Assessment of therapeutic targets in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects approximately one third of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. We aimed to evaluate treatment targets of T2DM patients with CVD. Method(s) This retrospective study included 469 T2DM patients attending a Diabetes Center before COVID-19 (08.2016-12.2019). Data regarding diabetes history, complications and comorbidities, anthropometric parameters, metabolic profile were collected from medical records. Result(s) The patients' mean age was 62.27+/-9.98 and 48.8% were men. The mean diabetes duration was 6.81+/-7.04 years and the metabolic parameters were BMI 31.78+/-5.32 kg/m2, HbA1c 7.5+/-1.47%, glycaemia 159.96+/-49.31 mg/dl, LDL-cholesterol 99.60+/-42.68 mg/dl, triglycerides 200.33+/-143.37 mg/dl. 203 patients had atherosclerotic CVD (angina, cardiac ischemic disease, peripheral arterial disease). A comparative analysis revealed higher values in CVD patients for age, diabetes duration, abdominal circumference, glycaemia, urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), p <0.05. Diabetes duration and ACR seemed to be predictive factors for CVD (AUC=0.579, p <0.01, CI=0.52 - 0.63, respectively AUC=0.607, p <0.01, CI=0.52 - 0.68). Regarding treatment targets of CVD patients, 45.5% had systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg, 14.8% had LDL-cholesterol <55 mg/dl, and 26.6% had HbA1c <7%. Conclusion(s) In clinical practice, some T2DM patients fail to achieve cardio-metabolic control even if managed according to the latest ESC recommendations. Copyright © 2022