Meta-analysis of type 1 diabetes mellitus and risk of cardiovascular disease

Background: Individuals with diabetes have a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the association between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the risk of CVD has not been well addressed. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between T1DM and CVD.

Methods: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE for studies that examined the association between T1DM and CVD until October 2020. We calculated the pooled risk ratios (RRs) with confidence intervals (CIs) from individual studies based on a random-effects model.

Results: We included 10 observational studies involving 166,027 patients with T1DM, and individuals were matched controls from the general population. Among T1DM patients, the RR of CVD was 5.09 (95% CI, 3.72-6.96), of coronary heart disease (CHD) was 9.38 (95% CI, 5.56-15.82), and of myocardial infarction was 6.37 (95% CI, 3.81-10.66). The RR of heart failure was 4.29 (95% CI, 3.54-5.19), of atrial fibrillation was 1.36 (95% CI, 1.17-1.59), and of stroke was 4.08 (95% CI, 3.42-4.86). Moreover, there was an increased RR among females for CHD, CVD, myocardial infarction, and stroke associated with T1DM.

Conclusions: This study suggests that T1DM is associated with an increased risk of several types of CVD. However, the possible mechanisms for the increased risk of CVD remain unclear.