Imam Ruqayyatu A, Elechi Hassan A, Musa Hauwa Y, Rabasa Adamu I, Bakari Habiba B
From the Department of Pediatrics (Imam, Musa), University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital; from the Department of Pediatrics (Elechi, Rabasa), College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri; and from the Department of Pediatrics (Bakari), College of Medical Sciences, Modibo Adama University, Yola, Nigeria.
Saudi Med J. 2025 Jan;46(1):78-85. doi: 10.15537/smj.2025.46.1.20240679.
To determine the prevalence and pattern of hypoglycemia among children admitted to the Emergency Pediatric Unit (EPU) at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and September 2020. Blood glucose, along with other relevant laboratory investigations, was measured for each patient upon admission to the EPU using a point-of-care test glucometer (ACCU-CHEK with strips).
Of the 340 children recruited for the study, 54 patients had hypoglycemia (<2.2 mmol/L), giving a prevalence rate of 15.9%. Thirty-six (66.7%) of the children with hypoglycemia were under the age of 5 years (odds ratio [OR]: 6.218 [1.077-35.912], =0.041) and 26 (48.1%) were severely underweight (OR: 3.692 [1.266-10.971], =0.017). Factors such as not having eaten for at least 16 h, weakness, and coma at presentation all independently predicted hypoglycemia (OR: 5.696 [1.768-18.352], 6.556 [1.730-24.850], 9.479 [3.092-29.059], =0.004, 0.006 and <0.001) respectively. Severe malaria was also independently related to hypoglycemia (OR: 2.720 [0.554-13.365], =0.021).
Hypoglycemia is a common occurrence among children admitted to the EPU. Factors such as being under five years old, in a coma, weakness, severe malaria, and prolonged fasting were all identified as independent predictors of hypoglycemia. Therefore, routine blood glucose monitoring of children admitted to the EPU, specifically those at higher risk, is recommended.
确定尼日利亚迈杜古里大学教学医院急诊儿科病房（EPU）收治儿童低血糖症的患病率及模式。
于2020年2月至9月开展一项横断面研究。使用即时检验血糖仪（罗氏卓越型血糖仪及试纸条）在患儿入院时测定血糖及其他相关实验室指标。
本研究纳入的340名儿童中，54例出现低血糖（<2.2 mmol/L），患病率为15.9%。36例（66.7%）低血糖儿童年龄在5岁以下（比值比[OR]：6.218[1.077 - 35.912]，P = 0.041），26例（48.1%）严重体重不足（OR：3.692[1.266 - 10.971]，P = 0.017）。入院前至少16小时未进食、虚弱及昏迷等因素均独立预测低血糖（OR分别为5.696[1.768 - 18.352]、6.556[1.730 - 24.850]、9.479[3.092 - 29.059]，P分别为0.004、0.006和<0.001）。重症疟疾也与低血糖独立相关（OR：2.720[0.554 - 13.365]，P = 0.021）。
低血糖在EPU收治的儿童中很常见。5岁以下、昏迷、虚弱、重症疟疾及长时间禁食等因素均被确定为低血糖的独立预测因素。因此，建议对EPU收治的儿童，尤其是高危儿童进行常规血糖监测。
