¿Existen diferencias clínicas y metabólicas entre diabéticos inmigrantes y autóctonos?

Abstract

AimTo determine the clinical features and the metabolic control in immigrant diabetic patients in two Primary Care centres in La Rioja, Spain. DesignDescriptive study. SettingTwo urban Primary Care centres which cover a population of 11,700 and 23,000 patients in Logroño. Primary outcomesSocio-demographic variables (age, sex, origin country of origin, age at onset of diabetes), clinical variables (blood pressure, waist circumference (WC), high, weight, BMI) and analytical variables (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile). The immunology of DM and baseline C-peptide were studied in patients younger than 40 years old. ParticipantsA total of 70 diabetic immigrants, aged between 18 and 70 years old and registered until December 31st 2009, and 70 Spanish-born diabetic patients were selected by consecutive sampling. ResultsThe final sample consisted of 140 patients (70 immigrants, 70 Spanish). Mean age of Spanish-born diabetics, 55.5 years, of immigrants 45.7 years (P=.002).Age at diagnosis 38.4 years in immigrants and 48.1 years in autochthonous (P=.004).WC in immigrants 104.1cm, in Spanish-born, 105.3cm (P=.56).BMI in immigrants 29, in Spanish-born 32.1 (P=.06).Mean glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in immigrants 8.4%, in Spanish-born 7.5% (P=.002). Blood pressure and lipid values were lower in Hindustani and North African patients than in Spanish-born and other immigrant groups. ConclusionsImmigrant diabetic patients are younger at diagnosis, have an unchanged baseline C-peptide secretion, higher HbA1c levels, higher WC with lower BMI compared to Spanish-born patients.