In 1.6 million new type 2 diabetes diagnoses, one in three had kidney disease, heart failure, or had died within five years

What the research found

Study (observational). Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow and colleagues present CALOR program data at EASD (EurekAlert 26 September 2026). They followed 1,617,508 people in the United States with a new type 2 diabetes diagnosis between 1 January 2010 and 31 March 2024. Mean age at entry was 59 years, and 51% were women. Among the 13% with a recorded body mass index, the median was 30.9. About 72% also had dyslipidaemia and 68% had high blood pressure. The combined risk of chronic kidney disease, heart failure, or death was 33% within five years and 55% within 10 years. Kidney disease came first more often than heart failure (19.0% vs 8.3% within five years). After heart failure, the later five-year risk of kidney disease was 42%. After kidney disease, the later five-year risk of heart failure was 23%. The authors say this pattern is a reason to find and manage type 2 diabetes early. The design cannot show cause, and race and ethnicity could not be fully separated from the risk. The release does not give the age spread around the mean of 59. Educational notes, not personal treatment advice.

Evidence level: Human study. A study in people, but an association isn't proof of cause.

Read the original at University of Glasgow / EurekAlert