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Biomedical subjects

Steven Shea

Publications and source records attributed to Steven Shea.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

A randomized trial comparing telemedicine case management with usual care in older, ethnically diverse, medically underserved patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Telemedicine is a promising but largely unproven technology for providing case management services to patients with chronic conditions who experience barriers to access to care or a high burden of illness. METHODS: The authors conducted a randomized, controlled trial comparing telemedicine case management to usual care, with blinding of those obtaining outcome data, in 1,665 Medicare recipients with diabetes, aged 55 years or greater, and living in federally designated medically underserved areas of New York State. The primary endpoints were HgbA1c, blood pressure, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. RESULTS: In the intervention group (n = 844), mean HgbA1c improved over one year from 7.35% to 6.97% and from 8.35% to 7.42% in the subgroup with baseline HgbA1c > or =7% (n = 353). In the usual care group (n = 821) mean HgbA1c improved over one year from 7.42% to 7.17%. Adjusted net reductions (one-year minus baseline mean values in each group, compared between groups) favoring the intervention were as follows: HgbA1c, 0.18% (p = 0.006), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, 3.4 (p = 0.001) and 1.9 mm Hg (p < 0.001), and LDL cholesterol, 9.5 mg/dL (p < 0.001). In the subgroup with baseline HgbA1c > or =7%, net adjusted reduction in HgbA1c favoring the intervention group was 0.32% (p = 0.002). Mean LDL cholesterol level in the intervention group at one year was 95.7 mg/dL. The intervention effects were similar in magnitude in the subgroups living in New York City and upstate New York. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine case management improved glycemic control, blood pressure levels, and total and LDL cholesterol levels at one year of follow-up.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Acculturation and socioeconomic position as predictors of coronary calcification in a multiethnic sample.

BACKGROUND: Coronary calcium has recently emerged as a marker of subclinical coronary heart disease. Although there has been much interest in race differences in calcification, heterogeneity within race or ethnic groups has not been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a population-based study of coronary calcification, were used to investigate acculturation and socioeconomic position as predictors of coronary calcification within 2553 non-Hispanic whites, 1734 non-Hispanic blacks, 1457 Hispanics, and 797 Chinese residing in the United States. Coronary calcium was assessed by chest CT. Relative risk regression and linear regression were used to estimate adjusted associations of sociodemographic variables with the presence and amount of calcium. Not being born in the United States was associated with a lower prevalence of calcification in blacks (relative prevalence [RP], 0.75; 95% confidence limit [CL], 0.61 to 0.94) and Hispanics (RP, 0.89; 95% CL, 0.81 to 0.98) after adjustment for age, sex, income, and education. Years in the United States was positively associated with prevalence of calcification in non-US-born Chinese (adjusted RP per 10 years in United States, 1.06; 95% CL, 1.01 to 1.11) and non-US-born blacks (RP, 1.59; 95% CL, 1.22 to 2.06). Low education was associated with a higher prevalence of calcification in whites (adjusted RP for no high school versus complete college, 1.17; 95% CL, 1.05 to 1.32) but with lower prevalence of calcification in Hispanics (RP, 0.91; 95% CL, 0.77 to 1.09) (P for interaction=0.02). US birth and time in the United States were also positively associated with the extent of calcification in persons with detectable calcium. These differences did not appear to be accounted for by smoking, body mass index, LDL and HDL cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: Acculturation and socioeconomic factors are associated with differences in the prevalence and amount of coronary calcification within whites, Chinese, blacks, and Hispanics. The presence of this heterogeneity needs to be acknowledged in the quantification and investigation of race/ethnic differences.

