Predictors of hypoglycemia in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Basrah

AIM To measure the incidence and determinants(predictors) of hypoglycemia among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) who were on insulin treatment for at least one year. METHODS The present study is an out-patients based inquiry about the risk and predictors of hypoglycemia among patients with T2DM seeking care at the Al-Faiha Specialized Diabetes, Endocrine, and Metabolism Center, in Basrah over a period of 7 mo(from 15^(th) of April, 2013 to 15^(th) of October, 2013). The data used in the study were based on all detailed interview and selected laboratory investigations. A total of 336 patients could be included in the study.RESULTS The incidence of overall hypoglycemia among the studied patients was 75.3% within the last 3 mo preceding the interview. The incidence of hypoglycemia subtypes were 10.2% for severe hypoglycemia requiring medical assistance in the hospital, 44.36% for severe hypoglycemia treated at home by family; this includes both confirmed severe hypoglycemia with an incidence rate of 14.6% and unconfirmed severe hypoglycemia for which incidence rate was 29.76%. Regarding mild self-treated hypoglycemia, the incidence of confirmed mild hypoglycemia was 21.42%, for unconfirmed mildhypoglycemia the incidence rate was 50.0% and for total mild hypoglycemia, the incidence rate was 71.42%. The most important predictors of hypoglycemia were a peripheral residence, increasing knowledge of hypoglycemia symptoms, in availability and increasing frequency of self-monitoring blood glucose, the presence of peripheral neuropathy, higher diastolic blood pressure, and lower Hemoglobin A1c.CONCLUSION Hypoglycemia is very common among insulin-treated patients with T2DM in Basrah. It was possible to identify some important predictors of hypoglycemia.

Breast cancer among Iraqi female in their fifth decade: a retrospective study

Background:Breast cancer is a major public health concern for women around the world.Breast cancer incidence increases with age,and this is an important factor for the management of this disease.The aim of this study was to assess the clinical profiles of female Iraqi breast cancer patients in their fifth decade,and to evaluate patients'molecular profiles and 5-year disease-free survival(DFS).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted at Baghdad Oncology Teaching Hospital between 1 January 2012 and 12 December 2016.Of 979 individuals seen,285 were aged between 40 and 49 years.Results:The median age at diagnosis was 45 years.The highest incidence of breast cancer occurred among women in their fifth(40-49 years old)and sixth(50-59 years old)decades of life(29%and 28%,respectively).The most common stages at diagnosis were stages II and III,with 40.8%and 39.5%,respectively.Luminal A-like cancers were seen in 124 women(58.5%)and 29 women(13.7%)presented with triple-negative cancers.De novo metastatic disease comprised just 6.7%of the group studied.The median DFS was 48 months(95%CI:41.4-54.5 months).Conclusions:The highest incidence of breast cancer occurred among women in their fifth and sixth decades of life.The most common diagnosis was stage II breast cancer of the luminal A molecular subtype.HER-2(human epidermal growth factor receptor 2)overexpression and triple-negative were the least common subtypes.The median DFS was 48 months.