title: Multivariate epidemiologic analysis of type 2 diabetes mellitus risks in the Lebanese population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The burden of diabetes in Lebanon requires well-targeted interventions for screening type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes and prevention of risk factors. Newly recruited 998 Lebanese individuals, in addition to 7,292 already available, were studied to investigate the prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes and their associated risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants had fasting blood sugar and glycohemoglobin tests in addition to a lipid profile. Clinical and demographic information were obtained from a detailed questionnaire. The relationship between T2DM, its risk factors, and its complications were tested. Comparisons of these risk factors among diabetics, healthy, and coronary artery disease (CAD) patients were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of T2DM significantly increased with increasing BMI (p < 0.0001). Exercise activity level negatively correlated with the disease (p = 0.002), whereas the prevalence of T2DM (p < 0.0001) and CAD family history (p = 0.006) positively correlated with the affection status. The mean levels of triglycerides and LDL-C were significantly higher in diabetics (1.87; 1.35) compared to individuals with prediabetes (1.63; 1.26) and unaffected controls (1.49; 1.19). People with T2DM showed a significant decrease in HDL-C levels. A strong correlation of overall hyperlipidemia with the diabetes affection status was shown (p < 0.0001). Other comorbid factors such as hypertension (p < 0.0001) and self-reported obesity (p < 0.0001) were highly associated with T2DM and prediabetes. Reproductive health of women showed a strong correlation between giving birth to a baby with a high weight and the occurrence of T2DM and prediabetes later in life (p < 0.0001). Retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy were significantly correlated with diabetes and prediabetes (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study shows an alarming prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in the studied subgroups representative of the Lebanese population.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Michella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghassibe-Sabbagh
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deeb
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Angelique K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Salloum
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mouzaya
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haber
authors.affiliation: Shafallah Medical Genetics Center, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Yasser
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Al-Sarraj
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Youssef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chami
authors.affiliation: Centre Hospitalier du Nord-CHN, Zgharta, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Yasmine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akle
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirbli
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nemr
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon.
authors.forename: Rechdi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahdab
authors.affiliation: Bioinformatics and Pattern Discovery, IBM T. J. Watson Research Centre, Yorktown Hgts, NY 10598 USA.
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Antoine B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Abchee
authors.affiliation: Shafallah Medical Genetics Center, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El-Shanti
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon ; Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215 USA.
authors.forename: Pierre A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Zalloua
keywords: Coronary artery disease; Hyperlipidemia; Lebanon; Prediabetes; Risk factors; Type 2 diabetes