July - September 2010, Volume 6, Issue 3

Ioacara S, Tiu C

Prevalence of diabetes complications in first line therapy of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a middle size town of Romania

Acta Endo (Buc) 2010, 6 (3): 327-334
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2010.327

Aims. We investigated the prevalence of micro and macro-vascular complications and how these patients perform with respect to current treatment goals. \r\nMethods. We performed a cross-sectional study in type 2 diabetes subjects treated with biguanides in monotherapy, attending a standard diabetes outpatient clinic during 2008-2009. We used the latest available visit at the Clinic for data regarding demographics, anthropometrics, biochemistry, micro and macrovascular complications of diabetes. \r\nResults. We investigated 814 subjects, 463 (56.9%) females, mean age 62.6?10.5 years, age at diabetes onset 60?10.4 years, and a disease duration at study inclusion 2.6?3.9 years. Only 5.2% of females and 17.7% (p<0.01) of males had a waist circumference <80/<94 cm and 40.4% of cases had a fasting plasma glucose <7.21 mmol/l. The therapeutic target for blood pressure was achieved in 14.7% of cases for systolic blood pressure (<130 mmHg) and 29.6% for diastolic blood pressure (<80 mmHg). \r\nConclusion. Individuals with type 2 diabetes treated with biguanides in monotherapy are poorly controlled, have a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome components as well as micro and macrovascular complications.

Keywords: complications, epidemiology, biguanides

Correspondence: Sorin Ioacara MD, "N. Paulescu" National Institute of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases - Diabetes 1, Ion Movila 5-7 Bucharest 020475, Romania,\r\nEmail: drsorin@yahoo.com