The clinical and metabolic effects of fasting on 41 NIDDM patients during the ramadan

Abstract

Objective of the study was to observe the effects of Islamic Ramadan fast in patients with NIDDM. 41 NIDDM cases on a suitable diabetic diet with or without oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) were evaluated with respect to the criteria mentioned below two weeks before, during the last week of, and three weeks after the lunar month of Ramadan.No significant changes occurred in BMI and total cholesterol values. The mean HDL-cholesterol level which was 39±7.7 mg/dl increased to a significantly higher value 43±7.7 mg/dl; p=0.04) after three weeks of fast. It was still significantly higher three weeks after Ramadan (42±7.7 mg/dl; p=0.03). The mean triglyceride level decreased only slightly in Ramadan, but it was significantly lower (p=0.02) three weeks after Ramadan the values, in mg/dl, before, in the last week of, and three weeks after Ramadan being 244±212, 240±204, and 205±158 respectively. The mean haemoglobin Ale increased slightly but significantly during Ramadan (from 7.30±1.6 % to 7.55±1.7 %; p=0.006), but returned to initial levels (7.32±1.7 %) soon after. Ramadan fast can have both favourable and unfavourable effects in NIDDM cases on a suitable diabetic diet with or without OHA.