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Diabetologia
Published in: Diabetologia 2/2015

01-02-2015 | Meta-Analysis

Sex-specific differences in diabetes prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors: Anna Glechner, Jürgen Harreiter, Gerald Gartlehner, Sonja Rohleder, Alexander Kautzky, Jaakko Tuomilehto, Megan Van Noord, Angela Kaminski-Hartenthaler, Alexandra Kautzky-Willer

Published in: Diabetologia | Issue 2/2015

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Abstract

Aims/hypothesis

In people with prediabetes, lifestyle interventions and glucose-lowering medications are effective in preventing the progression to type 2 diabetes. It is unclear whether differences in treatment effects between men and women need to be taken into consideration when choosing a preventive strategy for an individual person.

Methods

We systematically searched PubMed, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and reference lists of pertinent review articles from 1980 to June 2013. We conducted random effects meta-analyses of published and unpublished data to determine differences of treatment effects between men and women.

Results

Twelve randomised control trials (RCTs) provided sex-specific information on treatment effects. Compared with usual care, men and women who received lifestyle interventions had a lower rate of progression to type 2 diabetes (RR 0.60 [95% CI 0.35, 1.05] after 1 year; RR 0.63 [95% CI 0.51, 0.79] after 3 years); greater weight reduction (−2.45 kg; [95% CI −3.56, −1.33 kg] after 3 years); and greater reductions of fasting plasma glucose (−0.31 mmol/l [95% CI −0.48, −0.15] after 3 years) and 2 h post-challenge-glucose (−0.68 mmol/l [95% CI −1.03, −0.34] after 3 years). No statistically significant differences in treatment effects between men and women were apparent for any outcomes (p values of all comparisons ≥0.09).

Conclusions/interpretation

Our study emphasises the importance of preventive interventions in people with prediabetes and indicates no differences of beneficial preventive effects on the incidence of type 2 diabetes and weight gain between men and women.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Sex-specific differences in diabetes prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors
Anna Glechner
Jürgen Harreiter
Gerald Gartlehner
Sonja Rohleder
Alexander Kautzky
Jaakko Tuomilehto
Megan Van Noord
Angela Kaminski-Hartenthaler
Alexandra Kautzky-Willer
Publication date
01-02-2015
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Diabetologia / Issue 2/2015
Print ISSN: 0012-186X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0428
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-014-3439-x

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