Prevalences of type 2 diabetes, the insulin resistance syndrome, and coronary heart disease in an elderly, biethnic population.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prevalences of type 2 diabetes, the various cardiovascular risk factors encompassing the insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), and coronary heart disease (CHD) in elderly Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic whites.


METHODS
Elderly Hispanics (n = 414) and non-Hispanic whites (n = 469), randomly selected from the Medicare rolls of Bernalillo County (Albuquerque, NM; age > or = 65 years), underwent a home interview followed by an interview/examination by a nurse-practitioner, nurse, and nutritionist that included an evaluation of glucose tolerance. Prevalences of total and central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and microalbuminuria also were determined. History of myocardial infarction, recent angina, and/or coronary bypass graft, and electrocardiograms (ECGs) were used to document CHD.


RESULTS
Elderly Hispanics had twice the prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared with non-Hispanic whites, but the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance was not increased in Hispanics. Mean serum fasting and 2-h post-glucola insulin concentrations, fasting insulin resistance indexes, and HbA1c were higher in Hispanics. Hispanics were shorter, weighed less, and had more total body and central obesity. The higher prevalences of dyslipidemia in Hispanics could be explained by a higher prevalence of diabetes. The prevalences of hypertension and CHD were not different for the two ethnic groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Elderly Hispanics had twice the prevalence of diabetes and higher prevalences of cardiovascular risk factors associated with IRS. Prevalences of hypertension and CHD were similar in the two ethnic groups.
Lindeman
R D
RD
Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, USA. rlindema@salud.unm.edu
Romero
L J
LJ
Hundley
R
R
Allen
A S
AS
Liang
H C
HC
Baumgartner
R N
RN
Koehler
K M
KM
Schade
D S
DS
Garry
P J
PJ
D000368:Aged; D001824:Body Constitution; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007182:Income; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009516:New Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D044465:White People
D002784:Cholesterol; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides