Rates and Predictors of Glycemic Control Among Type 2 Diabetic Iraqi Patients
Keywords:
Diabetes mellitus, type 2, Hemoglobin A1c, Glycemic control, Predictors.Abstract
Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant medical and social problem in all countries of the world. Without the active participation of the patient in the treatment process, achieving therapeutic goals seems to be a rather difficult task. In this regard, high-quality training of patients in the principles of glycemic management is extremely important. Poor glycemic control could be attributed to several factors. Patients with poor glycemic control are at high risk of higher morbidity and complication rates. Therefore, encouraging patients to adherence to management plan and good glycemic control contribute to improve prognosis and reduce the risks of adverse outcomes.
Objective: To determine the rate and the contributing factors of poor glycemic control among Iraqi patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in Samawa city, South-east to Baghdad, the capital of Iraq during the period from January 2024 to March 2025. A total of 200 patients were enrolled in this study. They were Iraqi patients of both genders with proved diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus for at least one year. The complementary and diagnostic laboratory investigations were performed for all patients including Fasting Blood Sugar and glycated hemoglobin A1C. The level of glycemic control based on the standard clinical guidelines’ recommendations for hemoglobin A1c levels.
Results: According to the findings and levels of hemoglobin A1c, the rate of Poor glycemic control was 61% among the study group. The main factors associated with poor glycemic control were older age, lower level of education, unemployment, higher BMI, irregular visits to the specialist physicians, using combined oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin, presence of comorbidities, non-adherence to treatment and longer disease, in all comparisons, P. value <0.05.
Conclusions: Poor glycemic control rate was high among the study population. The factors that significantly contributed to poor glycemic control were older age, lower level of education, unemployment, higher BMI, irregular visits to the specialist physicians, using combined oral hypoglycemic drugs and insulin, presence of comorbidities, non-adherence to treatment and longer disease duration.
