Diabetes and age-related demographic differences in risk factor control

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Glycemic Control in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: United States 2003-2014

The aim of this study was to determine whether racial differences in HbA1c persist in older adults (≥65 years) living with type 2 diabetes. Data from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2014 were used to examine the association between HbA1c and older adults (≥65 years) over time. Compared to non-Hispanic Whites, Mexican Americans had the greatest difference in average HbA1c among minority groups, followed by those with unspecified/mixed ethnicities and non-Hispanic Blacks. In the adjusted linear model, racial minorities had a statistically significant relationship with HbA1c. There was no relationship between HbA1c and older age and insulin use. Trends in mean HbA1c over time increased for non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans and decreased for non-Hispanic Whites. The findings suggest that racial differences in HbA1c persist into older age and compared to non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks and Mexican Americans are at an increased risk of morbidity, mortality, and disability due to high HbA1c. Furthermore, alternate measures of glycemic control may be needed to screen and manage T2DM in racial minorities.

Treatment Patterns in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes in China: A Retrospective, Longitudinal Database Study

PURPOSE

The objectives of this study were to examine the patterns of antihyperglycemic drug (AHD) therapy among patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the general Chinese population, stratified by initial hemoglobin (Hb) A_1c level, and to assess whether treatment patterns are consistent with the recommendations published in the China Diabetes Society's clinical treatment guideline.

METHODS

A retrospective database analysis was conducted, and data were obtained from the SuValue database. Prescribing patterns for diabetes treatments were determined from data obtained from the Nanhai District-based electronic medical records database, a subset of the SuValue database. Data from patients newly diagnosed with T2DM who also had at least 2 prescriptions for AHD medications after diagnosis and at least 1 HbA_1c test result during the 12 months prior to AHD treatment initiation, between January 1, 2004, and July 22, 2018, were included in the analysis. ANOVA, χ² test, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to examine differences between 4 initial-HbA_1c groups (<7%, 7%-<8%, 8%-<9%, and ≥9%).

FINDINGS

A total of 4712 patients were included, with women accounting for 47.8%; the mean age (SD) of the study population was 56.44 (12.57) years. Men were more likely to have had a higher HbA_1c level at initial AHD treatment (P < 0.0001). The first-line therapies most frequently prescribed were metformin combination (29.5%), followed by insulin-including treatment (25.9%), and metformin monotherapy (19.2%). Metformin monotherapy (29.5%) was most commonly prescribed in patients with an HbA_1c level of <7%; metformin combination (31.7%), in patients with an HbA_1c level of 7%-<8%; and insulin-containing treatment, in patients with HbA_1c levels of 8%-<9% (28.1%) and ≥9% (38.4%). Insulin-including treatment was more commonly prescribed than was metformin combination in patients with an initial HbA_1c level of ≥8% after initial treatment. In third- and fourth-line treatments, patients with an HbA_1c level of ≥8% more prevalently were prescribed metformin combination and insulin-including treatment, while metformin combination and "other" treatment were more generally prescribed in patients with an HbA_1c level of ≤8%. However, 8.8% of patients with an HbA_1c level of <7% were prescribed insulin-including treatment as first-line therapy. In all lines of treatment, the percentages of patients prescribed insulin were increased with initial HbA_1c levels. A similar pattern was seen with dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors after first-line treatment. Overall, the median time to treatment switch was shorter than 3 months.

IMPLICATIONS

The findings from the present study depict a comprehensive overview of AHD-treatment patterns in patients stratified by HbA_1c level. The current treatment practices observed were inconsistent the published guideline, in terms of recommendations on metformin monotherapy and insulin use in first-line therapy.

Characteristics of Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes in Chinese Older Adults: A National Prospective Cohort Study

AIM

To investigate the metabolic profiles of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (NEW2D) in Chinese older adults (≥65 years) and assess the proportion of patients who achieved the targeted goals of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipid.

METHODS

NEW2D study was an observational, longitudinal, prospective cohort study involving patients who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) within the past 6 months and had a follow-up of 12 months. Participants were divided into younger NEW2D group (aged 20-65 years old) and older NEW2D group (aged ≥65 years old) according to age of diabetes onset. The baseline metabolic profiles were compared and the proportion of patients achieving adequate control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and blood lipids in reference to target goals were assessed during treatment.

