Hypertension and Comorbidities in Rural and Urban Chinese Older People: An Epidemiological Subanalysis From the SAGE Study

The relationship between obesity associated weight-adjusted waist index and the prevalence of hypertension in US adults aged ≥60 years: a brief report

Objectives

The main objective was to examine the relationship between weight-adjusted waist index (WWI) and the prevalence of hypertension among individuals aged ≥60 years who participated in the NHANES between 2011 and 2018 years.

Methods

The data for this study were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2018. In this population-based study, we focused on participants who were over 60 years old. Data were collected from the aforementioned survey, and the variable of interest was WWI, which was calculated as waist (cm) divided by the square root of body weight (kg). Multivariable logistic regression model was applied to calculate adjusted ORs with 95% CIs in order to explore any possible correlation between WWI and the prevalence of hypertension. Subgroup analysis were used to verify the stability of the relationship between WWI and the prevalence of hypertension. The interaction tests were also conducted in this research.

Results

Results revealed that adults aged ≥60 years who were in the highest WWI quartile had significantly higher chances of developing hypertension when compared to those in the lowest quartile, after adjusting for covariates and potential confounders (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that there is a strong correlation between elevated levels of WWI and the risk of developing hypertension among older adults. As such, WWI could serve as a unique and valuable biomarker for identifying hypertension risk at an earlier stage in the older adults population.

Sex differences in the risk factors of disability among community-dwelling older adults with hypertension: Longitudinal results from the Health, Aging, and Retirement in Thailand study (HART)

Background

Hypertension poses a serious health problem among Thai older adults which could subsequently lead to disability. However, little to no research has been conducted to understand modifiable risk factors of disability among community-dwelling older adults with hypertension in Thailand. In addition, sex is an important social determinant of health, but its role in disability among older adults with hypertension is less clear.

Objectives

This study focused on community-dwelling older adults with hypertension in Thailand and investigated predictors of disability and examined sex differences in the risk factors that were associated with disability in this population.

Methods

Longitudinal data were from the Health, Aging, and Retirement in Thailand (HART) survey (2015-2017; N = 916). The outcome variable was difficulty with the activity of daily living at follow-up. Potential risk factors included sociodemographic information, health behaviors/health status, and disability at baseline. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression analysis were employed to analyze the data.

Results

Most of the participants were female and between aged 60 and 69 years old. Being in an older age group (OR = 1.78, 95% CI: 1.07-2.97, p < 0.05), having more chronic conditions (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.10-1.73, p < 0.01), experiencing obesity (OR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.11-3.69, p < 0.05), and having disability at baseline (OR = 2.42, 95% CI: 1.09-5.37, p < 0.05) significantly predicted disability at 2 year follow-up among community-dwelling Thai older adults with hypertension. The effects of these risk factors on disability at follow-up did not differ by sex. However, different risk factors of disability were observed across sexes.

Conclusion

The situations of disability among older adults with hypertension in Thailand are likely to aggravate due to the rapid aging of the population. Our analysis provided useful information regarding significant predictors of disability and sex-specific risk factors of disability. Tailored promotion and prevention programs should be readily available to prevent disability among community-dwelling older adults with hypertension in Thailand.

Exploring disease interrelationships in older inpatients: a single-centre, retrospective study

Background

Comorbidity is a common phenomenon in the older population; it causes a heavy burden on societies and individuals. However, the relevant evidence, especially in the southwestern region of China, is insufficient.

Objectives

We aimed to examine current comorbidity characteristics as well as correlations among diseases in individuals aged >60 years.

Design

Retrospective study.

Methods

We included records of 2,995 inpatients treated at the Gerontological Department of Sichuan Geriatric Hospital from January 2018 to February 2022. The patients were divided into groups according to sex and age. Diseases were categorised based on the International Classification of Diseases and their Chinese names. We calculated the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI), categorised diseases using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study questionnaire, and visualised comorbidity using web graphs and the Apriori algorithm.

Results

The ACCI was generally high, and it increased with age. There were significant differences in the frequency of all diseases across age groups, especially in individuals aged ≥90 years. The most common comorbid diseases were liver diseases, stomach or other digestive diseases, and hypertension. Strong correlations between the most common digestive diseases and hypertension were observed.

Conclusion

Our findings provide insights into the current situation regarding comorbidity and the correlations among diseases in the older population. We expect our findings to inform future research directions as well as policies regarding general clinical practice and public health, especially for medical consortiums.