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The impact of smoking on diabetic complications: data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (2002–2019)
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Seonmi Yeom, Youngran Yang
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Received September 9, 2024 Accepted February 12, 2025 Published online March 19, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4040/jkan.24109
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Abstract
ePub
- Purpose
This study aimed to examine the effects of smoking on the incidence of macrovascular and microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Methods We analyzed 35,804 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes between 2004 and 2017 using the Korean National Health Insurance Service–National Health Screening Cohort (2002–2019). Smoking status was categorized into never, former, and current smoking, with further classification based on duration of smoking and daily smoking amount. We conducted survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model.
Results Both former and current smokers had significantly elevated risks of macrovascular complications compared to non-smokers, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.60 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.49–1.66) and 1.10 (95% CI, 1.08–1.17), respectively. Long-term smokers (over 30 years) had significantly higher risks of both macrovascular (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.29–1.42) and microvascular complications (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.30–1.42). Heavy smokers (over 2 packs/day) more frequently developed macrovascular (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.30–1.64) and microvascular (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.60–1.98) complications than never smokers. Notably, former smokers had increased risks of developing neuropathy (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.31–1.49), nephropathy (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.16–1.39), and retinopathy (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.39–1.60).
Conclusion Patients with type 2 diabetes and a history of smoking are at higher risk of developing macrovascular and microvascular complications. Smoking cessation, along with reducing smoking duration and amount, is crucial for lowering these risks.
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