Type 2 diabetes: Identifying high risk Asian American subgroups in a clinical population

• Published in: Diabetes research and clinical practice Vol. 93; no. 2; pp. 248 - 254
• Main Authors: Wang, Elsie J, Wong, Eric C, Dixit, Anjali A, Fortmann, Stephen P, Linde, Randolph B, Palaniappan, Latha P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier B.V 01.08.2011
• Subjects: Adult; Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Asian - ethnology; Asian American; Asian People - ethnology; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - ethnology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - therapy; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity; Odds Ratio; Prevalence; Racial/ethnic subgroup; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; White People; Racial/ethnic subgroup; Prevalence; Diabetes; Asian American
• ISSN: 0168-8227; 1872-8227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2011.05.025

Abstract Aims We compared the prevalence and treatment of type 2 diabetes across Asian American subgroups (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) and Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) in a Northern California healthcare system. Methods A three-year, cross-sectional sample of patient electronic health records was accessed to compare diabetes prevalence in 21,816 Asian and 73,728 NHWs aged 35+ years. Diabetes was classified through ICD-9 codes, abnormal laboratory values, or use of oral anti-diabetic medication. Multivariate adjusted prevalence rates for each Asian subgroup, and adjusted odds ratios (OR) relative to NHWs, were compared. Results Age-adjusted prevalence ranged from 5.8% to 18.2% (women) and 8.1 to 25.3% (men). Age-adjusted ORs of Asian subgroups ranged 1.11–3.94 (women) and 1.14–4.56 (men). The odds of diabetes were significantly higher in Asian Indians (women OR 3.44, men OR 3.54) and Filipinos (women OR 3.94, men OR 4.56), compared to NHWs. Results for Asian Indians and Filipinos were similar with age-and-BMI adjustment. Treatment rates across subgroups were 59.7–82.0% (women) and 62.9–79.4% (men). Conclusions Heterogeneity exists in the prevalence of diabetes across Asian subgroups, independent of obesity prevalence. Asian Indian and Filipino subgroups had particularly high prevalence of diabetes when compared to NHWs. Future studies should explore these clinically important differences among Asian subgroups.