Vascular Abnormalities in Stable Type 2 Diabetes Patients Attending a Teaching Hospital in South-Eastern Nigeria: Trends of the Burden and Associations with Conventional Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Vascular abnormalities are very prevalent in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in this setting. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and associated risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) in T2DM subjects at NAUTH, Nigeria. This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated 142 stable T2DM out-patients. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were done. Glycated haemoglobin and fasting lipid profile were assayed. Biothesiometry of the feet and Doppler ultrasonography of the brachial and pedal arteries were done for diagnosis of vascular complications. Data was analysed using SPSS version 25. Results of categorical variables were presented in tables as frequencies and percentages. The mean values and standard deviation for the continuous variables were calculated. Chi-square test was used to determine the association between the vascular abnormalities and the categorical variables. The level of significance was set at p ˂ 0.05. The prevalence rate of DPN and PAD was 50.7% and 18.3%, respectively. DPN showed significant association with age (X2 = 14.059; p = 0.001), sex (X2 = 6.630; p = 0.010), education level (X2 = 12.286; p = 0.006), duration of DM (X2 = 5.246; p = 0.022), global obesity (X2 = 5.494; p = 0.019), DM treatment (X2 =11.821; p = 0.003), dyslipidaemia (X2 = 9.767; p = 0.002), lipid-lowering drugs use (X2 = 4.036; p = 0.045) and PAD (X2 = 8.158; p = 0.004). Similarly, PAD showed significant association with systolic hypertension (X2 = 10.942; p = 0.001), diastolic hypertension (X2 = 24.026; p = 0.000), DM treatment (X2 = 7.262; p = 0.026) and DPN (X2 = 8.753; p = 0.003). The prevalence of DPN and PAD from the study was high and depicted a high burden of vascular abnormalities in T2DM subjects.