Aims: The objective of this study was to assess diabetes care in outpatient diabetes clinics in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Methods: Questionnaires for each randomly enrolled patient were completed by an endocrinologist or diabetologist. Data concerning age, sex, diabetes duration, diabetes type, treatment type, glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), blood pressure (BP) and short- and long-term diabetes complications were recorded. Questionnaires were analysed centrally for each country and stratified for Type 1 diabetes (T1D), Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and other types of diabetes.
Results: Data on 10 950 individuals were analysed (mean population age 56.2 years; females 52%; T1D 22.9%; T2D 75.3%; mean time from diagnosis 11 years). Patients with HbA(1c) within target (< 6.5%): T1D 13.1%, T2D 21.4%; for TC levels (< 4.5 mmol/l): T1D 37%, T2D 20%; for TG levels (< 1.7 mmol/l): T1D 78%, T2D 44%; for HDL-C (> 1.1 mmol/l): T1D 81%, T2D 60%; for LDL-C (< 2.5 mmol/l): T1D 36%, T2D 23%; for BP (< 130/80 mm Hg): T1D 42%, T2D 9%. The prevalence of severe hypoglycaemia (within the last 6 months) was 12% in T1D and 2% in T2D. Prevalence of diabetic ketoacidosis was 0.3-6.6%, blindness 0.15-1.3% and diabetic nephropathy 19-42%.
Conclusions: The data show the current quality of care and potential areas for improvement. The quality of care is generally comparable with that in Western Europe.