Current Status of Glycemic Control of Patients with Diabetes in Korea: The Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

BackgroundThe Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) III (2005) reported that 22.9% of individuals with diabetes have a glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) <6.5% and that 43.5% have an HbA1c <7%. We investigated the levels of glycemic control and the factors associated with glycemic control using data from the KNHANES V (2010 to 2012).MethodsSubjects with diabetes diagnosed by a physician or those taking antidiabetic medications were classified as individuals with known diabetes. Of 1,498 subjects aged ≥30 years with diabetes, we excluded 157 individuals who were missing HbA1c data. A total of 1,341 subjects were included in the final analysis.ResultsThe prevalence of known diabetes was 7.7% (n=1,498, estimated to be 2.32 million people). The proportions of well-controlled diabetes meeting a HbA1c goal of <6.5% and <7% were 27% and 45.6%, respectively. HbA1c increased as the duration of diabetes increased. HbA1c in subjects with a duration of diabetes ≤5 years was lower than in subjects with a duration >5 years. HbA1c in the group taking only oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) was significantly lower than that in the group administered only insulin or OHA and insulin in combination. In logistic regression analysis, a longer duration of diabetes, insulin use and the absence of chronic renal failure were associated with HbA1c levels >6.5%.ConclusionThe level of adequate glycemic control was similar to but slightly improved compared with previous levels. The glycemic control of long-standing diabetes patients is more difficult even though they receive insulin treatment.

Multi-ethnic differences in HbA1c, blood pressure, and low-density-lipid cholesterol control among South Africans living with type 2 diabetes after a 4-year follow-up

“…Despite this, almost double the amount of Black African patients (19.6%) in our study achieved HbA 1c targets (<7%) compared with the Caucasians (10.6%). In general, all ethnic groups in our study compared unfavorably with studies from the US,25 South Korea,26 and Belgium,27 where 52.5%, 45.6%, and 54.0% of patients from a variety of ethnic backgrounds achieved HbA 1c <7%, respectively. As recommended for patients who find it difficult to attain the general goal, a less stringent HbA 1c target of <8% would show improvement in our achievement rates across all ethnicities, though still not to the levels of those seen in the aforementioned studies: Black African (44.6%), Caucasian (37.9%), Indian/Asian (45.6%), and mixed-ancestry (33.3%).…”

Improved trends in cardiovascular complications among subjects with type 2 diabetes in Korea: a nationwide study (2006–2013)

“…Therefore, the NHIS database represents the entire Korean population and can be used as a population-based database. Further details of this database have been described previously [20, 21]. The National Health Insurance Sharing Service manages the NHIS database by operating three organizations within the “Big Data Steering Department” to maintain the quality of the database such as the “Information Analysis Division”, the “Data Convergence Division” and the “Information Analysis Division” [22].…”

Prediction of Diabetes Remission in Morbidly Obese Patients After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

“…At present, a target HbA1c level of less than 6.5 to 7 % is advised by many organizations, including the Korean Diabetic Association, to lower the incidence of long-term microvascular complications. However, adequate glycemic control was achieved in only 45.6 and 27.0 % of the Korean diabetic patients through medical therapy, with HbA1c levels <7.0 and <6.5 %, respectively [1]. Even the best medical treatment reduced the HbA1c level by only 1-2 %.…”