Younger diabetics manage condition less well than older patients: Study
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SINGAPORE — When it comes to managing their condition, younger TYPE 2 diabetic patients — those below the age of 40 — in Singapore appear to be having a harder time keeping their conditions in check as compared to their older counterparts, a study has found.
Part of an ongoing regional study by the Asia Diabetes Foundation (ADF), the local study involved over 300 diabetic patients here and was conducted at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Findings revealed that younger patients fared worse in two of three key indicators doctors use to determine a patient’s condition — blood sugar level and cholesterol level — compared to older patients. For example, only 10 per cent of the younger patients maintained their blood sugar level at an acceptable level, compared to 30 per cent of the older patients.
And only 1 per cent of younger patients met the acceptable level for all three indicators — the third is blood pressure — compared to 4 per cent of older patients.
The study also revealed that younger patients tend to have higher levels of bad cholesterol and are at a higher risk of developing kidney disease and nerve damage.
The local study started in 2012, and is part of the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation Program, which is being conducted in eight other Asian countries including South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The study is partially sponsored by pharmaceutical company MSD.
Doctors who took part in the study said that the findings are of concern. “They (the younger patients) are going to be living with diabetes for a much longer time as compared to someone who is diagnosed at age 50 or 60, so it isn’t something we can ignore...and address this issues later on in life,” said Dr Goh Su-Yen, who heads SGH’s Endocrinology Department and is part of the research team.
The study did not go into the reasons for such a trend but Dr Goh said this could be looked at next. Possible factors that lowers a patient’s control over their condition include a lack of discipline in committing to a recommended lifestyle, like monitoring one’s diet, exercising regularly and taking medication regularly, said Dr Goh.
Physicians also play a role in helping patients better control their condition. Dr Goh said some physicians might resist the idea of starting a younger patient on medication at an earlier stage, in hope that patients can manage their condition through lifestyle adjustments. This however, might backfire if the patient is unable to commit to a healthy lifestyle and require the aid of medication to keep their condition in check.
Dr Ben Ng, an endocrinologist at the Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Medical Centre, said younger patients in general find it hard to comply to doctor’s orders. “It is very hard to tell someone who is young I’m sorry but from now till the end of time, you are going to be on medication. It is a huge blow to them and the first thing they say is I’m feeling well,” he said.
