Abstract

Aims/IntroductionTo evaluate the relationship between early insulin initiation within a year after type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis and the risk of diabetic complications.Materials and methodsWe carried out a cohort study using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. The study participants were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus between 2009 and 2013. After applying propensity score matching (1:1) to the cohort of patients who received two or more oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) or insulin as the first prescription within 1 year after type 2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis, we computed hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a Cox proportional hazards regression to compare the risk of diabetes‐related microvascular and macrovascular complications and all‐cause mortality in insulin versus OAD initiators.ResultsWithin the cohort, 52,188 and 1,804 patients received OAD and insulin, respectively. After matching, each group contained 534 patients. Compared with the OAD group, the risk of overall microvascular complications was significantly higher for insulin (HR 1.48, 95% CI 1.28–1.71). No increased risks of overall macrovascular complications (HR 0.90, 95% CI 0.62–1.30) and all‐cause mortality were observed (HR 1.06, 95% CI 0.67–1.68).ConclusionsIn the present study, early insulin treatment was not associated with the risk of macrovascular complications and all‐cause mortality compared with OAD treatment; however, the risk of microvascular complications was higher in the insulin group.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call