[Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in young Asian Indian immigrants in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Spain)]. / Prevalencia de diabetes mellitus en inmigrantes indostánicos jóvenes en Santa Coloma de Gramenet, España.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: There is a general agreement to consider Asian Indian subjects, specially those who immigrated to Western countries, as a high-risk population to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). This could be mainly explained by reasons based on the immigration changes, particularly the metabolic impact of a westernized diet (environmental hypothesis) or reasons based in the presence of tissue resistance to insulin (genetic hypothesis). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of DM2 in 3 populations of Asian Indian immigrants, non-Asian Indian immigrants and autochthonous subjects. POPULATION AND METHOD: An observational multicenter study was performed in 3 primary care centers from Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona, Spain). Subjects from Asian Indian, non-Asian Indian and autochthonous origin born between 1948-73 were compared. Their DM2 prevalence as well as sociodemographic and clinical data among diabetic patients were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of DM2 was 4.6 %. The prevalence of DM2 was higher among Asian Indian immigrants (20.9%, 95% CI, 12.1-29.1) compared with autochthonous (3.6%; 95% CI, 2.9-9.3; p < 0.001) and non-Asian Indian immigrants (9.7%; 95% CI, 5.3-14.1; p = 0.013). Nevertheless, differences between autochthonous and non-Asian Indian immigrants were found (p < 0.001). Asian Indians subjects had an earlier diagnosis age, especially those younger than 44 years, than those of non-Asian Indian immigrants and autochthonous groups (p < 0.002 and p < 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that young immigrant populations have a higher prevalence of DM2 compared with autochthonous ones. Indeed, the prevalence of DM2 among immigrant Asian Indians represents the highest reported in the European Union so far and shows differences with non-Asian Indian immigrants. In spite of this, these differences are not totally conclusive in statistical terms; further studies are needed to compare both populations.

Prevalencia de diabetes mellitus en inmigrantes indostánicos jóvenes en Santa Coloma de Gramenet, España / Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in young Asian Indian immigrants in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Spain)

Fundamento y objetivo: Hay un acuerdo general en considerar que la población de origen indostánico, sobre todo los inmigrantes de países occidentales, tiene un riesgo especialmente elevado a desarrollar diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2). Para explicarlo se han defendido argumentos basados en el impacto de los cambios debidos a la inmigración, especialmente el atribuible a la adopción de una dieta occidental (hipótesis ambiental) o debidos a la presencia de resistencia tisular a la insulina (hipótesis genética). El objetivo principal del estudio es valorar la prevalencia de DM2 en tres poblaciones de inmigrantes: indostánicos, inmigrantes no indostánicos y autóctonos. Población y método: Estudio transversal y multicéntrico realizado en 3 centros de atención primaria de Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona, España). Se estudiaron tres poblaciones nacidas entre 1948 y 1973 según su origen: indostánico, no indostánico y autóctono. Se analizó la prevalencia de DM2 y la relación de variables sociodemográficas y de comorbilidad entre los pacientes diabéticos. Resultados: Se estudió a 2.690 individuos de los que un 4,6% tenía DM2. La prevalencia de DM2 fue superior en el grupo de indostánicos (20,9%, intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%, 12,1-29,1) en relación con el grupo de autóctonos (3,6%, IC del 95%, 2,9-4,3; p < 0,001) y a la de inmigrantes no indostánicos (9,7%, IC del 95%, 5,3-14,1; p = 0,013). No obstante, la prevalencia de los inmigrantes no indostánicos también fue estadísticamente significativa respecto a los autóctonos (p < 0,001). Los indostánicos presentaron una edad de diagnóstico más temprana (por debajo de los 44 años) comparado con la de los inmigrantes no indostánicos y los autóctonos (p < 0,002 y p < 0,006, respectivamente). Conclusiones: Se observa una mayor prevalencia de DM2 en población inmigrante joven en relación con la población autóctona. La prevalencia de DM2 en inmigrantes indostánicos es la más alta de las registradas en la Unión Europea y superior a la de los inmigrantes no indostánicos, después son necesarios subsiguientes estudios que comparen ambas poblaciones

Bakground and objective: There is a general agreement to consider Asian Indian subjects, specially those who immigrated to Western countries, as a high-risk population to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). This could be mainly explained by reasons based on the immigration changes, particularly the metabolic impact of a westernized diet (environmental hypothesis) or reasons based in the presence of tissue resistance to insulin (genetic hypothesis). The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of DM2 in 3 populations of Asian Indian immigrants, non-Asian Indian immigrants and autochtonous subjects. Population and method: An observational multicenter study was performed in 3 primary care centers from Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona, Spain). Subjects from Asian Indian, non-Asian Indian and autochtonous origin born between 1948-73 were compared. Their DM2 prevalence as well as sociodemographic and clinical data among diabetic patients were analyzed. Results: The overall prevalence of DM2 was 4.6 %. The prevalence of DM2 was higher among Asian Indian immigrants (20.9%, 95% CI, 12.1-29.1) compared with autochtonous (3.6%; 95% CI, 2.9-9.3; p < 0.001) and non-Asian Indian immigrants (9.7%; 95% CI, 5.3-14.1; p = 0.013). Nevertheless, differences between autochtonous and non-Asian Indian immigrants were found (p < 0.001). Asian Indians subjects had an earlier diagnosis age, especially those younger than 44 years, than those of non-Asian Indian immigrants and autochthonous groups (p < 0.002 and p < 0.006, respectively). Conclusions: Taken together, these results suggest that young immigrant populations have a higher prevalence of DM2 compared with autochtonous ones. Indeed, the prevalence of DM2 among immigrant Asian Indians represents the highest reported in the European Union so far and shows differences with non-Asian Indian immigrants. In spite of this, these differences are not totally conclusive in statistical terms; further studies are needed to compare both populations