Objective:

To investigate the incidence of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus following hospitalization for influenza compared to matched community controls and patients hospitalized with sepsis.

Key Findings:

• Diabetes incidence was 12.5 cases per 1,000 person-years in influenza patients vs. 6.5 in controls and 11.7 in sepsis patients.
• Influenza hospitalization was associated with a 54% higher adjusted rate of diabetes diagnosis compared to matched controls.
• Higher rates of prediabetes were observed in influenza patients compared to both comparator groups.
• 35% of influenza-hospitalized patients underwent glucose testing in the first year post-discharge, higher than controls and sepsis patients.
• 69% of patients diagnosed with diabetes post-influenza required oral medications or insulin therapy.

Interpretation:

Influenza hospitalization is linked to a significant increase in the risk of developing diabetes, particularly within the first 90 days post-discharge, suggesting a need for enhanced monitoring and prevention strategies.

Limitations:

• Observational design and reliance on coding accuracy in electronic health records.
• Unmatched sepsis cohort differing in demographics and hospital stay length.
• Study period ending in March 2021 may limit generalizability to recent populations.
• Only 12 cases of type 1 diabetes identified, limiting subgroup analyses.

Conclusion:

The findings highlight the potential long-term effects of influenza on diabetes risk, advocating for improved influenza prevention and monitoring of patients post-hospitalization.