Acculturation↗
PubMed2005

Aggregation of vascular risk factors and risk of incident Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Alzheimer disease (AD) is increasing in the elderly, and vascular risk factors may increase its risk. OBJECTIVE: To explore the association of the aggregation of vascular risk factors with AD. METHODS: The authors followed 1,138 individuals without dementia at baseline (mean age 76.2) for a mean of 5.5 years. The presence of vascular risk factors was related to incident possible and probable AD. RESULTS: Four risk factors (diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and current smoking) were associated with a higher risk of AD (p < 0.10) when analyzed individually. The risk of AD increased with the number of risk factors (diabetes + hypertension + heart disease + current smoking). The adjusted hazards ratio of probable AD for the presence of three or more risk factors was 3.4 (95% CI: 1.8, 6.3; p for trend < 0.0001) compared with no risk factors. Diabetes and current smoking were the strongest risk factors in isolation or in clusters, but hypertension and heart disease were also related to a higher risk of AD when clustered with diabetes, smoking, or each other. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) increased with the number of vascular risk factors. Diabetes and current smoking were the strongest risk factors, but clusters including hypertension and heart disease also increased the risk of AD. These associations are unlikely to be explained by misclassification of the outcome, given strong associations when only probable AD is considered.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Screening for bipolar disorder in a primary care practice.

CONTEXT: Bipolar disorder consists of episodes of manic and depressive symptoms. Efforts to screen for depression in a primary care setting without assessment of past manic symptoms can lead to incorrect diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. OBJECTIVES: To screen for bipolar disorder in adult primary care patients and to examine its clinical presentation and effect on functioning. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A systematic sample of 1157 patients between 18 and 70 years of age who were seeking primary care at an urban general medicine clinic serving a low-income population. The study was conducted between December 2001 and January 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of bipolar disorder, its treatment and patient functioning. Study measures included the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, the PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire, the Medical Outcomes Study 12-Item Short Form health survey, the Sheehan Disability Scale, data on past mental health treatments, and a review of medical records and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for each visit dating from 6 months prior to the screening day. RESULTS: The prevalence of receiving positive screening results for lifetime bipolar disorder was 9.8% (n = 112; 95% confidence interval, 8.0%-11.5%) and did not differ significantly by age, sex, or race/ethnicity. Eighty-one patients (72.3%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder sought professional help for their symptoms, but only 9 (8.4%) reported receiving a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Seventy-five patients (68.2%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder had a current major depressive episode or an anxiety or substance use disorder. Of 112 patients, only 7 (6.5%) reported taking a mood-stabilizing agent in the past month. Primary care physicians recorded evidence of current depression in 47 patients (49.0%) who screened positive for bipolar disorder, but did not record a bipolar disorder diagnosis either in administrative billing or the medical record of any of these patients. Patients who screened positive for bipolar disorder reported worse health-related quality of life as well as increased social and family life impairment compared with those who screened negative. CONCLUSIONS: In an urban general medicine clinic, a positive screen for bipolar disorder appears to be common, clinically significant, and underrecognized. Because of the risks associated with treating bipolar disorder with antidepressant monotherapy, efforts are needed to educate primary care physicians about the screening, management, and pharmacotherapy of bipolar disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Gender differences in posttraumatic stress disorder among primary care patients after the World Trade Center attack of September 11, 2001.

BACKGROUND: Debate surrounds the nature of gender differences in rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to quantify and explore the reasons for gender differences in rates of PTSD in low income, primary care patients after the World Trade Center (WTC) attack of September 11, 2001. METHODS: A survey was conducted at a large primary care practice in New York City 7 to 16 months after the WTC attack. The study involved a systematic sample of primary care patients aged 18 to 70 years. The main outcome measures were the Life Events Checklist, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire, all administered by a bilingual research staff. RESULTS: A total of 3807 patients were approached at the primary care clinic. Of the 1347 who met eligibility criteria, 1157 (85.9%) consented to participate. After the addition of the WTC/PTSD supplement to the study, the total number of patients was 992, of whom 982 (99.0%) completed the survey. Both sexes had high rates of direct exposure to the WTC attack and high rates of lifetime exposure to stressful life events. Overall, females had lower rates of exposure to the attack compared with males (P < 0.05). Hispanic females had the highest rate of PTSD in the full sample. Gender differences in rates of PTSD were largely accounted for by differences in marital status and education. The rate of current major depressive disorder (MDD) was higher in females than in males (P < 0.001), and the reverse was true for substance abuse (P < 0.001). Gender differences for MDD and substance abuse persisted even after adjustments for demographic differences between the sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The increased rate of PTSD in women attending a primary care clinic was mediated by their social and economic circumstances, such as living alone without a permanent relationship and with little education or income. The increased rate of MDD in women appeared to be less dependent on these circumstances. These findings have implications for the treatment of women with PTSD in primary care and for research on gender differences in rates of psychiatric disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Depression and glycemic control in Hispanic primary care patients with diabetes.

