Risk factors for micro and macrovascular disease in black and white patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The prevalence of chronic complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is higher in black patients. The reason for this finding is still unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the micro and macrovascular risk factor profile of type 2 DM patients without advanced diabetic nephropathy according to ethnicity. A cross-sectional multicentric regional study was conducted evaluating 780 patients. All patients were submitted to clinical and laboratory evaluation. Ethnicity was self-reported as white (n = 585) or black (n = 195). Black patients had lower triglycerides [115 (35-892) vs. 152 (34-1236) mg/dl; P