Geriatric conditions develop in middle-aged adults with diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Geriatric conditions, collections of symptoms common in older adults and not necessarily associated with a specific disease, increase in prevalence with advancing age. These conditions are important contributors to the complex health status of older adults. Diabetes mellitus is known to co-occur with geriatric conditions in older adults and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of some conditions.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence and incidence of geriatric conditions in middle-aged and older-aged adults with diabetes.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of nationally-representative, longitudinal health interview survey data (Health and Retirement Study waves 2004 and 2006).


METHODS
Respondents 51 years and older in 2004 (n=18,908).


METHODS
Diabetes mellitus. Eight geriatric conditions: cognitive impairment, falls, incontinence, low body mass index, dizziness, vision impairment, hearing impairment, pain.


RESULTS
Adults with diabetes, compared to those without, had increased prevalence and increased incidence of geriatric conditions across the age spectrum (p< 0.01 for each age group from 51-54 years old to 75-79 years old). Differences between adults with and without diabetes were most marked in middle-age. Diabetes was associated with the two-year cumulative incidence of acquiring new geriatric conditions (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 1.8, 1.6-2.0). A diabetes-age interaction was discovered: as age increased, the association of diabetes with new geriatric conditions decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Middle-aged, as well as older-aged, adults with diabetes are at increased risk for the development of geriatric conditions, which contribute substantially to their morbidity and functional impairment. Our findings suggest that adults with diabetes should be monitored for the development of these conditions beginning at a younger age than previously thought.
Cigolle
Christine T
CT
Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 300 N. Ingalls, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2007, USA. ccigolle@umich.edu
Lee
Pearl G
PG
Langa
Kenneth M
KM
Lee
Yuo-Yu
YY
Tian
Zhiyi
Z
Blaum
Caroline S
CS
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004244:Dizziness / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology