Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Diabetic ketosis is very often a reason for emergency consultation in diabetics. The objective of our study was to assess the etiologies of ketotic decompensations in diabetics.

Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 80 diabetics hospitalized at the National Institute of Nutrition for ketotic decompensation. Each patient underwent a clinical examination with a standard biological assessment.

Results: The average age of the patients was 58.36 years with a male predominance (54%). Diabetes was type 2 in 82% of the cases. The average duration of diabetes was 13.87 ± 4.5 years of which 80.8% were on insulin therapy. The mainly found decompensation factor was an infection observed in 48% of cases. It was a bronchopulmonary infection in 36% of the cases and a urinary tract infection in 32% of the cases. Therapeutic non-compliance or discontinuation of treatment was observed in 22% of the cases. An inaugural ketosis was found in 19% of the cases and an error in the injection sites was found in 3% of the cases. Excessive deviation from diet was noted in 1% of patients. The rest of the cases remain unexplained.

Conclusion: A good education is always beneficial for the diabetic in order to survive with his chronic illness away from complications and stressful situations.