Akhter Banu

Prevalence of diabetes in a suburban population of Bangladesh

To determine the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension, 6847 subjects of age 15 years or older, were investigated in a suburban population in Bangladesh. Fasting and post-prandial (capillary) blood glucose (2-hPG) was estimated. According to WHO criteria the crude prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was 7.5% and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) was 4.1%. The age standardized (30-64 years) prevalence of IGT was 7.7% with 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.96-8.44 and NIDDM was 4.5%, CI 3.94-5.12. Compared with the younger subjects the older subjects (< 40 vs. > or = 40 years) showed significant association with IGT (chi2, 65.9; P < 0.001) and NIDDM (chi2, 92.0; P < 0.001). Higher BMI (< or = 22.0 vs. > 22.1) was also significantly associated with IGT (chi2, 16.6; P < 0.001) and NIDDM (chi2, 83.9; P < 0.001). The higher BMI had stronger association with NIDDM than with IGT. Lower height showed significant association only with NIDDM. The logistic regression analyses also showed that increased age, higher BMI and short stature were independent risks for NIDDM. The study showed an increased prevalence of IGT and NIDDM among the suburban population of Bangladesh and the excess risk was observed with increased age, higher BMI and short stature.

Diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy in a rural community of Bangladesh: a population‐based study

Aims  Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased infant mortality. Diabetes and infant mortality is higher in Bangladesh but the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy is not known. Thus, this study addressed the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy.

Blood pressure and coronary heart disease in NIDDM subjects at diagnosis: prevalence and risks in a Bangladeshi population

Overall obesity and central fat distribution are frequently accompanied by hyperglycemia, hypertension (HTN) and coronary heart disease (CHD) observed in developed nations and in South Asian migrants. This study attempts to estimate the prevalence of CHD and HTN and to assess the related risks among the newly diagnosed diabetics in the developing communities. From a total of 3583 non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) subjects, the authors investigated 693 (M = 295, F = 398) randomly selected non-smokers of age 30-60 years. WHO diagnostic criteria were used for NIDDM and IGT. Systolic and diastolic hypertension (sHTN and dHTN) were defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) > or = 140 and diastolic (DBP) > or = 90 mmHg. Diagnosis of CHD was based on electrocardiogram either on rest or on stress or both when equivocal. The overall prevalence of CHD in the NIDDM subjects was 18.6%. The prevalence rates of sHTN and dHTN were 23.2 and 13.6%, respectively. CHD and HTN did not differ significantly between male and female and between urban and rural subjects. CHD prevalence was significantly higher in the higher tertiles of age, SBP and DBP (P < 0.001, for all cases). Logistic regression showed that only the increasing age, high waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and high BP were the independent risks for CHD. For sHTN, the independent risks were increased age and high body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2). Regardless of sex and area, increased prevalence of CHD and HTN were found in the newly diagnosed diabetic subjects. Increased age, central obesity and HTN were the independent risks for CHD while advancing age and overall obesity was related to sHTN.

Importance of acetylator phenotype in the identity of Asian populations.

ABSTRACT The Marma, Tripura, and Chakma are tribal populations of South Asian countries such as Bangladesh. The populations are thought to be immigrants who started moving from their original home in the Far East toward the west and south. We randomly selected 80 Marma, 53 Tripura, and 43 Chakma to determine acetylation capacity and acetylator phenotype. The mean acetylation capacities were 63% in the Marma, 65% in the Tripura, and 70% in the Chakma. The acetylator phenotype was bimodally distributed as fast and slow acetylator. The frequencies of fast acetylator were 83% in the Marma, 89% in the Tripura, and 88% in the Chakma. According to acetylation capacity, the tribes are different from the founder nontribal populations of Bangladesh. They identify themselves as having a separate single population origin. The frequency of fast acetylator predicted served as the acetylator status of the Far East Asian population. The segregation of populations by acetylator phenotype on geographic longitude might be appropriate for geonational identification of Asian populations.