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. 2016 Aug 22;10(5):1006-14.
doi: 10.1177/1932296816652901. Print 2016 Sep.

Glycemic Control, Renal Complications, and Current Smoking in Relation to Excess Risk of Mortality in Persons With Type 1 Diabetes

Elsa Ahlén  1 , Aldina Pivodic  2 , Hans Wedel  3 , Sofia Dahlqvist  4 , Mikhail Kosiborod  5 , Marcus Lind  6
Affiliations

Glycemic Control, Renal Complications, and Current Smoking in Relation to Excess Risk of Mortality in Persons With Type 1 Diabetes

Elsa Ahlén et al. J Diabetes Sci Technol. .

Abstract

Background: A substantial excess risk of mortality still exists in persons with type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the excess risk of mortality in persons with type 1 diabetes without renal complications who target goals for glycemic control and are nonsmokers. Furthermore, we evaluated risk factors of death due to hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: We evaluated a cohort based on 33 915 persons with type 1 diabetes and 169 249 randomly selected controls from the general population matched on age, sex, and county followed over a mean of 8.0 and 8.3 years, respectively. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality for persons with type 1 diabetes versus controls were estimated.

Results: The adjusted HRs for all-cause and CVD mortality for persons with type 1 diabetes without renal complications (normoalbuminuria and eGFR ≥ 60 ml/min) and HbA1c ≤ 6.9% (52 mmol/mol) compared to controls were 1.22 (95% CI 0.98-1.52) and 1.03 (95% CI 0.66-1.60), respectively. The HRs increased with higher updated mean HbA1c. For nonsmokers in this group, the HRs for all-cause and CVD mortality were somewhat lower: 1.11 (95% CI 0.87-1.42) and 0.89 (95% CI 0.53-1.48) at updated mean HbA1c ≤ 6.9% (52 mmol/mol). HRs for significant predictors for deaths due to hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis in persons < 50 years were male sex 2.40 (95% CI 1.27-4.52), smoking 2.86 (95% CI 1.57-5.22), lower educational level 3.01 (95% CI 1.26-7.22), albuminuria or advanced kidney disease 2.83 (95% CI 1.63-4.93), earlier hospital diagnosis of hypoglycemia or ketoacidosis 2.30 (95% CI 1.20-4.42), and earlier diagnosis of intoxication 2.53 (95% CI 1.06-6.04).

Conclusions: If currently recommended HbA1c targets can be reached, renal complications and smoking avoided in persons with type 1 diabetes, the excess risk of mortality will likely converge substantially to that of the general population.

Keywords: hypoglycemia; ketoacidosis; mortality; type 1 diabetes mellitus.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: ML reports receiving honoraria or having been a consultant for AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Medtronic, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer and grant support from Abbott, AstraZeneca, Dexcom, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer. All other authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow chart for patient selection.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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