The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes defined by fasting and 2‐h plasma glucose criteria in urban Nepal

Abstract

To determine the prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in people aged >/= 40 years in urban communities of Nepal, comparing the fasting and 2-h plasma glucose (PG) criteria for diagnosis of diabetes and to relate the prevalence to age, gender and hypertension. Field surveys of fasting and 2-h PG and blood pressure (BP) were done by cluster sampling in seven urban populations of Nepal. Of 1180 eligible individuals invited, 1012 (85.7%) aged >/= 40 years participated. The age and sex standardized prevalence of diabetes (known and newly diagnosed), IGT and impaired fasting glycaemia (IFG) were 19.0%, 10.6% and 9.9%, respectively. Of the total population, 30.5% (37.8% of men and 25.3% of women) had some abnormality of glucose tolerance. Of all diabetic individuals, 54.4% (53.8% of men and 55.1% of women) were undiagnosed. The prevalence of diabetes increased with age until the age of 75 years. The prevalence of diabetes was higher in men than in women (P < 0.001). The sensitivity of the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) criterion compared with either FPG or 2-h PG or both criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes was 70.5%[95% confidence interval (CI) 60.7, 78.8] and the corresponding sensitivity of 2-h PG criterion was 79% (95% CI 69.8, 86.1). The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of hypertension (BP >/= 140/90 mmHg) was 22.7%. Hypertension was less common in subjects with normal plasma glucose than in those with diabetes (18.8% vs. 36.7%). Similarly, of all subjects with hypertension, 29.1% had diabetes (known or newly diagnosed) and 43.0% had glucose intolerance of some form. Our study shows that diabetes and hypertension are common and related problems in people aged >/= 40 years in urban Nepal. The overall sensitivity of the 2-h PG criteria was greater than that of the FPG criteria for diagnosing diabetes, except in subjects aged >/= 60 years.