Five-year trajectories of HbA1c by age, sex, ethnicity and deprivation in adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: Observational study in England

The burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing worldwide, putting significant pressure on healthcare systems. Diabetes is often managed in primary care and includes a significant proportion of adults needing treatment. HbA1c is considered the gold standard for monitoring overall glycaemic level control: while guidelines generally recommend maintaining HbA1c levels below 52 mmol/mol (7%) for most individuals with diabetes, personalized management strategies are advocated.¹ However, the regular monitoring of HbA1c in real-world settings differs from that in controlled clinical trials.

This study investigates five-year HbA1c trajectories in newly diagnosed individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in routine primary care clinical practice in relation to age, sex, ethnicity and socioeconomic deprivation. We aim to identify disparities in HbA1c trajectories arising from these demographic factors, and to inform the development of more personalized and equitable approaches to diabetes care by identifying subgroups that may require targeted interventions or additional strategies for better diabetes glycaemic management.