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Objective family burden of diabetes is associated with increased risk of hospital diagnosis of covid-19 : A prospective cohort study from the Malmö diet and cancer study

Zwawi, A. ; Swärd, P. LU ; Wändell, P. LU ; Carlsson, A. C. ; Melander, O. LU orcid ; Nilsson, P. M. LU and Ruge, T. LU (2026) In International Journal of Infectious Diseases 163.
Abstract

Objective To determine if familial diabetes burden across multiple kinship levels is associated with hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 in a population-based cohort. Methods We analyzed data from 15,516 participants in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS), a prospective, population-based cohort in southern Sweden. Familial burdens among first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) of diabetes, lung, cardiovascular, and kidney disease were objectively ascertained through linkage to national multigenerational and health registers. Hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 was ascertained from hospital records. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to assess hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for... (More)

Objective To determine if familial diabetes burden across multiple kinship levels is associated with hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 in a population-based cohort. Methods We analyzed data from 15,516 participants in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS), a prospective, population-based cohort in southern Sweden. Familial burdens among first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) of diabetes, lung, cardiovascular, and kidney disease were objectively ascertained through linkage to national multigenerational and health registers. Hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 was ascertained from hospital records. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to assess hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 according to familial disease burden, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), educational level, lifestyle factors, and personal diagnoses of disease before onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results A total of 937 (6.0%) participants had hospital-diagnosed COVID-19. Having three affected first-degree relatives with diabetes, compared with no affected first-degree relatives, was associated with a higher risk (adjusted HR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.03-3.44; P = 0.039). Familial burden of cardiovascular, kidney, and lung disease was not associated with an increased risk. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the familial burden of diabetes is associated with hospital-diagnosed COVID-19, consistent with shared familial factors.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
COVID-19, Diabetes, Family history
in
International Journal of Infectious Diseases
volume
163
article number
108241
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105024873907
  • pmid:41285191
ISSN
1201-9712
DOI
10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108241
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6c39e14f-e47c-40ba-b919-bb5ea1d9508a
date added to LUP
2026-03-09 14:52:32
date last changed
2026-04-06 21:05:12
@article{6c39e14f-e47c-40ba-b919-bb5ea1d9508a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objective To determine if familial diabetes burden across multiple kinship levels is associated with hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 in a population-based cohort. Methods We analyzed data from 15,516 participants in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Study (MDCS), a prospective, population-based cohort in southern Sweden. Familial burdens among first-degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) of diabetes, lung, cardiovascular, and kidney disease were objectively ascertained through linkage to national multigenerational and health registers. Hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 was ascertained from hospital records. Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to assess hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for hospital-diagnosed COVID-19 according to familial disease burden, adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), educational level, lifestyle factors, and personal diagnoses of disease before onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results A total of 937 (6.0%) participants had hospital-diagnosed COVID-19. Having three affected first-degree relatives with diabetes, compared with no affected first-degree relatives, was associated with a higher risk (adjusted HR 1.88, 95% CI: 1.03-3.44; P = 0.039). Familial burden of cardiovascular, kidney, and lung disease was not associated with an increased risk. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the familial burden of diabetes is associated with hospital-diagnosed COVID-19, consistent with shared familial factors.</p>}},
  author       = {{Zwawi, A. and Swärd, P. and Wändell, P. and Carlsson, A. C. and Melander, O. and Nilsson, P. M. and Ruge, T.}},
  issn         = {{1201-9712}},
  keywords     = {{COVID-19; Diabetes; Family history}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Infectious Diseases}},
  title        = {{Objective family burden of diabetes is associated with increased risk of hospital diagnosis of covid-19 : A prospective cohort study from the Malmö diet and cancer study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108241}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.ijid.2025.108241}},
  volume       = {{163}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}