Life Expectancy - New Research

[numba1]

Hi,
This topic may have been discussed before but what is the current life expectancy and risk of complications of someone with type 1 diabetes? It is proboably a very wide question as it obviously depends on a number of factors, bg levels, genetics, etc but the research on the web usually look at figures that date to the 80's and 90's such as improved delivery methods, new types of insulin, inproved understanding of D, etc. So what I'd like to know is what the outlook for type 1'ers? Can we expect to live as long as someone who is a non-type 1 or there's still a way to go?

Also, any hard evidence of the search for a cure? I've read a lot of reports about different types of cures being tested, but I realistically think that it's not in the interest of the pharma co's to release a cure. Rather, we may see increased convenience in terms of insuln delivery, better bg control, etc but a downright cure, i'm not putting my money on it.

[JediSkipdogg]

With the life expectancy I think it's really hard to say. There's alot of pros and cons to both sides in the past 5 years. Diabetics pay more attention to what they eat and therefore I think generally they eat healthier. At the same time, they have a disease that basically wants to kill their body by increasing the glucose level in the blood. I also think this is another case where diabetes would have to be divided up between type 1 and type 2, which most studies don't do.

As for the cure, there are tons of promising researches out there. I don't think any are truely a cure, but a treatment option as none have wiped away what causes type 1 yet. They just minimize it.

[SueM]

Looks like 83 years on insulin and counting :)
What a star.

After All These Years - 83 Years of Living Well With Diabetes: Gladys C. Lester Dull - Diabetes Health (http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2007/05/29/5213.html)

[owlyn]

If it's adult onset T1 or T2, life insurance companies don't seem to mind too much as long as everything else is good (weight, BP, A1C, etc.). My life insurance premium is only 1 category off of "normal", and I think it's about a 10% premium difference- maybe less. So, life expectancy can't be too different than most others. Heck, I know of many 80+ year old diabetics with no complications and still going strong.

[BlueSky]

The last time I applied for insurance, as well controlled T1, there was a 150% loading. But that was 10 years ago, and I chose to not get insured. Risk premiums were based on historical mortality figures, and T1s T2s were lumped together. Apparently the modern thinking is that, if a T1 maintains an HBA1c of <6.5%, life expectancy should be the same as for non-diabetics. And the later the onset of T1, the more likely this is to be the case. With T2, the situation is a bit different. It is normally accompanied by all the other metabolic syndrome problems, which increase heart disease risk.

[numba1]

Thanks for the info but i think this thread is going to die a premature thread unless there aren't more replies. I don't know about anyone else but I think this certainly is an issue that ought to be discussed in more detail.

[BriOnH]

Looks like 83 years on insulin and counting :)
What a star.

After All These Years - 83 Years of Living Well With Diabetes: Gladys C. Lester Dull - Diabetes Health (http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2007/05/29/5213.html)

That is a GREAT read!