Characteristics of Registered Diabetics in Dhank Province in the Sultanate of Oman

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of registered diabetics and describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in three primary health care centers in the Dhank province of Oman. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 567 individuals aged > 20 years old. Clinical data were obtained retrospectively from physical registers and electronic clinical records. Results: Of the total 567 patients with T2DM (age-stratified prevalence = 10.2%), 44.8% were men. The mean age of the patients was 55.8±15.6, and they had a mean body mass index (BMI) of 29.7±6.0. Diabetes duration was 5.9±4.0 years. Overall, 28.4% of the patients had glycated hemoglobin values < 7%. The percentages of patients who did not reach the recommended targets for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (< 1.0 mmol/L), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (> 2.59 mmol/L) and triglycerides (TG) (< 1.69 mmol/L) were 63.3%, 60.0%, and 34.6%, respectively. Almost half of all patients (43.40%) had a BMI > 30. Obesity and overweight were more prevalent in patients in the 30–59 age group compared to patients aged < 30 or > 60 years (p < 0.001). Almost all patients (93%) had an estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) of more than 60 mL/min/1.73m2. The number of patients diagnosed with T2DM aged < 60 years has been increasing gradually from 2008 to 2015 compared to those > 60 years (p = 0.017). Patients were managed by lifestyle measures (14.2%), oral hypoglycemic agents (one or two; 50%), and insulin therapy (35.7%). Conclusions: The prevalence of registered T2DM patients in Dhank is less than the national figure. This may be due to the location of Dhank as a border province. Further qualitative studies are recommended to elaborate on the factors that lead to poor glycemic control.

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