Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus complications among palestinians with T2DM

Aims To assess the prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) among Palestinians. Methods 1308 diagnosed T2DM attending four main Primary Health Care Clinics on the Southern West Bank of Palestine examined by a Mobile Diabetes Clinic team. All diabetes patients visiting the clinics during a one-month period for each clinic were included. Interviews, anthropometric measurements, physical examination, and laboratory tests: HbA1c, lipid profile, and kidney function tests analyzed in a central laboratory were obtained Results 1308 diabetes patients, including 839 females (64%), with a mean age of 57 years (SD = 8.7), and mean diabetes duration 7.1 years(SD = 6.25), participated. 95.3% presented as overweight (BMI >25 kg/m²) or obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²) with mean BMI of 33.46 (SD = 5.95). The mean HbA1c (tested in 1221 patients) was 9.21(SD = 2). Only 16.1% had HbA1c <7.0%. Hypertension (blood pressure > 140/90 mmHg) were found in 23%, and dyslipidemia (total cholesterol?> 200 mg/dl) was present in 37.3% of patients. 213(16.3%) had a history of the macrovascular disease (previous myocardial infarction or stroke), and 290 (25.9%) had microvascular complications. Moreover, 40 (4.9%) had advanced kidney disease with serum creatinine > 1.4 mg/dl. Conclusions The present cross-sectional study shows poor glycemic control in Palestine, while blood pressure and lipids are less poorly controlled. The study emphasizes the need to optimize the glucose-lowering treatment and to implement diabetes care program that could face the challenge of high uncontrolled diabetes as well as complications of diabetes.