Comparative Assessment of Serum Electrolyte level Among Controlled and Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients Attending Armed Force Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2025
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Addis Ababa Uinverstiy
Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by elevated blood glucose due to insufficient insulin production, reduced insulin sensitivity, or both. Poorly controlled T2DM can lead to complications such as electrolyte imbalance (EI), resulting from hyperglycemia-induced increased plasma osmolality and impaired kidney function. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of electrolyte imbalance( EI) in controlled and uncontrolled T2DM patients to support improved diabetes management
Objective: To assess serum electrolyte levels in controlled and uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending Armed Force comprehensive specialized hospital from December 2024 to August 2025, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2024 to August 2025 at Armed Force Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, among 128 adults with T2DM (64 controlled and 64 uncontrolled based on HbA1c) selected using consecutive sampling. Demographic and clinical data were collected through interviews and patient charts. Blood samples were drawn, processed, and analyzed for serum electrolytes, fasting glucose, and HbA1c using the Cobas c311 analyzer following standard procedures. Data were coded, cleaned, and analyzed in SPSS v27, and logistic regression was used to identify variables with p < 0.05 as statistically significant.
Result: This study included 128 T2DM patients equally divided into controlled and uncontrolled groups (n = 64 each). Overall, 81 participants had electrolyte imbalance, which was more frequent in uncontrolled patients (73.4%) compared to controlled patients (53.1%). When abnormalities were pooled, 44 participants (34.4%) had one electrolyte abnormality, while 84 (65.6%) had two or more abnormalities. Hyponatremia was identified in 39 participants and hypochloremia in 13 individuals. Uncontrolled glycemic status was associated with increased odds of electrolyte imbalance, and imbalance was more common among obese participants (p < 0.05). Mean serum sodium and chloride levels were significantly lower in uncontrolled T2DM patients (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Electrolyte imbalances, particularly hyponatremia and hypochloremia, were more common in uncontrolled T2DM patients. Routine monitoring of electrolytes should be integrated into diabetes management to prevent complications and improve patient outcomes.
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Keywords
Electrolyte Imbalance, Controlled Type 2 Diabetes, Uncontrolled Type 2 Diabetes