The prevalence and management of diabetes in Thai adults - The International Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia

OBJECTIVE - The aim of this study was to determine in Thai adults aged greater than or equal to35 years the prevalence and management of diabetes and the associations of diabetes with cardiovascular risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The international Collaborative Study of Cardiovascular Disease in Asia was a complex sample survey. Data from a structured questionnaire, brief physical examination, and blood sample were collected from 5,105 individuals aged greater than or equal to35 years (response rate 68%). Population estimates were calculated by applying sampling weights derived from the 2000 Thai census. RESULTS - The estimated national prevalence of diabetes in Thai adults was 9.6% (2.4 million people), which included 4.8% previously diagnosed and 4.8% newly diagnosed. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 5.4% (1.4 million people). Diagnosed diabetes, undiagnosed diabetes, and impaired fasting glucose were associated with greater age, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and serum creatinine levels. The advice, a individuals with diagnosed diabetes had received dietary or other e majority of and 82% were taking oral hypoglycemic therapy. Blood pressure-lowering therapy was provided to 67% of diagnosed diabetic patients with concomitant hypertension. CONCLUSIONS - Diabetes is common in Thailand, but one-half of all cases are undiagnosed. Because diagnosed diabetes is likely to be treated with proven, low-cost, preventive therapies such as glucose lowering and blood pressure lowering, initiatives that increased diagnosis rates would be expected to produce substantial health benefits in Thailand.