Prevalence and association of clinical characteristics and biochemical factors with complications of diabetes mellitus in Palestinians treated in primary healthcare practice.

AIMS: The current study was carried out to examine prevalence of complications related to diabetes mellitus (DM) and to investigate association between clinical variables and biochemical factors with complications of DM in patients treated in primary healthcare settings in the West Bank of Palestine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sociodemographic, clinical, and biochemical variables were collected from 385 patients visiting 17 primary healthcare settings in the West Bank. Patients provided blood and urine samples, responded to a questionnaire interview, and were subjected to ophthalmic examination.

RESULTS: HbA1c levels were predicted by duration of DM (p < 0.001), HDL (p = 0.011), alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.001), blood urea (p = 0.006), and LDL (p = 0.008). Triglycerides levels were predicted by blood urea (p = 0.002), HDL (p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (p < 0.001). GOT levels were predicted by LDL (p = 0.002) and GPT (p < 0.001). GPT levels were predicted by HDL (p = 0.003) and blood urea (p = 0.025). Urine albumin were predicted by total cholesterol (p = 0.001), LDL (p = 0.005), and blood urea (p = 0.036). CD ratio was predicted by the IOP and the IOP was predicted by the CD ratio (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of complications related to DM was high among patients with DM treated in primary healthcare practice. These complications and risk factors were predicted by certain clinical characteristics and biochemical factors. Policies and programs are needed to manage these modifiable risk factors.