GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN TYPE-2 DIABETES -A POPULATION-BASED STUDY

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of poor gly caemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in an Italian populatio n-based cohort of subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Out of a cohort of 1967 subjects (estimated completeness of ascertainment 80 %), 1574 (80 %) were investigated, and adherence to targets for contro l of the European NIDDM Policy Group assessed. Prevalence of poor glyc emic control (HbA(1c) > = 8) was 47.7 %. Obesity was present in 23.4 % of the cohort, hypertension in 83.4 %, hypertriglyceridaemia (> 2.26 mM) in 19.3 %, hypercholesterolaemia (>6.46 mM) in 25.5 %, and low HDL -cholesterol (<0.90 mM in men and <1.03 mM in women) in 13.7 %. Only 1 53 (9.7 %) subjects were free from other disorders. Subjects were trea ted as follows: 26.2 % exclusively by general practitioners; 13.3 %, 6 9.9 %, 10.9 %, and 5.9 % with diet, oral hypoglycaemic drugs, insulin, and both, respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed as sociations between HbA(1c) and fibrinogen (p < 0.001), total cholester ol (p = 0.006), and triglycerides (p = 0.04), independent of age, sex, duration of diabetes, and antidiabetic treatment. Neither BMI nor blo od pressure were associated with HbA(1c). In conclusion, this Italian population-based cohort of subjects with Type 2 DM showed a high preva lence of poor glycaemic control, high consumption of oral hypoglycaemi c drugs, and an independent association between glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors (fibrinogen, total cholesterol, and trigly cerides). The presence of obesity or hypertension was not significantl y associated with glycaemic control. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.