Fig. 1

Flowchart of inclusion in the T2DM study cohort. We used 1 mmol/L cut-offs to categorize patients. ^aNewly diagnosed diabetes was defined as either 1) a first-time hospital inpatient or outpatient clinic diagnosis of diabetes or 2) a first-time redeemed prescription for a glucose-lowering drug issued by either a primary care or a hospital-based physician. ^bCardiovascular disease was defined as a hospital recorded diagnoses of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, heart failure, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, or peripheral arterial disease or a CVD-related procedure including PCI/CABG, thrombolysis/thrombectomy, or lower limb revascularization/amputation. ^c4348 (29%) were statin users and potentially eligible in our study if they had had a triglyceride measurement. Please see Additional file 1: Table S8 for a baseline characterization of these patients. CVD, cardiovascular disease; PCI/CABG, percutaneous coronary intervention/ coronary artery bypass graft; T2DM, type 2 diabetes mellitus