PubMed1993
In order to evaluate clinical presentation and to determinate classification criteria of type 1 diabetes in the elderly, we carried out a study in 258 diabetic patients more than 60 years old of which 100 used insulin by failure to oral hypoglycemic agents (OHA). The prevalence of ischemic cardiovascular disease was 36%, peripheral vascular disease 34% and stroke 30%. Non-proliferative retinopathy 47%, nephropathy 16% and peripheral neuropathy 37%. Cardiovascular risk factors as obesity (36%), hypertension (33%) and hypercholesterolemia (12%) were evaluated. The average duration of diabetes was 20 years. Post-glucagon C-Peptide, HLA-DR antigens and islet cell antibodies (ICA), were measured in 75 older diabetic patients on treatment of which 24 used insulin, 11 diet and 40 OHA. Older patients on treatment with insulin had longer duration of disease, less obesity, low level basal of C-Peptide and a low response to post glucagon C-Peptide (0.94 +/- 0.5 pmol/ml) compared with patients on diet (1.8 +/- 0.9 pmol/ml) and OHA (1.8 +/- 0.8 pmol/ml). Older diabetics on insulin therapy had a greater frequency of HLA-DR3 (42%) and HLA-DR4 (21%) than other older diabetics. The ICA was negative in most patients. This study shows the high prevalence of macrovascular and microvascular disease in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus and that the most reliable parameter in classifying type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes is the measurement of basal and post-glucagon C-Peptide. HLA-DR specific markers can be used with this parameter because their expression is partly shared. This approach appears useful in the older diabetic patients to help classify diabetes and its management.