Predictors of complications and glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus: evidence from primary care

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a high burden of complications, most of which first present to primary care.Objective: To assess the prevalence and predictors of diabetes-related complications among patients seeking primary health care.Methods: This retrospective study analysed records of 1000 patients with T2DM in primary care. Demographic, clinical, and therapeutic variables were examined, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of complications.Results: Majority of the patients (58.3%) had at least one complication. Neuropathy (41.8%), retinopathy (32.3%), and chronic coronary syndrome (CCS)(22.3%) were most frequent. Independent predictors for complications included older age, longer disease duration and higher HbA1c (p<0.001 for all). Neuropathy was significantly associated with female sex (p=0.016), while myocardial infarction and CCS showed significant association with male sex (p=0.027 and p=0.002 respectively). All complications were strongly associated with hospitalisations (all p<0.001), except for retinopathy. Family history independently predicted retinopathy (p=0.039) and CCS (p=0.014).Conclusion: Diabetes-related complications remain highly prevalent and are strongly linked to glycaemic control, disease duration, and age. Sex, and family history also shape complication patterns, while treatment modality reflects disease severity. These findings highlight the need for early, individualised management and implementation of guideline-based strategies to reduce complication burden and improve outcomes in frontline care.