The Impact of Disease Duration on Sex Differences in Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetic Patients on Metformin-glimepiride Oral Therapy

Aims: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are commonly treated with metformin-glimepiride combination therapy. The relationship between disease duration and cardiometabolic risk factors among T2DM patients on metformin-glimepiride combination therapy may be moderated by sex. This, however, has not been investigated in the Ghanaian population.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted from January to December 2019 at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital which is located in the Upper East region of Ghana.

Methodology: The study involved 163 patients with T2DM (Female=103 and Male=60) who were between the ages of 25 and 70 years. All the participants were receiving metformin-glimepiride combination oral therapy at the time of sampling. The participants were matched by age, duration of disease and age at the onset of T2DM. The blood pressure and anthropometric variables were measured after which fasting venous blood samples were collected and analyzed for lipids, insulin, glucose and C-reactive protein.

Results: There was a significant interaction between sex and the duration of T2DM on fasting plasma triglycerides level (P=0.003). The fasting plasma triglyceride reduced with the duration of T2DM but the reduction was more marked in males (adjR2=0.200) than females (adjR2= 0.001).

Conclusion: Fasting plasma triglyceride levels may be reduced with the duration of T2DM among patients on metformin-glimepiride combination therapy. However, this reduction is more pronounced in males than in the female. There is a need for sex-specific protocols for the control of plasma triglyceride levels among patients with T2DM who are on metformin-glimepiride combination therapy.