Ali EA et al.)

Background: A global epidemic of obesity has been documented, particularly among African countries. While central obesity and overweight have been reported for many countries, very limited information exists about the prevalence of these health problems in Sudan, and these data are nonexistent for Eastern Sudan. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of obesity and central obesity, as well as the factors associated with both, among adults in Gadarif, Eastern Sudan., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Gadarif, Eastern Sudan, during the period of January through May 2018. Sociodemographic and health characteristics data were collected through a questionnaire. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were measured using the standard methods. Both descriptive and inferential statics were applied to analyze the data., Results: A total of 594 adults participated in the study; 70.4% of them were female. The mean (standard deviation) age was 44.98 (16.64) years. Of the 594 enrolled participants, 33.7%, 7.4%, 26.8%, and 32.2% were normal weight, underweight, overweight, and obese, respectively. The prevalence of central obesity was (67.8%). Approximately, one-third of the participants (29.29%) were obese and had central obesity. In the multinomial regression, being married was the main risk factor associated with overweight, and older age, female sex, being married and hypertension were significantly associated with obesity. In the binary regression, the main risk factors associated with central obesity were female sex and being married., Conclusion: The prevalence rates of both obesity and central obesity among the study participants were high. Older age and hypertension were only associated with obesity. Obesity and central obesity were significantly associated with female sex and being married. This study provided valuable baseline information to develop appropriate strategies for the prevention and control of obesity in Eastern Sudan., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Hypertension is becoming an increasingly common health issue worldwide, especially in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Hypertension is the leading risk factor for premature death and disability worldwide, and it is the leading risk factor for mortality from cardiovascular diseases worldwide. The data on hypertension in Sudan that has been published is limited. We conducted this study to assess the prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors., Methods: A multistage sampling survey was conducted in Gadarif, Eastern Sudan, from January to May 2018 to investigate the prevalence of hypertension and associated factors in adults in Eastern Sudan. The World Health Organization (WHO) three-level stepwise approach questionnaire was used to gather sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, height, weight marital status, education level, smoking habit, alcohol consumption habit, and family history of hypertension). Hypertension was defined as the presence of an average blood pressure of ≥140/90 mmHg or the reported use of anti-hypertensive medications for high blood pressure., Results: A total of 600 participants (mean age: 44.9 years) were enrolled in this study. Four hundred twenty-two (70.3%) participants were women, and 196 (32.7%) participants were obese. Of the 600 enrolled participants, 245 (40.8%) individuals had hypertension, 44 (7.3%) had been previously diagnosed with hypertension, and 201 (33.5%) were newly diagnosed with hypertension. A logistic regression analysis showed no significant associations across the education level, marital status, overweight and hypertension factors. However, an older age (adjusted OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 2.28-4.51, P < 0.001) and obesity (adjusted OR = 2.41, 95% CI = 1.57-3.69, P < 0.001) were associated with the presence of hypertension., Conclusion: There is a high rate of hypertension in Eastern Sudan, especially among older and obese individuals. Preventive measures, such as dietary measures, should be implemented.

Objective: To determine the optimum storage temperature and time for prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time at various intervals at both room temperature and refrigerator., Study Design: Experimental study., Place and Duration of Study: Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI), Laboratory at University Sains Malaysia (USM), from August 2009 to June 2010., Methodology: After obtaining the consent, 33 blood samples were collected from AMDI staffs and students. Prothrombin time (PT) was measured at 0, 4, 8 and 24 hours (h). Partial thromboplastin time (APTT) was measured at 0, 2, 6 and 8 h both at room temperature (RT) and refrigerator., Results: Thirty three subjects (14 males and 19 females, aged from 20 to 40 years) were involved. PT showed no significant differences at RT at 4 h, while significant differences after 8 h and 24 h at RT and after 4 h, 8 h and 24 h at refrigerator were observed. APTT showed no statistically significant differences at 2 h but showed significant differences at 6 h, 8 h at both RT and refrigerator., Conclusion: Samples for PT testing can be accepted only up to 4 h when kept at RT while the samples cannot be accepted when kept at refrigerator for 4 h and above. APTT samples can be accepted up to 2 h only at RT or refrigerator.