Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors in diabetic and glucose intolerant cases

¯Abstract Background: Comparing to other people, diabetic patients have a greater chance to develop cardiovascular diseases. Objective: To compare the prevalence of cardiac risk factors in diabetic patients, glucose intolerant patients and the normal individuals. Also, a comparison on prevalence of these factors in known and new cases of diabetes mellitus was made. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on 3940 samples (1914 males, 2026 females) in the age group of ≥19 years old. The samples were chosen base on random-clustering method. The demographic characteristic information was obtained using questionnaires. The major risk factors such as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, body mass index, fasting blood sugar, serum lipids were obtained through laboratory studies, physical examinations and observations. The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. Findings: The prevalence of known diabetes, new cases of diabetes, and glucose intolerance among the total cases were 4.3%, 1.1%, and 6.2%, respectively. The prevalence of the similar parameters in female and male groups was 4.9%, 1.2%, 1.1% and 3.7%, 1%, 5.3%, respectively. Comparing only the abundance of blood lipids disorders among patients and healthy individuals was indicating of the presence of a significant difference, statistically. The same statistical pattern was obtained when all risk factors among patient and healthy groups were compared, collectively. The prevalence of blood lipids disorders in men was higher than those in women showing a significant difference. When the prevalence of risk factors including an increase in BMI or WC compared with blood lipids disorders between two sexes, the prevalence rate was significantly higher in women than in men (P<0.05). Conclusions: Based on data obtained in this study, the preventive and therapeutic for diabetic patients should be launched according to the extent of these risk factors.