It is predicted that about 366 million people worldwide will be diabetic by the year 2030 [1]. There are 2 types of diabetes; T1D and Type2 Diabetes (T2D). T1D is a heterogeneous disorder associated with the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, with the resultant effect of absolute insulin deficiency. Type2 diabetes on the other hand is characterized by resistance to insulin action and suboptimal insulin secretory response. Causes of diabetes ranges from autoimmunemediated destruction of beta cells and idiopathic destruction or failure of beta cells [2,3]. About 5-10% of the total cases of diabetes worldwide are due to T1D. T1D is the most common type of diabetes in children and adolescents while Type2 Diabetes (T2D) is common among young adults [4-6]. Type1 Diabetes (T1D) has been increasing by 2% to 5% worldwide. Approximately 1 in 300 persons in the United States are diabetic at the age of 18 years. Epidemiologic patterns show that several factors play a role in distribution of T1D; demographic, geographic, biologic, cultural, and other factors (the role of infections, early childhood diet, vitamin D exposure, environmental pollutants, increased height velocity, obesity, and insulin resistance) [7]. Patients with diabetes mellitus show a significant derangement in various haematological parameters [8]. A high prevalence of anaemia was identified in this group of Type2 Diabetic patients [9]. About 27% of diabetics’ patients are anaemic [10]. The mean values of TRBC, Hb, PCV and MCHC for the diabetic patients were found to be lower than the values of control group [11].
Diabetes is a common community based disease among Nigerians [12,13]. Nigeria has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Africa [14]. There is paucity of data on the effect of T1D on the haematological parameters in Nigerians with T1D diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in some haematological parameters in patients with T1D in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria and to compare the results with non-diabetics.