Diabetes Prevalence survey of Pakistan (DPS-PAK)

It was a population-based survey that estimated prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus type 2 and prediabetes using HbA1c. This is based on HbA1c and with the eligible 18 856 subjects from Pakistan. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes across Pakistan was 16.98% (95% CI 16.44 to 17.51) and prediabetes was 10.91% (95% CI 10.46 to 11.36). This is higher than found in the only previous national survey conducted in1999 (n=5433) using OGTT. There was a significantly higher risk of type2 diabetes with increasing systolic blood pressure, age, BMI, WC, WHR with evidence of a dose-response relationship. Similarly, there was a significant inverse relationship of type 2 diabetes with the level of formal education.  The risk of diabetes increased 2.68 times with a prior family history. The HbA1c level had good sensitivity and specificity level for the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes compared with a 2-hour OGTT level and is therefore valid in community settings for screening purposes.

The risk factors of cardiovascular disease in newly diagnosed Diabetes mellitus Type 2 patients were explored in a cross-sectional, prospective, multicenter study, conducted from June 2014 till July 2015 at family practice clinics in 27 cities across Pakistan, and comprised individuals aged 30-50 years diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus within the preceding six months.  Laboratory investigations were conducted at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, and Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. Out of 888 subjects, 362(40.8%) were women and 526(59.2%) were men. The overall mean presenting age was 42.4±5.8 years. After stratification by age, those ≥40 years were significantly associated with higher glycated hemoglobin (p=0.02) and those ≤39 years were associated with higher levels of very low-density lipoprotein (p=0.001) and triglyceride (p=0.006). The mean risk estimate for CHD was 9.7% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 9.010.1)), for fatal CHD 4.4% (95% CI 4.0-4.6), for stroke 1.5% (95% CI 1.2-1.7), and for fatal stroke 0.25% (95% CI 0.240.26).(Ref)