Tendencias de la mortalidad por diabetes mellitus en Chile (1990–2020)

Purpose

To analyze the long-term trends by age and sex of mortality from diabetes mellitus (DM) in Chile, during the years 1990–2020.

Material and method

The standardized mortality rate for DM was analyzed, according to age and sex, through the elaboration of a retrospective cohort study. The age-adjusted mortality rate trend was examined, using joinpoint regression analysis to estimate the annual percentage change and to assess its statistical significance.

Results

A total of 97,939 deaths were registered between 1990–2020 (49,273 men and 48,666 women) in Chile. The crude mortality rate was slightly higher in men and 60% of deaths occur in people over 80 years of age. The trend analysis showed a statistically significant increase in annual percentage change of 3.16% until 2002 and then a constant decrease of -1.25% per year. In the analysis by sex, in men there was an increase in annual percentage change of 0.99% per year, while in women there was a decrease of -0.92% per year.

Conclusions

Mortality from DM has sustained a constant decrease since 2002. However, when the data is analyzed by sex, men have a higher mortality rate with and upwards trend throughout the years studied. It is important to carry out a study of other variables that might explain these results, in order to reach a conclusion that could impact on the outcomes of patients with DM.