According to a study published in JAMA Network Open, improving each of the four biomarkers Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and body mass index (BMI) to the recommended levels was linked to increased life expectancy (LE) among type2 diabetes people (T2D).

The LE in T2D patients was evaluated using the BRAVO diabetes model, which is a discrete-time patient-level microsimulation model that was recently constructed utilizing data from the ACCORD trials. From January through October of 2021, data was evaluated and participants were divided into quartiles based on the four biomarkers.

The reduction of HbA1c from 9.9% (fourth) to 7.7% (third) was linked to a 3.4-year gain in LE, to 6.8% (second) was related to just a 0.5-year gain in LE, and a reduction from 6.8% to 5.9% (first) was not associated with an increase in LE. Thus, an overall reduction from the fourth to the first quartile of HbA1c resulted in a 3.8-year increase in LE.

In diabetic people, lowering of SBP from 160.4 mmHg (fourth) to 139.1 mmHg (third), 128.2 mm Hg (second), and 114.1 mmHg (first) was linked with gains of 1.1, 1.5, and 1.9 years of LE, respectively. When compared to LDL-C of 146.2 mg/dL, lower LDL-C levels of 107.0 mg/dL (third), 84.0 mg/dL (second) and 59 mg/dL (first) and were related with 0.9, 0.7, and 0.5 years gain in LE, respectively. Lower BMIs of 24.3 (first), 28.6 (second), and 33.0 (third) were related with 3.9, 2.9, and 2.0 extra life-years in adults with T2D, respectively, compared to a BMI of 41.4 (mean of the fourth quartile).

These findings may help doctors in motivating patients to meet treatment goals and enhance diabetes management. Source: (MedPage Today April 18, 2022), JAMA Netw Open 2022; DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.7705.