title: Relationship between blood pressure, cognitive function and education level in elderly patients with diabetes: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 32 patients with DM aged ≥ 65 years (seven women and 25 men; mean ± SD age: 74.3 ± 6.4 years) were included in this cross-sectional study. Relationships between blood pressure and neuropsychological tests were determined using Spearman's rank correlations (ρ) and multivariable linear regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with lower scores on the Frontal Assessment Battery (ρ=0.32, P=0.02), longer times to complete the Trail Making Test Part B (ρ=0.51, P=0.003), lower scores for the Finger Tapping Test (ρ=0.36, P=0.046) and less verbal fluency (ρ=0.36, P=0.047). In multivariable models, these relationships were attenuated after adjusting for levels of education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an association between lower diastolic blood pressure and poorer executive function in this cohort of elderly DM patients. These results underline the importance of systematic cognitive evaluation in elderly patients with DM, and suggest that a too-low diastolic blood pressure may have deleterious effects on mental function. Larger studies in the future are required to confirm these preliminary results.
authors: Service of Internal Medicine B, AP-HP, Hôpital Lariboisière, University Paris 7 Denis-Diderot, Paris, France.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Talfournier
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bitu
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Paquet
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Gobron
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Guillausseau
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Hugon
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Dumurgier
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Blood pressure; Cognition; Diabetes mellitus; Diabète; Education level; Elderly; Executive function; Fonctions exécutives; Niveau d’éducation; Pression artérielle; Sujet âgé