Interactive effect of central obesity and hypertension on cognitive function in older out-patients with Type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Central obesity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus have been related individually to cognitive dysfunction. We aimed to study the interactive effects of these co-occurring risk factors on cognitive decline, which remain unclear in older patients with diabetes.


METHODS
We assessed metabolic profiles and neuropsychological functions in 60 older out-patients with Type 2 diabetes to examine the associations of central obesity with cognitive functions, while controlling for other confounding factors in these subjects.


RESULTS
Waist circumference was associated with poor performance in digits forward (r2 = 0.11, P = 0.02), choice reaction time (r2 = 0.08, P = 0.04) and cognitive reaction time (r2 = 0.07, P < 0.05) even after adjustment for potential confounders including age, gender, education and HbA1c. There were also significant interactions between central obesity and hypertension with respect to performance of digits forward (P = 0.04) and delayed verbal cued recall (P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that, in addition to glycaemic control, central obesity and hypertension influence cognitive functions, such as attention and psychomotor speed in older patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Kim
E
E
Institute of Behavioural Science in Medicine, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Cho
M H
MH
Cha
K R
KR
Park
J S
JS
Ahn
C-W
CW
Oh
B H
BH
Kim
C-H
CH
D000368:Aged; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology*; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors