title: Differences in clinical and biological characteristics and prevalence of chronic complications related to aging in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, highly prevalent disease that increases with age. Because of this, and due to its chronic complications, T2DM causes high human, social, and financial costs. In addition, the elderly population with T2DM has a marked clinical heterogeneity. Therefore, our main objective was to analyze the relationship of age with the clinical and biological manifestations of the disease and the prevalence of chronic complications in patients with T2DM.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study of a large population with T2DM (n=405) randomly selected from a Diabetes Unit and 2 health care centers (60%). The clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical variables of the subjects were collected using standard methods to assess the effect of age on the clinical and biochemical phenotype of patients with T2DM.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We have noted that patients with T2DM > 70 years old have a clinical and biochemical phenotype different from younger subjects (<60 years) including longer times since diabetes onset, higher diastolic blood pressure levels, and lower body mass index (BMI) values. As regards to biological variables, these patients have lower triglyceride levels, impaired kidney function, and lower HbA1c values. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome is lower in patients with T2DM > 70 years of age. Age was inversely related to parameters associated to metabolic syndrome (BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, and triglyceride levels).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have defined the clinical and biochemical profile of patients with T2DM > 70 years attending health care centers. In addition, the prevalence of stroke, kidney disease, and distal symmetrical polyneuropathy is higher in patients with T2DM >70 years as compared to younger patients (<60 years).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universitat de València, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: María Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Basanta-Alario
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España. Electronic address: ferrisss@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Civera
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universitat de València, CIBERDEM e INCLIVA, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Martínez-Hervás
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universitat de València, CIBERDEM e INCLIVA, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ascaso
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valencia, Valencia, España; Departamento de Medicina, Universitat de València, CIBERDEM e INCLIVA, Valencia, España.
authors.forename: José Tomás
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Real
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Anciano; Chronic diabetic complications; Clinical and biochemical profile; Complicaciones crónicas de la diabetes; Diabetes tipo 2; Elderly; Metabolic syndrome; Perfil clínico biológico; Síndrome metabólico; Type 2 diabetes mellitus