Distribution of matching and non-matching covariates at cohort entry
| PIO exposed n=31 133 n (%) | Non-PIO-exposed n=31 133 n (%) | Standardized difference | |
| Dataset | |||
| FIN | 15 315 (49.19) | 15 315 (49.19) | 0.00 |
| SWE | 3712 (11.92) | 3712 (11.92) | 0.00 |
| UK GP-HOSP | 12 106 (38.88) | 12 106 (38.88) | 0.00 |
| Exact matching variables | |||
| Type of treatment change at CED | |||
| Add-on | 18 774 (60.30) | 18 774 (60.30) | 0.00 |
| Switch | 12 359 (39.70) | 12 359 (39.70) | 0.00 |
| History of TZD at CED | |||
| Never | 23 261 (74.71) | 23 261 (74.71) | 0.00 |
| Ever | 7872 (25.29) | 7872 (25.29) | 0.00 |
| Antidiabetic treatment immediately prior to CED* | |||
| Insulin (only or in combination) | 1456 (4.68) | 1456 (4.68) | 0.00 |
| Metformin and SU | 7671 (24.64) | 7671 (24.64) | 0.00 |
| Metformin only | 10 036 (32.24) | 10 036 (32.24) | 0.00 |
| No treatment | 3636 (11.68) | 3636 (11.68) | 0.00 |
| Other drugs or combination | 5405 (17.36) | 5405 (17.36) | 0.00 |
| SU only | 2929 (9.41) | 2929 (9.41) | 0.00 |
| Propensity score variables | |||
| Duration of treated diabetes at CED (years) | |||
| <1 | 3833 (12.31) | 3870 (12.43) | 0.36 |
| 1 to <2 | 3923 (12.60) | 3571 (11.47) | 3.48 |
| 2 to <4 | 6333 (20.34) | 5957 (19.13) | 3.03 |
| 4 to <6 | 6379 (20.49) | 7017 (22.54) | 4.99 |
| ≥6 | 10 665 (34.26) | 10 718 (34.43) | 0.36 |
| Range (min, max) | (0.00, 34.18) | (0.00, 24.79) | |
| Mean (±SD) | 4.77 (3.61) | 4.86 (3.62) | |
| Median (Q1, Q3) | 4.24 (1.80, 7.05) | 4.43 (1.94, 7.02) | |
| History of diabetic complications at CED | |||
| Diabetic retinopathy or maculopathy | 3189 (10.24) | 3460 (11.11) | 2.82 |
| Lower limb severe complications | 750 (2.41) | 958 (3.08) | 4.09 |
| Diabetic renal complications | 2351 (7.55) | 2452 (7.88) | 1.22 |
| Ketoacidosis | 74 (0.24) | 116 (0.37) | 2.45 |
| Hyperosmolar/ketoacidotic coma | 661 (2.12) | 1097 (3.52) | 8.46 |
| Other comorbidities at CED | |||
| Myocardial infarction or stroke | 2687 (8.63) | 3853 (12.38) | 12.24 |
| Congestive heart failure | 1069 (3.43) | 2213 (7.11) | 16.50 |
| Year at CED | |||
| 2000–2003 | 1672 (5.37) | 4103 (13.18) | 27.17 |
| 2004–2007 | 11 214 (36.02) | 10 573 (33.96) | 4.32 |
| 2008–2011 | 18 247 (58.61) | 16 457 (52.86) | 11.59 |
| Duration of medication database membership before CED (years) | |||
| 1–2 | 2538 (8.15) | 2528 (8.12) | 0.12 |
| 3–4 | 2353 (7.56) | 3184 (10.23) | 9.39 |
| 5–6 | 3930 (12.62) | 5912 (18.99) | 17.52 |
| 7+ | 22 312 (71.67) | 19 509 (62.66) | 19.26 |
| Range (min, max) | (1.00, 22.00) | (1.00, 22.00) | |
| Mean (±SD) | 8.86 (4.13) | 8.37 (4.13) | |
| Median (Q1, Q3) | 9.00 (6.00, 11.00) | 8.00 (5.00, 11.00) | |
| Different antidiabetic drug classes ever prior to CED (n) | |||
| 0 | 1097 (3.52) | 1061 (3.41) | 0.63 |
