Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42536621›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

The quality of care for type 2 diabetes mellitus management in Malaysian primary health care settings: A scoping review of ABC (glycated haemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol).

Mohamad Zulfikrie Abas, Norshahiratul Atiqah Mohd Zaidi, Pei Jia Lee, Xin Rou Teh, Kim Sui Wan, Azah Abdul Samad, Huan Keat Chan, Sheamini Sivasampu, Swee Hung Ang

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Mohamad Zulfikrie AbasInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9170-2099
Norshahiratul Atiqah Mohd ZaidiInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9042-5618
Pei Jia LeeInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Xin Rou TehInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Kim Sui WanInstitute for Public Health, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Azah Abdul SamadPrimer Health Branch, Family Health Development Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
Huan Keat ChanInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.
Sheamini SivasampuInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2314-6048
Swee Hung AngInstitute for Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6676-6269

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDiabetes is a major health concern in Malaysia, yet no comprehensive review has assessed the quality of care for these patients. This study aims to systematically review published evidence on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management in Malaysian primary health care (PHC), focusing on the achievement of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure (BP), and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) targets (ABC control).

methodsA scoping review was conducted, involving a comprehensive search of four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and MyMedR) and grey literature for publications up to December 2024. Studies were included if they reported on at least one ABC indicator among the general adult T2DM population in Malaysian PHC settings. The scoping review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. EndNote was used for deduplication, and Rayyan was utilised for the screening process. Data were extracted and synthesised narratively.

resultsA total of 109 publications were included. Publications increased post-2010 but remained geographically concentrated in urban states. Large-scale studies heavily relied on the National Diabetes Registry. HbA1c was the most reported indicator. Findings revealed no evidence of improvement in HbA1c and BP control over two decades; achievement rates were 30-45% for HbA1c (<7.0%) and 20-50% for combined BP target (<130/80 mmHg). Conversely, LDL-C control (≤2.6 mmol/L) showed a modest improvement, with achievement rates rising from approximately 30% to 50% over a decade.

conclusionDespite a substantial increase in research, the HbA1c and BP control for T2DM in Malaysian PHC has remained static and suboptimal, highlighting a persistent gap between clinical guidelines and real-world outcomes. The modest improvement in LDL-C suggests that progress is achievable. These findings underscore the need for a balanced policy focus on all three ABC indicators, strategies to overcome systemic barriers, and continued investment in the national registry to guide evidence-based improvements in diabetes care.

Indexed as

Cholesterol, LDLDiabetes Mellitus, Type 2Glycated HemoglobinPrimary Health CareQuality of Health CareBlood PressureHumansMalaysiaCholesterol, LDLGlycated Hemoglobinhemoglobin A1c protein, human

Identifiers

PMID42536621
PMCPMC13426932

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.