The association between type 2 diabetes and asthma incidence: a longitudinal analysis considering genetic susceptibility

Abstract

Abstract Background The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and asthma is rising, yet evidence regarding the relationship between T2D and asthma, particularly in the context of genetic predispositions, remains limited. Methods This study utilized data from the UK Biobank longitudinal cohort, involving 388,775 participants. A polygenic risk score (PRS) for asthma was derived from genome-wide association studies summary. Cox regression models were used to assess the association between T2D and asthma, incorporating the asthma PRS. Results Over a median follow-up of 13.62 years, 10,211 asthma cases were documented. After adjusting for age, sex, current smoking status, and other confounding variables, T2D was significantly associated with an increased risk of developing asthma (Hazard Ratios [HR] 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.26). This association remained significant after further adjustments for genetic susceptibility to asthma. Furthermore, T2D increased the risk of developing asthma across both high and low genetic risk groups. Conclusions T2D is associated with an increased risk of developing asthma, irrespective of genetic susceptibility. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating glucose regulation strategies into asthma prevention efforts.

Keywords

• Type 2 diabetes
• Asthma
• Polygenetic risk score