Temporal trends in chronic complications of diabetes by sex in community-based people with type 2 diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study

BACKGROUND: Whether recent reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality in type 2 diabetes apply equally to both sexes is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to characterize temporal changes in CVD events and related outcomes in community-based male and female Australian adults with type 2 diabetes or without known diabetes. METHODS: Participants from the longitudinal observational Fremantle Diabetes Study Phases I (FDS1; n = 1291 recruited 1993–1996) and II (FDS2; n = 1509 recruited 2008–2011) and four age-, sex- and postcode-matched individuals without diabetes (FDS1 n = 5159; FDS2 n = 6036) were followed for first myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure hospitalization, lower extremity amputation, CVD death and all-cause mortality. Five-year incidence rates (IRs) for males versus females in FDS1 and FDS2 were calculated, and IR ratios (IRRs) derived. RESULTS: The FD1 and FDS2 participants were of mean age 64.0 and 65.4 years, respectively, and 48.7% and 51.8% were males. For type 2 diabetes, IRRs for all endpoints were 11–62% lower in FDS2 than FDS1 for both sexes. For participants without diabetes, IRRs were 8–56% lower in FDS2 versus FDS1 apart from stroke in females (non-significantly 41% higher). IRRs for males versus females across FDS phases were not significantly different for participants with type 2 diabetes or those without diabetes (P-values for male * FDS2 interaction ≥ 0.0.083 adjusted for age). For risk factors in participants with type 2 diabetes, greater improvements between FDS1 and FDS2 in smoking rates in males were offset by a greater reduction in systolic blood pressure in females. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of chronic complications in Australians with type 2 diabetes and without diabetes has fallen similarly in both sexes over recent decades, consistent with comparably improved overall CVD risk factor management. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12933-023-01980-8.