Dyslipidaemia and hypertension among adults with diabetes in rural Uganda

Dyslipidaemia and hypertension in patients with diabetes increase the risk of macrovascular and microvascular complications. We took anthropometric measurements, lipids, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar of 150 diabetics and 151 non-diabetics. Among the diabetics, 17 (11.3%) had total cholesterol (TC) > or =200 mg/dL, 70 (46.6%) had triglycerides (TG) > or =150 mg/dL, 78 (52%) had high density lipoprotein (HDL) < or =40 mg/dL and 26 (17.3%) had low density lipoprotein (LDL) > or =100 mg/dL. Diabetics were more likely to have raised TG, OR = 1.88 (95% CI 1.17 - 3.00), P = 0.01; high systolic blood pressure (SBP), OR= 3.22 (95% CI 1.86 - 5.59), P = 0.01; and high diastolic blood pressure (DBP) OR = 4.11(95% CI 1.86 - 5.59), P = 0.01. The prevalence of HDL and TG dyslipidaemia among the diabetics in Uganda is significantly higher than in non-diabetics, as is the prevalence of systolic and diastolic hypertension. Other studies need to be done to assess the effect of lipids on cardiovascular disease, mortality and morbidity in diabetic patients in Uganda.