Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetic patients are known to develop complications and co-morbidities as a result of the disease. Determining gender susceptibility to diabetic complications can lead to improved patient-centered care for patients.

Objectives: To examine the gender differences on complications and comorbidities in patients newly diagnosed with diabetes in NL.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study, patients were followed for 5 years from the date of diagnosis, between 1998 to 2003, till their deaths or end of study (2008), whichever came first. The study included individuals who were newly diagnosed with diabetes aged 20 years and older that were identified using provincial medico-administrative data. Gestational diabetes was excluded. Diabetes complications and comorbidities were defined as any record for cardiovascular disease, renal failure, end stage renal disease and lower-extremity amputation during the study period. Late diagnosis was identified as any record for complications at the time of diagnosis. Other variables included healthcare utilization and place of residence. Healthcare utilization was defined as number of visits with family physicians, specialists as well as number of hospitalizations per year. Descriptive analyses as well as multiple logistic regressions were performed.

Results: There were 20,292 patients, mean age 60(±15); 50% were women. Majority of the patients (63%) belonged to urban areas. Approximately, 17% of the men and 13% of the women had a late diagnosis (P<0.000). Five year after diagnosis, 27% and 18% of men and women respectively had at least one complication, while 18% of men and 16% of women had died during the study period. Men were more likely to develop diabetic complications than women (OR =1.63, CI 1.51–1.75) after being accounted for age, late diagnosis, place of residence and healthcare utilization.

Conclusion: Men are prone to late diagnosis and developing more diabetic co-morbidities than women in NL. The differences in the healthcare utilization and the susceptibility to late diagnose in males can account for the differences observed between gender. Therefore, the gender differences in health and healthcare should be taken into account in diabetes management. Further research is required to determine the biological and healthcare factors.