Association between medication adherence and glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes in Luzhou: a retrospective cohort study (2018-2023).

Consistent medication adherence was associated with significantly higher glycaemic control rates compared to intermittent adherence.

• Patients with consistent adherence achieved glycaemic control rates of 39.6% (95% CI 38.8% to 40.4%)
• Intermittent adherents achieved glycaemic control rates of only 20.8% (95% CI 19.9% to 21.7%)
• The difference was statistically significant (p<0.001)
• Study included 30,508 T2D patients from the Luzhou City Health Information Management System over 2018-2023

Intermittent medication adherence reduced glycaemic control success rate by 29.4% compared to consistent adherence.

• Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) for intermittent versus consistent adherence was 0.706 (95% CI 0.643 to 0.774)
• Poor adherence to medical advice was identified as a major barrier to effective blood glucose control
• This association was found after adjusting for other covariates in a retrospective cohort design
• The association varied according to hypertension comorbidity and lifestyle factors

Male gender was negatively associated with glycaemic control among T2D patients.

• aOR for male gender was 0.879 (95% CI 0.813 to 0.950)
• This indicates males had lower odds of achieving glycaemic control compared to females
• Finding was derived from adjusted multivariable analysis in a cohort of 30,508 patients

Higher educational attainment was positively associated with glycaemic control.

• aOR for higher educational attainment was 1.004 (95% CI 1.002 to 1.007)
• The association was statistically significant despite the modest effect size
• Educational attainment was identified as a modifiable factor relevant to targeted diabetes management strategies

Temporary residence status was marginally positively associated with glycaemic control, suggesting disparities between urban and rural areas.

• aOR for temporary residence status was 1.064 (95% CI 1.013 to 1.117)
• Authors interpreted this as suggesting 'potential disparities in access to medical resources between urban and rural areas'
• The benefit was described as 'marginal' by the authors
• Study was conducted in western China (Luzhou City), a resource-constrained setting

The association between medication adherence and glycaemic control varied according to hypertension comorbidity and lifestyle factors.

• Hypertension comorbidity was identified as a moderating factor of the adherence-glycaemic control relationship
• Lifestyle factors also moderated the association between medication adherence and glycaemic control
• Findings advocated for 'integrated care models that simultaneously address cardiovascular risk factors and promote behavioural modifications'
• The study population was drawn from a retrospective cohort of 30,508 T2D patients over a 5-year period (2018-2023)