OBJECTIVETo provide an epidemiological description and risk factors of chronic vascular complications of type 2 diabetic in-patients in four municipalities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing.

METHODSData of the study came from 3,469 Type 2 diabetic in-patients from 1991 to 2000 in 10 medical centers of Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing. A variety of parameters of in-patients were evaluated retrospectively to know the prevalence and risk factors of chronic vascular complications in the study patients.

RESULTSOverall, the detailed prevalence of chronic vascular complications is listed as follows: diabetic retinopathy 31.5%, diabetic nephropathy 39.7%, diabetic neuropathy 51.1%, hypertension 41.8%, coronary heart disease (CHD) 25.1%, cerebral vascular disease (CVD) 17.3%, vessel complication of lower limbs 9.3%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis shows that diabetes family history, duration of diabetes (> 5 years), and systolic blood pressure (> 125 mmHg) are the risk factors for diabetic retinopathy; duration of diabetes (> 5 years), systolic blood pressure (> 125 mmHg), LDL-C (> 3.12 mmol/L), and triglyceride (> 1.70 mmol/L) are the risk factors for diabetic nephropathy; age (> 45 years), duration of diabetes (> 5 years), HbA1C (> 7.0%), systolic blood pressure (> 125 mmHg), and LDL-C (> 3.12 mmol/L), are the risk factors for CHD; age (> 45 years), duration of diabetes (> 5 years), systolic blood pressure (> 125 mmHg), and triglyceride (> 1.70 mmol/L) are the risk factors for CVD.

CONCLUSIONIn order to improve patients' outcome, multiple metabolic controls in type 2 diabetic patients are urgently needed, which include decreasing glycemia, reducing hypertension and improving lipid levels.