RESULTS

The older NEW2D (n = 1362) had a lower BMI, HbA1c%, diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and total cholesterol, higher systolic blood pressure, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels at baseline. 47.8%, 66.7%, and 39.4% reached the target of HbA1c < 7.0%, BP < 140/90 mmHg, and LDL - C < 2.6 mmol/L, respectively. After 12 months, the proportion achieving above three targets increased to 70.2%, 76.1%, and 47.5%, respectively. The proportions of patients achieving three combined therapeutic targets doubled from 13.5% to 26.7%.

CONCLUSION

The older NEW2D patients have special metabolic profiles compared with younger patients. The control of cardiovascular disease risk factors was suboptimal in older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Opportunities for improving cardiovascular health outcomes in adults younger than 65 years with guideline-recommended statin therapy

The impact of age, race/ethnicity, healthcare insurance, and selected clinical variables on statin-preventable ASCVD were quantified in adults aged 21 to 79 years from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2007-2012 using the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline on the treatment of cholesterol. Among ≈42.4 million statin-eligible, untreated adults, 52.6% were hypertensive and 71% were younger than 65 years. Of ≈232 000 statin-preventable ASCVD events annually, most occur in individuals younger than 65 years, with higher proportions in blacks and Hispanics than whites (73.0% and 69.2% vs 56.9%, respectively; P<.01). Among adults younger than 65 years, the ratio of statin-eligible but untreated to statin-treated adults was higher in blacks and Hispanics than whites (3.0 and 2.9 vs 1.3, respectively; P<.01), and blacks, men, hypertensives, and cigarette smokers were more likely to be statin eligible than their statin-ineligible counterparts by multivariable logistic regression. Two thirds of untreated statin-eligible adults had two or more healthcare visits per year. Identifying and treating more statin-eligible adults in the healthcare system could improve cardiovascular health equity.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus unawareness, prevalence, trends and risk factors: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2010

Objectives To determine whether the associations with key risk factors in patients with diagnosed and undiagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are different using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2010. Methods The study analysed the prevalence and association with risk factors of undiagnosed and diagnosed T2DM using a regression model and a multinomial logistic regression model. Data from the NHANES 1999-2010 were used for the analyses. Results The study analysed data from 10 570 individuals. The overall prevalence of diagnosed and undiagnosed T2DM increased significantly from 1999 to 2010. The prevalence of undiagnosed T2DM was significantly higher in non-Hispanic whites, in individuals <30 years old and in those with near optimal (130-159 mg/dl) or very high (≥220 mg/dl) non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels compared with diagnosed T2DM. Body mass index, low economic status or low educational level had no effect on T2DM diagnosis rates. Though diagnosed T2DM was associated with favourable diet/carbohydrate intake behavioural changes, it had no effect on physical activity levels. Conclusion The overall T2DM prevalence increased between 1999 and 2010, particularly for undiagnosed T2DM in patients that were formerly classified as low risk.

Does Age Matter? Association Between Usual Source of Care and Hypertension Control in the US Population: Data From NHANES 2007-2012

BACKGROUND

The positive role of having a usual source of care (USOC) on the receipt of preventative services is known. However, associations between USOC and hypertension control and the differential association across age groups is unknown in the US population.

METHODS

We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2012. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between having a USOC and hypertension control. The differential effect of USOC on hypertension control by age was assessed using predicted marginal effects across age groups in the multivariable logistic model.

RESULTS

In adjusted analyses, those with a USOC had higher odds of hypertension control (odds ratio = 3.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.15-6.98). The marginal effect of having a USOC is associated with a 30 percentage point higher probability of controlled blood pressure compared to those without a USOC (marginal probability = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.19-0.41). The marginal effect of USOC on hypertension control varied by age groups, with a statistically significantly lower marginal effect of USOC on hypertension seen among those older than 74 years of age (marginal probability = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.18-0.36) and younger than 35 years of age (marginal probability = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.14-0.33).

CONCLUSION

Having a USOC is significantly associated with improved hypertension control in the US population. The variation in the association across age groups has important implications in targeting age-specific antihypertensive strategies to reduce the burden of hypertension in the US population.

