A recent study, published in the journal Diabetologia, reports men and women aged <55 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were at markedly elevated risk heart failure (HF) related hospitalisation. HF risk was prominently higher for younger individuals with T2DM, particularly younger women, and in those with poor glycaemic control and/or impaired renal function. The excess risk declined in older individuals with good glycaemic control or without albuminuria.
Researchers evaluated 266,305 patients with T2DM from Swedish National Diabetes Registry between 1998 and 2012, who were matched to a control cohort comprising 1,323,504 individuals without diabetes.
Over a median follow-up of 5.6 years, 7.0% and 3.8% patients with and without T2DM, respectively, were hospitalised with a HF diagnosis. Compared to those without diabetes, risk for HF hospitalisation was higher among men (aHR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.73-2.48) and women (aHR, 4.59; 95% CI, 3.50-6.02) aged <55 years. Younger age, poorer glycaemic control and deteriorating renal function were associated with increased risk for HF in patients with T2DM. However, risk for HF hospitalisation in patients aged ≥75 years and without albuminuria or with good glycaemic control was similar to control individuals in the same age group.
Authors commented: “Given the steep rise in T2DM worldwide, diabetes could contribute increasingly to the global burden of early onset HF.” They concluded that these findings could help determine target population for formulating strategies to prevent HF in patients with T2DM.
