THE ESSENTIAL
- 90% of diabetics have type 2 diabetes.
- This study is the first to analyze in such detail the cause of hospitalizations for people with type 2 diabetes.
In the long term, diabetes can lead to serious complications. According to’National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), this disease may be the cause cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), atherosclerosis, deposition of a plaque on the wall of the arteries causing myocardial infarction, arteritis of the lower limbs, visual impairment that can go as far as blindness, liver disease, wound healing problems, etc.
Type 2 diabetes: iron deficiency anemia is a risk of hospitalization
A study published in the journal Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice extend this list further. Researchers believe that people with type 2 diabetes, a disease characterized by too much sugar in the blood, are more at risk of being hospitalized for iron deficiency anemia. This pathology is characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells in the blood due to a lack of iron. Symptoms are fatigue, dizziness or a fast and irregular heartbeat. However, in most cases, iron deficiency anemia can be treated.
For women with type 2 diabetes, iron deficiency anemia is the greatest risk for hospitalization. “This result has never been observed beforebelieves Professor Dianna Magliano, one of the authors, in a communiqué. One of the most surprising findings was the extent of anemia in people with type 2 diabetes. Although diabetes is known to contribute to anemia through reduced iron absorption, gastrointestinal bleeding and complications, we did not expect the link between diabetes and iron deficiency anemia is such a significant complicationTo arrive at their results, the researchers analyzed data from 456,265 people with type 2 diabetes collected between 2010 and 2017.
Hospitalization: mental and gastrointestinal disorders linked to diabetes
“We have better management of diabetes, so the proportion of those presenting to hospital with cardiovascular disease or kidney disease is decreasing, poursuit Dianna Magliano. We are now witnessing a diversification of the complications of diabetes. This is an important clinical finding because it means we may need to reevaluate the management of diabetes to include the treatment and prevention of these other [facteurs de risque] which increase. Our results suggest the possibility of a biological link between type 2 diabetes and iron deficiency anemia, but further research is needed to confirm this.”.
Many of the causes of hospitalization linked to diabetes, which the scientists observed during their work, were already known, like heart failure or heart attack. However, they also found lesser-known reasons for hospitalization, such as gastrointestinal problems and certain mental health conditions. Stress, depression and schizophrenia, for example, had levels of hospitalizations that, in some cases, exceeded the traditional complications of diabetes.
“People with type 2 diabetes have a higher risk of all-cause hospitalization compared to the general population, including for causes not commonly associated with diabetesconcludes Professor Dianna Magliano. These are important findings that show the need to change the management of diabetes taking into account these new complications.” and thus avoid hospitalization for patients.