Incidence and risk of anemia in type-2 diabetic patients in the absence of renal impairment

Abstract

Aim: To determine the incidence of anemia in type-2 diabetic patients with normal renal function and assess the association of other factors related to diabetes with the risk of anemia. Methods: The study group comprised 72 patients with type-2 diabetes. Patients were divided into groups according to glycemic control, gender and age. Serum creatinine, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of subjects were measured. The presence of anemia was defined by a he- moglobin level < 13.0 g/dL in men and <12.0 g/dL in women. Normal renal function (i.e. absence of renal impairment) was defined as serum creatinine level < 1.5 mg/dL. Results: 15.3% of the patients had anemia. The odds of developing anemia was higher in patients with poorly controlled diabetes (HbA1c > 7.5%) compared to those with controlled diabetes (≤7.5%) and in patients of age ≥ 60 yrs compared to those of age < 60 yrs (p < 0.05). The odds of anemia was similar in males and females (p = 0.26). Conclusion: This study indicated that poor glycemic control and old age are associated with the incidence of anemia in type-2 diabetics with normal renal function. Our findings suggest that treatment criteria for diabetes should include routine hematological tests and take into consideration the inevitable consequences of ageing, and poor glycemic control.