Types of diabetes treatment in a total, Norwegian, adult population. The Nord-Trøndelag Diabetes Study.

OBJECTIVES

To describe types of diabetes treatment in a total, adult population, including those on no antidiabetic medication, and to evaluate use of the defined daily doses in estimation of diabetes prevalence.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional epidemiologic survey applying patient-based questionnaires and clinical examinations approaching all inhabitants of > or = 20 years (85,100).

SETTING

Nord-Trøndelag county in the middle part of Norway.

SUBJECTS

All known diabetic patients in the county (2242) amongst all participants of > or = 20 years (76,855), registered in 1984-86.

INTERVENTIONS

Questionnaire data on type of diabetes treatment including drug doses, measurement of height and weight.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Distribution of types of treatment and of mean drug doses.

RESULTS

Of the diabetic patients of > or = 20 years of age, 20% used insulin, 39% oral hypoglycaemic agents and 41% no antidiabetic medication. Corresponding prevalence figures were 0.6%, 1.1% and 1.2%. Mean daily insulin dose per kg body weight was significantly higher in women than in men. Women with no antidiabetic medication stated a more restricted diet than men. The mean prescribed insulin dose was 14% higher than the defined daily dose, but the corresponding oral agent dose was lower than the defined daily dose.

CONCLUSIONS

Sales figures is a bad estimate of total diabetes prevalence due to the high proportion of diabetic patients using no antidiabetic medication. Correction is also necessary when the defined daily dose system is used to estimate the prevalence of medically treated diabetes.