Table 1.
Characteristics of users of sulfonylureas as second line treatment and metformin as first line treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes (all cause mortality study cohort).* Values are numbers (percentages) unless stated otherwise
| Characteristic | Sulfonylureas (n=23 592) | Metformin (n=23 592) | Standardised mean difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 64 (12) | 64 (12) | 3.6 |
| Women | 10 269 (43.5) | 10 018 (42.5) | 2.2 |
| Mean (SD) diabetes duration (years) | 3.5 (3.6) | 3.4 (3.5) | 2.8 |
| Alcohol related disorders | 1284 (5.4) | 1274 (5.4) | 0.2 |
| Smoking status: | |||
| Ever | 12 944 (54.9) | 12 810 (54.3) | 1.1 |
| Never | 10 435 (44.2) | 10 559 (44.8) | −1.1 |
| Unknown | 213 (0.9) | 223 (0.9) | −0.4 |
| Body mass index (kg/m2): | |||
| <25 | 2694 (11.4) | 2182 (9.2) | 7.1 |
| 25-30 | 7914 (33.5) | 7559 (32.0) | 3.2 |
| ≥30 | 12 554 (53.2) | 13 425 (56.9) | −7.4 |
| Unknown | 430 (1.8) | 426 (1.8) | 0.1 |
| Mean (SD) haemoglobin A1c (%) | 8.7 (1.7) | 8.4 (1.5) | |
| Haemoglobin A1c (%): | |||
| ≤7 | 2028 (8.6) | 2028 (8.6) | † |
| 7.1-8.0 | 7106 (30.1) | 7106 (30.1) | † |
| >8 | 12 439 (52.7) | 12 439 (52.7) | † |
| Unknown | 2019 (8.6) | 2019 (8.6) | † |
| Medical history: | |||
| Heart failure | 1623 (6.9) | 1413 (6.0) | 3.6 |
| Arterial hypertension | 15 089 (64.0) | 14 804 (62.8) | 2.5 |
| Coronary artery disease | 5174 (21.9) | 4994 (21.2) | 1.9 |
| Atrial fibrillation or flutter | 2217 (9.4) | 2052 (8.7) | 2.4 |
| Hyperlipidaemia | 7424 (31.5) | 7212 (30.6) | 1.9 |
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | 3396 (14.4) | 3275 (13.9) | 1.5 |
| Cancer | 2328 (9.9) | 2211 (9.4) | 1.7 |
| Anaemia | 399 (1.7) | 360 (1.5) | 1.3 |
| Thyroid disease | 2526 (10.7) | 2396 (10.2) | 1.8 |
| Severe hypoglycaemia | 35 (0.1) | 18 (0.0) | 2.2 |
| Myocardial infarction | 1190 (5.0) | 1020 (4.3) | 3.4 |
| Ischaemic stroke | 434 (1.8) | 385 (1.6) | 1.6 |
| Drugs: | |||
| Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors | 10 523 (44.6) | 10 037 (42.5) | 4.2 |
| Angiotensin II receptor blockers | 3300 (14.0) | 3108 (13.2) | 2.4 |
| Beta-blockers | 6163 (26.1) | 5751 (24.4) | 4.0 |
| Calcium channel blockers | 6751 (28.6) | 6366 (27.0) | 3.6 |
| Diuretics | 8410 (35.6) | 7924 (33.6) | 4.3 |
| Cardiac glycosides | 1069 (4.5) | 962 (4.1) | 2.2 |
| Nitrates | 1453 (6.2) | 1348 (5.7) | 1.9 |
| Statins | 16 402 (69.5) | 15 800 (67.0) | 5.5 |
| Acetylsalicylic acid | 9187 (38.9) | 8886 (37.7) | 2.6 |
| Clopidogrel | 875 (3.7) | 693 (2.9) | 4.3 |
| Warfarin | 1368 (5.8) | 1228 (5.2) | 2.6 |
| Paracetamol | 8350 (35.4) | 7845 (33.3) | 4.5 |
| Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs | 4987 (21.1) | 4981 (21.1) | 0.1 |
| Opioids | 7544 (32.0) | 7019 (29.8) | 4.8 |
| Diabetic complications: | |||
| Neuropathy | 3040 (12.9) | 2888 (12.2) | 1.9 |
| Peripheral vascular disease | 1439 (6.1) | 1297 (5.5) | 2.6 |
| Nephropathy | 3082 (13.1) | 2561(10.9) | 6.8 |
| Retinopathy | 5566 (23.6) | 5433 (23.0) | 1.3 |
*
The two groups were matched 1:1 on high-dimensional propensity score, level of haemoglobin A1c, and number of metformin prescriptions before the first sulfonylurea prescription. Slight differences exist in the populations for each outcome due to trimming.
†
Matching variable.