title: Gender difference in diabetes related excess risk of cardiovascular events: When does the 'risk window' open?
abstract: Women with diabetes have a greater excess risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than men. This study was aimed at clarifying whether this effect is lifelong or more evident in some life-periods.
  
  
  
  The effect of diabetes and gender on the risk of first ever hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), ischemic stroke (IS), congestive heart failure (CHF), lower extremity amputations (LEA) or any of these major cardiovascular events (MACE) have been evaluated by a Cox-hazard model, over years 2008-2012 querying administrative databases of a cohort living in Tuscany, Italy.
  
  
  
  Comparing subjects with diabetes to those without it the overall age-adjusted excess risk was higher in women than in men for AMI and MACE and higher in men for LEA, with no difference for IS or CHF. In women the excess risk for AMI and MACE started earlier (46yr) and lasted until age of more than 85yr, while 'risk-windows' opened later and had a shorter duration for CHF (56-65yr) and IS (66-75yr).
  
  
  
  Diabetic women have a significant diabetes-associated excess of CVD risk, except for LEA, with a 'risk window' opening earlier and lasting longer for AMI and MACE, later and with a shorter duration for IS and CHF.
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Regionale Sanità Toscana, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Policardo
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Regionale Sanità Toscana, Florence, Italy; Centre of Study for Gender Health, Pistoia, Italy. Electronic address: gseghier@tin.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seghieri
authors.affiliation: Agenzia Regionale Sanità Toscana, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Francesconi
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Unit S Jacopo Hospital, Pistoia, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anichini
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy and Laboratory of Gender Medicine, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Osilo, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Metabolic Diseases and Diabetes, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Prato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Age; Cardiovascular events; Diabetes; Gender; Hazard ratio; Risk window