THE PREVALENCE OF NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT D IABETES-MELLITUS IN LEJONA (VIZCAYA, SPAIN)

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus presents a high prevalence and morbimort ality. The aim of the present study was to know the number of newly di agnosed diabetic patients in addition to those who present abnormal gl ucose tolerance and possible presence of associated risk factors. METH ODS: This study was carried out in Lejona (Vizcaya) from 1984-1985. Th e prevalence of non insulindependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and abn ormal glucose tolerance (AGT) in people older than or equal to 30 year s of age by a randomized sample stratified by pyramides of age and sex (n = 862). The following data were collected: age, sex, height, weigh t, medications taken, family and personal history of diabetes mellitus (DM) and blood pressure. A glycemia curve was made following the crit eria recommended by the Committee of Experts of the World Health Organ ization (WHO). RESULTs: The prevalence of DM observed in the sample wa s of 6.4 % (confidence interval of 95 %: 4.75 - 8.01 %) of which 3.6 % corresponded to unknown DM and 2.8 % to known DM. The prevalence of A GT was 10.4 % (confidence interval 95 %: 8.40 - 12.48 %). Greater asso ciation was observed between DM and obesity, lower height, high blood pressure and age over 50. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of the diabetics were unaware of the disease. Given the association of hon insulindepe ndent diabetes mellitus with modifiable factors (obesity, high blood p ressure) control of risc factors would be useful with the aim of decre asing the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and avoid the associated chr onic complications of the disease.