Understanding the natural history, burden, and trends of major diabetes-related complications in Australia

This thesis uses a data linkage approach to quantify diabetes complications in Australia. It is shown that: 1) the occurrence of cardiovascular complications and mortality in people with type 2 diabetes are predominantly determined by age, while the incidence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and amputations are determined by duration of diabetes; 2) from 2010-2019 the burden of ESKD and amputations increased among people with type 2 diabetes, but this was at least partly due to increases in duration of diabetes; and 3) increased use of newer diabetes drugs could lower much of the continual increase in diabetes complications.