title: Use of a large diabetes electronic medical record system in India: clinical and research applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The diabetes electronic medical record (DEMR) has emerged as an effective information management tool with the potential to improve diabetes care and research. This study reports on the usefulness of the DEMR system at Dr. Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre (DMDSC), Chennai, India, for clinical and research purposes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The DEMR, set up in 1996 at DMDSC, connects data of nine centers/clinics in different geographical areas in Southern India. The present data analysis is based on a total of 226,228 patients registered in the DEMR system at DMDSC between the years 1991 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The DEMR included data of 139,906 male and 86,322 female patients, of whom 92.6% had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), 1.4% had type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and the rest had other types. Patients with T2DM had higher prevalence rates of neuropathy (33.1% vs 13.0%, p < .001), microalbuminuria (25.5% vs 20.0%, p < .001), coronary artery disease (17.5% vs 9.2%, p < .001) and peripheral vascular disease (3.9% vs 2.8%, p = .017) compared with T1DM patients, while prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was similar (37.9% vs 35.7%, p = .06). Prevalence of microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes increased with increasing glycated hemoglobin levels (p for trend < .001) and increasing diabetes duration (p for trend < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DEMR helps track diabetes care and is a valuable tool for research.
authors: Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Gopalapuram, Chennai, India. drmohans@diabetes.ind.in
authors: Rajendra
authors: R
authors: Pradeepa
authors: Anbalagan Viknesh
authors: AV
authors: Prabu
authors: Saravanan
authors: S
authors: Jebarani
authors: Sivasankaran
authors: S
authors: Subhashini
authors: Viswanathan
authors: V
authors: Mohan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D019451:Information Management; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D012107:Research Design; D014584:User-Computer Interface