CONTEXT: Maintaining optimal glycemic control is an important goal of therapy in patients with diabetes mellitus. Patients of Hispanic ancestry have been shown to have high rates of diabetes and poor glycemic control (PGC). Although depression is common in adults with diabetes, its relationship to glycemic control remains unclear, especially among Hispanics. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of depression with PGC in Hispanics. DESIGN: Data from a cross-sectional mental health survey in primary care were crosslinked to the hospital's computerized laboratory database. SETTING: Urban general medicine practice at a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Two hundred and nine patients (mean [standard deviation] age, 57.1 [10.3] years; 68% females) with recent International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes for diabetes mellitus, and 1 or more hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) tests. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Probability of PGC (HbA(1c)>or=8%). RESULTS: Probability for PGC steadily increased with severity of depression. Thirty-nine (55.7%) of the 70 patients with major depression had HbA(1c)>or=8%, compared with 39/92 (42.4%) in the minimal to mild depression group, and 15/47 (31.9%) in the no depression group (P(trend)=.01; adjusted odds ratio, 3.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.23 to 8.64, for moderate or severe depression vs no depression). Only 29 (41.4%) of the patients with major depression received mental health treatment in the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: In this primary care sample of Hispanic patients with diabetes, we found a significant association between increasing depression severity and PGC. Yet, less than one half of the patients with moderate or severe depression received mental health treatment in the previous year. Improving identification and treatment of depression in this high-risk population might have favorable effects on diabetic outcomes.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Serum antibodies to periodontal pathogens and markers of systemic inflammation.

AIM: We examined the relationship between serum antibodies against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, and plasma fibrinogen and serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in a nationally representative sample. METHODS: Data on 2,973 participants aged 40 years and older from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, second phase (1991-1994) were used. Three logistic regression models adjusted for gender, race, educational attainment, diabetes, cigarette smoking, body mass index (BMI), and other inflammatory conditions were constructed, based on three different assumptions: (A) no access to dental/periodontal data; (B) knowledge of number of teeth present but not of clinical periodontal status; and (C) knowledge of both dental and clinical periodontal status. RESULTS: High fibrinogen (>400 mg/dl) was unrelated to P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans antibodies in all models. High CRP (>0.4 mg/dl) was related to high antibody levels to P. gingivalis in models A [odds ratios (OR) 1.63, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.15-2.32], B (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.18-2.41), and C (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.12-2.23). In model C, high CRP was related to >30% extent of attachment loss of >or=3 mm (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.19-2.08). Antibodies to A. actinomycetemcomitans were not associated with high CRP levels in any model. CONCLUSIONS: High serum titre to P. gingivalis and the presence of periodontal disease are independently related to high CRP levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Bipolar depression in a low-income primary care clinic.

OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the proportion of patients attending an urban general medical practice with current major depression and a history of bipolar disorder and compared the history, presentation, and treatment of patients with unipolar and bipolar depression. METHOD: A group of 1,143 patients was assessed with measures of past and current mental health and treatment. Patients were partitioned into bipolar and unipolar groups based on a predefined cutoff on the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. The groups were compared on sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, comorbid mental disorders, and mental health treatment. RESULTS: Approximately one-quarter of the patients with major depression had lifetime bipolar depression. Patients with unipolar and bipolar depression did not significantly differ on background or health characteristics. Patients with bipolar depression were significantly more likely to report hallucinations, current suicidal ideation, and low self-esteem than patients with unipolar depression but less likely to report disturbed appetite. Patients with bipolar depression were significantly more likely to have an alcohol use disorder and to report inpatient psychiatric care and antipsychotic treatment during the past month than patients with unipolar depression. Nearly one-half of the patients with bipolar depression had taken an antidepressant in the last month, but most were not also being treated with an antipsychotic or mood stabilizer. CONCLUSIONS: Bipolar depression is common in urban general medicine practice. When patients took antidepressants, they seldom received concurrent antimanic medications. Because of the risks of treating bipolar disorder with antidepressant monotherapy, physicians should assess their depressed patients for mania before prescribing antidepressants.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Health expenditures for privately insured adults enrolled in managed care gatekeeping vs indemnity plans.

