METABOLIC AND CARDIOVASCULAR PROFILE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS UNDERGOING DIFFERENT TREATMENT MODALITIES

BACKGROUND Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder and a leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality. This metabolic syndrome is associated with risk factors; such as visceral adiposity, dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia and hypertension. We wanted to compare the Metabolic and Cardiovascular parameters in patients with T2DM undergoing different treatment modalities. METHODS A total of 150 subjects were recruited and were divided into three groups; healthy controls (n= 50), diabetics under oral hypoglycaemic drugs (n=50) and diabetics undergoing insulin therapy with oral hypoglycaemic drugs (n =50). Cardiovascular parameters like resting heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability were evaluated. Metabolic profiles included were waist-hip ratio, fat percent and lipid profile. Cardiovascular and metabolic parameters were compared between three groups using One Way ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test. RESULTS Statistical analysis showed that metabolic and cardiovascular profiles are significantly different between the three study groups. Further, T2DM patients with insulin therapy exhibited higher levels of dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular autonomic imbalance compared to that of patients without insulin therapy. However, patients with insulin therapy had poor glycaemic control as assessed by levels of glycated haemoglobin compared to patients only on oral hypoglycaemic agents and control groups. CONCLUSIONS Findings of the study suggest that T2DM patients undergoing insulin therapy exhibit significantly higher levels of dyslipidemia and cardio-vascular autonomic imbalance when compared to age-matched T2DM patients under oral hypoglycaemic drugs. Altered metabolic and cardiovascular profile observed among patients on insulin therapy could be due to their poor glycaemic control. Thus, the study concludes that tightness of glycaemic control is essential to avoid premature morbidity and mortality.