LAUSR

BACKGROUND Diabetes and prediabetes have been linked with morbidity or mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, or other physical disorders among working-age populations, but less is known about outcomes directly related to labor loss (e.g., long-term sickness absence (LTSA) or pre-retirement death due to physical disorders).This prospective study aimed to examine the association of diabetes and prediabetes with the risk of a composite outcome of LTSA and pre-retirement death due to physical disorders. The present study also examined the associations of severe outcomes (LTSA or death) due to specific physical disorders or injuries/external causes in relation to diabetes and prediabetes. METHODS Data were derived from the Japan Epidemiology Collaboration on Occupational Health study. A total of 60,519 workers from 12 companies were followed for eight years. Diabetes and prediabetes were defined based on the American Diabetes Association criteria. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to examine the association between diabetes/prediabetes and severe outcomes due to physical disorders or injuries/external causes. RESULTS The adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of severe outcomes due to all physical disorders were 1.22 (1.02-1.45) and 2.32 (2.04-2.64) for prediabetes and diabetes, respectively. In cause-specific analyses, an increased risk was observed for severe outcomes due to cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and injuries/external causes in relation to either or both diabetes and prediabetes. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes and prediabetes were associated with an increased risk of severe outcomes due to physical disorders or injuries/external causes among Japanese workers.