Spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 at increased risk of high blood glucose levels

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus type 2 is a growing threat in developing countries already burdened with high levels of infectious disease. Screening the general population has debatable advantages. This study aims to determine whether spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus have higher random blood glucose (RBG) levels as well as the benefit of RBG testing as a targetted screening tool. Methodology: The survey employed a cross-sectional comparative study of spouses’ of diabetics and non-diabetics attending the general out-patient department of the LagosStateUniversityTeaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. A modified WHO STEPS Surveillance Instrument and a one-touch Glucometer were used to collect data. Blood pressures and BMI were measured and correlated to blood glucose levels. Results: Prevalence of high RBG was found to be 7% among spouses of diabetics and 3.3% among spouses of non-diabetic patients. Mean RBG was 5.57 mmol/L and 7.7 mmol/L within the age group 40 - 49 years and 50 - 59 years respectively among spouses of diabetic patients compared to 5.4 mmol/L and 5.5 mmol/L within the same age group among the spouses non-diabetics. Spouses of patients with diabetes mellitus had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures and BMI compared to spouses of non-diabetics. Conclusion: Being male, married to a diabetic patient, lower educational levels and higher body mass index are significantly associated with higher random blood glucose in the spouses of diabetic patients. Random blood glucose measurements are an effective screening tool and spouses of diabetic patients can benefit from targeted screening in controlled clinical settings.