OBJECTIVES: We assessed the ability of managed care gatekeeping strategies (i.e., requiring a designated primary care provider to authorize referrals) to control health care costs in the mid-1990s. METHODS: We analyzed expenditure data from 8195 privately insured adults sampled in the nationally representative 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Managed care gatekeeping plan enrollees included those in health maintenance organizations and other plans requiring a primary care gatekeeper. All others were considered indemnity plan enrollees. RESULTS: In 1996, total per capita annual health expenditures for adult gatekeeping enrollees were about $50 less than those of indemnity enrollees, primarily owing to lower out-of-pocket expenditures. After multivariate adjustment, mean per capita expenditures were approximately 6% lower for gatekeeping enrollees than for indemnity enrollees. CONCLUSIONS: In the private sector, gatekeeping strategies resulted in modest cost savings over indemnity plans.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Architecture for remote training of home telemedicine patients.

In spite of efforts to develop easy-to-use devices, patients may require multiple training sessions to achieve mastery of advanced telehealth devices, especially those incorporating web-access. In geographically-distributed projects, such repeat training can be costly. A software architecture for simultaneous voice conferencing and remote device control over a single telephone line is presented. Evaluation of the pilot implementation is favorable.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Developing computer skills and competencies in seniors.

We developed a training protocol for elderly participants of a home telemedicine study, grounded in prior usability research. The training aimed to reduce barriers in developing system mastery. Our findings are indicative of both the promises and challenges involved in bridging the digital divide. Sixteen participants of a diabetes study were trained to use the computer applications.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

The common insertional polymorphism in the APOC1 promoter is associated with serum apolipoprotein C-I levels in Hispanic children.

We examined the effect of APOC1-317insCGTT allele status (HpaI RFLP, deletion [H1] and insertion [H2] alleles) on serum apolipoprotein (apo) C-I level in 362 Hispanic children in the Columbia University BioMarkers Study. The H2 allele was present in 147 subjects (40.6%). Serum apoC-I was 20% lower in the presence of the H2 allele in APOE epsilon3/epsilon3 homozygotes (P=0.003) but did not differ by H2 status in epsilon4 carriers. Insufficient numbers of epsilon2 carriers (N=45) were present for analysis. In multivariate analysis in the epsilon3/epsilon3 context, after adjusting for potential covariate effects and familial aggregation, the mean effect of H2/* versus H1/H1 on apoC-I level, was estimated to be 2.15+/-0.55mg/dl (P<0.0025). Plasma triglyceride level was weakly correlated with serum apoC-I level (Pearson's r=0.17, P<0.001) but was highly correlated with serum apoC-III (Pearson's r=0.74, P<0.0001). Nevertheless, presence of the H2 allele was not significantly associated with serum apoC-III level. Thus, the effect of APOC1 genotype on serum apoC-I level was not due to apoC-I level serving as a surrogate for triglyceride level. The APOC1-317insCGTT allele is a commonly polymorphic genetic marker that is associated with serum apoC-I level in the APOE epsilon3/epsilon3 context. These findings suggest that the mechanism of the previously described association with plasma TG is, at least in part, related to the correlation of the polymorphism with the level of expression of apoC-I.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Hyperinsulinemia and risk of Alzheimer disease.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between fasting insulin levels and dementia. METHODS: Fasting insulin levels were measured from frozen sera using solid-phase chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay in a sample of elderly subjects chosen at random from a cohort of persons aged 65 years and older from northern Manhattan. Dementia was diagnosed using standard methods. Neuropsychiatric testing was available on all subjects at each follow-up interval. RESULTS: A total of 683 subjects without prevalent dementia were followed for 3,691 person-years and 149 persons developed dementia (137 Alzheimer disease [AD], 6 dementia associated with stroke, 6 other). The risk of AD doubled in the 39% of the sample with hyperinsulinemia (HR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.5, 2.9) and was highest in people without diabetes. The HR relating presence of hyperinsulinemia or diabetes in 50% of our sample to AD was 2.2 (95% CI: 1.5, 3.1). The risk of AD attributable to the presence of hyperinsulinemia or diabetes was 39%. The HR of AD for the highest quartile of insulin compared to the lowest was 1.7 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.7; p for trend = 0.009). Hyperinsulinemia was also related to a significant decline in memory-related cognitive scores, but not to decline in other cognitive domains. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperinsulinemia is associated with a higher risk of AD and decline in memory.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Racial/ethnic differences in hypertension and hypertension treatment and control in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA).

