How are metabolic control targets of patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus achieved in daily practice in the area with high diabetes prevalence?

•The prevalence of Type 1 diabetes in adult population in Eastern Finland is 0.8%, which is among the highest worldwide.•Only one fifth of Type 1 diabetes patients reached the glycaemic control target.•Older Type 1 diabetes patients met the glycaemic control target significantly more often.•The regional patient database is useful tool for assessing the quality of diabetes care.

AimsWe assessed the prevalence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus and determined how the targets established in the guidelines for patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus were achieved in clinical practice in North Karelia, Finland.MethodsAll adult Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients (n = 1075) were identified from the regional electronic patient database. The data for HbA1c and LDL cholesterol measurements during the years 2013 and 2014 were obtained from medical records.ResultsThe prevalence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus in the adult population in North Karelia was 0.8%, which is among the highest worldwide. HbA1c and LDL cholesterol were measured in 93% and 90% of participants, respectively. Nineteen percent of patients reached the HbA1c target of <7.0% (53 mmol/mol) and 45% attained LDL cholesterol <2.5 mmol/l. Overall, 26% of patients over 60 years old with diabetes achieved glycaemic control targets compared with 13-16% of younger patients with diabetes.ConclusionsGlycaemic control was in line with the recommendations in only one-fifth of Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients and less than half of them had LDL cholesterol levels within the target range. Interestingly, older Type 1 diabetes mellitus patients met the glycaemic control target more often than younger patients with diabetes. The targets established for patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus are not achieved satisfactorily in daily practice.