Women with type 1 diabetes face a greater risk of dying from a range of diseases compared with men with the same condition, research suggests. This is particularly the case when it comes to heart disease, Australian scientists report. They say their findings could have "profound implications" for how women with the condition are treated.
Charities warn that the study highlights a failure of care that needs to be changed urgently. Type 1 diabetes is a disorder that often appears in childhood. Patients’ pancreases are unable to produce the insulin needed to convert sugar and other foods into energy.
Compared with the general population, people with type 1 diabetes have a shorter life expectancy. But researchers say it hasn’t been clear until now whether this affects men and women equally. To investigate this, scientists from the University of Queensland analysed data from more than 26 studies involving some 200,000 people with the disease.
Overall, they found women had a 40% increased risk of deaths from all causes. They faced a greater risk of stroke than men and were also more likely to die from kidney disease. No-one is entirely sure what lies behind these trends.