Risk of type II diabetes mellitus in alcoholics: A hospital based cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: The rise in prevalence of diabetes in developing countries is due to industrialization, socioeconomic development, urbanization and changing life style. One of the important causes is the excessive intake of alcohol. In Sikkim, nearly 35% of the population of > 21yrs of age is chronic alcoholic which is a much higher figure as compared to the national average. 2 As per data compiled by Health Ministry, the prevalence of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (Type-II DM) was highest in Sikkim. The present study will be to assess the burden of Type II Diabetes Mellitus (DM) among alcoholics and to see the co-relation of DM and alcohol drinking pattern in the study population from Gangtok, Sikkim. Objective: To assess the burden of Type II Diabetes Mellitus(DM) among alcoholics, to see the co-relation of DM and alcohol drinking pattern and to see the lipid profile of the study participants. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional hospital based study was undertaken in Central Referral Hospital, a tertiary care centre under Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences Tadong, Gangtok. A hundred patients above 30 years of age admitted in the Central Referral Hospital and diagnosed as alcoholic liver disease during the period 01-07-2012 to 31-12-2012 were selected for the study. After taking a written informed consent, these patients were interviewed. Fasting and postprandial blood sugar, lipid profile and blood pressure were recorded from the case records. The collected data was analysed using INSTAT version 3 graph pad. The result is represented in tables. p<0.05 is considered significant. Results: The occurrence of Diabetes in relation to number of drinks per week was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). On assessing lipid profile of study participants, it was found that the mean cholesterol, triglycerides and high density lipoproteins were significantly different in alcoholic diabetics and alcoholic nondiabetics. Conclusion: A definite association between alcohol consumption and Type II Diabetes Mellitus could not be established. However, there certainly appears to be some association between heavy alcohol consumption and Type-II DM. A reduction in alcohol intake by heavy drinkers may reduce their risk of developing Type-II DM.