Objectives
This study aimed to identify factors associated with the onset time of diabetic complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and determine the best-fitted survival model. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among T2DM patients enrolled from October 1, 2016 to July 15, 2020 at the National Health Security Office (NHSO). In total, 388 T2DM patients were included. Cox proportional-hazard and parametric models were used to identify factors related to the onset time of diabetic complications. The Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, and Cox-Snell residual were compared to determine the best-fitted survival model. Results: Thirty diabetic complication events were detected among the 388 patients (7.7%). A 90% survival rate for the onset time of diabetic complications was found at 33 months after the first T2DM diagnosis. According to multivariate analysis, a duration of T2DM ≥42 months (time ratio [TR], 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.96; p=0.034), comorbid hypertension (TR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.15–0.60; p=0.001), mildly to moderately reduced levels of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (TR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.24–0.75; p=0.003) and an eGFR that was severely reduced or indicative of kidney failure (TR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.16–0.88; p=0.025) were significantly associated with the onset time of diabetic complications (p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with T2DM durations of more than 42 months, comorbid hypertension, and decreased eGFR were at risk of developing diabetic complications. The NHSO should be aware of these factors to establish a policy to prevent diabetic complications after the diagnosis of T2DM.