A mathematical model for the burden of diabetes and its complications

BACKGROUND The incidence and prevalence of diabetes are increasing all over the world. Complications of diabetes constitute a burden for the individuals and the whole society. METHODS In the present paper, ordinary differential equations and numerical approximations are used to monitor the size of populations of diabetes with and without complications. RESULTS Different scenarios are discussed according to a set of parameters and the dynamical evolution of the population from the stage of diabetes to the stage of diabetes with complications is clearly illustrated. CONCLUSIONS The model shows how efficient and cost-effective strategies can be obtained by acting on diabetes incidence and/or controlling the evolution to the stage of complications.