Study finds men at higher risk of diabetic complications than women

Men are at higher risk of major health effects of diabetes (type 1 and type 2) than women, suggests a long-term study published online. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Regardless of whether you've had diabetes for more than 10 years or less, men are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, complications in the legs, feet, and kidneys, and diabetic retinopathy, a vision-threatening eye disease. was shown in the research results.

The global prevalence of diabetes is similar in men and women and is projected to increase to 783 million people by 2045, the researchers said.

However, although cardiovascular disease is more common in men, it is not clear whether this gender difference is evident in the incidence of diabetes-related complications overall, the researchers said. It's also unclear whether the length of time someone has lived with diabetes has an effect, they added.

To investigate this further, researchers conducted the Australian Over 45 Study, a large prospective study of 267,357 people aged 45 and over living in New South Wales (NSW). We used survey responses from

These responses were linked to the medical records of a total of 25,713 people, all of whom had type 1 or type 2 diabetes, to monitor the development of major diabetes-related health problems.

These include cardiovascular disease. Ischemic heart disease, mini-stroke or TIA, stroke, heart failure, diabetic cardiomyopathy; eye problems – cataracts, diabetic retinopathy. Leg/foot problems – peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), ulcers, cellulitis, osteomyelitis (bone inflammation), peripheral vascular disease (poor blood circulation), minor or severe amputations. Kidney problems – acute kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic kidney failure, dialysis, kidney transplant.

Almost half of the group was between 60 and 74 years old, more than half (57%, 14,697 people) were male, and a higher proportion were overweight (39% vs. 29% women) and had a history of heart disease. Ta.

The proportion of men and women who were current smokers was similar, but the proportion of former smokers was higher: 29% compared with 51% of women.

Of the 19,277 people with diabetes (75%) whose age was recorded at diagnosis, 58% had had diabetes for less than 10 years, and 42% had been living with it for more than 10 years.

Men had a higher incidence of diabetes-related complications and were at greater risk.

Over an average 10-year monitoring period, 44% of men experienced cardiovascular complications and 57% experienced ocular complications, taking age into account. Similarly, 25% of men had leg/foot complications and 35% had kidney complications. Comparable numbers for women were 31%, 61%, 18%, and 25%, respectively.

Overall, men were 51% more likely to develop cardiovascular disease, 47% more likely to develop leg and foot complications, and 55% more likely to develop kidney complications than women. Ta.

There was little difference in the overall risk of eye complications between men and women, but men had a slightly higher risk of diabetic retinopathy (14%).

Complication rates increased in proportion to the number of years of diabetes in both men and women, but gender differences in complication rates remained.

As an explanation, the researchers point out that the men in the study were more likely to have known risk factors. The researchers also suggest that men may be less likely to make lifestyle changes, take preventive medications, or get medical checkups to lower their risk.

As this is an observational study, no firm conclusions can be drawn about causality as people with a history of complications were excluded from the study. Additionally, no information was available on potentially influencing factors, such as diabetes medications, glucose, blood fats, and blood pressure control.

However, based on the study results, the researchers suggest: “For every 1,000 people with diabetes, an average of 37, 52, 21, and 32 people with diabetes suffer from cardiovascular disease, eye, leg, and kidney disease each year. Our findings suggest that complications may develop.

Although the risk of complications is lower for women with diabetes, it remains high, the researchers stress.

And they say, “Men with diabetes are at higher risk of developing complications, especially [cardiovascular disease]renal and lower extremity complications have a higher incidence of complications in both men and women.

“Similar gender differences between those with shorter and longer duration of diabetes highlight the need for targeted complication screening and prevention strategies from the time of diabetes diagnosis.

“The mechanisms underlying the observed sex differences in diabetic complications need to be further investigated in order to provide targeted interventions.”