Comparison of the adherence to the american diabetes association guidelines of diabetes care in primary care and subspecialty clinics.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus is a major public health problem with significant morbidity and mortality. Evidence based guidelines have been proposed to reduce the micro and macrovascular complications, but studies have shown that these goals are not being met. We sought to compare the adherence to the American Diabetes Association guidelines for measurement and control of glycohemoglobin (A1c), blood pressure (BP), lipids (LDL) and microalbuminuria (MA) by subspecialty and primary care clinics in an academic medical center.


METHODS
390 random charts of patients with diabetes from Family Practice (FP), Internal Medicine (IM) and Diabetes (DM) clinics at Michigan State University were reviewed.


RESULTS
We reviewed 131, 134 and 125 charts from the FP, IM and DM clinics, respectively. DM clinic had a higher percentage of patients with type 1 diabetes 43/125 (34.4%) compared with 7/131 (5.3%) in FP and 7/134 (5.2%) in IM clinics. A1c was measured in 99%, 97.8% and 100% subjects in FP, IM and DM clinics respectively. B.P. was measured in all subjects in all three clinics. Lipids were checked in 97.7%, 95.5% and 92% patients in FP, IM and DM clinics respectively. MA was measured at least once during the year preceding the office visit in 85.5%, 82.8% and 76.8% patients in FP, IM and DM clinics respectively. A1C was controlled (<7%) in 38.9, 43.3, 28.8% of patients in the FP, IM and DM clinics, respectively (p = 0.034). LDL was controlled (<100 mg/dl or 2.586 mmol/l) in 71.8, 64.9, 64% of patients in the FP, IM and DM clinics, respectively. MA was controlled (<30 mg/gm creatinine) in 60.3%, 51.5% and 60% patients in FP, IM and DM clinics respectively (P = 0.032). BP was controlled (<130/80) in 59.5, 67.2 and 52.8% patients in the FP, IM and DM clinics, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Testing rates for A1C, LDL, and MA were high, in both subspecialty and primary care clinics. However, the degree of control was not optimal. Significantly fewer patients in the DM clinic had A1c <7%, the cause of which may be multifactorial.
Division of Endocrinology, Michigan State University, 788 Service Road, Room B319, East Lansing, MI 48824-7016 USA.
Deepthi Takkalapelli
DT
Rao
Division of Endocrinology, Michigan State University, 788 Service Road, Room B319, East Lansing, MI 48824-7016 USA ; Present address: Division of Endocrinology, Michigan State University, 832 East Colfax Ave, Mishawaka, IN 46545 USA.
Lily Kristine
LK
Sunio
College of Education, Michigan State University, Ann Arbor, MI USA ; Present address: School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA.
Yun-Jia
YJ
Lo
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Michigan State University, 788 Service Road, Room B319, East Lansing, MI 48824-7016 USA.
Ved Vyas
VV
Gossain
Diabetes care in primary care clinics; Diabetes care in subspecialized diabetes clinics; Diabetes mellitus