The prevalence of diabetes and diabetic complications in a cohort of portuguese patients: A medical sentinel practice network study

Abstract

Objectives: To characterize a cohort of diabetics by sex and age; to estimate the prevalence of diabetes type 1 and type 2; to characterize the prescribed therapeutic to type 2 diabetic patients and their consumption of tobacco and alcohol, ophthalmology consultation review and some biometrical and biochemical data; and to estimate prevalence of type 2 diabetes complications. Type of study: A one year transversal phase from a 3 years follow up study. Place: Population related to several Health Centres. Population: A cohort of 4583 diabetic patients from 66 general practitioners lists collaborating with the portuguese sentinel network. Methods: Survey of general practitioners their diabetic patients. Data have been analysed in the Department of Epidemiology of the Portuguese National Institute of Health Dr. Ricardo Jorge. Results and conclusions: The prevalence of diabetes type 1 and type 2 have been estimated in 0,1% and 5,4%, respectively. Hypertension has been the most frequent therapeutic prescribed associated to diabetes, for 3265 (75,5%) cases. One need to be careful concerning interpretation of the results related with the diabetes complications, considering the small number of cases. Diabetes complications have been identified for 816 (18,7%) type 2 diabetic patients, as the retinopathy was the most frequent ( 356; 11,4% cases). As about half of the diabetic patients had been consulted for ophthalmology during the previous year (1790; 48%), one may underestimate the prevalence of this complication. Although the big amount of data, it is known that several factors could have biased the results; then, they should be considerate as minimal.