Glycemic Control and Obesity Among People With Type 2 Diabetes in Europe and Australia: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis

Abstract

Introduction

In people with type 2 diabetes (PwT2D) who also have obesity, efforts targeting weight loss, including lifestyle, medication and surgical interventions, are recommended. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between glycemic control and obesity among PwT2D in Europe and Australia using recent real-world data and applying consistent methodology across countries.

Methods

Retrospective study utilizing IQVIA electronic medical records (EMR) databases grouped into panels based on specialty of contributing physicians. General practitioner (GP) and endocrinologist/diabetologist (E/D) panels were used in Germany and France, while GP panels were used in Italy, UK and Australia. The Spanish database included all physician specialties. The sample included PwT2D with glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and body mass index (BMI) values measured within 90 days of each other between January 2015 and December 2018 (second record termed the ‘index date’). PwT2D had a 1-year baseline period and a recorded HbA1c at the end of the 1-year post-index period.

Results

The final sample comprised 194,729 PwT2D. At baseline, across countries/panels, 36.8–58.0% were above HbA1c target (HbA1c ≥ 7%) and 39.4–56.7% had obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m²). Mean HbA1c ranged from 6.9 to 7.6% and mean BMI ranged from 29.3–31.6 kg/m². At baseline, a higher proportion of PwT2D with obesity (40.8–64.2%) were above HbA1c target compared to their counterparts without obesity (32.2–52.4%). A higher proportion of patients with obesity at baseline (38.1–60.6%) had post-index HbA1c above target compared to their counterparts without obesity (30.9–56.0%). In logistic regression, patients with obesity had substantially lower odds of post-index HbA1c below target compared to those without obesity in all countries/panels except for France (E/D), Spain and Australia.

Conclusions

This study presents data on HbA1c and BMI among type 2 diabetes (T2D) populations in Europe and Australia. A notable proportion of PwT2D had obesity and were above HBA1c target. Higher BMI was associated with poorer glycemic control.