[Diabetes and ignored disorders of glucose tolerance in primary care. Evidence from opportunistic detection. Group for the Study of Diabetes in Tarragona]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the level of attendance for care of people with glucose tolerance disorders, both known and not, and to discuss their real impact on Primary Care.

Design: Simple prospective randomised sampling. Opportunist detection among spontaneous users over 40, excluding pregnant women.

Setting: Primary Health Care.

Patients and other participants: Data was recorded using a pre-designed survey, which included the recognised Diabetes (DM) risk factors.

Measurements and main results: Of the 183 cases evaluated, DM was already known in 13 (7.1%). 15 (8.2%) with unknown DM and 27 (14.7%) with GIT. A strong link was demonstrated with the average age and a marked tendency to overweight and obesity only significant when comparing DM with the rest. As to the risk factors researched, there was a significant association with antecedents of prior tolerance abnormality, DM in pregnancy, hyperglucaemiant medicines and ischaemic disease, in cases where family antecedents of definite diabetes were not found.

Conclusions: The frequency of attendance of users with diabetes and unknown glucose tolerance disorders is very high in spontaneous primary care consultations. These results suggest that opportunist detection should be encouraged in primary health care centres.