Living with Type 2 Diabetes May Significantly Increase Sepsis Risk, Study Finds
New Australian research shows that living with type 2 diabetes more than doubles the risk of developing sepsis, especially among younger adults and men. Proper management of blood sugar and lifestyle modifications are crucial for reducing this risk.
A comprehensive community-based study presented at the 2025 European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Vienna reveals that individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) face nearly double the risk of developing sepsis compared to those without the condition. The research, conducted in Australia, highlights that the risk is especially pronounced among men and younger adults under 60 years of age.
The study examined a cohort of 1,430 adults with T2D and 5,720 matched individuals without diabetes, tracking their health records over approximately ten years. Findings indicated that 11.8% of those with T2D developed sepsis during the follow-up period, compared to only 5.0% of their non-diabetic counterparts. After adjusting for other risk factors, having T2D was associated with a twofold increased risk of sepsis.
Particularly striking was the elevated risk among participants aged 41-50 years, where diabetics exhibited a 14.5 times higher chance of developing sepsis. Further analysis identified key factors contributing to this increased risk, including age, male sex, smoking status, insulin use, elevated fasting blood glucose, nerve and vascular complications, and higher levels of the heart failure biomarker NT-proBNP. Indigenous Australians with T2D, for example, were three times more likely to develop sepsis, while current smokers faced an 83% higher risk.
The study underscored the importance of managing blood sugar levels and avoiding modifiable risk factors such as smoking and complications of diabetes. Elevated blood glucose impairs immune function and predisposes individuals to infections like urinary tract infections, skin infections, and pneumonia, which can escalate into sepsis. The researchers emphasized that lifestyle modifications and proper diabetes management could potentially reduce the sepsis risk.
It is important to note that this was an observational study, so causality cannot be firmly established. Nonetheless, the findings provide valuable insight into the heightened vulnerability of people with T2D to severe infections and underscore the importance of targeted prevention strategies.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-diabetes-sepsis-large-community-based.html
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