Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 26, 2025

Author Spotlight: Understanding Retinal Vessel Resilience and Disease Progression

Author Spotlight: Understanding Retinal Vessel Resilience and Disease Progression

Published on: January 12, 2024

Trends in diabetes-related complications in Singapore, 2013-2020: A registry-based study

Joshua Kuan Tan¹, Nur Nasyitah Mohamed Salim¹, Gek Hsiang Lim¹

¹Health Services Research Unit, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.

|October 11, 2022

Abstract

Background:

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing global health problem. In Singapore, the prevalence of Type 2 DM is rising, but comprehensive information about trends in DM-related complications is lacking.

Objectives:

We utilized the Singapore Health Services (SingHealth) diabetes registry (SDR) to assess trends in DM micro and macro-vascular complications at the population level, explore factors influencing these trends.

Methods:

We studied trends for ten DM-related complications: ischemic heart disease (IHD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and strokes, diabetic eye complications, nephropathy, neuropathy, diabetic foot, major and minor lower extremity amputation (LEA). The complications were determined through clinical coding in hospital (inpatient and outpatient) and primary care settings within the SingHealth cluster. We described event rates for the complications in 4 age-bands. Joinpoint regression was used to identify significant changes in trends.

Results:

Among 222,705 patients studied between 2013 and 2020. 48.6% were female, 70.7% Chinese, 14.7% Malay and 10.6% Indian with a mean (SD) age varying between 64.6 (12.5) years in 2013 and 65.7 (13.2) years in 2020. We observed an increase in event rates in IHD, PAD, stroke, diabetic eye complications nephropathy, and neuropathy. Joinpoints was observed for IHD and PAD between 2016 to 2018, with subsequent plateauing of event rates. Major and minor LEA event rates decreased through the study period.

Conclusion:

We found that DM and its complications represent an important challenge for healthcare in Singapore. Improvements in the trends of DM macrovascular complications were observed. However, trends in DM microvascular complications remain a cause for concern.

More Related Videos

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes

Glycemic Impact on Knee Osteoarthritis Symptoms on Physical, Radiographic, and Inflammatory Markers among Individuals Aged 50 and Over with Diabetes

Published on: March 7, 2025

Studying Diabetes Through the Eyes of a Fish: Microdissection, Visualization, and Analysis of the Adult tgfli:EGFP Zebrafish Retinal Vasculature

Studying Diabetes Through the Eyes of a Fish: Microdissection, Visualization, and Analysis of the Adult tgfli:EGFP Zebrafish Retinal Vasculature

Published on: December 26, 2017

Related Concept Videos

Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications

Diabetes: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Complications

For most patients, experiencing several weeks of polyuria, polydipsia, fatigue, and significant weight loss may indicate the presence of diabetes. Furthermore, adults displaying the phenotypic appearance of type 2 diabetes (particularly those who are obese and not initially insulin-requiring), may have islet cell autoantibodies, suggesting autoimmune-mediated β cell destruction and a diagnosis of latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). The categorization of glucose homeostasis is...

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational

Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype

Diabetes Mellitus: Overview and Type I Subtype

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels due to inadequate insulin production, insulin resistance, or both. The condition affects millions worldwide and can significantly impact their health and quality of life.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. As a result, the body is unable to produce sufficient insulin, and individuals with...

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Carbohydrates are polymers composed of molecules containing atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. One gram of carbohydrate can provide four kilo-calories of energy, which makes it the most efficient instant energy source.
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...

Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy

Diabetes: Management and Pharmacotherapy

The therapy for diabetes aims to alleviate hyperglycemia-related symptoms, prevent acute metabolic decompensation, and reduce chronic end-organ complications. Glycemic control is evaluated through short-term (self-monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring) and long-term (A1c, fructosamine) metrics, enabling near real-time tracking of blood glucose levels and reflecting glycemic control over specific time frames.
Insulin remains the cornerstone of treatment for most patients with type 1 and many...

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Validity and Interpretation Thresholds of Habitual and fast Gait Speed for Preclinical Mobility Limitation in Middle-aged and Older Adults.

American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation·2026

Multi-mOdal Training program to promote physical actIVity After sTrokE (MOTIVATE): Protocol for effectiveness and economic outcomes in a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation randomised controlled trial.

Contemporary clinical trials·2026

An Observational Study on the Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Carbohydrate Intake, Insulin Delivery and Glycaemia in Women With Type 1 Diabetes Using MiniMed 780G Automated Insulin Delivery System.

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism·2026

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) collaborative care involving acupuncture for axial spondyloarthritis: 6-week exploratory results of a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.

EULAR rheumatology open·2026

A Real-World Cohort Study on the Association of the Use of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitor With the Incidence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Without CKD Using the SingHealth Diabetes Registry.

Diabetes, obesity & metabolism·2026

Integrating Clinical Classifications Software Refined, Process Indicators, and Geographic Information System Mapping to Inform Population Health Management: Development of an Interactive Dashboard.

JMIR medical informatics·2026

See all related articles