title: A population-based study of the incidence of complications associated with type 2 diabetes in the elderly.
abstract: One hundred and eighty-eight known Type 2 diabetic patients aged over 60 years identified by a geographically based survey of a population of 40,076 were followed for a median of 6 years to determine the incidence of various complications. There were 63 deaths and two patients were lost to follow-up. The presence of complications was determined using a structured questionnaire and clinical examination. Incidence rates of ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) were 56 (95% CI 41-75), 22 (13-35), and 146 (117-174) 1000-person-years-1 of follow-up, respectively. Rates of stroke and PVD rose significantly with age. Retinopathy occurred at a rate of 60 (42-83) 1000-person-years-1 and cataract at 29 (17-46) 1000-person-years-1 although visual acuity in survivors did not deteriorate overall, probably reflecting the high mortality associated with cataract. The rate of proteinuria (albumin concentration greater than 300 mg l-1) was 19 (9-34) 1000-person-years-1. Incidence rates were unrelated to sex or duration of diabetes. Diabetes is associated with a continuing incidence of complications into old age. Adequate facilities are required to assess and treat the resulting morbidity in a population with an increasing proportion of elderly people.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Ceratology, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Neil
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thorogood
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016523:Foot Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014792:Visual Acuity