China: Research published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism has mentioned that the duration of diabetes history plays a crucial role in determining the risk of heart failure.
The data needs to be more transparent on the interplay between the duration of diabetes and the risk of heart failure.
A team of researchers investigated this association in a study of 23 754 individuals who had a history of diabetes without Heart Failure (HF) during the baseline recruitment of UK Biobank. Duration of diabetes was self-reported, and HbA1c levels reflected glycemic control.

The study results include the following:
There was a positive association between diabetes duration and HbA1c levels with heart failure risk.
The hazard ratios for diabetes durations of 5 to less than 10, 10 to less than 15, and 15 years or more were 1.09, 1.13 and 1.32, respectively, with HR for HbA1c of 53.0 to less than 58.5 mmol/mol, 58.5 to less than 63.9 mmol/mol and 63.9 mmol/mol or greater were 1.15, 1.07 and 1.46 respectively.
Those with the most prolonged disease duration of more than or equal to 15 years and poorer glycemic control had a significantly higher risk of Heart failure.
The conclusion states that those with a longer duration of diabetes and increasing HbA1c levels have a higher risk of heart failure.
This is an important finding leading to the possible prevention of heart failure in diabetic patients with consideration in clinical practices and policy-making.
Further reading:
Huan-Huan Yang et al. Duration of Diabetes, Glycemic Control, and Risk of Heart Failure Among Adults With Diabetes: A Cohort Study, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2022; dgac642, https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac642