Type 2 diabetics are twice as likely to develop asthma, while asthmatics are 28% more likely to develop blood sugar regulation disorder.
- People with type 2 diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop asthma.
- People with asthma are 28% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people without respiratory problems.
- For the researchers, their study shows the importance of screening for asthma when type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, and vice versa.
France has more than 4 million diabetics, and as many asthmatics. In addition to being two chronic diseases impacting quality of life, these disorders seem to have another connection. And it is not their increasing incidence.
Researchers from Taipei Medical University have shown that the two conditions have a reciprocal relationship. People with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop asthma, and vice versa. Their work was presented at the annual congress of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) which is being held in Madrid until September 13.
Reciprocal link highlighted between diabetes and asthma
To shed light on the potential links between type 2 diabetes and asthma, the team reviewed all the work that had been done on this topic in recent years. The meta-analysis included data from 17 million people living on various continents, including Europe (UK, Finland, Denmark), America (USA) and Asia (Korea, Singapore, China and Israel). The majority of participants were between 50 and 70 years old.
Scientists have shown that patients with asthma are 28% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-asthmatics. At the same time, type 2 diabetics are almost twice as likely (83% more likely) to have asthma than others.
Another finding: The more severe the asthma, the higher the risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, the duration of asthma was not associated with the risk of diabetes.
Asthma and type 2 diabetes: patients should be screened
Researchers speculate that the two disorders may have some of the same underlying causes or have other factors in common. “Further analysis indicated that several factors, including hypertension and dyslipidemia (unhealthy levels of blood fats such as cholesterol), appear to be associated with an increased risk of asthma and type 2 diabetes,” they specify in a press release.
Although the mechanisms involved in this reciprocal association are not fully understood, the study highlights the value of screening for asthma when type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, and vice versa. “This relationship highlights the need for greater awareness among patients with type 2 diabetes or asthma and their health care providers.”explains Dr Nam Nguyen who led the research.
He then adds that “Preventive strategies should be considered to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in people with asthma. For example, screening and treating prediabetes in asthma patients early before it progresses to type 2 diabetes, or careful management of systemic corticosteroid use – which can not only cause temporary hyperglycemia but are also linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.”
