The Relationship Between Mortality and Age in People with Diabetes

Sunday - March 24 2024, 14:53 UTC - 8 months ago

A recent study found that the mortality rate in people with diabetes in Germany increases exponentially with age, rising by 8.3% for males and 10.2% for females each year from the age of 30. This demonstrates the need for early prevention, detection, and treatment of type 2 diabetes. The study also showed that females with diabetes have a similar mortality rate to males without diabetes, erasing their general advantage in life expectancy.

Researchers from the German Diabetes Center (DDZ) and the Robert Koch Institute have discovered a law for the relationship between mortality and age in people with diabetes. According to this law, mortality in people with diabetes in Germany constantly rises by 8.3% in males and 10.2% in females each year from the age of 30. This law is known as the Gompertz law, which is based on the observation that biological processes in the body change with aging, resulting in a higher risk for illnesses and ultimately death. This means that the mortality rate does not grow linearly, but exponentially, increasing at a faster rate as a person gets older. The researchers analyzed the data of over 47 million insured individuals in Germany, of which over 6 million had diabetes. After one year of follow-up, over 760,000 deaths were recorded, including 288,000 people with diabetes. The results of the study showed that the mortality rate for people with diabetes in Germany rises by 8.3% for males and 10.2% for females each year from the age of 30. This higher rate for females can be explained by their longer life expectancy compared to males, but at advanced ages, the difference in mortality rates becomes increasingly small between the sexes. The study also showed that females with diabetes have a similar mortality rate to males without diabetes, erasing their general advantage in life expectancy. This highlights the importance of early prevention, detection, and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Overall, the Gompertz law accurately predicts mortality in people with diabetes, reaffirming the need for proper management and care of this condition.

Reference: "Mortality of type 2 diabetes in Germany: additional insights from Gompertz models" by Oliver Kuss, Jens Baumert, Christian Schmidt and Thaddäus Tönnies, 11 March 2024, Acta Diabetologica. DOI: 10.1007/s00592-024-02237-w .