Incidence of Cardiovascular Complications and Nephropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in a Primary Care Setting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Main Authors: Alsaidan M, Alkhenizan A, Amber ST, Alsoghayer S, AlFakhri L, Abudaia J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2021-04-01
• Series: Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity : Targets and Therapy
• Subjects: diabetes; complications; primary care.
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/incidence-of-cardiovascular-complications-and-nephropathy-in-patients--peer-reviewed-article-DMSO

Muath Alsaidan,1 Abdullah Alkhenizan,2 Shammama Tul Amber,2 Suad Alsoghayer,2 Lama AlFakhri,3 Jamil Abudaia4 1King Saud University College of Medicine, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Family Medicine and Polyclinic, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3King Saud University Medical City, Department of Emergency Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4AlFaisal University, College of Medicine, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Abdullah AlkhenizanKing Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Family Medicine and Polyclinic, P.O. Box 3354, Riyadh, 11211, Saudi ArabiaEmail [e-mail]: Diabetes mellitus is prevalent in Saudi Arabia. Our study aims to estimate the rate and time of developing macrovascular and microvascular complications in diabetic patients in a primary care setting.Methodology: This is a retrospective cohort study. All collected data were retrieved using medical files and the electronic patient records of all diabetics having regular follow-ups in Family Medicine clinics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from the beginning of January 2002 to the end of December 2018. The data included the demographics of patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, their HbA1c, and the follow-up duration of the development of complications, which included cardiovascular complications and diabetic nephropathy.Results: We included 365 patients, of whom 47.1% males and 52.9% were females. The mean age of diabetes mellitus diagnosis in our population was 50 years (SD± 11.3). The mean duration of follow-up was 7.14 years (SD± 3.9). The rate of developing cardiovascular complications and diabetic nephropathy was 11.2% and 10.4%, respectively. The mean time to develop cardiovascular complications and diabetic nephropathy was 6 (SD± 3.9) and 5.24 (SD± 3.2) years, respectively. The mean time to develop the first diabetes complication was 5.5 years (SD± 3.6). There was no statistical significance in the mean of HbA1c between patients who developed diabetic complications and those who did not.Conclusion: Diabetes complications are common in the Saudi community. The duration of the development of cardiovascular complications and diabetic nephropathy was shorter than that indicated in international and national reports. Robust screening programs to diagnose and improve the control of diabetes mellitus should be established in the Kingdom.Keywords: diabetes, complications, primary care