Table 1 Baseline characteristics of four identified subgroups of patients with diabetes.

Number of patients

2587

1885

4461

2460

9967

Mean age (SD)

63.6 (13.4)

62.2 (12.9)

68.4 (12.0)

67.1 (12.4)

65.6 (12.9)

% Men (N)

45.8% (1185)

55.8% (1052)

51.9% (2314)

51.4% (1265)

51.40% (5123)

Mean weight (SD)

87.3 (21.2)

90.9 (22.1)

87.6 (20.3)

88.3 (20.7)

88.5 (21.0)

Mean BMI (SD)

31.2 (6.9)

31.7 (6.9)

31.2 (6.5)

31.4 (6.8)

31.4 (6.7)

Mean systolic blood pressure (SD)

140.54 (17.53)

139.77 (17.75)

139.85 (18.18)

138.70 (18.59)

139.66 (17.98)

% Patients using insulin (N)

2.16%

2.33%

4.37%

6.87%

3.96%

% Patients with T1DM (N)

4.0% (103)

4.1% (77)

6.1% (270)

8.8% (217)

5.9% (585)

% Patients with T2DM (N)

93.2% (2412)

92.5% (1743)

94.2% (4202)

91.2% (2244)

93.0% (9266)

% Patients with other DM (N)

5.5% (141)

5.7% (107)

4.2% (189)

5.9% (144)

5.2% (514)

% History of high cholesterol (N)

15.9% (412)

14.7% (277)

18.7% (832)

17.4% (427)

15.9% (412)

% History of atrial fibrillation (N)

2.8% (72)

5.2% (98)

9.0% (403)

7.5% (184)

2.8% (72)

% History of CKD (N)

4.1% (105)

3.1% (59)

11.0% (490)

8.9% (218)

4.1% (105)

% History of smoking (N)

49.6% (1269)

51.6% (957)

51.6% (2275)

54.1% (1310)

52.03% (5114)

Top diseases at baseline Percent of patients (N)

Dorsalgia

55.1% (1425)

44.6% (840)

46.4% (2072)

47.5% (1169)

48.5% (4832)

Other soft tissue disorders, not elsewhere classified

52.3% (1353)

42.8% (806)

46.9% (2092)

45.7% (1125)

47.2% (4703)

Essential (primary) hypertension

35.0% (905)

33.6% (634)

51.1% (2279)

43.0% (1057)

41.3% (4114)

Other joint disorders, not elsewhere classified

43.6% (1127)

35.6% (671)

37.7% (1684)

36.7% (904)

38.6% (3851)

Unspecified acute lower respiratory infection

38.1% (986)

29.2% (551)

34.0% (1518)

34.4% (846)

34.3% (3422)

Acute upper respiratory infections of multiple and unspecified sites

35.1% (909)

24.3% (458)

25.8% (1152)

25.0% (615)

27.5% (2742)

Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco

22.9% (593)

22.7% (427)

18.6% (831)

20.1% (494)

21.0% (2089)

Obesity

19.8% (512)

21.3% (402)

19.6% (873)

20.4% (503)

20.1% (1999)

Chronic rhinitis, nasopharyngitis and pharyngitis

25.0% (647)

18.8% (355)

15.6% (698)

16.4% (404)

18.8% (1877)

Other arthrosis

18.6% (480)

17.2% (324)

19.1% (853)

18.1% (446)

18.5% (1839)

Top drugs at baseline

Percent of patients (N)

Antibacterial drugs

95.7% (2475)

90.9% (1714)

93.0% (4150)

93.1% (2290)

93.3% (9303)

Analgesics

84.8% (2194)

79.1% (1491)

85.2% (3802)

86.3% (2122)

84.2% (8393)

Drugs used in rheumatic diseases and gout

86.9% (2247)

78.0% (1471)

81.2% (3621)

82.0% (2016)

82.2% (8194)

Topical corticosteroids

65.7% (1699)

55.2% (1041)

61.2% (2732)

61.8% (1520)

61.3% (6106)

Hypertension and heart failure

32.4% (839)

43.4% (819)

74.7% (3331)

68.7% (1689)

57.3% (5707)

Diuretics

39.6% (1025)

39.2% (739)

67.6% (3014)

63.1% (1552)

53.3% (5315)

Antisecretory drugs and mucosal protectants

49.2% (1274)

49.3% (929)

53.4% (2384)

57.0% (1401)

52.7% (5254)

Vaccines and antisera

52.1% (1348)

43.3% (817)

54.3% (2421)

51.7% (1271)

51.0% (5087)

Lipid-regulating drugs

32.7% (846)

38.4% (724)

60.7% (2707)

62.9% (1548)

50.8% (5065)

Nitrates, calcium-channel blockers & other antianginal drugs

35.1% (909)

35.2% (663)

65.4% (2918)

58.5% (1440)

49.7% (4950)

Previous diagnosis of outcomes of interest

Coronary artery disease

7.7% (200)

14.2% (268)

23.4% (1042)

21.7% (534)

17.5% (1741)

Stroke

4.3% (111)

5.7% (107)

8.5% (381)

9.3% (230)

7.1% (705)

Heart failure

0.6% (16)

3.2% (60)

5.8% (258)

5.5% (135)

4.1% (404)

Renal failure

4.4% (115)

4.4% (82)

12.1% (539)

10.0% (245)

8.3% (823)

MACE

12.1% (314)

21.0% (396)

33.1% (1477)

31.9% (785)

25.4% (2534)