Predictors of hypocalcemia among children admitted in the Emergency Pediatric Unit of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and pattern of hypoglycemia among children admitted to the Emergency Pediatric Unit (EPU) at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and September 2020. Blood glucose, along with other relevant laboratory investigations, was measured for each patient upon admission to the EPU using a point-of-care test glucometer (ACCU-CHEK with strips).

Results: Of the 340 children recruited for the study, 54 patients had hypoglycemia (<2.2 mmol/L), giving a prevalence rate of 15.9%. Thirty-six (66.7%) of the children with hypoglycemia were under the age of 5 years (odds ratio [OR]: 6.218 [1.077-35.912], p=0.041) and 26 (48.1%) were severely underweight (OR: 3.692 [1.266-10.971], p=0.017). Factors such as not having eaten for at least 16 h, weakness, and coma at presentation all independently predicted hypoglycemia (OR: 5.696 [1.768-18.352], 6.556 [1.730-24.850], 9.479 [3.092-29.059], p=0.004, 0.006 and <0.001) respectively. Severe malaria was also independently related to hypoglycemia (OR: 2.720 [0.554-13.365], p=0.021).

Conclusion: Hypoglycemia is a common occurrence among children admitted to the EPU. Factors such as being under five years old, in a coma, weakness, severe malaria, and prolonged fasting were all identified as independent predictors of hypoglycemia. Therefore, routine blood glucose monitoring of children admitted to the EPU, specifically those at higher risk, is recommended.