• Bijay Khatri, Manish Kayastha, Rajan Shrestha, Janak Raj Bhattarai, Sangita Majhi, Sanjib Kumar Upadhyay, Madan Prasad Upadhyay, and Kumud Kumar Kafle.
• Academic and Research Department, B.P. Eye Foundation, Hospital for Children, Eye, ENT, and Rehabilitation Services, Madhyapur Thimi, Bhaktapur, Nepal.
• JNMA J Nepal Med Assoc. 2022 Jul 1; 60 (251): 592595592-595.

IntroductionDiabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease characterised by elevated blood sugar levels and is a pandemic of public health importance. Screening programs can help reduce morbidity and mortality by preventing or delaying complications. This study aimed to find out the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among adult outpatients visiting a tertiary care centre.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among outpatients visiting a tertiary care centre between 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethical Review Board (Registration number: 408/2020 P). Patients with unknown history of diabetes participating in free random blood sugar examinations were included in the study. Systematic random sampling was used. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated.ResultsAmong 385 adult outpatients, 17 (4.42%) (2.37-6.47, 95% Confidence Interval) had diabetes. The mean random blood sugar level of the diabetic patients was 281.41±57.49 mg/dl.ConclusionsThe prevalence of diabetes mellitus among adult outpatients was similar to previous studies conducted in similar settings. Random blood sugar test in hospital outpatient settings is feasible to identify people with diabetes mellitus.Keywordsdiabetes mellitus; hospital; Nepal; outpatient.

8 keywords...

hide…