We sought to measure the prevalence of inadequate glycemic control in prevalent hemodialysis patients with diabetes and to examine independent predictors of inadequate glycemic control in these patients.
This is a cross-sectional study of prevalent hemodialysis patients with diabetes in southeastern Ontario (n = 100). Data were collected by chart review and interview. The outcome variable was inadequate glycemic control defined as HbA1c (A1C) >0.07. Other measured variables were diabetes type, diabetes duration, diabetes physician, blood glucose monitoring, diabetes medications, BMI, time on dialysis, and other demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables.
Fifty-four patients had A1C >0.07. In bivariate analysis, these patients had a longer diabetes duration (23.6 vs. 14.7 years, P 0.07.
A high proportion of hemodialysis patients with diabetes had inadequate glycemic control, particularly those with longstanding disease. Patients with inadequate glycemic control had a significantly higher burden of microvascular complications.