title: The diabetic immigrant: cardiovascular risk factors and control. Contributions of the IDIME study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the clinical characteristics of diabetes and associated cardiovascular risk factors in immigrants with diabetes in Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study including a cohort of 605 diabetic immigrants and 307 native diabetics was conducted in patients diagnosed with diabetes and treated in primary and specialized care in Spain. A consecutive sampling method was followed. We studied epidemiological, clinical and laboratory variables related to diabetes and the presence of classical risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The immigrant diabetic patient was younger (50.4 [11.5] vs 62.7 [13] years) and had fewer years of diabetes progression (5.8 [6.4] vs 10.5 [8.3] years) (P<.001) compared with native diabetic patients. Immigrants from South America with diabetes were more obese. No statistically significant differences were found in abdominal obesity or the waist/height ratio. Glycemic control was worse in immigrants than in the native Spaniard group (glycosylated hemoglobin, 7.8 [2.2] vs 7.1 [1.5%]), especially among South Asians (8.1[2.5%]) (P<.001), in whom insulin use was lower (12.8% vs 30.7% in other immigrants) (P<.001). However, the prevalence of chronic complications of diabetes was lower among immigrants, particularly that of macrovascular complications (7.7% vs 24.4%) (P<.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our study the profile of immigrant diabetics in Spain is one of a young diabetic without complications, but with worse metabolic control. These findings provide an excellent opportunity to implement preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: Institut Català de la Salut, EAP Raval Sud, Barcelona, España. josep.franch@gmail.com
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Franch-Nadal
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Martínez-Sierra
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Espelt
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sagarra-Busquets
authors.forename: Flor
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Patitucci-Gómez
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goday-Arno
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013020:South America / Q000208:ethnology; D013030:Spain; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose