title: Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose levels in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia: results of a screening campaign.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and to study its relationship with socioeconomic factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study targeted all Saudi subjects aged 30 years and above who resided in the Eastern Province in 2004. DM screening was conducted by taking the capillary fasting blood glucose (CFBG) after eight hours or more of fasting, or the casual capillary blood glucose (CCBG). A positive screening test for hyperglycaemia was defined as CFBG more than or equal to 100 mg/dl (5.6 mmol/l), or CCBG more than or equal to 140 mg/dl (7.8 mmol/l). A positive result was confirmed on another day through the measurement of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels from a venous sample. A diagnosis of DM was considered if FPG was more than or equal to 126 mg/dl (7.0 mmol/l), or when there was a history of a previous diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 197,681 participants, 35,929 (18.2 percent) had a positive history of DM or a positive screening test for hyperglycaemia. After confirmation by venous blood testing, the prevalence of DM dropped to 17.2 percent while the prevalence of newly diagnosed DM was 1.8 percent. The prevalence increased with age and was higher in women, widows, divorcees, those who had a low education level and the unemployed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of DM in Saudi Arabia is one of the highest reported in the world, and its yield of screening is high.
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Dammam 2, Saudi Arabia. nadiraa@windowslive.com
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Baghli
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Al-Ghamdi
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Al-Turki
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Al Elq
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: El-Zubaier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahnassy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose