Age-related differences in glycaemic control, cardiovascular disease risk factors and treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes : a cross-sectional study from the Australian National Diabetes Audit

Objective To compare the glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factor profiles of younger and older patients with type 2 diabetes. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the 2015 Australian National Diabetes Audit was undertaken. Methods Data were obtained from adults with type 2 diabetes presenting to Australian secondary/ tertiary diabetes centres. Logistic regression examined associations with glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) >7% (53 mmol/mol) and cardiovascular risk factors. Results Data from 3492 patients were analysed. Mean (±SD) age was 62.9±12.5 years, mean diabetes duration 13.5±9.4 years and mean HbA1c 8.2%±1.8%. Mean HbA1c was 8.6%±2.1% and 8.0%±1.6% for the younger (7.0% was 1.5 times higher (95% CI 1.22 to 1.84) for younger patients compared with older patients after adjustment for gender, smoking, diabetes duration, renal function and body mass index. Younger patients were also more likely to have dyslipidaemia (aOR 2.02, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.68; p<0.001), be obese (aOR 1.25, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.49; p<0.001) and be current smokers (aOR 2.13 95% CI 1.64 to 2.77; p