There has been little research into the effectiveness of primary-care diabetes clinics in the Middle East. This study in Qatar compared patient outcomes at a primary-care facility with a dedicated diabetes clinic and one without. Using a cross-sectional method, data on demographics, diabetes status and 6 clinical outcomes of diabetes care were collected from the records of patients who visited the clinics during 2012. Diabetes management in both facilities improved clinical outcomes over the 1-year observation period. The mean total cholesterol of patients attending the special clinic (n = 102) decreased significantly from 4.66 to 4.27 mmol/dL and LDL cholesterol from 3.42 to 3.22 mmol/dL. The LDL cholesterol of patients receiving standard care (n = 108) reduced significantly from 3.41 to 3.22 mmol/dL and HDL cholesterol increased from 0.83 to 0.87 mmol/dL. Inter-provider comparisons indicated that the outcomes in the facility with a diabetes clinic were not superior to those in the facility with standard care. Services, Qatar Petroleum, Doha, Qatar (Correspondence to I. Mochtar: mochtar@qp.com.qa Le taux moyen de cholestérol total des patients consultant dans la clinique spécialisée (n =102) avait nettement diminué -de 4,66 à 4,27 mmol/dL -tandis que le cholestérol LDL était passé de 3,42 à 3,22 mmol/dL. Le cholestérol LDL des patients ayant reçu des soins généraux (n =108) avait nettement diminué -de 3,41 à 3,22 mmol/dL -tandis que le cholestérol HDL avait augmenté, passant de 0,83 à 0,87 mmol/ dL. Les comparaisons entre les prestataires de soins ont montré que les résultats de l'établissement doté de la clinique spécialisée dans le diabète n'étaient pas supérieurs à ceux du service de soins généraux.
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Department of Medical