To assess the 15-year trends in the level of glycemic, blood pressure, and cholesterol control in adults with diabetes in a Swiss population-based cohort.
CoLaus|PsyCoLaus is a prospective cohort study of 6733 adults aged 35-75 years in Lausanne, Switzerland. Baseline recruitment was conducted in 2003-6 and was followed by three subsequent follow-ups in 2009-12, 2014-17 and 2018-21. In adults with diabetes, glycemic control was defined as fasting plasma glucose <7 mmol/L, blood pressure control as systolic and diastolic pressures of <140/90 mm Hg, and lipid control as non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) cholesterol control <3.4 mmol/L.
Rates of glycemic control improved from 23.2% (95% CI 19.5 to 27.3) in 2003-6 to 32.8% (95% CI 28.1 to 37.8) in 2018-21. Blood pressure control also improved, from 51.5% at baseline (95% CI 46.8 to 56.2) to 63.3% (95% CI 58.2 to 68.1) 15 years later. The largest improvement was in cholesterol control, from 29.1% (95% CI 25.1 to 33.6) in 2003-6 to 56.3% (95% CI 51.1 to 61.4) in 2018-21. Overall, simultaneous control of all three improved from 5.5% (95% CI 3.7 to 8.1) at baseline to 17.2% (95% CI 13.7 to 21.5) 15 years later. Improvements in risk factor control tallied with an increase in the use of glucose-lowering agents, blood pressure-lowering medication, and statins. Men were less likely to achieve blood pressure control but presented with a better control of non-HDL cholesterol. Caucasians were less likely to achieve simultaneous control than non-Caucasians.
Cardiovascular risk factor control in adults with diabetes in Switzerland has increased in the last 15 years, but there remains a margin for improvement.