Anemia and Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background: In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, anemia affects tissue oxygenation and glycemic homeostasis, which promotes the premature onset of microvascular damage. Objective: To determine the association between the degree of anemia and microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, analytical study. Patients with diabetes mellitus and any complications were included. A review of electronic medical records of patients who met the selection criteria was conducted. The information was captured in a database previously structured in the SPSS statistical software and analyzed using inferential statistics. Results: With a total of 113 patients, with an average age of 62.23±10.3 years. Of the patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 54.9% (62) presented with anemia. Of these, 46.9% (53) presented with Grade I, 5.3% (6) with Grade II, and 2.7% (3) with Grade III anemia, according to the World Health Organization. In terms of microvascular complications, only 5.3% (6) of those with diabetic retinopathy presented with anemia, the most frequent being Grade I. In the group of patients with diabetic neuropathy, Grade I was found in 19.5% (22), and with nephropathy it was 35.4% (40), with 30.1% (34) being Grade I.