Smoking is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes but a decreased risk of autoimmune diabetes in adults: an 11-year follow-up of incidence of diabetes in the Nord-Trøndelag study.
OBJECTIVE
We compared the association between smoking habits and later occurrence of type 2 diabetes on the one hand and between smoking and diabetes with autoimmunity on the other hand.


METHODS
We used data from a prospective study of 11-year cumulative incidence of diabetes in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey.


RESULTS
Confirming previous reports, heavy smoking (>/=20 cigarettes per day) carried an increased relative risk (RR) of type 2 diabetes (n=738, RR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.12-2.39). In contrast, smoking reduced the risk of latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) and of traditional type 1 diabetes (LADA n= 81, RR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.11-0.60; type 1 diabetes, n=18, RR=0.17, 95% CI: 0.04-0.73).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that nicotine influences autoimmune processes in human diabetes.
Carlsson
S
S
Division of Epidemiology, Stockholm Centre of Public Health and Department of Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Midthjell
K
K
Grill
V
V
D000328:Adult; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors