Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents secondary school students in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM) in children and adolescents is on the increase, therefore, prevention and early detection are important.Objective: To assess for easily identifiable risk factors (overweight/obesity, hypertension, Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and family history of diabetes) for T2DM in adolescents in public secondary schoolsResult: Eight hundred and eighty adolescents aged 10 to 19 years were screened and 124(14.1%) were overweight/obese. 457 (51.9%) of students had none of the risk factors while 272(30.9%) had at least one risk factor. Using the American Diabetes Association criteria for identification of those at risk for T2DM, 21(2.4%) were identified. The frequency of presence of risk factors was more in females (3.3%), mid adolescent age group (3.1%) and those with positive family history of diabetes. These findings were however not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant association between presence of hypertension and impaired fasting glucose and risk factor for type 2 DM.Conclusion: The significant risk factors identified in this study were prehypertension/hypertension and impaired fasting blood glucose.Key words: Adolescence, Risk factors, Type 2 diabetes mellitu

Clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with thyroid disorders seen at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital: A five year review

Background: Thyroid disorders constitute a large proportion of endocrine diseases in children and adolescents. Diseases of the thyroid have profound effect on metabolism, cognition, growth and development in children. The pattern of thyroid disorders in children in our region is still under reported.Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics of children and adolescents with thyroid diseases seen over a 5 year period in a tertiarycentre in Port HarcourtMethods: A retrospective review of all cases of thyroid disorders seen in the Paediatric endocrinology clinic of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital from January 2009 to December 2013.The information obtainedfrom endocrine registers and case files were patients’ biodata, clinical features, diagnosis, management, challenges and outcome. Diagnosisof each disorder was based on clinical features, relevant laboratoryinvestigations and imaging studies.Result: Eighteen (29.3%) out of 62 children with various endocrine disorders had thyroid diseases, accounting for 0.1% of all childrenseen in the specialist outpatient clinics. Age range at presentationof children reported was 5days to 13 years with male to female ratio1.7:1. Of the 18 children, 5(27.8%) had hyperthyroidism with a case of neonatal thyrotoxicosis, 10(55.6%) hypothyroidism and 3(16.7%) euthyroidism. eight (44.4%) had goiter. Nine (90.0%) of the children with hypothyroidism had congenital hypothyroidism with two cases of transienthypothyroidism. Mean age at diagnosis of children with congenital hypothyroidism was 9.81months. Only 2(22.2%) with congenital hypothyroidism presented before the age of 3weeks, the mean durationof neck swelling before presentation of children with goitre was 19.6months. One (5.6%) child had thyroid cancer. Initial wrong referrals and lost to follow up in 22.2% of cases each were common challenges encountered in management.Conclusion: Congenital hypothyroidism was the commonest thyroid disorder in this report, delayed diagnosis and its consequences were noted, emphasizing the need for routine new-born screening in Nigeria.Keywords: Thyroid disorders, children, endocrine diseases, antithyroid treatmen

Serum zinc levels in HIV infected children attending the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Background: Zinc deficiency is common in the Paediatric age group but the extent of this disorder is unknown in HIV infected children in Nigeria prompting this study.Objective: To determine the prevalence of zinc deficiency in HIV seropositive children, and compare this with age and sex matched controls.Methods: A case control study of 70 HIV sero-positive and age and sex matched HIV sero-negative children was carried out in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital between 1st of June, 2009 and 31st of May, 2010. We collected demographic, clinical, haematological and biochemical parameters from cases and controls, and analysed these using SPSS 20.Results: Sixty percent of the subjects were zinc deficient as against 41.4% of the controls, p= 0.028. Subjects that were zinc deficient were more likely to be in higher HIV disease stages, p = 0.003, in lower socio-economic classes and aged less than 60 months. We conclude that there is a high prevalence of zinc deficiency in HIV sero-positive children and they should have zinc supplementation immediately they are diagnosed to reduce their morbidity and mortality.Key words: Zinc deficiency, HIV sero-positive, socio-economic statu