Al-Rafidain Journal of Medical Sciences · Apr 4, 2026
Comparative Analysis of Renal Function and Lipid Profile in Diabetic Patients Across Gender, Age, and Glycemic Control: A Cross-sectional Study in Basrah, Iraq
By Mohammed ZM, Abdulwahid AB, Mohammed HK
Background: Poor glycemic control adversely affects lipid and renal function; however, the modifying roles of age and sex have not been sufficiently characterized, particularly among Middle Eastern countries. Objective: To evaluate the associations between glycemic control and renal and lipid biomarkers in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and characterize the independent and combined modulating effects of age and sex. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted during 12 months on 4767 subjects attending an outpatient clinic in Basrah, Iraq (4421 with diabetes and 346 with prediabetes). They were grouped according to glycemic control (good: HbA1c<7.0%, suboptimal: 7.0-8.9%, poor: ≥9.0%), age (<40, 40-59, ≥60 years), and gender. Renal function and lipid indexes were analyzed using rank-based tests and regression analysis. Results: Median levels of urea, creatinine, low-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides were significantly higher in the poorly controlled group, whereas HDL levels were lower (p<0.001). Aging is directly related to kidney injury, mainly reduction in eGFR, while male sex is associated with a more atherogenic lipid profile and higher values of renal biomarkers. Multivariate analysis revealed that the impact of age and sex might be disproportionate to, if not greater than, that of HbA1c. Conclusions: In T2DM, the relationship between renal and lipid abnormalities is sex asymmetrical, age-dependent, and glycemic-control-influenced. A personalized, demography-integrated strategy for complication assessment should be adopted to improve diabetic care.