Disease progression and treatment response in data-driven subgroups of type 2 diabetes compared with models based on simple clinical features: an analysis using clinical trial data

BackgroundResearch using data-driven cluster analysis has proposed five subgroups of diabetes with differences in diabetes progression and risk of complications. We aimed to compare the clinical utility of this subgroup-based approach for predicting patient outcomes with an alternative strategy of developing models for each outcome using simple patient characteristics.MethodsWe identified five clusters in the ADOPT trial (n=4351) using the same data-driven cluster analysis as reported by Ahlqvist and colleagues. Differences between clusters in glycaemic and renal progression were investigated and contrasted with stratification using simple continuous clinical features (age at diagnosis for glycaemic…

• G
  GlaxoSmithKline
• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Award: 098395/Z/12/Z
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research
• MR
  Medical Research Council

  Awards: MR/N00633X/1, MRC [MR/N00633X/1], MR/N00633X/, MR/K005707/1, MR/N00633X/1
• NE
  NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility