Smoking also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes

New collaborative international research of the Karolinska Institute of Stockholm, (Sweden) Show that smoking increases the risk of suffering from the disease, regardless of the subtype.

The characteristics of type 2 diabetes vary according to the patient, and it has been proposed that the disease consists of four subtypes. Researchers from Sweden, Norway and Finland also discovered that People with a genetic susceptibility to develop diabetes seem more vulnerable to the adverse effects of smoking. The results are presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (from September 15 to 19).

Previously it has been suggested that type 2 diabetes (DT2) can be divided into the following subtypes: SIRD (insulin resistant diabetes)characterized by insulin resistance (where body cells do not respond properly to insulin and cannot easily absorb blood glucose); SIDD (severe diabetes with insulin deficiency)characterized by a lack of insulin; Mod (mild diabetes related to obesity)associated with obesity and an earlier age; and Mard (Mild diabetes related to age)which develops later in life. In this sense, it is known that gravity, prognosis and risk of complications differ according to subtypes, but it is not clear if they have different risk factors.

For more information, Emmy Keysendaldoctoral student at the Karolinska Institute and his collaborators examined the link between Smokingwhich is already known to be A powerful risk factor For type 2 diabetes in general, and other forms of tobacco consumption, and the various subtypes of type 2 diabetes.

The researchers used data from 3,325 people with type 2 diabetes (495 SIDD, 477 SIRD, 693 MOD and 1,660 Mard) and 3,897 controls of a long -term diabetes study in Norway (average follow -up time of 17 years) and a case study and control study in Sweden. In this way, they discovered that those who had ever smoked (both current smokers and exfusters) had a greater risk of suffering the four subtypes of type 2 diabetes than those who had never smoked. The relationship between smoking and SIRD was particularly solid.

The occasional smokers had more than double probability (2.15 times) to develop SIRD than those who had never smoked. This compares to increases from 20% in the risk of SIDD, 29% in mod and 27% in Mard.

It was estimated that smoking was responsible for more than a third of SIRD cases, but less than 15% of the other diabetes subtypes (Sidd, Mod and Mard). Excess smoking (= 15 packages-year/20 cigarettes per day for 15 years or equivalent) further increased the risk of the four subtypes. Inveterate smokers had 2.35 times more likely to develop SIRD than those who had never smoked, and a 52%, 57% and 45% more likely to develop Sidd, Mod and Mard, respectively.

Curiously, Data on men in Sweden They suggested that the excessive consumption of SNUS, a popular smokeless tobacco product in the Scandinavian countries, was related to a higher risk of severe SIDD subtypes (19% higher risk) and SIRD (13% higher risk) compared to those that had never consumed SNUS.

The study also explored if smoking further increased risk in people with genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance or reduced insulin secretion. This showed that Inveterate smokers with genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes or reduced insulin secretion were particularly vulnerable. For example, those who smoked a lot and had a high genetic risk of poor insulin secretion had more than three times the risk (3.52 times) of developing SIRD compared to those without these risk factors.

The researchers concluded that smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetesregardless of the subtype.

Keysendal adds: “It is clear that smoking increases the risk of type 2 diabetes regardless of the subtype, that is, regardless of whether diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, lack of insulin, obesity or old age. The strongest association was observed for the subtype characterized by severe insulin resistance (SIRD), suggesting that smoking can contribute to diabetes by affecting the body’s ability to respond to insulin. “

These findings emphasize the importance of quitting smoking to prevent type 2 diabetes. They also indicate that Genetic information It can help identify people most likely to benefit from additional support to quit smoking.