ESTIMATION OF THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IN THE FEDERAL-REPUBLIC-OF-GERMANY FROM LOCAL HEALTH-INSURANCE DATA

All records relating to medical prescriptions and services relating to diabetes for a representative sample (n = 6478) of inhabitants of Dortmund in 1988, who were members of the Local Health Insurance in Dortmund, were analysed. 264 patients (4.08%) were receiving antidiabetic drugs during that year, 198 (3.06%) oral ones, 42 (0.65%) insulin and 24 (0.37%) both. 12.41% of all those insured over the age of 60 were on antidiabetic drugs, more women than men (5.08 vs 2.94%; P < 0.001). The most frequently used oral antidiabetics were sulphonylurea ones (95.1%), while the proportion of biguanides was only 4.4%. On the basis of established diagnosis, regular blood sugar and HbA1 tests, as well as optic fundi examination, a further 104 persons (1.60%) are assumed to have diabetes but not treated by drugs. This sample indicates an overall prevalence of diabetes of 5.68% among the population. Relating it to the age and sex pattern of the population of the Federal Republic of Germany this corresponds to a prevalence of diagnosed diabetes of 4.82%. Thus there are probably a little less than 4 million diabetic citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany.