Comparative studies on vascular disorders in diabetics between urban and rural districts.

The incidence of vascular disorders was investigated in two groups of diabetics. One group (group-U) comprised 408 diabetics who were inhabitants of an urban district. The other group (group-R) consisted of 148 diabetics who were inhabitants of a rural district. The annual incidence rates of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease in group-R were about twice as high as the respective rates in group-U. The prevalence rates of hypertension and ECG-abnormalities in group-R were also significantly higher than those in group-U (p<0.01). However, there was no appreciable difference between the two groups with respect to the incidence of proteinuria or proliferative retinopathy. Any significant difference between the two groups in age, obesity index, Hb-A1, T. Chol., TG. or HDL-C levels was not recognized. The duration of diabetes was relatively short in group-R. These findings suggest that the high incidence of myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular disease in group-R is not influenced by the difference in Hb-Al or serum lipid levels, and that these vascular disorders are probably associated with hypertension and ECG-abnormalities.