Large impact of antidiabetic drug treatment and hospitalizations on economic burden of diabetes mellitus in the Netherlands during 2000 to 2004

Objective: To estimate the burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications in The Netherlands. Methods: The PHARMO Record Linkage System comprised among others linked drug dispensing, hospital and clinical laboratory data from approximately 2.5 million individuals in The Netherlands. Patients with DM (type 1 and type 2) were included in the study cohort from 2000 to 2004 if they used antidiabetic drugs or had HbA1c ≥ 6.5 mmol/L or had a hospitalization for DM or a diabetic complication in the measurement year or in the preceding year. Controls, defined as subjects without a diagnosis of... Mehr ...