Association of change in physical activity with use of outpatient specialist care and hospitalisations among breast cancer survivors with type 2 diabetes in Sweden.

BACKGROUND

Studies in breast cancer patients have consistently shown that physical activity improves survival. We examined if change in physical activity from before to after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with outpatient specialist care use and hospitalisations in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

This register-based cohort study included 2145 women with T2DM who self-reported frequency of walking 30 min/week, 1-3 years before and after their breast cancer diagnosis (diagnosed 2004-2018). Women were grouped as: maintained inactive (reference), increased activity, decreased activity, or maintained active. Using multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models, we assessed change in physical activity with time to 1) first hospital admission and 2) first outpatient specialist care/hospitalisation for 15 International Classification of Disease chapters in the National Patient Register.

RESULTS

Women who maintained active (hazard ratio[95% CI]: 0.68[0.58-0.80]) or increased (0.72[0.58-0.88]) activity, but not those who decreased (0.92[0.79-1.08]) activity, had a lower rate of hospitalisations during follow-up than inactive women. Results were similar for infection, malignancy, blood disorders, general symptoms, mental/behavioural health.

CONCLUSION

In breast cancer survivors, treated with curative intention, with T2DM, maintaining or increasing walking to ≥3times/week was associated with lower rates of hospitalisations overall and specialist outpatient care/hospitalisations across a range of diagnoses.