Regularity of follow-up, glycemic burden, and risk of microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes: a 9-year follow-up study

Abstract

Abstract Aims To assess the relationship between regularity of follow-up and risk of complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) followed up for 9 years at a tertiary diabetes center in India. Methods We compared glycemic burden [cumulative time spent above a HbA1c of 53 mmol/mol (7 %)] and incidence of diabetes complications (retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, peripheral arterial disease, coronary heart disease) between 1,783 T2DM patients with ‘‘regular follow-up’’ (minimum of three visits and two HbA1c tests every year from 2003 to 2012), and 1,798 patients with ‘‘irregular follow-up’’ (two visits or less and one HbA1c or less per year during the same time period), retrospectively identified from medical records. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate risk associated with diabetes complications.