Glycemia and diabetes – menopausal women

The comparison of the two OEC/HES surveys (1998-02 and 2008-12) shows that:

in menopausal women (mean age: 62 years old), the mean values of blood fasting glucose, diabetes and hyperglycemia collected in the second survey (99 mg/dl, 12% and 8%, respectively) do not significantly differ from those collected in the first one. The status of diabetes control presents discrepancies over the considered decade: the prevalence of menopausal women not aware of being diabetic grew from 19% to 28%, at the same time the percentage of treated subjects raised and a large increase of well treated subjects was detected (from 10% to 19%). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome decreased considerably from 43% to 28%.

Definitions and reference
Subjects with blood glucose≥126mg/dl (~ 7mmol/l) or under antidiabetic treatment (oral hypoglycemic medication and/or insulin) or with self-reported diabetes at the time of the screening were considered diabetics. Subjects with blood glucose between 110 and 125mg/dl (6.1 and 7.0 mmol/l) and without antidiabetic drug treatment were considered to have impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or hyperglycemia.

Reference: Giampaoli S, Palmieri L, Donfrancesco C, Lo Noce C, Pilotto L, Vanuzzo D, on behalf of The Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare/Health Examination Survey Research Group. Cardiovascular health in Italy. Ten-year surveillance of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors: Osservatorio Epidemiologico Cardiovascolare/Health Examination Survey 1998–2012. European journal of preventive cardiology 2015;22(2 Suppl):9-37.