People with type 2 diabetes are particularly prone to developing asthma and vice versa, according to a meta-analysis presented during the EASD annual meeting in Madrid.

The meta-analysis included data from 14 studies on 17 million people from various countries including the UK.

People with asthma were 28 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than controls. People with type 2 diabetes were 83 per cent more likely to develop asthma than controls. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes rose as asthma severity worsened. Asthma duration, however, was not associated with diabetes risk. 

Several factors, such as hypertension and dyslipidaemia, appear to be associated with an increased risk of both asthma and type 2 diabetes.

“This relationship emphasises the need for greater awareness among patients with type 2 diabetes or asthma and their healthcare providers,” says Dr Nam Nguyen, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, who led the research. 

“Preventive strategies should be considered to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with asthma. For instance, screening for and addressing prediabetes in asthma patients promptly before it develops into type 2 diabetes or carefully managing the use of systemic corticosteroids. This can not only cause temporary hyperglycaemia but is also linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes,” according to Dr Nam Nguyen.