Diabetes registers: a grassroots approach.

Abstract

O1jectives-To compile a register of diabetic patients within the catchment area of a district general hospital and evaluate the characteristics of the population using aggregated data from a general practice audit.Design-Cross sectional study. Practices identified all known diabetics and completed a questionnaire from information in each patient's medical record.Setting-Practices affiliated to a district audit group in south east England.Main outcome measures-Number of participating practices; prevalence of diabetes and its complications; and sex distribution of patients, age at diagnosis and review, treatment, and metabolic control. Comparisons with similar data from other studies.Results-41 out of 43 practices participated, and 2574 diabetic patients were identified (prevalence 1-18%). 52 40/o of patients were male. The mean age was 61*6 years. 32% of patients were treated with insulin, 51*5% with oral hypoglycaemic agents, 16-5% with diet alone. The mean random blood glucose concentration was 10*4 mmol/l and glycosylated haemoglobin 10/1%. 8%/ had proteinuria, 7% a history of myocardial infarction, 5% a history of stroke, and 2% a diabetes related amputation. These proportions were not significantly different from those found in studies performed by different methods in Poole, Islington, Powys, Trowbridge, and Southall.Conclusion-It is feasible to compile a register of diabetic patients in a district and evaluate their characteristics by using only general practice sources.

Evidence of an increasing prevalence of diagnosed diabetes mellitus in the Poole area from 1983 to 1996

“…More recent studies have quoted crude prevalence rates only which makes comparison with other areas in the UK difficult unless the age structure of the populations are similar. 3,4,14,15 Nevertheless, the other UK studies support our findings of an increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the last 10 years, with the latest study 16 reporting a similar crude prevalence to Poole. This is in contrast to Iceland, where the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus has been stable for the last 20 years.…”

“…1 There has been some evidence of an increasing prevalence of diabetes in the UK. [2][3][4] The incidence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus has doubled 5 but this type of diabetes accounts for only 20-25 % of people with diabetes in the community.…”

The diabetes audit and research in Tayside Scotland (darts) study: electronic record linkage to create a diabetes register

“…This prevalence is significantly higher than those previously reported 5 7 19 22 23. and may reflect the fact that general practice lists of patients with diabetes are not comprehensive.…”

Hungarian registers new and improved

“…EDITOR, - Alistair J Howitt and Nick A Cheales report on the usefulness of diabetes registers in general practices in Tunbridge Wells 1. A similar study was performed some years ago in Budapest, but the results and conclusion were different in some respects.…”