Diabetes risk score in the United Arab Emirates: a screening tool for the early detection of type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to develop a simple non-invasive risk score, specific to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) citizens, to identify individuals at increased risk of having undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.Research design and methodsA retrospective analysis of the UAE National Diabetes and Lifestyle data was conducted. The data included demographic and anthropometric measurements, and fasting blood glucose. Univariate analyses were used to identify the risk factors for diabetes. The risk score was developed for UAE citizens using a stepwise forward regression model.ResultsA total of 872 UAE citizens were studied. The overall prevalence of diabetes in the UAE adult citizens in the Northern Emirates was 25.1%. The significant risk factors identified for diabetes were age (≥35 years), a family history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, body mass index ≥30.0 and waist-to-hip ratio ≥0.90 for males and ≥0.85 for females. The performance of the model was moderate in terms of sensitivity (75.4%, 95% CI 68.3 to 81.7) and specificity (70%, 95% CI 65.8 to 73.9). The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve was 0.82 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.86).ConclusionsA simple, non-invasive risk score model was developed to help to identify those at high risk of having diabetes among UAE citizens. This score could contribute to the efficient and less expensive earlier detection of diabetes in this high-risk population.

Dyslipidaemia prevalence and associated risk factors in the United Arab Emirates: a population-based study

“…An elevated waist circumference has clinical significance in predicting risks beyond body mass index,34 which is why it was included in our regression models. Based on the UAEDIAB data, the prevalence of central obesity among the local population was 65.8% for women and 38.9% for men, with an overall prevalence of 51.8% 35. Obesity is largely preventable through the implementation of continuous evidence-based and population-based measures that promote awareness about a healthy diet and the need for regular physical activity 36.…”

“…Diabetic dyslipidaemia increases the risk of heart disease and stroke,37 which are the leading causes of premature death among our study population 6. Recent studies, including the UAEDIAB, have found alarmingly high rates of diabetes among the local UAE population 35 38 39. Applying effective prevention strategies in the UAE, as identified in the literature, such as lifestyle changes, social support and ensuring medication adherence, can reduce the incidence of diabetic dyslipidaemia and its complications 40…”

Pre-diagnostic biomarkers of type 2 diabetes identified in the UAE’s obese national population using targeted metabolomics

“…Early and accurate diagnosis of pre-diabetes has been identified as an important goal in the UAE population 7 . This project was carried out as one of many contributions to national diabetes research in the UAE.…”

Diabetes mellitus risk among Jordanians in a dental setting: a cross-sectional study

“…For example, the prevalence of type II DM in some studies was higher among females while in others among males. The gender difference in the prevalence was seen within the same country 23,44,45 or among different Middle Eastern countries [46][47][48][49] . It is not clear if this is due to differences in DM risk factors among females at different time points or as has been suggested due to inherent deficiency in the FINDRISC tool to capture male risk 50 .…”