CHANGES IN SERUM-LIPIDS AND ELECTROLYTES IN TYPE-II DIABETES-MELLITUSDURING RAMADAN

Our objectives were to study the effect of 1 month of religious fastin g (Ramadan) on serum lipids and electrolyte profiles in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in the outpatient depa rtment in a teaching district general hospital in North Jordan. We fou nd that blood glucose and total cholesterol levels did not change sign ificantly during Ramadan compared with the pre-fasting period (mean de crease of 0.33 mmol/l and 0.23 mmol/l respectively). However, a statis tically significant decrease in serum triglycerides and increase in se rum high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) occurred du ring the same period (mean of 0.49 mmol/l and 0.13 mmol/l respectively ). Serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) decreas ed in the same period (mean of 0.16 mmol/l). Serum sodium and potassiu m showed insignificant changes during the fasting month (mean of 1.6 m mol/l and 0.1 mmol/l respectively). Thus fasting for 1 month (Ramadan) affects NIDDM patients, serum HDL and LDL cholesterol and serum trigl ycerides favourably. The favourable changes in serum HDL and LDL chole sterol were observed up to 4 weeks after fasting. No significant chang es in serum glucose total cholesterol sodium and potassium occurred du ring the same period.