| 1 | 8928 (28.68) | 7833 (25.16) | 7.94 |
| 2 | 13 754 (44.18) | 12 832 (41.22) | 5.99 |
| 3 | 5833 (18.74) | 7204 (23.14) | 10.84 |
| >3 | 1521 (4.89) | 2203 (7.08) | 9.25 |
| Non-matching study variables (selected) | |||
| Age at CED (years) | |||
| 40–59 | 12 073 (38.78) | 9703 (31.17) | 16.01 |
| 60–69 | 10 355 (33.26) | 9506 (30.53) | 5.85 |
| ≥70 | 8705 (27.96) | 11 924 (38.30) | 22.10 |
| Range (min, max) | (40.00, 98.00) | (40.00, 101.00) | |
| Mean (±SD) | 63.17 (10.68) | 65.89 (11.53) | |
| Median (Q1, Q3) | 63.00 (56.00, 71.00) | 66.00 (58.00, 75.00) | |
| Sex | |||
| Male | 17 989 (57.78) | 17 127 (55.01) | 5.59 |
| Female | 13 144 (42.22) | 14 006 (44.99) | 5.59 |
| Different antidiabetic drug classes being used at CED† (n) | |||
| 1 | 3242 (10.41) | 4727 (15.18) | 14.31 |
| 2 | 15 776 (50.67) | 16 482 (52.94) | 4.54 |
| 3 | 10 862 (34.89) | 9494 (30.49) | 9.38 |
| >3 | 1253 (4.02) | 430 (1.38) | 16.36 |
| Antidiabetic treatment at CED† | |||
| Insulin (only or in combination) | 1462 (4.70) | 11 662 (37.46) | 87.71 |
| Metformin and SU | 7925 (25.46) | 6872 (22.07) | 7.95 |
| Metformin only | 11 439 (36.74) | 2007 (6.45) | 79.19 |
| No treatment | 3242 (10.41) | 0 (0.00) | 48.22 |
| Other drugs or combination | 3830 (12.30) | 9571 (30.74) | 46.04 |
| SU only | 3235 (10.39) | 1021 (3.28) | 28.46 |
| Bladder comorbidities at CED | |||
| Urinary incontinence | 1941 (6.23) | 2336 (7.50) | 5.02 |
| Urinary tract infection | 2458 (7.90) | 2818 (9.05) | 4.15 |
| Pyelonephritis | 458 (1.47) | 604 (1.94) | 3.62 |
| Urolithiasis | 809 (2.60) | 723 (2.32) | 1.78 |
| Hematuria | 1118 (3.59) | 1192 (3.83) | 1.26 |
| Urinary retention | 369 (1.19) | 530 (1.70) | 4.34 |
| Neurogenic bladder | 40 (0.13) | 50 (0.16) | 0.85 |
| Catheterization | 321 (1.03) | 450 (1.45) | 3.75 |
| Other comorbidities at CED | |||
| Other urinary tract cancer (excluding BC) | 96 (0.31) | 105 (0:34) | 0.51 |
| Other cancer (excluding urinary tract) | 3415 (10.97) | 4078 (13.10) | 6.55 |
| COPD | 2729 (8.77) | 2959 (9.50) | 2.56 |
| Use of other medications prior to CED | |||
| Statins | 14 933 (47.97) | 13 832 (44.43) | 7.10 |
| ARB | 9066 (29.12) | 7856 (25.23) | 8.74 |
| ACE inhibitors | 17 762 (57.05) | 18 004 (57.83) | 1.57 |
| BPH | 4108 (13.20) | 4272 (13.72) | 1.54 |
*Treatments initiated at CED are not included.
†Treatments initiated at CED are included. For the PIO-exposed group, the listed treatments are in addition to PIO.
ARB, angiotensin receptor blockers; BC, bladder cancer; BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy; CED, cohort entry date; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FIN, Finland; PIO, pioglitazone; SU, sulphonylureas; SWE, Sweden; TZD, thiazolidinedione; UK GP-HOSP, UK linked dataset.