Background: Diabetes prevalence increases with age. In 2019, IDF estimated the number of diabetic people above 65 years is 135.6 million (19.3%), expected to be 276.2 million in 2045, leading to a significant increase in the diabetes population of aging societies in the next 25 years and the inevitable public health, and economic challenges this will bring.
Aim: To evaluate how clinical characteristics, degree of glycemic control, and presence of chronic complications differ between older and younger T2DM subjects.
Methods: A cross-sectional study that includes 200 T2DM participants were classified into 2 groups. Group A includes 100 subjects aged < 65years. Group B includes 100 subjects aged > 65years. Detailed clinical history was taken. Also, HbA1c was measured.
Results: Glycemic control was achieved in 46% of older diabetics vs. 37% of younger diabetics (HbA1c 7.2 vs 7.8), but statistically insignificant. Univariate analysis revealed non-obese vs. obese, DBP ≤85 vs >85, TC level ≤158 mg/dl vs >158, and TG level ≤129 mg/dl vs. >129 were statistically significant predictors of diabetic control. Multivariate analysis revealed non-obese state (OR=2.2) and DBP≤85mmHg (OR=2.1) were statistically significant independent predictors of the likelihood of diabetic control. The best cut-off values for DBP, TC, TG were 85, 158, 129, the AUC were 0.593 (p=0.016), 0.579 (p=0.053), 0.574 (p=0.072) respectively, to identify the optimal levels for the prediction of a controlled diabetic state.
Conclusion: The degree of glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors were better in the elderly T2DM subjects, however, the complications were more common among them.