Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: DIACAM1 study was designed to investigate the clinical characteristics of a representative group of type 1 diabetic (T1D) population in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). The aim of this report is to describe the prevalence of microvascular complications and the factors associated with such complications.

Materials and methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional, prospective and multicentre study of 1465 patients who received assistance during 2010. All reported patients were aged >16 years at the time of the study and duration of diabetes was >5 years. There were 48.5% women, mean age 39.4±13.5 years, and mean diabetes duration 19.4±10.6 years. Patients underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess variables independently associated with microvascular complications.

Results: The prevalence of retinopathy was 32.5%. Non proliferative retinopathy was found in 20% and severe retinopathy in 12.5% (proliferative 8.9%). The prevalence of nephropathy was 18%. Without renal function impairment in 12.9% and with evident renal injury in 5.1% (NFK stages 3–4 in 3.5% and ESRD in 1.6%). There is significative increase (P<0.001) of microvascular complications with time evolution (Table 1). Independent variables for the presence of retinopathy were duration of diabetes (≥10 years. OR 19.9 and ≥30 years. OR 6.8, P<0.001), hypertension (OR 3.1, P<0.001) and current HbA1c >8% (OR 1.4, P<0.05). Independent factors associated with nephropathy were: hypertension (OR 7.04, P<0.001), diabetes duration ≥30 years (OR 2.8, P<0.001) and current HbA1c >8% (OR 1.84, P<0.05).

Conclusions: Retinopathy and nephropathy are less prevalent than expected. Microvascular complications are strongly influenced by the time of evolution of the disease, higher glycosilated hemoglobin and the presence of hypertension. These results are consistent with the trends of reduction of diabetes complications in other studies, due to intervention therapies and improvement of diabetes care.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.