The Association of Obesity and Microvascular Complications with Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

INTRODUCTION: According Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with a high prevalence characterized by elevated blood glycemic values and with progressive development of micro and macrovascular complications. Glycemia control is a very important factor in the process of „delaying“ the onset of complications by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) analysis. AIM: The aim of the study is to determine the association of obesity, microvascular complications with glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: The study was prospective, involving 105 patients with type 2 diabetes. It was conducted at the University Clinical Center of the Republic of Srpska from January 2016 to January 2018. The patients were adults, of both sexes, suffering from type 2 diabetes, in whom complications of this disease are present. Glycemic control was evaluated based on a target HbA1c value of 7%. RESULTS: Out of the 105 patients in the study, 45.8% were male, 54.2% female. The mean age of the patients was 68.3%±10.7 years. The mean HbA1c level was 8.32±1.57%. Of the total number of patients, in 25.7% the HbA1c levels were ≤7.0%, while in 74.3% the HbA1c were ≥7.0% (p<0.001). There were 57.1% of obese patients, of whom 37.0% had HbA1c ≤7.0%, and 64.1% had HbA1c ≥7.0% (p<0.014). Depending on the duration of diabetes, the study found that ≥7.0% HbA1c was more present in patients with an diabetes duration over 20 years (24.4%) compared with those who had had the diabetes for less than 20 years (3.8%) (p<0.037). Microvascular complications were present in 58 patients (55.2%), of which 33.3% had normal HbA1c values, while unregulated glycemia had 62.8% (p<0.008). Retinopathy was present in 40.9%, polyneuropathy 37.1% and nephropathy 32.4% from which the unregulated glycemia (HbA1c ≥7.0%) was present in 39.7% of patients compared to normal glycemic values in 11.1 % of respondents (p<0.006). In 88 patients, certain diseases were present: hypertension in 76.2% of patients, cardiovascular disease 58.0% and hyperlipidemia 35.2%. CONCLUSION: Glycemia control in obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is important especially for the prevention of serious microvascular complications that significantly affect the quality of life of patients.