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Meta-Analysis
. 2017 Jan 3;12(1):e0168247.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168247. eCollection 2017.

Body Mass Index-Related Mortality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Heterogeneity in Obesity Paradox Studies: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Yeongkeun Kwon  1   2 , Hyun Jung Kim  3 , Sungsoo Park  2   4 , Yong-Gyu Park  5 , Kyung-Hwan Cho  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Body Mass Index-Related Mortality in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Heterogeneity in Obesity Paradox Studies: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis

Yeongkeun Kwon et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to quantify the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We included studies assessing the impact of BMI on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Data were combined using a random-effects dose-response model.

Results: Sixteen cohort studies on all-cause mortality (n = 445,125) and two studies on cardiovascular mortality (n = 92,841) were evaluated in the meta-analysis. A non-linear association was observed between BMI and all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes. With a BMI nadir of 28-30 kg/m2, the risk of all-cause mortality displayed a U-shaped increase. With a BMI nadir of 29-31 kg/m2, the risk of cardiovascular mortality exhibited a gradual non-linear increase for BMI > 31 kg/m2. Subgroup analyses suggested that study location, diabetes duration, and smoking history may have contributed to heterogeneity among the studies.

Conclusions: An obesity paradox exists for patients with type 2 diabetes with respect to all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Study location, diabetes duration, and smoking history might contribute to heterogeneity among obesity paradox studies of patients with type 2 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Flow diagram for the selection of studies.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Dose-response associations between body mass index (BMI) and mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes.
(A) Non-linear dose-response relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality (P < 0.001). (B) Non-linear dose-response relationship between BMI and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.001). Non-linear and linear plots are displayed with continuous and medium-dashed black lines, respectively. Long-dashed black lines depict 95% confidence intervals. The log-scale of the hazard ratios are presented on the vertical axes.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Subgroup analysis plots displaying non-linear dose-response relationships between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes using pooled data from studies performed in (A) Western countries or (B) Asia, as well as those involving (C) patients with incident diabetes and (D) patients without smoking histories.
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