Blood glucose control and its influencing factors in elderly type 2 diabetics under different health care levels

Abstract

To compare the status of blood glucose control in elderly type 2 diabetics under different health care levels and analyze its influencing factors. Using cross-sectional and field survey methods, 688 elderly type 2 diabetics aged over 60 years undergoing long-term annual physical examination at PLA General Hospital in May 2009(veteran group) were recruited. And 409 patients aged over 60 years with type 2 diabetes were selected from a community health survey in Beijing from September 2009 to June 2010(community group). According to the diabetic control standards of Chinese Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Guide(2010), a comparison of blood glucose control status between two groups were conducted. The mean HbA1c level was 6.6% ± 1.0% in the veteran group. And there were 50.6% patients with HbA1c <6.5% and 76.3% with HbA1c <7%. In the community group, the mean HbA1c level was 7.1% ± 1.4% and the success rates of HbA1c were 40.6% and 55.7% respectively. The status of blood glucose control in the veteran group was significantly superior to that in the community group (P < 0.05). The comprehensive rates of achieving control target goals for blood glucose, blood pressure and blood lipids were higher in the veteran group than that in the community group (11.5% vs 2.0%, P < 0.001). The success rates of HbA1c for diabetics diagnosed after age 60 years were better than those diagnosed before age 60 years (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that different health care levels, gender, duration of diabetes, age of onset and total cholesterol were crucial factors for achieving target goal of HbA1c in both groups (P < 0.05). The status of blood glucose control was much better in the veteran group than that in the community group. And the blood glucose control level in the patients diagnosed as diabetes after age 60 years was superior to that in those diagnosed before age 60 years.