Sex differences in the impact of diabetes on the risk of geriatric conditions.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether sex differences exist in the relationship between diabetes and geriatric conditions.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional analysis of 2629 community-dwelling older adults, drawn from the 2003 wave of the "Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan." Selected geriatric conditions included cognitive impairment, depression, falls and urinary incontinence (UI). Diabetes and comorbid conditions (heart disease, hypertension, chronic lung disease, stroke, hip fracture, arthritis, chronic kidney disease and cancer) were assessed using questionnaires.


RESULTS
A greater proportion of older women, compared with men, had cognitive impairment (15.8% vs 7.3%), depression (22.6% vs 10.4%), falls (26.7% vs 16.3%), and UI (20.9% vs 15.1%). After adjustment for basic demographics and comorbid conditions, diabetes was associated with increased risk for cognitive impairment (RR 1.85 [CI 1.12-3.05], P=0.017), depression (RR 2.03 [CI 1.39-2.97], P=0.0003) and falls (RR 1.72 [CI 1.2-2.48], P=0.003), but not UI (RR 1.4 [CI 0.9-2.1], P=0.067) among older women. However, we did not find any associations in men.


CONCLUSIONS
Diabetes was associated with excessive risk for geriatric conditions among older women, but not men. The effect of sex differences on the relationship between diabetes and geriatric conditions requires further exploration.
Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Feng-Ping
FP
Lu
Ding-Cheng
DC
Chan
Hsu-Ko
HK
Kuo
Shwu-Chong
SC
Wu
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology