Investigation of Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) and Serum Ferritin Levels in Diabetic Patients with Poor Glycemic Control in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Aim/ Objective: Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycaemia and associated complications. Assessing ferritin and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in diabetic patients can provide valuable insights into the management and progression of the disease. This study was aimed at assessing the ferritin and HbA1c levels in patients with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus and evaluate the clinical implications of these assessments. Methodology: This was a case-control study, comprising of 60 consenting participants including 30 uncontrolled diabetes patients, 15 controlled diabetic patients, and 15 non-diabetic with no history of the disease serving as controls. Ferritin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and HbA1c levels were also determined using modified enzymatic reaction. Demographic and clinical data, including age, gender, diabetes duration, and medication history, were collected via questionnaires. Results: Analysis of variance (post-hoc) indicated significantly (p < 0.001) higher FBS, HbA1c and ferritin in patients with uncontrolled diabetes compared with the non-diabetic individuals. In contrast, there was no significant difference (p = 0.973) in mean ferritin between patients with controlled diabetes and those with uncontrolled diabetes. In the entire study population, there was a significant relationship between ferritin and FBS (p = 0.001) and HbA1c (p < 0.001) level. Conclusion: In this study, the levels of FBS, HbA1c and ferritin were higher among the uncontrolled diabetes patients. This suggests the need to include ferritin in the panel of assay when screening for diabetes mellitus and when monitoring the progression of the disease.