ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk of common infections in patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) or type 2 (DM2). DESIGN: Prospective controlled study. METHODS: In a 12-month prospective cohort study as part of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice, 705 adult DM1 and 6,712 DM2 patients were compared with 18,911 control patients who had hypertension without diabetes. Outcome measures were medically-attended episodes of infections of the respiratory tract, urinary tract, skin and mucous membranes. Multivariate and multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to determine independent risks of infections and their recurrence in patients with diabetes compared to controls. RESULTS: Upper respiratory-tract infections were as common in diabetes patients as in controls. Diabetes patients had a higher risk of lower respiratory-tract infections (DM2: odds ratio (OR): 1.30; 95% CI: 1.11-1.52), urinary-tract infections (DM1: OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.13-2.15; DM2: OR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.07-1.38), bacterial skin or mucous-membrane infections (DM1: OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.01-2.15; DM2: OR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.13-1.55) and mycotic skin or mucous-membrane infections (DM2: OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.24-1.61). The risk of recurrence of these common infections was seen to be increased. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with type-1 and type-2 diabetes are at increased risk of lower respiratory-tract infections, urinary-tract infections and skin or mucous-membrane infections.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clinical data on the association of diabetes mellitus with common infections are virtually lacking, not conclusive, and often biased. We intended to determine the relative risks of common infections in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM1 and DM2, respectively). METHODS: In a 12-month prospective cohort study conducted as part of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice, we compared 705 adult patients who had DM1 and 6712 adult patients who had DM2 with 18,911 control patients who had hypertension without diabetes. Outcome measures were medically attended episodes of infection of the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and skin and mucous membranes. We applied multivariable and polytomous logistic regression analysis to determine independent risks of infections and their recurrences in patients with diabetes, compared with control patients. RESULTS: Upper respiratory infections were equally common among patients with diabetes and control patients. Patients with diabetes had a greater risk of lower respiratory tract infection (for patients with DM1: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.42 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.96-2.08]; for patients with DM2: AOR, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.13-1.53]), urinary tract infection (for patients with DM1: AOR, 1.96 [95% CI, 1.49-2.58]; for patients with DM2: AOR, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.10-1.39]), bacterial skin and mucous membrane infection (for patients with DM1: AOR, 1.59 [95% CI, 1.12-2.24]; for patients with DM2: AOR, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.15-1.54]), and mycotic skin and mucous membrane infection (for patients with DM1: AOR, 1.34 [95% CI, 0.97-1.84]; for patients with DM2: AOR, 1.44 [95% CI, 1.27-1.63]). Risks increased with recurrences of common infections. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with DM1 and DM2 are at increased risk for lower respiratory tract infection, urinary tract infection, and skin and mucous membrane infection. Studies are warranted into management of such infections in patients with diabetes.
