African Journal of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0816
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPP
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 2296

Factors associated with infections in diabetic population

Syed Wasif Gillani1*, Syed Azhar Syed Sulaiman1, Shameni Sundram2, Yelly Oktavia Sari3,4, Mirza Baig5 and Muhammad Shahid Iqbal6
1School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. 2Hospital Pulau Pinang, 10990, Residential Street, Penang, Malaysia. 3Faculty of Pharmacy, Andalas University, Padang 25163, Indonesia. 4Discipline of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia. 5Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Aimst University, Kedah, Malaysia. 6School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, International Medical University, Malaysia.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 14 July 2011
  •  Published: 22 September 2011

Abstract

Increase in the prevalence of diabetes worldwide and it becoming an epidemic has resulted in a clinical research shift to the management of diabetes mellitus globally. The study aimed to investigate the socio-demographic differences among diabetes patients with infection incidence. The study was conducted in an urban, governmental hospital in Penang Malaysia. The records of patients, more than and equal to age 18 years, who were admitted with diabetes mellitus  between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010 were reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 17®. This study was approved by the hospitals “Clinical Research Committee (CRC)” as well as “Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH)”. During the time period of January 2008 through December 2010, there were total 2174 diabetes patients admitted; 2174 (100%) patients’ charts were reviewed. Of the total, 1063 (48.9%) were males and the rest, 1111 (51.1%), females. Mean and standard distribution (SD) showed females have less mean age distribution (35.2 ±4.187 years) as compared to males (37.9±5.724 years). A total of 798 (36.7%) had infection exposure before and/or during hospital admission; statistical significance (p<0.001) was found in association of diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA) and infection exposure. Though the rate of hospitalization increased among females, OR showed that males were more likely to get the infection severely as compared to females (1.81 (95%CI 1.1-2.40) p<0.021). Profound ethnic difference is three times more prone to severity rate of infection among Malay diabetic patients as compared to other non-Malays (OR 3.44 (95%CI 1.60-5.68)p<0.001). Further analysis showed that with the age of ≥ 65 years and history of diabetes (mean ± SD: 27.13 ± 2.782) average patient utilizes 135.7 days (average) of antibiotic course. Increased and recurrent use of antibiotic was found among Malays; also Malays predominantly experience clinical manifestations (poor glycaemic control) as compared to other ethnics. Every third patient with diabetes mellitus had infectious exposure.

 

Key words: Diabetes mellitus, infections, factors association, clinical management, metabolic disorder, endocrinology.