title: Methodology and early findings of the Diabetes Management Project: a cohort study investigating the barriers to optimal diabetes care in diabetic patients with and without diabetic retinopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Diabetes Management Project is investigating the clinical, behavioural and psychosocial barriers to optimal diabetes care in individuals with and without diabetic retinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and twenty-three and 374 patients without and with diabetic retinopathy, respectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  All individuals underwent a comprehensive dilated eye test, anthropometric measurements, blood and urine samples, and psychosocial questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  Good glycaemic control was defined as glycosylated haemoglobin < 7%, good blood pressure control as systolic and diastolic values ≤130 and 80 mmHg, respectively, and good diabetes control as glycosylated haemoglobin < 7% and blood pressure values ≤130 and 80 mmHg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred and one males (65.4%) and 212 females (34.6%) aged 26-90 years (mean age ± standard deviation = 64.6 ± 11.6) were examined. The median glycosylated haemoglobin for all participants was 7.5% (interquartile range = 1.7%). Average systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were 139.7 mmHg (standard deviation = 18.8) and 92.7 mmHg (standard deviation = 30.9), respectively. Initial data analyses indicate that over two-thirds of participants with diabetes have poor glycaemic control, which was worse in those with diabetic retinopathy compared with those without (76.3% vs. 49.3%; P < 0.001). Blood pressure control was similar for those with and without diabetic retinopathy, with almost a third (28.5%) of the total sample having poor blood pressure control. Overall, those with diabetic retinopathy had poorer diabetes control than those without (24.3% vs. 13.7%; P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings substantiate the implementation of the Diabetes Management Project, developed to assess factors associated with suboptimal diabetes care.
authors: Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ecosse@unimelb.edu.au
authors: Ecosse Luc
authors: EL
authors: Lamoureux
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Fenwick
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Xie
authors: Annie
authors: A
authors: Mcauley
authors: Theona
authors: T
authors: Nicolaou
authors: Melanie
authors: M
authors: Larizza
authors: Gwyn
authors: G
authors: Rees
authors: Salmaan
authors: S
authors: Qureshi
authors: Tien Yin
authors: TY
authors: Wong
authors: Rehab
authors: R
authors: Benarous
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Dirani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human