National trends in diabetes mellitus hospitalization in Spain 1997–2010: Analysis of over 5.4 millions of admissions

To analyze national trends in the rates of hospitalizations (all-cause and by principal discharge diagnosis) in total diabetic population of Spain. We carried out a nation-wide population-based study of all diabetic patients hospitalized between 1997 and 2010. All-cause hospitalizations, hospitalizations by principal discharge diagnosis, mean age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, readmission rates and length of hospital stay were examined. Annual rates adjusted for age and sex were analyzed and trends were calculated. Over 14-years-period, all-cause hospitalizations of diabetic patients increased significantly, with an average annual percentage change of 2.5 (95%CI: 1.5–3.5; Ptrend