{
  "id": 3320147,
  "title": "Sex differences in trajectories to cardio-renal and mental health outcomes following the onset of type 2 diabetes: An observational cohort study using multi-state analysis in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/sex-differences-in-trajectories-to-cardio-renal-and-mental-health",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-25T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "PLOS Medicine",
    "slug": "plos-medicine",
    "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1005196"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new study published in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink has examined the impact of sex differences on the progression of various health conditions following the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The research, led by an international team of medical professionals, analyzed data from over 28,000 patients diagnosed with T2D between 2010 and 2020. The investigators employed semi-Markov multi-state analysis to track the transitions between different health states, such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and mental health issues.\n\nThe study found that women diagnosed with T2D were more likely to develop mental health conditions after the onset of the disease (8.1% compared to 5.3% in men), while men faced a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases, end-stage renal disease, and hypertension (8.4% compared to 5.3% and 21.1% compared to 20.2% respectively). Additionally, women experienced more frequent visits to healthcare services and prescribed long-term medications than men. The onset of health events occurred later in women compared to men.\n\nThe researchers discovered that both sexes faced an increased risk of premature mortality when T2D was combined with a mental health condition. Hypertension emerged as the most common event following the onset of T2D in all age groups and both sexes. The study authors noted that some of the observed differences in mental health diagnoses between women and men may be attributable to variations in healthcare-seeking behaviors rather than true differences in the prevalence of these conditions.\n\nThe authors concluded that their findings underscore the need for sex-specific healthcare interventions for T2D patients, as women showed a greater vulnerability to mental health conditions, while men exhibited a higher proportion of cardiovascular and renal complications. Furthermore, the research highlights the importance of tailored management strategies that consider sex, age, and the intricate relationship between physical and mental health in T2D care. The current UK medical guidelines lack sex-specific prevention strategies and management for T2D and associated comorbidities, particularly mental health conditions.",
  "summary": "by Fabiola Eto, Miriam Samuel, Daniel Stow, Rafael Henkin, Alisha Angdembe, Michael R. Barnes, Sarah Finer, Rohini Mathur Background Type 2 diabetes (T2D) presents a significant global health challenge, and its prevalence is expected to rise. T2D is associated with diverse complications, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and mental health disorders like…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}