Diabetes is a major cause of influenza-associated mortality in Mexico

Influenza is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Most influenza-associated deaths are associated with cardiovascular or respiratory disorders. However, a large proportion of influenza-associated deaths do not have respiratory or cardiovascular disorders declared as the underlying cause of death. Diabetic individuals are at increased risk for influenza-mortality. In this study, we assessed the contribution of diabetes to influenza-associated mortality in Mexico. Diabetes influenza-associated mortality was estimated for the Mexican population using National Mortality Databases from the Mexican Ministry of Health from 1998 through 2015. Diabetes influenza-associated mortality was calculated applying Serfling cyclical regression models to weekly mortality rates for persons 20–59 years, 60 and more years, and all ages, and by sex. There was a high correlation between weekly pneumonia and influenza mortality and diabetes-related mortality. Yearly influenza-associated diabetes mortality rates varied between 2.0 and 5.9/100,000. Up until the 2005–2006 season, diabetes-associated mortality rates were higher in females, while after that season rates were higher in males. Yearly influenza-associated diabetes mortality rates for adults 20–59 years of age ranged between 1.7 and 3.4/100,000, while estimates for adults 60 years and older ranged between 16.3 and 46.1/100,000. Approximately one third of estimated diabetes influenza-associated deaths occurred in adults 20–59 years of age. On average, diabetes deaths accounted for 19.6% of estimated influenza-associated all-cause mortality. Diabetes is a major cause of estimated influenza-associated mortality in Mexico. Health-care authorities and professionals in countries with high diabetes prevalence should be aware of the potential impact of influenza in individuals with this condition. La grippe est une cause majeure de mortalité dans le monde. La plupart des décès associés surviennent en conjonction avec des troubles cardiovasculaires ou respiratoires. Cependant, une grande partie des décès associés à la grippe n’ont pas de maladie respiratoire ou cardiovasculaire déclarée comme cause initiale de décès. Les personnes diabétiques courent un risque accru de mortalité par grippe. Dans cette étude, nous avons évalué la contribution du diabète à la mortalité associée à la grippe au Mexique. La mortalité associée à la grippe chez les personnes diabétiques a été estimée dans la population mexicaine à partir des bases de don