Prevalence of Anaemia and Associated Factors in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus at a Tertiary Care Centre in Sri Lanka

Anaemia encountered frequently with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) leads to development of micro and macro-vascular complications. Although many studies describe prevalence of anemia among diabetics in other countries no studies are available for Sri Lanka. The aim was to determine prevalence and associated causes of anaemia among patients with T2DM attending the Family Practice Centre, University of Sri Jayewardenepura and describe the relationship between anaemia and associated factors.

Full Blood Counts, S. Ferritin were performed and T2DM patients with haemoglobin<12g/dl (females) and <13g/dl (males) were identified, red cell indices analysed. Mean haemoglobin was 11.98±1.79 g/ dl (12.92±2.49 g/ dl in males, 11.60 ± 1.24 g/ dl in females). 35.29% (36/102) of patients were anaemic with female preponderance. Iron deficiency anaemia was present in 11.11% (4/36), heemoglobinopathy in 11.11% (4/36) and anaemia of chronic disorder in 77.78% (28/36).

Anaemia significantly related to increasing age (p=0.036), female gender (p=0.01), duration of diabetes mellitus (> 5 years) (p=0.002). Presence of Chronic-Kidney-Disease (p=0.001). Retinopathy (p=0.05) and treatment modality had no association with prevalence of anaemia (p=0.322).

Prevalence of anaemia among T2DM patients in Sri Lanka is high specially with increasing age, female gender, duration of disease and corresponds to regional countries. As treatment of anaemia of chronic disorder, is treatment of underlying disease management of diabetes will reduce prevalence of anaemia.