Table 2.

Descriptive statistics (means and standardized mean differences) of covariates for the fixed-dose combination and the loose-dose combination cohort before and after matching

Variable	FDC		LDC		SMD
	Raw	PSM	Raw	PSM	Raw	PSM
Socio-demographic variables
Age	63.39	63.61	64.54	63.63	− 0.11	− 0.02
Gender (female = 1)	0.31	0.30	0.36	0.30	− 0.10	0.00
Voluntarily insureda	0.15	0.15	0.16	0.17	0.04	0.05
Healthcare consumption
Total costs in €	3319.40	3323.31	4137.12	3599.76	− 0.12	− 0.04
Adherence	0.69	0.69	0.71	0.71	− 0.09	− 0.06
Participation in DMP	0.74	0.74	0.74	0.74	0.04	0.04
Physician involved in DMP	0.92	0.92	0.92	0.92	− 0.01	0.00
Elixhauser comorbidity groups
Raw	2 out of 31 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
PSM	0 out of 31 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
Pharmay-based classes
Raw	0 out of 32 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
PSM	0 out of 32 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
T2D-associated comorbidity groups
Raw	1 out of 7 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
PSM	0 out of 7 groups significantly different (d > 0.10)
Observations	1144	1117	1319	1272

FDC fixed-dose combination, LDC loose-dose combination, SMD standardized mean difference, PSM propensity score matching, DMP disease management program, T2D type 2 diabetes mellitus

^aFor historical reasons, higher-income individuals in Germany may choose between statutory health insurance and fully substitutive private health insurance, whereas enrolment in statutory health insurance is mandatory below a certain income threshold