An 11-Year Study to Predict Major Complications According to Biological Age in Patients With Diabetes: National Health Information Database (NHIS-NHID 2002-2020)

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes has been increasing, particularly among younger age groups with prolonged survival, and the risk of complications and the burden of healthcare costs are also expected to rise. We investigated the concept of biological age (BA) in patients with diabetes and there by developed a model to predict the risk and time of onset of diabetes complications. METHODS: Using NHIS-NHID data, we analysed 686,410 patients with diabetes who had undergone a health examination in 2009-2010. We analysed patients' data until 2020. We developed a BA model for patients with diabetes and predicted the risk of complications and the time of complication onset. RESULTS: In both sexes, the incidences of all complications increased significantly with increasing corrected BA (p < 0.05). Similarly, the time until onset of all complications decreased significantly with increasing corrected BA (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that maintaining a lower BA is associated with a reduced risk of complications and a delayed onset of the disease, which may encourage diabetic patients to manage their health more effectively. This study is the first to apply the concept of BA, reflecting health and ageing status, to patients with diabetes to explore its relationship with the risk and timing of complications.