In Type 2 Diabetes, Quitting Smoking Could Negatively Affect Glucose Control

By Kelly Young

Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, FASAM

Smoking cessation is associated with temporary deterioration of glucose control among patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology study.

Using electronic medical records from general practices, U.K. researchers retrospectively identified nearly 11,000 smokers with type 2 diabetes. Over a median follow-up of 6 years, 29% quit smoking for a year or more.

In the first year after stopping, quitters saw an average hemoglobin A1c increase of 0.21%. The increase was not affected by other variables, including post-quit weight gain. After the initial spike among quitters, HbA1c levels gradually decreased over 3 years.

The authors note that previous research has shown that people who are quitting smoking often have a preference for sweet foods, which could lead to increased glycemic load during the quit period.

They conclude: "A proactive review of glycemic control and prompt adjustment of medication is needed in this patient group both before and after smoking cessation."