Characteristics of non-fasting patients with diabetes type 2 in the DAR global surveys of 2020 and 2022

Introduction

The decision to fast or not is quite complex. Personal, medical and religious matters may influence it for individuals with diabetes. However, a diagnosis of diabetes does not constitute an automatic exemption from Ramadan fasting. We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of the non-fasting cohort and explore the potential reasons during Ramadan through the global Ramadan surveys of 2020 and 2022.

Method

The Diabetes and Ramadan (DaR) Global Study is an observational retrospective survey conducted between 2020 and 2022, which included adult patients (18 and older) who fasted and those who opted not to fast. The survey captured demographic data and patient characteristics (co-morbidities, duration and type of diabetes, diabetes-related complications and medications, development of acute complications during Ramadan, hospitalisations and ER visits) for both groups.

Results

Of 12,059 patients, 1822 (14.5 %) did not fast during Ramadan; that population leaned towards females (54.6 %). They had an average age of 60.58 years (SD=12.12) with a statistically significant difference from the fasting population, averaging 54.29±11.45 (p = 0.000). Also of note was the more significant average duration of diabetes in the non-fasting cohort (12.54 years vs 9.44). There are notable regional differences in rates of fasting that ranged between 6.3 % and up to 51.2 % of patients opting not fast in certain regions (Chart 1). The risk factors that showed apparent differences of high statistical significance (p ≤ 0.001) included: long duration of diabetes of over ten years, age above 60+ years, HbA1c value over 9 %, use of insulin therapy, and being affected by one or more vascular complications (these include CKD, CVD, and diabetic foot problems).

Conclusions

Many factors and comorbidities might influence patients’ decisions when planning Ramadan fasting. The non-fasting population's demographic and clinical profiles reveal distinctive features, emphasising a need for tailored risk assessments. Furthermore, regional disparities in the decision to fast underscore the multifaceted nature of this decision-making process. The new IDF-DAR risk assessment tool can help to stratify patients’ risk during Ramadan fasting and bridge the gap among different populations and cultures.