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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Paula Whitty, Professor Martin Eccles, Dr Nick Steen, Emerita Professor Elaine McCollORCiD
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Introduction: The number of non-diabetic drugs, taken by a patient with diabetes at any one point in time, has been validated in previous studies as a comorbidity indicator. Aim: The aim of the paper is to examine the relationship between this comorbidity indicator and health status in people with Type 2 diabetes. Method: The analysis presented is from a prospective cohort study of people with Type 2 diabetes before and after commencing insulin therapy, with simultaneous collection of health status, clinical and other comparative data. Results: Of the 48 people for whom both health status and drug data were available, 26 (54%) were taking at least one non-diabetic drug and 16 (33%) were taking 3 or more non-diabetic drugs, at the baseline assessment. There were no significant relationships between number of non-diabetic drugs taken, and age, duration of diabetes or baseline HbA1c measurements. However, there were statistically significant relationships between the number of non-diabetic drugs and health status, in terms of depression and physical function. Conclusion: Drug data are routinely recorded in primary care and therefore the number of non-diabetic drugs is a potentially widely available indicator. This indicator could be a useful, simple addition to datasets that not only proxies comorbidity but also relates to patients' physical function and depression status.
Author(s): Whitty PM, Eccles MP, Steen IN, Mccoll E, Hutchinson A, Meadows K, Hewison J
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Pharmacy World and Science
Year: 2001
Volume: 23
Issue: 4
Pages: 145-147
Print publication date: 01/01/2001
ISSN (print): 0928-1231
ISSN (electronic): 2210-7711
Publisher: Springer Netherlands
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1011895532488
DOI: 10.1023/A:1011895532488
PubMed id: 11599200
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