Impact of remission from type 2 diabetes on long‑term health outcomes: findings from the Look AHEAD study

Aims/hypothesis: We examined the association of attainment of diabetes remission in the context of a 12 year intensive lifestyle intervention with subsequent incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and CVD.

Methods: The Look AHEAD study was a multi-centre RCT comparing the effect of a 12 year intensive lifestyle intervention with that of diabetes support and education on CVD and other long-term health conditions. We compared the incidence of CVD and CKD among 4402 and 4132 participants, respectively, based on achievement and duration of diabetes remission. Participants were 58% female, and had a mean age of 59 years, a duration of diabetes of 6 year and BMI of 35.8 kg/m2. We applied an epidemiological definition of remission: taking no diabetes medications and having HbA1c <48 mmol/mol (6.5%) at a single point in time. We defined high-risk or very high-risk CKD based on the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, and CVD incidence as any occurrence of non-fatal acute myocardial infarction, stroke, admission for angina or CVD death.

Results: Participants with evidence of any remission during follow-up had a 33% lower rate of CKD (HR 0.67; 95% CI 0.52, 0.87) and a 40% lower rate of the composite CVD measure (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.47, 0.79) in multivariate analyses adjusting for HbA1c, BP, lipid levels, CVD history, diabetes duration and intervention arm, compared with participants without remission. The magnitude of risk reduction was greatest for participants with evidence of longer-term remission.

Conclusions/interpretation: Participants with type 2 diabetes with evidence of remission had a substantially lower incidence of CKD and CVD, respectively, compared with participants who did not achieve remission. This association may be affected by post-baseline improvements in weight, fitness, HbA1c and LDL-cholesterol.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00017953 DATA AVAILABILITY: https://repository.niddk.nih.gov/studies/look-ahead/.