Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for heart failure in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes: A retrospective analysis of the J-DREAMS database.

AIM

To determine the epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for heart failure (HF) among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis, using J-DREAMS database, was conducted from December 2015 to January 2020 with type 2 diabetes. The primary objectives were to describe patient characteristics stratified by HF history at baseline and new HF events during follow-up. The secondary objectives were to clarify the association between HF history or new HF events and clinical characteristics. The association between renal disease stage and HF was also studied.

RESULTS

Among 18,250 adult patients with type 2 diabetes, 3,613 (19.8%) patients had HF history and the mean age was 68.46 years, predominantly male (66.4%) with 13.32 years of mean duration of type 2 diabetes. Patients with HF history had a higher proportion of patients with nephropathy (51.2%) and coronary heart disease (55.6%) than those without HF history. Coronary heart disease (CHD) and deteriorating renal function were strongly associated with both HF history (CHD adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 7.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.05-9.08; eGFR G5 stage adjusted OR: 6.56, 95% CI: 2.97-14.49) and new HF events (CHD adjusted OR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.17-2.29; eGFR G4 stage adjusted OR: 3.42, 95% CI: 1.81-6.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Comorbidities, especially CHD and deteriorating renal function, were strongly associated with HF history and new HF events among Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. The study results suggested the importance of early intervention to treat comorbidities and maintain renal function.