Aventis Pharma will soon announce the findings of its cross-sectional study of 'SITE' (Screening India’s Twin Epidemic), which was launched for quantifying and instilling awareness amongst medical professionals and patients on the lurking likelihood of a twin epidemic of diabetes and hypertension. The study is significant in the backdrop of India fast becoming the diabetes capital of the world.
SITE is a national, multi-centric, non randomized, observational study with the aim of collecting information on the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes and hypertension cases in out-patient clinics in major Indian cities and to understand the extent of associated risk factors among these patients.
The study involving 20, 000 patients across 1,000 centres in Maharashtra, New Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was commissioned by sanofi-aventis with the aim of understanding the management and level of control for diabetes and hypertension in the country and then creating awareness amongst doctors and patients regarding the need for early diagnosis for better disease management.
The study was started in Maharashtra in Jan 2009 and are expected to conclude with collated results from all 10 states by December 2010. The principal coordinators of the study recently announced the completion of the study in Maharashtra and New Delhi, with the results expected to be announced shortly. The study would estimate the prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed cases of diabetes and hypertension in outpatient settings in major cities across India.
The study, one of the largest study of its kind in India, will involve 1000 general practitioners including consultant physicians and over 20,000 patients from 10 states. The study was commissioned by sanofi-aventis with the aim of quantifying and increasing awareness amongst medical professionals and patients on the lurking likelihood of a twin epidemic of diabetes and hypertension.
The study will screen 20,000 patients, covering a wide variety of people, including businessmen, working professionals and housewives, mainly in metro cities, aged 18 years and above.
The study has taken into account various parameters — medical history, family history, diet, demographic data – height, weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, pulse, treatment history and fasting blood test for lipids, glucose, (including HbA1c) as well as urine for proteins.
Dr Muruga Vadivale, senior director – Medical and Regulatory Affairs, sanofi-aventis India said, “With India having the largest number of diabetic patients in the world, the disease is posing an enormous health as well as economic problem to the country. The sanofi-aventis SITE study reinforces our commitment to an in-depth involvement in one of India’s key public health issues and in creating awareness about the dormant twin epidemic waiting to explode. We hope to provide medical professionals with valuable insights on the twin epidemic of Diabetes and Hypertension. We also want to create awareness amongst them and patients about screening for these diseases at the earliest.”