Asymptomatic Malaria And Glycemic Control Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients In A Rural Tertiary Health Facility In Ido- Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria- A Cross Sectional Study.

Abstract Background: : Despite the high burden of Asymptomatic Malaria and Type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan African, limited data exist regarding their co-occurrence and its associated clinical impacts of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia on Type 2 diabetes mellitus in rural setting. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of glycemic control and asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia; and to investigate the influence of socio-demographic characteristics and asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia on glycemic control among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods: Hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 150 T2DM patients at Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, SouthWestern Nigeria, between April and September 2019. Systematic random sampling technique was adopted to recruit the respondents. Socio-demographic data were obtained using a semi- structured interviewer administered questionnaire and clinical files. Venous blood samples were collected and processed for glycosylated haemoglobin sugar estimation and malaria parasite detection by microscopy. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the influence of asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia and the socio-demographic profile on glycemic control.Results: The mean age, mean glycemic control and mean parasite density of the respondents were 64.8±11.1 years, 6.9±2.1% and 1123.4±433.8 respectively. The prevalence of poor glycemic control and asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia were 30.0% and 14.0% respectively. Old age, female gender, lack of formal education and asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia were associated with poor glycemic control.Conclusion: The study revealed that Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Ido-Ekiti, Nigeria, harbor asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia and that Asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia, old age, female gender and illiteracy were negative predictors of glycemic control. Therefore, type 2 diabetes mellitus patient with poor glycemic control should be screened for asymptomatic malaria parasitaemia. Also, respondents with these identified predictors should be targeted with focus care and qualitative health education to improve their glycemic control level.