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Global burden of diabetes complications ‘substantial,’ continues to grow
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SAN DIEGO — The global burden of microvascular and macrovascular complications in adults with type 2 diabetes is relatively high and is expected to grow as the prevalence of diabetes increases, according to a speaker here.
However, “the global problem of microvascular and macrovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes is not well described, especially in certain regions of the world and, in particular, in low- and middle-income countries,” Mikhail N. Kosiborod, MD, from the department of cardiology at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, said during a presentation. “This information is very important and essential for future health care planning, given the fact that about 642 million patients with type 2 diabetes are expected globally by the year 2040.”
Kosiborod and colleagues analyzed data from the worldwide, prospective, observational DISCOVER study on 14,178 adults with type 2 diabetes initiating second-line glucose-lowering therapy to determine the global prevalence of macrovascular and microvascular complications. The DISCOVER study enrolled participants from 37 countries.
For the current analysis, the mean age of the cohort was 56.6 years, 53% were men, mean HbA1c was 8.6% and mean diabetes duration was 6 years.
Microvascular complications were defined as a composite of retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy. Macrovascular complications were defined as a composite of coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke and peripheral artery disease.
“We know that HbA1c and glucose control in general correlate with the higher risk of developing microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. Certainly, macrovascular complication risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia are highly prevalent and overrepresented in patients with type 2 diabetes,” Kosiborod said during the presentation.
According to findings presented here, the overall global burden of microvascular complications was 17.7%, ranging from 5.5% to 41.1%, and the overall global burden of macrovascular complications was 13%, ranging from 4.1% to 46.6%.
“The global burden of micro- and macrovascular complications is quite substantial,” Kosiborod said. “These findings highlight a real opportunity for aggressive risk factor screening and medication on early stages of diabetes, particularly in those regions that have high problems of micro- and macrovascular complications.”– by Amber Cox
Reference:
Kosiborod MN, et al. 303-OR. Presented at: American Diabetes Association 77th Scientific Sessions; June 9-13, 2017; San Diego.
Disclosures: Kosiborod reports various financial ties with Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Eisai, Eli Lilly and Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Glytec Systems, Merck & Co., Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company and ZS Pharma.