Characteristics of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus by Category of Chronic Kidney Disease and Presence of Cardiovascular Disease in Alberta Canada: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an excess risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Although CVD, CKD, and use of antihyperglycemic treatments are all key drivers of the costs and consequences experienced by people with diabetes, no recent Canadian data describe these characteristics among adults with diabetes. OBJECTIVE: To describe prevalence of CVD, CKD, and use of antihyperglycemic treatments among adults with diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective population-based, cross-sectional study. SETTING: Alberta, Canada. PATIENTS: All adults with T2DM as of March 31, 2017. MEASUREMENTS: We described the demographic and clinical characteristics by CKD stage and CVD status and type. CKD stage was categorized according to international guidelines and based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and severity of albuminuria. METHODS: Clinical and demographic characteristics were defined using provincial administrative data; medication use was based on data from the provincial drug plan. Additional analyses examined subgroups based on demographic characteristics, clinical characteristics, and medication use. RESULTS: There were 260 903 participants, all of whom had T2DM. Median age was 64 years; 53.6% were male; and 10.9% lived in rural communities. Median duration of diabetes was 7.7 years. Half of the participants had A1C <7%. Overall, 33.0% had CKD; among these most had eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2); 11.1%, 5.6%, and 2.9% had CKD stages 3a, 3b, and 4/5, respectively. The overall prevalence of CVD (prior myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischemic attack, or peripheral artery disease) was 22.5%; prevalence increased in parallel with the presence of CKD: 14.4%, 28.8%, 35.7%, 44.3%, and 50.9% for stages 1, 2, 3a, 3b, and 4/5, respectively. Prescriptions for antihyperglycemic medications were more common in people with CKD as compared with those without. However, the use of all antihyperglycemic medications except insulin and meglitinide was progressively lower in the presence of more severe CKD. LIMITATIONS: The study is based on administrative data; therefore, the findings could be influenced by measurement error (eg, accuracy of diagnostic and procedural codes and prescription drug codes used). CONCLUSIONS: These findings will be useful to policy makers seeking to understand the burden of diabetes-related kidney disease as well as the potential budget implications and potential clinical benefits of expanded use of antihyperglycemic use in this population.