The study involved 25,713 people over 45 years old with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Throughout the survey, participants were followed for 10 years about major health problems caused by diabetes. Responses were then linked to their medical records.
The researchers found that 44 percent of men experienced a cardiovascular complication such as stroke or heart failure, compared with 31 percent of women. The findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Additionally, 25 percent and 35 percent of men had leg and foot and kidney problems, compared with 18 percent and 25 percent of women, respectively. Leg and foot problems included ulcers and bone inflammation, while kidney problems included chronic disease and kidney failure.
Overall, men with diabetes were 51% more likely to develop heart disease than women with diabetes, the researchers found.
Men with diabetes were also found to be 55 percent and 47 percent more likely to develop kidney and leg/foot complications, respectively. However, the team found little difference between men and women when it came to their overall risk of developing eye complications. Among participants, 57 percent of men developed these conditions, compared with 61 percent of women. Men were found to have a 14 percent higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a sight-threatening eye disease.
“Men had a 1.5-fold higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), lower extremity, and kidney complications, and the risk of diabetic retinopathy was 14% higher in men than in women. These results are reflected in the approximately 1.4-fold higher 10-year incidence of CVD, lower extremity, and kidney complications in men compared with women,” the authors wrote.
The researchers noted that while rates of diabetes complications increase with the number of years lived with metabolic disease in both men and women, gender differences in complication rates remain.
The researchers noted that one possible explanation is that the men in their study were more likely to have well-known risk factors, and they suggested that men may be less likely in general to make lifestyle changes to lower their risk, take preventive medications, or undergo health screenings.
The researchers said this was an observational study and therefore could not identify causative factors, and acknowledged there was a lack of information on possible influencing factors, such as diabetes medications or blood sugar or blood pressure levels.
The authors noted that although men with diabetes are at higher risk of developing complications, rates are high in both men and women. The findings highlight the need for targeted screening for complications and prevention strategies after diagnosis, they said.