Type 2 diabetes before age 40 related to mental illness hospitalizations



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A new study shows that people who develop type 2 diabetes before they turn 40 are twice as likely to be hospitalized for a mental illness as those who develop blood sugar disease after 40 years.

About 37% of all hospitalization days among people under 40 were due to mental illness, the researchers noted. Mood disorders and psychotic disorders were the most common conditions. Mood disorders include depression, bipolar depression, and self-injury. Psychotic disorders include delusions, hallucinations and schizophrenia, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Physical and mental males

Not surprisingly, physical conditions have also brought this group to the hospital more often. The study showed that renal failure rates were nearly seven times higher in young people with type 2 diabetes. The risk of hospitalization for heart disease or stroke was twice as high and the risk of hospitalization due to infection was almost doubled in the youth group.

The study's authors suspect that there are a number of reasons why the younger group with type 2 diabetes is at higher risk for hospitalizations for mental and physical illnesses.

"The early onset of the disease, its long duration, insufficient control of risk factors [in part due to delayed treatment intensification] and suboptimal personal care are some of the factors that contribute to this high risk of hospitalization in young diabetics, "said Dr. Juliana Chan, co-author of the study.

She added that the psychological burden badociated with managing diabetes can activate stress hormones, which can worsen blood sugar control, worsen obesity and cause inflammation.

Inflammation can affect the central nervous system and can "worsen psychological well-being," Chan said. She is Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Diabetes and Obesity at the Hong Kong Chinese University and Prince of Wales Hospital.

More common among young people

Chan said that there is a known connection between diabetes and depression. But we do not know what condition comes first. It is also possible that conditions contribute to each other.

Dr. Joel Zonszein, director of the Diabetes Treatment Center at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said this study was "an alarm bell." What's happening in Hong Kong is what's will happen in this country. "

Zonszein added that "type 2 diabetes is becoming more common among young people, that it is more aggressive and more difficult to treat than in the past." It was extremely rare to see diabetes in a person under 65 years old. years".

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that causes high blood sugar. According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hyperglycemia can lead to many complications, such as heart disease, kidney disease, infections, and vision problems. Obesity and lack of physical activity are two of the major risk factors for the disease.

For this new study, Chan and his colleagues examined the health-related information of more than 400,000 people with type 2 diabetes in Hong Kong. Nearly 21,000 people were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 40. Just over 200,000 were diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 59, and just under 200,000 were diagnosed at age 60 or older.

The researchers found that a person diagnosed before the age of 40 could expect to spend nearly 100 days in hospital before his 75th birthday.

A complex disease

Good control of modifiable risk factors was badociated with a decrease in the estimated number of hospital days from 65 days up to the age of 75 years. Modifiable risk factors are factors such as blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.

According to Zonszein, "These are people who develop diabetes and mental illness and who suffer from complications related to diabetes and mental illness, compared to people with type 2 diabetes when they are older. young people in good health. "

Chan said, "Diabetes is a complex disease and it's not just about drugs and medical follow-up." Diabetes imposes many demands on a person who needs to be educated. empowered and committed to change their lifestyle and learn how to cope with the disease. "

She added that health care providers, governments, insurers and society must work together to help "help these people make the management of this permanent disease more user-friendly, affordable and sustainable".

The report was published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Image credit: iStock

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