Network-based analysis of comorbidities: Case study of diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Comorbidity is the presence of one or more additional disorders or diseases co-occurring with a primary disease or disorder. The purpose of this study is to identify diseases that co-occur with diabetes mellitus and analyze the gender differences. Data was collected from 154,434 diabetes mellitus admission medical records out of 1,377,469 admission medical records from 1997 to 2010 in Taiwan. In this study, the comorbidity relationships are presented in the phenotypic disease network (PDN), and φ-correlation is used to measure the distance between two diseases on the network. The results show that there is a high correlation in the following pairs/triad of diseases: diabetes mellitus (250) and essential hypertension (401), diseases of the circulatory system (390~459) are highly correlated. Diabetes mellitus without mention of complication (2500) and essential hypertension, unspecified (4019), and diseases of the circulatory system (390~459) are highly correlated. Diabetes with renal manifestations (2504) and nephritis and nephropathy, not specified as acute or chronic, with other specified pathological lesion in kidney (5838), and diseases of the genitourinary system (580~629) are highly correlated. Diabetes with ophthalmic manifestations (2505) and diabetic retinopathy (3620), and diseases of the nervous system and diseases of the sense organs (320~389) are highly correlated. Diabetes with neurological manifestations (2506) and polyneuropathy in diabetes (3572), and diseases of the nervous system and diseases of the sense organs (320~389) are highly correlated. Diabetes with peripheral circulatory disorders (2507) and gangrene (7854), and symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions (780~799) are highly correlated. Diabetes with other specified manifestations (2508) and ulcer of lower limbs, except decubitus (7071), and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue (680~709) are highly correlated.