Where to Focus Efforts to Reduce the Black-White Disparity in Stroke Mortality: Incidence Versus Case Fatality?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

At age 45 years, blacks have a stroke mortality ≈3× greater than their white counterparts, with a declining disparity at older ages. We assess whether this black-white disparity in stroke mortality is attributable to a black-white disparity in stroke incidence versus a disparity in case fatality.

METHODS

We first assess if black-white differences in stroke mortality within 29 681 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort reflect national black-white differences in stroke mortality and then assess the degree to which black-white differences in stroke incidence or 30-day case fatality after stroke contribute to the disparities in stroke mortality.

RESULTS

The pattern of stroke mortality within the study mirrors the national pattern, with the black-to-white hazard ratio of ≈4.0 at age 45 years decreasing to ≈1.0 at age 85 years. The pattern of black-to-white disparities in stroke incidence shows a similar pattern but no evidence of a corresponding disparity in stroke case fatality.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings show that the black-white differences in stroke mortality are largely driven by differences in stroke incidence, with case fatality playing at most a minor role. Therefore, to reduce the black-white disparity in stroke mortality, interventions need to focus on prevention of stroke in blacks.

Prehypertension--prevalence, health risks, and management strategies

Prehypertension (blood pressure 120-139/80-89 mmHg) affects ~25-50% of adults worldwide, and increases the risk of incident hypertension. The relative risk of incident hypertension declines by ~20% with intensive lifestyle intervention, and by 34-66% with single antihypertensive medications. To prevent one case of incident hypertension in adults with prehypertension and a 50% 5-year risk of hypertension, 10 individuals would need to receive intensive lifestyle intervention, and four to six patients would need to be treated with antihypertensive medication. The relative risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) is greater with 'stage 2' (130-139/85-89 mmHg) than 'stage 1' (120-129/80-84 mmHg) prehypertension; only stage 2 prehypertension increases cardiovascular mortality. Among individuals with prehypertension, the 10-year absolute CVD risk for middle-aged adults without diabetes mellitus or CVD is ~10%, and ~40% for middle-aged and older individuals with either or both comorbidities. Antihypertensive medications reduce the relative risk of CVD and death by ~15% in secondary-prevention studies of prehypertension. Data on primary prevention of CVD with pharmacotherapy in prehypertension are lacking. Risk-stratified, patient-centred, comparative-effectiveness research is needed in prehypertension to inform an acceptable, safe, and effective balance of lifestyle and medication interventions to prevent incident hypertension and CVD.

Hypertension in the United States, 1999 to 2012: progress toward Healthy People 2020 goals

BACKGROUND

To reduce the cardiovascular disease burden, Healthy People 2020 established US hypertension goals for adults to (1) decrease the prevalence to 26.9% and (2) raise treatment to 69.5% and control to 61.2%, which requires controlling 88.1% on treatment.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To assess the current status and progress toward these Healthy People 2020 goals, time trends in National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999 to 2012 data in 2-year blocks were assessed in adults ≥18 years of age age-adjusted to US 2010. From 1999 to 2000 to 2011 to 2012, prevalent hypertension was unchanged (30.1% versus 30.8%, P=0.32). Hypertension treatment (59.8% versus 74.7%, P<0.001) and proportion of treated adults controlled (53.3%-68.9%, P=0.0015) increased. Hypertension control to <140/<90 mm Hg rose every 2 years from 1999 to 2000 to 2009 to 2010 (32.2% versus 53.8%, P<0.001) before declining to 51.2% in 2011 to 2012. Modifiable factor(s) significant in multivariable logistic regression modeling include: (1) increasing body mass index with prevalent hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 1.44); (2) lack of health insurance (OR, 1.68) and <2 healthcare visits per year (OR, 4.24) with untreated hypertension; (3) healthcare insurance (OR, 1.69), ≥2 healthcare visits per year (OR, 3.23), and cholesterol treatment (OR, 1.90) with controlled hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999 to 2012 analysis suggests that Healthy People 2020 goals for hypertension ([1] prevalence shows no progress, [2] treatment was exceeded, and [3] control) have flattened below target. Findings are consistent with evidence that (1) obesity prevention and treatment could reduce prevalent hypertension, and (2) healthcare insurance, ≥2 healthcare visits per year, and guideline-based cholesterol treatment could improve hypertension control.