title: Glycemic and blood pressure control in an asian malay population with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the prevalence of and factors associated with suboptimal glycemic and blood pressure (BP) control in a Malay population with diabetes mellitus in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Singapore Malay Eye Study was a population-based survey of 3280 Malay individuals (78.7% response rate) aged 40 to 80 years. Diabetes was defined as a nonfasting glucose level of 200 mg/dL or greater, use of diabetic medication, or physician diagnosis. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was graded from retinal photographs using the modified Airlie House classification. Optimal control was defined as a hemoglobin A(1c) level of less than 7% and BP of 130/80 mm Hg or lower.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In participants with diabetes (n = 768), only 26.9% had optimal glycemic and 13.4% optimal BP control, respectively. In those with DR (n = 272), rates of optimal glycemic and BP control were even lower (17.4% and 10.3%, respectively). After adjusting for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and other factors, compared with participants with optimal glycemic control, those with suboptimal control were younger (P = .005), more likely to be unaware of their diabetes status (P < .001), and taking medication for diabetes (P < .001) and had higher levels of total cholesterol (P = .009) and DR (P < .001). After adjusting for similar risk factors, compared with participants with optimal BP control, those with suboptimal BP control were older (P = .006) and more likely to have higher total cholesterol levels (P = .002), BMIs (P = .04), and DR (P = .02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this Asian Malay population with diabetes, more than three-quarters had poor glycemic and BP control. Strategies to improve awareness and implement evidence-based guidelines are needed to reduce the effect and burden of diabetic complications in Asia.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
authors.forename: Olivia S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ecosse L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Lamoureux
authors.forename: Wan Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.forename: E Shyong
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Tai
authors.forename: Jie Jin
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tien Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin