Assessment of renal function in destabilised diabetes mellitus patients admitted for short term treatment in Mulago hospital

Abstract

Clinical testing to assess progression among persons with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus is widely recommended to clinicians to improve patient’s clinical outcomes. An important recommendation is screening for diabetic kidney disease using urine albumin and glomerular filtration rate to assess overall disease progresstion and to detect potential progression toward end-organ damage. These have not been carried in mulago hospital and patient’s renal function has been assessed using urea, serum creatinine and electrolytes. This study aimed to assess renal function in diabetes mellitus after short treatment using GFR and urine albumin. It was a descriptive observational study in which 40 patients who were admitted to mulago hospital diabetic ward 4B were enrolled. Renal function parameters including glomerular filtration rate, proteinuria and urine specific gravity were meansured in these patients at the time of admission and at discharge from the hospital. Socio-demographic characteristics of the patients were obtained at the time of consent. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was found to have decreased from 157.5-= 100.9ml/min/1.73m2 (mean -= S.D) at the time of diagnosis to 86.4-= 77.6ml/min/1.73m2 at discharge, albuminuria decreased from 133.7-=231.1mg/day to 24.7-=62.4mg/day, specific gravity remained unchanged (1.030) after treatment. So we can conclude that renal function improves in DM patients admitted for short term treatment of hyperglydemia. A longer cohort study though needs to be done to follw up these patients while on treatment in order to get a clear picture of renal function progress while on treatment.