Chronic inflammation is present in type 1 and type 2 diabetes

People with diabetes are at risk of developing micro-and macrovascular complications. This increased risk is present in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Inflammation plays an important role in the development of these complications. The presence of chronic inflammation has been established in people with type 2 diabetes, where it is associated to disease characteristics including insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation. However, whether chronic inflammation is also present in people with type 1 diabetes remains unknown. The aim of this project was therefore to determine the presence of chronic inflammation in people with diabetes, to establish what diabetes related characteristics are associated with inflammation and to determine the association between inflammation and the presence of micro-and macrovascular complications.

Researchers Julia van Heck investigated the presence of chronic inflammation in people with type 1 diabetes compared to people with type 2 diabetes and healthy controls. The research group, led by Cees Tack and Rinke Stienstra, in collaboration with the department of Internal Medicine published the results in Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism in February 2025.

A proteomics approach was used to measure 92 inflammatory markers in 233 participants with type 1, 387 participants type 2 diabetes and 150 healthy controls. Higher levels of inflammatory markers were found in people with diabetes compared to healthy controls, with highest levels in people with type 2 diabetes. The presence of inflammation was strongly associated with disease duration and glycaemic control in people with type 1 diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, inflammation was strongly associated with BMI. In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes the presence of inflammation was associated with vascular complications such as nephropathy.

Overall these findings suggest that chronic inflammation is not only present in people with type 2 diabetes but also in people with type 1 diabetes. Furthermore, the researchers concluded that the although the cause of inflammation is different between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the consequences are similar. The results of this study improve our understanding on the role of inflammation in the development of complications in people with diabetes, and suggests several potential biomarkers. These findings can contribute to earlier identification of people with complications and the development of new inflammation targeted treatment.

The article is linked to research program The impacts of (pre)diabetes

About the publication

Diabetes Obes Metab. 2025 Feb;27(2):719-728. doi: 10.1111/dom.16066. Epub 2024 Nov 19.
Circulating inflammatory proteins are elevated in type 1 and type 2 diabetes and associated to complications
Julia I P van Heck, Mandala Ajie, Leo A B Joosten, Cees J Tack, Rinke Stienstra