Diabetes in Brazil: The Association between Extreme Heat and Hospitalization

Exposure to excessive heat has been associated with an increased risk of medical problems associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, respiratory diseases, and kidney disease.1,2 Previous studies have also linked extreme heat with diabetes-related mortality,3 although other work has found conflicting results.4,5 Individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes often have difficulty sweating sufficiently to reduce their core body temperature, making it harder to keep cool in a hot environment.6 A study recently published in Environmental Health Perspectives reported an association between hot outdoor temperatures and hospitalizations of patients with diabetes in Brazil.7 [Image omitted - see PDF] Investigators led by senior research fellow Shanshan Li and professor Yuming Guo, both of Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, collected data on hospitalizations and weather conditions from 1,814 Brazilian cities from 2000 through 2015. Previous studies found that outdoor air pollution, especially fine particulate matter, may contribute to an increased risk of developing diabetes, although potential effects on diabetes morbidity or hospitalizations remain unclear.9,10 “It’s an area where more research is needed,” says Kristie Ebi, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington, who was not involved in the current study. “Future studies also should project changes in the disease burden with climate change so that steps can be taken to mitigate human health risks,” he says.