Incidence of Malaria in Type 2 Diabetic patients and the effect on the liver: a case study of Bayelsa state

Abstract

Malaria and diabetics are common diseases especially in tropical countries. The study was carried out to assess the effect on the liver of Type 2 diabetics with malaria using Type 2 diabetics without malaria and non-diabetics with/without malaria as control subjects. Two hundred persons participated in this study, comprising of 100 diabetics (50 type 2 diabetics with malaria and 50 type two diabetics without malaria) and 100 non diabetics (50 non diabetics with malaria and 50 non diabetics without malaria). Samples was collected and analyzed for blood sugar, malaria parasite and liver function tests using standard procedures. Mean result for diabetics with malaria, diabetes without malaria, non-diabetes with malaria and non-diabetes without malaria were 4.47, 4.73, 5.16 and 4.46 mmol/L respectively (conjugated bilirubin), 19.04, 15.85 24.02 and 19.76 respectively iu/L (alkaline phosphatase), 39.78, 40.70, 40.05 and 38.10 g/L respectively (albumin), 68.90, 69.68, 69.18 and 71.06 g/L respectively (total protein), 5.96, 7.96, 7.32 and 6.24 mmol/L respectively (total bilirubin), 7.44, 6.08, 6.60 and 6.76 IU/L respectively (Alanine transaminase), 7.29, 6.69, 10.43 and 7.41 IU/L, respectively (Aspartate transaminase). The mean malaria parasite was 2376.83 and 2943.23 parasite numbers/μL for Type 2 diabetes and Non-diabetics patients, respectively. The Fasting blood glucose from the Type 2 diabetes and Non-diabetics patients was 6.92 and 3.89 mmol/L respectively. Analysis of variance showed that there were no significant differences ( P >0.05) among the various treatment apart from alkaline phosphatase for liver function test. Also significant variation ( P <0.05) exist for malaria parasite count and fasting blood sugar. All liver function parameters apart from alkaline phosphatase were within the normal range for both diabetics with and without malaria and non-diabetics with and without malaria. The increased alkaline phosphatase in both Type 2 diabetics and non-diabetics with malaria indicates that individuals with severe malaria parasitaemia and other complications such as diabetics may be at risk of liver impaired.