Type 1 diabetes carries increased risk of heart failure

Individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have a heightened risk of heart failure compared with those who have no diabetes, according to a study.

Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize evidence regarding T1DM and the risk of heart failure. Multiple online databases were searched for relevant studies, yielding four studies for inclusion in the meta-analysis.

The studies included 61,885 T1DM patients (average age 40 years), 4,599,213 control participants without diabetes (average age 57 years), and 248,021 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients (average age 65 years; three studies). Men comprised more than half of the participants in the T1DM (56 percent), T2DM (54 percent), and control (55 percent) groups.

Over 1–12 years follow-up, heart failure occurred in 1,378 participants in the T1DM group, 3,993 participants in the T2DM group, and 18,945 participants in the control group. The respective heart failure incidence rates were 5.8 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 4.1–7.6), 10.0 (95 percent CI, 6.1–13.9), and 2.3 (95 percent CI, 1.5–3.2) per 1,000 person-years.

Compared with the control group, the T1DM group had a threefold higher risk of developing heart failure (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 3.4, 95 percent CI, 2.71–4.26). The risk increase was about fivefold higher among women (aRR, 4.9, 95 percent CI, 4.1–5.9) and threefold higher among men (aRR, 3.0, 95 percent CI, 2.2-4.0).