Quality of care of patients with type 2 diabetes in a Tunisian university hospital.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the quality of ambulatory management provided to patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Five hundred ninety-three patients with type 2 diabetes attended our outpatient department in 2002. Clinical and biological data were collected from the medical records of these patients.


RESULTS
The mean age was 61.7 +/- 10.5 years; 60.5% were women and known duration of diabetes was 11.8 +/- 7.5 years. Eighty-five percent of patients had 2 or more visits and 58% were on insulin. Glycaemic control was assessed using fasting blood glucose in 97.3%, post-prandial blood glucose in 28.3% and glycated haemoglobin in 50.6% of cases. HbA1c was over 8% in 60.7% of patients. Weight was measured at least once in 86.5% of cases, blood pressure in 91.2% and lipids levels estimated in 58%. BMI was less than 25 kg/m2 in 16.2% of patients and blood pressure less than 140/90 mmHg in 40.1% of cases. Foot examination was recorded only in 5% of patients, ECG was performed in 23.8% of cases and fundoscopy in 19.2% of patients. Proteinuria was documented in 19.1% of cases and renal function assessed in 54.4% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the management of type 2 diabetes is still inadequately performed in our centre and more progress is needed to prevent micro and macrovascular complications.
Harzallah
F
F
Endocrinology-Diabetology department, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia. fatma.harzallah@ms.tn
Alberti
H
H
Kanoun
F
F
Elhouch
F
F
Slimane
H
H
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000592:standards*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004282:Documentation; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D014416:Tunisia
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin