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Prevalence of glucose metabolism abnormalities and cardiovascular co-morbidity in the US elderly adult population
Varas-Lorenzo, C., Rueda de Castro, AM., Maguire, A., & Miret, M. (2006). Prevalence of glucose metabolism abnormalities and cardiovascular co-morbidity in the US elderly adult population. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, 15(5), 317-326. https://doi.org/10.1002/pds.1229
Purpose To estimate the prevalence of glucose metabolism abnormalities, including diabetes, and its associated cardiovascular risk factors and co-morbidity in the US elderly population.
Methods Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988-1994) in adults aged 65 years and more. The 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the 1998 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to classify the subject's glucose metabolism status. The 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed only among those participants aged 40 to 74 years.
Results The age-adjusted prevalence of diagnosed diabetes was 12.5% (95% CI: 11.4%-13.6%) among US adults aged 65 years or more. According to the ADA definition 40% of men and 28% of women were affected by some degree of glucose metabolism impairment. According to the WHO definition, 55% of men and 50% of women aged 65 to 74 years were affected by glucose metabolism abnormalities. Mexican-Americans were the most affected under both definitions (51% and 77%, respectively). Overall, 72% of elderly diagnosed diabetics had hypertension, 28% had coronary heart disease (CHD), 47% suffered from cardiovascular disease and 80% of them presented known CHD or multiple coronary risk factors, other than age, level of LDL-cholesterol and diabetes. Under both definitions, a trend towards a worsening coronary risk profile with increased glucose metabolism impairment was observed.