Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of treated type 2 diabetes mellitus patients—classified by the first use of diabetes mellitus drug on the index date
| Main cohort | Propensity score‐matched cohort | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metformin users (N = 50 543) | Non‐metformin DM drug user (N = 232 948) | Metformin users (N = 50 541) | Non‐metformin DM drug user (N = 50 541) | |
| Enrollment year | ||||
| 2010–2011 | 24 255 (48%) | 97 283 (42%) | 24 254 (48%) | 23 469 (46%) |
| 2012–2013 | 21 729 (43%) | 106 337 (46%) | 21 728 (43%) | 21 740 (43%) |
| 2014 | 4559 (9%) | 29 328 (12%) | 4559 (9%) | 5332 (11%) |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 30 428 (60%) | 143 865 (62%) | 30 428 (60%) | 30 441 (60%) |
| Female | 20 115 (40%) | 89 083 (38%) | 20 113 (40%) | 20 100 (40%) |
| Mean follow‐up period, (SD) year/month | 2.1 (1.5)/21 (18) | 1.7 (1.4)/21 (17) | 2.1 (1.5)/26 (18) | 2.0 (1.4)/24 (17) |
| Age on index date | ||||
| Mean age (SD) | 63 (12) | 69 (12) | 63 (12) | 65 (12) |
| Mean age, male (SD) | 62 (12) | 69 (12) | 62 (12) | 64 (11) |
| Mean age, female (SD) | 65 (12) | 71 (13) | 65 (12) | 67 (12) |
| Age groups, stratified by 10 years | ||||
| 18–34 years | 1051 (2%) | 2438 (1%) | 1050 (2%) | 701 (1%) |
| 35–44 years | 3270 (6%) | 7327 (3%) | 3269 (6%) | 2200 (4%) |
| 45–54 years | 7020 (14%) | 16 922 (7%) | 7020 (14%) | 5125 (10%) |
| 55–64 years | 14 640 (29%) | 47 932 (21%) | 14 640 (29%) | 13 858 (27%) |
| 65–74 years | 15 629 (31%) | 73 926 (32%) | 15 629 (31%) | 19 746 (39%) |
| 75– years | 8933 (18%) | 84 403 (36%) | 8933 (18%) | 8911 (18%) |
| Prior use of metformin before cohort entry | 4437 (9%) | 509 (0%) | 4436 (9%) | 131 (0%) |
| Diabetes treatment on index date | ||||
| Metformin | 50 543 (100%) | 0 | 50 541 (100%) | 0 |
| Sulfonylurea | 21 886 (43%) | 67 330 (29%) | 21 886 (43%) | 19 342 (38%) |
| DPP‐4 inhibitor | 14 481 (29%) | 73 215 (31%) | 14 481 (29%) | 19 437 (38%) |
| Alpha‐glucosidase inhibitor | 11 909 (24%) | 50 008 (21%) | 11 909 (24%) | 13 763 (27%) |
| TZD | 8485 (17%) | 26 121 (11%) | 8485 (17%) | 8323 (17%) |
| GLP‐1/SGLT2 inhibitors | 597 (1%) | 2229 (1%) | 597 (1%) | 785 (2%) |
| Insulin | 8395 (17%) | 114 677 (49%) | 8395 (17%) | 8479 (17%) |
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Hypertension | 10 800 (21%) | 80 684 (35%) | 10 800 (21%) | 10 973 (21%) |
| Ischemic heart disease | 3438 (7%) | 33 798 (15%) | 3438 (7%) | 3414 (7%) |
| Heart failure | 2383 (5%) | 29 304 (13%) | 2383 (5%) | 2373 (5%) |
| Complication of diabetes | 7579 (15%) | 38 946 (17%) | 7577 (15%) | 7513 (15%) |
| Dyslipidemia | 10 585 (21%) | 50 140 (22%) | 10 584 (21%) | 10 571 (21%) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 3395 (7%) | 29 993 (13%) | 3395 (7%) | 3373 (7%) |
| Biliary disease | 1160 (2%) | 12 660 (5%) | 1160 (2%) | 1109 (2%) |
| Gastric ulcer | 3055 (6%) | 29 472 (13%) | 3055 (6%) | 3046 (6%) |
| Obesity | 446 (1%) | 1078 (0%) | 444 (1%) | 391 (1%) |
| Malignancy | 1967 (4%) | 35 598 (15%) | 1967 (4%) | 1881 (4%) |
| Metastatic cancer | 482 (1%) | 7759 (3%) | 482 (1%) | 466 (1%) |
| Chronic liver disease | 11 074 (22%) | 48 795 (21%) | 11 073 (22%) | 11 032 (22%) |
| Liver cirrhosis | 517 (1%) | 7696 (3%) | 517 (1%) | 499 (1%) |
| Chronic kidney disease | 7007 (14%) | 40 045 (17%) | 7005 (14%) | 7017 (14%) |
| Renal failure | 639 (1%) | 13 224 (6%) | 639 (1%) | 638 (1%) |
| Charlson comorbidity index, (SD) | 0.8 (1.3) | 1.7 (1.9) | 0.8 (1.3) | 0.9 (1.3) |
| Score 0 | 32 398 (64%) | 86 551 (37%) | 32 398 (64%) | 29 942 (59%) |
| Score 1 | 6634 (13%) | 39 593 (17%) | 6634 (13%) | 8061 (15%) |
| Score 2 | 6966 (14%) | 41 922 (18%) | 6965 (14%) | 7173 (14%) |
| Score 3 | 2554 (5%) | 28 079 (12%) | 2554 (5%) | 2851 (6%) |
| Score 4 | 1007 (2%) | 16 142 (7%) | 1006 (2%) | 1330 (3%) |
| Score 5 | 482 (1%) | 9152 (4%) | 482 (1%) | 622 (1%) |
| Score ≥ 6 | 502 (1%) | 11 509 (5%) | 502 (1%) | 562 (1%) |