Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Knowledge on the admission and mortality patterns of endocrine-related diseases will give insight into the magnitude of the condition and provide effective tools for planning, delivery and evaluation of healthcare needs.

Methods: Records of patients that visited the emergency unit of the hospital from May to October 2011were retrieved from the hospital admissions and death registers. Demographic data were obtained. Diagnoses were classified as endocrine-related and non-endocrine related diseases.

Results: A total of 1107 adult cases were seen. 635 were males and 472 were females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.4 to 1. The mean age of the patients was 46.9±16.1, with an age range of 18 to 85years. Of the 1107 cases, 82 were endocrine-related, accounting for 7.4% of the total emergency room admission in the hospital. Out of the 82 endocrine-related cases, 40(48.8%) had hyperglycaemia, 20(24.4%) had diabetes mellitus foot syndrome, DMFS, 2(2.4%) had diabetes mellitus hand syndrome, 8(9.75%) had hypoglycaemia, 1(1.2%) had Conn’s syndrome, 3(3.65%) had thyroid diseases, and 8(9.75%) had DM related co-morbidities. A total of 21 endocrine-related deaths were recorded in the emergency room within this period. 8 were males and 13 were females. The result revealed that 47.6% of the total mortality was due to hyperglycaemic crises, hypoglycaemia (23.8%), DM related co-morbidities (19.04%), DMFS (4.7%), thyroid disease 4.7%. Most of the mortalities were sepsis-related (47.6). Patients who had hypoglycaemic emergencies were most likely to die (62.5%).

Conclusion: Hyperglycaemic emergencies, sepsis, hypoglycaemic crisis and DM-related co-morbidities were the leading causes of endocrine-related admissions and mortalities in this health facility.

Declaration of interest: There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

Funding: No specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.

Pattern of endocrine-related admissions and mortality