Type 2 Diabetes Is a Risk Factor for Suffering and for in-Hospital Mortality with Pulmonary Embolism. A Population-Based Study in Spain (2016–2018)

Abstract

(1) Background: The relationship between type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and pulmonary embolism (PE) has not been well stablished so far. We aim to analyze incidence, clinical conditions and in-hospital mortality (IHM) according to the presence of T2DM among patients hospitalized for suffering from PE. The factors associated with IHM were identified. (2) Methods: Patients aged ≥40 years hospitalized for PE from 2016 to 2018 included in the Spanish National Health System Hospital Discharge Database were analyzed. Dependent variables included incidence, IHM and length of hospital stay. Independent variables were age, sex, diagnosed comorbidities, thrombolytic therapy and inferior vena cava filter placement. Poisson and logistic regression models were constructed for multivariable analysis. (3) Results: Of the 47,190 hospitalizations for PE recorded, 16.52% had T2DM. Adjusted incidence of PE was higher among T2DM women (IRR 1.83; 95% CI: 1.58-1.96) and men (IRR 1.22; 95% CI: 1.18-1.27) than among non-diabetic subjects. Crude IHM in T2DM patients with PE was similar in both sexes but higher than in non-diabetic patients. Among T2DM patients with PE, risk factors for IHM included older age, comorbidity, atrial fibrillation and massive PE. Obesity was associated with lower IHM. Suffering T2DM was a risk of IHM (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.05-1.26) after PE. (4) Conclusions: The incidence of PE is higher in T2DM men and women than in non-diabetic patients. T2DM was a risk factor for IHM after PE.