title: Age as an independent factor for the development of neuropathy in diabetic patients.
abstract: Population aging is unprecedented, without parallel in the history of humanity. As type 2 diabetes mellitus is predominantly more prevalent in aging populations, this creates a major public health burden. Older adults with diabetes have the highest rates of major lower-extremity amputation, myocardial infarction, visual impairment, and end-stage renal disease of any age group. The aims of our study were to assess whether age is an independent factor for the occurrence of diabetic neuropathy (DN), and to evaluate the relationship between the presence and the severity of DN and the diabetes duration and blood glucose level. In this study, we enrolled 198 patients, previously diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. For all patients, we measured hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid profile, and body mass index and we assessed the presence and severity of DN using the evaluation of clinical signs and symptoms. Patients had a median age of 62 years, with a median of diabetes duration of 7 years; 55.1% of the patients were men and the average HbA1c in the cohort was 8.2%. The prevalence of DN according to Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument was 28.8%, being significantly and positively correlated with higher age (65 vs 59 years; P=0.001) and HbA1c (8.6% vs 8.0%; P=0.027). No significant correlations were observed between the severity of DN and diabetes duration, body mass index (31.9 vs 29.9 kg/m(2)), or the number of centimeters exceeding the normal waist circumference (25.2 vs 17.3 cm; P=0.003). In conclusion, age influences the presence of DN, independent on other risk factors. This influence persists even after adjusting for other, very important risk factors, like blood glucose level or diabetes duration.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Popescu
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Department of Functional Sciences, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Timar
authors.affiliation: Department of Microscopic Morphology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Service of Pathology, Emergency City Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baderca
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Clinic of Neurology, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Mihaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simu
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Diaconu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Clinic of Pediatrics, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Iulian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Velea
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania; Clinic of Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, Emergency Clinical County Hospital, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Romulus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Timar
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids
keywords: body mass index; diabetic neuropathy; elderly patients; hemoglobin A1c; peripheral neuropathy; type 2 diabetes mellitus