Metabolic and cardiovascular risk factor control in a diabetic cohort. Four-year results

To assess control of blood glucose and other cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic patients monitored at an outpatient endocrinology clinic. To ascertain treatment used and its changes over time.

A cohort of 424 randomly selected diabetic patients (both type 1 and type 2) was monitored from 2004 to 2008. Final cohort size was 343 patients. Data were collected about epidemiological characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, chronic complications, glycemic, lipid and blood pressure control, and treatment at baseline and 4 years.

After 4 years, the proportion of patients achieving glycosylated hemoglobin levels less than 7% remained stable (type 1: 18.5% in 2004 vs 21.7% in 2008, type 2: 26.6% vs 26.5%). The degree of achievement of lipid and blood pressure (BP) control levels increased in both groups. The complexity of treatment schemes used to achieve these results significantly increased.

Stabilization of glycemic control after 4 years of follow-up was a positive result, considering the long course of diabetes, progressive pancreatic function impairment, and complexity of our cohort. Treatment optimization significantly improved BP and lipid control in the study group.