Cardiovascular Risk Indices and Their Impact on Outcome in Patients with Hyperglycaemic Emergencies in a Nigerian Hospital

High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) are recognised independent novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Few studies have assessed cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hyperglycaemic emergencies (HE), despite it being a major cause of death in diabetics. The objective of this study was to determine cardiovascular risk indices in patients with hyperglycaemic emergencies and related these with outcome. This cross sectional study involved 45 patients that presented with HE and 45 age and sex matched diabetics without HE who served as controls. Historical features, physical findings and laboratory parameters including hsCRP and PAI-1 were compared between subjects and controls. The mean values of serum hsCRP and PAI-1 were significantly higher in patients with HE compared to diabetic control. (49.52 ± 13.6 vs. 2.4 ± 1.35, 51.2 ± 28.7 vs. 33.2 ± 10.7 respectively). Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as HbA1c, Atherogenic Index and microalbuminuria were also significantly higher in them. Mortality was associated with increasing age, higher values of waist circumference, pulse rate, respiratory rate, hsCRP, Atherogenic index and lower blood pressure and HDL values. Cardiovascular risk indices are higher in patients with HE.