A related editorial notes that this study, and another report of long-term follow-up from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) cohort (see link below), show that cardiovascular disease remains common and leads to premature mortality in type 1 diabetes. Although renal disease contributes significantly to cardiovascular disease and to premature mortality in type 1 diabetes, mortality from cardiovascular disease remains significantly increased even in the absence of renal complications.
Although there have been substantial improvements in survival for patients with type 1 diabetes over the past 50 years, a number of challenges remain. For example end-stage renal disease from diabetes has continued to increase, despite renal protective therapies, and target glycaemic control remains out of reach for many.