UNLABELLED: The objective of the investigation was early detection of risk factors of diabetes and/or atherosclerosis and the prevalence of vascular complications of diabetes in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes in the Slovak Republic.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the Slovak detection programme of vascular complications participated 40 diabetological out-patient departments. In the course of one year (from the beginning of June 1999 to the end of May 2000) in a total of 3424 newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes, aged under 70 years the case-history was recorded, focused on risk factors of diabetes and atherosclerosis, on the patients' lifestyle, on vascular complications of diabetes and their treatment. Moreover a detailed clinical and laboratory examination was made. The authors made in addition to assessment of the blood sugar level also biochemical examinations focused on indicators of the lipid metabolism and microalbuminuria. All patients had an ophthalmological examination, and the electrocardiogram was recorded.

RESULTS: As to risk factors of diabetes as many as 3259 patients (95.2%) reported a low physical activity (exercise lasting less than the minimum of 3 x 30 minutes per week) and 3001 (87.6%) had an elevated body weight, whereby 43.9% patients had a BMI of 25 to 30 kg/m2 and 43.8% were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). Diabetes mellitus in a first grade relative was reported by 1521 patients (44.7%). As to risk factors of atherosclerosis, the most frequent finding was hyprcholesterolaemia (values > 5.2 mmol/l) in 2262 patients (67.3%), and hypertriglyceridaemia (values > 1.7 mmol/l) in 2194 patients (66.5%). Arterial hypertension (values of systolic and/or diastolic pressure > 140/90 Hg) were recorded in 2326 (67.9%) patients. The most frequent microvascular complication of diabetes was microalbuminuria was in 20.5% patients. Ischaemic heart disease was recorded in 22.80 diabetics. Risk factors of atherosclerosis and vascular complications in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetics are closely related to the patients' body weight.

CONCLUSION: The authors provided evidence of a high incidence of risk factors of diabetes and atheroscleosis in newly diagnosed patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and in practically every fifth patient the presence of ischaemic heart disease. Obesity is a significant adverse metabolic and vascular factor.

Keywords: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arteriosclerosis /complications/; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 /complications/; Diabetic Angiopathies /diagnosis/; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Risk Factors