Fibrinogen, other cardiovascular risk factors and diabetes mellitus in Hong Kong: a community with high prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance

Aims To determine the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired g lucose tolerance (IGT) and their relationships to fibrinogen and other card iovascular risk factors in Hong Kong Chinese. Methods A probability sample of 1316 men and 1348 women aged 25-74 years we re examined in a population-based cross-sectional study. Results A total of 3.0% (95% confidence interval 2.1-3.9) of men had previo usly diagnosed (known) and 6.4% (5.0-7.8) newly diagnosed (unknown) diabete s, 14.4% (12.4-16.5) had IGT and 79.2% were normal by 1985 WHO diagnostic c riteria; corresponding prevalences in women were 3.7% (2.7-4.7), 5.9% (4.6- 7.2), 17% (14.8-19.2) and 73.4%. The age-standardized prevalence of Type 2 diabetes for the 35-64 age group was 9.5% (7.5-11.6) in men and 10.2% (8.0- 12.4) in women. Age-adjusted mean fibrinogen levels in these four groups (n ormal/IGT/unknown diabetes/known diabetes) with decreasing degrees of gluco se tolerance (diabetes status) were 2.80, 2.57, 2.51 and 2.47 g/l (P = 0.00 3) in men, and 2.86, 2.72, 2.67, 2.61 g/l (P = 0.005) in women. Age, obesit y, systolic blood pressure and triglycerides were significantly associated with diabetes status in both sexes, fibrinogen in men only and high density lipoprotein cholesterol negatively in women. Conclusions The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus was very high especi ally in older subjects, and fibrinogen was associated with increasing gluco se intolerance in men but not in women. The detection and better control of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly hypertension in this developed C hinese community with a high prevalence of diabetes and glucose intolerance , is particularly important.