Gender Risk of Nonfatal Stroke in Type 2 Diabetic Patients Differs Depending on the Type of Treatment

Background: The gender differences in stroke risk among diabetic patients with different treatments have not been studied previously. We aim to determine if there is a gender difference in nonfatal stroke risk in diabetic patients receiving different types of glucose-lowering treatments. Methods: In December 2005, data of type 2 diabetic patients were extracted from a nationwide population-based diabetes registry covering 11 Ukrainian regions. Male/female odds ratios (OR) for nonfatal stroke were calculated in three treatment groups: diet only 7,273/15,901, oral glucose-lowering drugs 15,109/33,913, and insulin 5,529/12,462 male/female. Male/female ORs of stroke were estimated using a logistic regression model. Results: The age-adjusted ORs of stroke were higher among diabetic men compared with diabetic women with oral glucose-lowering drug treatment (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.22-1.54) and diet treatment only (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.35-1.73). No differences were found among patients who used insulin (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.84-1.11). Further adjustment for duration of type 2 diabetes, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, and smoking affected the results only slightly. Conclusions: The gender risks of nonfatal stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes appear to differ considerably depending on treatment types.