Abstract
While in non-diabetic people the risk for cardiovascular disease is higher in men, diabetes completely reverts this sex-gender difference conferring to women a greater burden of cardiovascular complications. Additionally, all risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease appear to be more active in diabetic females than in their male counterparts.
The reasons of this different impact of diabetes between genders are not completely clear. The aim of this review is trying to clarify these issues in a sex and gender perspective. Both genetic and hormonal factors are at the basis of sex-gender differences in diabetes, even do not explain the totality of data. Possibly women arrive later and in worse conditions to the diagnosis of diabetes, receive both diagnostic and therapeutic supports in a lesser measure and, finally, reach therapeutic goals as recommended by guidelines in a lesser extent. Further aspects of sex-gender differences in diabetic complications are represented by a more frequent prevalence of drug side effects in women, as well as by increased resistance to the action of drugs used in prevention or in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases. As to microvascular complications, the issue of sex-gender differences is even more complex, with some important differences emerging in experimental models ‘in vitro’, as well as in human pathology ‘in vivo’. The main problem, however, also in this case, is that it is difficult to differentiate how common pathogenetic mechanisms acting in diabetes may differently impact between genders. In conclusion what is evident is that diabetes represents a ‘risk magnifier’ for the damage of both micro and macrovessels differently in men and in women. This issue deserves, therefore, a more careful approach from people involved in both clinical aspects and research regarding diabetes and its complications, in a sex-gender oriented perspective.Keywords: Diabetes, sex-gender differences, adverse drug reactions, diabetic macroangiopathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy.
Current Diabetes Reviews
Title:The Effect of Sex and Gender on Diabetic Complications
Volume: 13 Issue: 2
Author(s): Giuseppe Seghieri, Laura Policardo, Roberto Anichini, Flavia Franconi, Ilaria Campesi, Sara Cherchi and Giancarlo Tonolo
Affiliation:
Keywords: Diabetes, sex-gender differences, adverse drug reactions, diabetic macroangiopathy, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy.
Abstract: While in non-diabetic people the risk for cardiovascular disease is higher in men, diabetes completely reverts this sex-gender difference conferring to women a greater burden of cardiovascular complications. Additionally, all risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease appear to be more active in diabetic females than in their male counterparts.
The reasons of this different impact of diabetes between genders are not completely clear. The aim of this review is trying to clarify these issues in a sex and gender perspective. Both genetic and hormonal factors are at the basis of sex-gender differences in diabetes, even do not explain the totality of data. Possibly women arrive later and in worse conditions to the diagnosis of diabetes, receive both diagnostic and therapeutic supports in a lesser measure and, finally, reach therapeutic goals as recommended by guidelines in a lesser extent. Further aspects of sex-gender differences in diabetic complications are represented by a more frequent prevalence of drug side effects in women, as well as by increased resistance to the action of drugs used in prevention or in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases. As to microvascular complications, the issue of sex-gender differences is even more complex, with some important differences emerging in experimental models ‘in vitro’, as well as in human pathology ‘in vivo’. The main problem, however, also in this case, is that it is difficult to differentiate how common pathogenetic mechanisms acting in diabetes may differently impact between genders. In conclusion what is evident is that diabetes represents a ‘risk magnifier’ for the damage of both micro and macrovessels differently in men and in women. This issue deserves, therefore, a more careful approach from people involved in both clinical aspects and research regarding diabetes and its complications, in a sex-gender oriented perspective.Export Options
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Cite this article as:
Seghieri Giuseppe, Policardo Laura, Anichini Roberto, Franconi Flavia, Campesi Ilaria, Cherchi Sara and Tonolo Giancarlo, The Effect of Sex and Gender on Diabetic Complications, Current Diabetes Reviews 2017; 13 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573399812666160517115756
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573399812666160517115756 |
Print ISSN 1573-3998 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6417 |
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