The prevalence of diabetes-related complications and multimorbidity in the population with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Basque Country

Abstract

BackgroundType 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with a diverse range of pathologies. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of diabetes-related complications, the prevalence of coexistent chronic conditions and to report multimorbidity in people with type 2 diabetes living in the Basque Country.MethodsAdministrative databases, in four cross sections (annually from 2007 to 2011) were consulted to analyse 149,015 individual records from patients aged ≥35 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The data observed were: age, sex, diabetes-related complications (annual rates of acute myocardial infarction, major amputations and avoidable hospitalisations), diabetes-related pathologies (prevalence of ischaemic heart disease, renal failure, stroke, heart failure, peripheral neuropathy, foot ulcers and diabetic retinopathy) and other unrelated pathologies (44 diseases).ResultsThe annual incidence for each condition progressively decreased during the four-year period: acute myocardial infarction (0.47 to 0.40%), major amputations (0.10 to 0.08%), and avoidable hospitalisations (5.85 to 5.5%). The prevalence for diabetes-related chronic pathologies was: ischaemic heart disease (11.5%), renal failure (8.4%), stroke (7.0%), heart failure (4.3%), peripheral neuropathy (1.3%), foot ulcers (2.0%) and diabetic retinopathy (7.2%). The prevalence of multimorbidity was 90.4%. The highest prevalence for other chronic conditions was 73.7% for hypertension, 13.8% for dyspepsia and 12.7% for anxiety.ConclusionsIn the type 2 diabetes mellitus population living in the Basque Country, incidence rates of diabetes complications are not as high as in other places. However, they present a high prevalence of diabetes related and unrelated diseases. Multimorbidity is very common in this group, and is a factor to be taken into account to ensure correct clinical management.

Evaluation of Diabetic Patient Care Quality in Primary Care

“…The most common chronic complications of diabetes mellitus have been reported as retinopathy (7.2%) and neuropathy (9.7%) in two different studies (24,25). In our study, neuropathy was 11.6% and retinopathy was 8.4%.…”

Diabetic Polyneuropathy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Mitochondrial Function

“…There was one study performed in Spain where the prevalence was reported as low as 1.33%; however, the method of detection was not reported, and apparently the patients were classified using their hospital discharge records; thus, we did not include this study in the analysis because we believe it lacks essential information [45]. In another study from Germany and UK type 2 DM patients who were recruited from general practice nationwide, the authors used the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10) to establish the prevalence of DPN in their communities, but then again they do not report the diagnostic method employed by the physicians: in Germany it was 5.7% and in the UK 2.4% [46].…”

Diabetes-related foot disorders among adult Ghanaians

“…Among high-income countries, an evident reduction in the incidence of the diabetic foot has been recorded over the past three decades [5–8]. These achievements were mostly through a campaign of increased screening, widespread adoption of multidisciplinary foot clinics and stringent vascular risk factor management [9,10]. On the contrary, a high incidence of diabetic foot, with incidence usually upwards of 10% has been recorded in low-middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) [11–14].…”