Clinical macrovascular disease in Caucasoid diabetic subjects: logistic regression analysis of risk variables

Abstract

A cross-sectional study of 1084 Caucasoid diabetic subjects in rural Western Australia revealed a high rate of clinical macrovascular disease (46%), including coronary heart disease (13%), stroke (8%), and peripheral vascular disease (38%). Age was the major time-related variable for total macrovascular disease and for peripheral vascular disease, with identical prevalence rates in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) and Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes when age was taken into account. In 179 Type 1 diabetic subjects, logistic regression analysis showed no associated risk factors other than age. In 905 Type 2 diabetic subjects the independent risk factors for total macrovascular disease, identified by a forward stepwise selection procedure, were age as the major contributor, with plasma creatinine levels and plasma glucose levels (all p<0.001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, serum total cholesterol levels, and the (supine-erect) systolic blood pressure difference (all p<0.05). There were no direct associations with percentage desirable weight, cigarette smoking or male sex. Type 2 diabetic subjects demonstrated a very strong negative association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease, and significant associations were found also between plasma glucose levels and coronary heart disease (p<0.01), and glycosylated haemoglobin levels and peripheral vascular disease (p<0.001). © 1984 Springer-Verlag.