Prevalence of anemia and associated All-Cause mortality among adults with Diabetes: The role of chronic kidney disease.

Aims: Among adults with diabetes in the United States, we evaluated anemia prevalence by CKD status as well as the role of CKD and anemia, as potential risk factors for all-cause mortality.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, we included 6,718 adult participants with prevalent diabetes from the 2003-March 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of the non-institutionalized civilian population in the United States. Cox regression models evaluated the role of anemia and CKD, alone or combined, as predictors of all-cause mortality.

Results: Anemia prevalence among adults with diabetes and CKD was 20%. Having anemia or CKD alone, compared with having neither condition, was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (anemia: HR = 2.10 [1.49-2.96], CKD: HR = 2.24 [1.90-2.64]). Having both conditions conferred a greater potential risk (HR = 3.41 [2.75-4.23]).

Conclusions: Approximately one-quarter of the adult US population with diabetes and CKD also has anemia. The presence of anemia, with or without CKD, is associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of death by compared with adults who have neither condition, suggesting that anemia may be a strong predictor of death among adults with diabetes.