Mortality in Older Diabetic Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Kronmal Richard A, Barzilay Joshua I, Smith Nicholas L, Psaty Bruce M, Kuller Lewis H, Burke Gregory L, Furberg Curt
Primary Institution: University of Washington
Hypothesis
Does diabetes mellitus increase mortality risk in older adults, and how does treatment type affect this risk?
Conclusion
Diabetes mellitus mortality risk remains high among older adults, particularly for those treated with insulin.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants treated with insulin had a 2.04 times higher risk of total mortality compared to non-DM participants.
- Women treated with insulin had a particularly high mortality risk.
- 40% of participants died during the study period.
Takeaway
Older people with diabetes are more likely to die from heart problems than those without diabetes, especially if they are treated with insulin.
Methodology
The study analyzed data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, following 5,888 participants aged 65 and older from 1989 to 2001, comparing mortality rates between those with and without diabetes.
Potential Biases
Potential underestimation of diabetes mortality due to inclusion criteria excluding non-pharmacologically treated individuals.
Limitations
The study may have overadjusted for confounding factors and did not account for the duration of diabetes prior to enrollment.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily older adults, with 5,372 without diabetes, 322 treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, and 194 treated with insulin.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
1.10 to 1.62 for OHGAs; 1.62 to 2.57 for insulin
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website