(06-05-06) 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.

Novartis Farmaceutica S.A., Global Epidemiology, Barcelona, Spain.

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. CONCLUSION: A notable proportion of elderly people is affected by some degree of glucose metabolism impairment which in turn is associated with cardiovascular co-morbidity. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2006 Mar 23; [Epub ahead of print]

PMID: 16555364 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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