The Impact of New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus and Hypertension on All-Cause Mortality in an Apparently Healthy Population: A Ten-Year Follow-Up Study

INTRODUCTION: The comparative effect of new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HT) on long-term mortality is a matter of debate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2007 to 2017, a 10-year longitudinal retrospective cohort study was conducted in Thailand's tertiary care setting. As baseline data, health check-up data from apparently healthy participants without underlying disease from 2007 were extracted. The vital status of all participants was determined in 2017, ten years after an initial examination. The impact of new-onset DM and HT at baseline on 10-year all-cause mortality was investigated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of new-onset DM and HT was 6.4% and 28.8%, respectively, at baseline. Newly diagnosed diabetes increased the risk of all-cause mortality over 10 years (adjusted OR 4.77 and 95% CI 2.23-9.99). HT, on the other hand, did not increase the risk of death (adjusted OR 1.24 and 95% CI 0.65-2.35). Different HT and DM status combinations were compared to a nondiabetic, nonhypertensive reference. Individuals who were diabetic and hypertensive had a greater risk of death (adjusted OR 6.22 and 95% CI 2.22-17.00). Having DM without HT also increased the risk of death (adjusted OR 4.36 and 95% CI 1.35-12.87). However, having HT without DM did not result in a significant increase in 10-year mortality risk (adjusted OR 1.21 and 95% CI 0.57-2.56). CONCLUSION: In an apparently healthy population, new-onset DM is more strongly associated with 10-year all-cause mortality than new-onset HT. Having both DM and HT was associated with a greater risk of death when compared to having DM or HT alone.