Risk of Common Infections Elevated in Diabetics

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with diabetes are at increased risk for urinary tract infections, pneumonia and other common infections, Dutch researchers report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

"Previous studies," lead investigator Dr. Leonie M. Muller told Reuters Health, "were mostly hospital-based and did not account for differences in type of diabetes. We studied a unique cohort of unselected diabetes populations with and without insulin use in primary care."

Muller from University Medical Center Utrecht and colleagues determined the risks of common infections in 705 adults with type 1 diabetes, 6712 with type 2 diabetes, and 18,911 subjects without diabetes.

The investigators report that while upper respiratory tract infections, such as those involving the ears or throat, were equally common among diabetics and nondiabetics, the diabetic groups were at greater risk for lower respiratory tract infections, like pneumonia.

Diabetic patients were also at greater risk of urinary tract infections and for bacterial or fungal skin infections. With the exception of the fungal skin infection, type 1 diabetics had slightly higher risks than did type 2 diabetics.

Muller pointed out that doctors "need to be aware of the fact that indeed diabetes patients have an increased risk of common infections. They should educate their diabetes patients about the increased risk, how to reduce that risk and when to consult their general practitioner."

"Further research," she added, "should focus on the prognosis of common infections in patients with diabetes, thereby giving physicians tailored information on which patients are at high risk for a complicated course."

SOURCE: Clinical Infectious Diseases, August 1, 2005.