Takeaway
- No significant sex disparities are present in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk associated with incident type 2 diabetes (T2D), but some risk factor management elements differ.
- Findings highlight need for closer adherence to prescribing guidance and attention paid to sex bias.
Why this matters
- CVD is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.
Study design
- Retrospective cohort study using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, of 79,985 people with incident T2D between 2006 and 2013, matched to 386,547 without diabetes (44.3% and 44.8% women, respectively).
- Funding: Diabetes UK.
Key results
- During 3.6 years of follow-up, major adverse cardiac events (MACE) occurred in 12.3% with diabetes, 7.8% without.
- After adjustment for modifiable and nonmodifiable baseline factors, estimated HR (95% CI) for incident T2D-associated MACE:
- 1.23 (1.16-1.32) for women and
- 1.17 (1.11-1.23) for men;
- Nonsignificant excess risk in women (relative risk ratio, 1.05 [0.97-1.14]).
- Women had better glycemic control than men and were more likely to be obese and have hypertensive end-organ damage and hypercholesterolemia.
- Statin prescribing was lower in women (65.2% vs 69.1% in year 1) despite more frequent health care contacts.
Limitations
- Missing data.
- Only incident, not prevalent, T2D included.
- Relatively short follow-up.
- All-UK population.
References
References