BACKGROUND: Most previous studies investigating the association between ethnicity and hypertension focused on differences between African Americans and whites and did not include other racial/ethnic groups such as Chinese or Hispanics. METHODS: We used data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a population-based study of 6814 adults without clinical cardiovascular disease, to examine the association between ethnicity and hypertension and hypertension treatment among white, African American, Chinese, and Hispanic ethnic groups. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) <140 mm Hg and diastolic BP <90 mm Hg or self-reported treatment for hypertension, was significantly higher in African Americans compared to whites (60% v 38%; P < .0001), whereas prevalence in Hispanic (42%) and Chinese participants (39%) did not differ significantly from that in whites. After adjustment for age, body mass index, prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and smoking, African American (odds ratio [OR] 2.21; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.91-2.56) and Chinese (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.07-1.56) ethnicity were significantly associated with hypertension compared to whites. Among hypertensive MESA participants, the percentage of treated but uncontrolled hypertension in whites (24%) was significantly lower than in African Americans (35%, P < .0001), Chinese (33%, P = .003), and Hispanics (32%, P = .0005), but only African-American race/ethnicity remained significantly associated with treated but uncontrolled hypertension after controlling for socioeconomic factors (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.07-1.71). Diuretic use was lowest in the Chinese (22%) and Hispanic participants (32%) and was significantly lower in these groups compared with white participants (47%; P < .0001 for both comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Programs to improve hypertension treatment and control should focus on a better understanding of differences in the prevalence of hypertension and hypertension control among minority groups in the United States, especially African Americans, compared with whites, and on techniques to prevent hypertension and improve control in high-risk groups.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2004

Depressed mothers coming to primary care: maternal reports of problems with their children.

BACKGROUND: Studies of depressed mothers have generally been conducted in psychiatric settings with non-minority, middle-class women. Primary care has an increasing role in early detection and treatment, especially for the poor who have less access to specialized mental health services. Data on the relationship between maternal depression and problems in the offspring in a primary care context could help physicians to more effectively identify children in need of psychiatric help. METHODS: All mothers aged 25 to 55 from a systematic sample of consecutive adults (response rate, 80%) in an urban general medicine practice were screened using the PRIME-MD Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Mothers who screened positive for major depression (n=85); other psychiatric disorders, but not major depression (n=67); or no psychiatric disorders (n=191) were compared on their children's history of emotional problems, unmet need for mental health treatment, parent-child discord, maternal functional status and mental health treatment. RESULTS: Compared to non-psychiatric controls, depressed mothers reported a three-times greater risk of serious emotional problems in their children (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-6.1); a four-times greater risk of having their children's problems left untreated (95% CI, 2.3-8.2), and a 10-times greater risk of having poor mother-child relations within the past month (95% CI, 3.9-29.4). Depressed mothers reported more functional disability, more psychiatric treatment and more problems in their offspring than mothers with non-depressive psychiatric disorders. Although a majority of mothers (regardless of psychiatric status) believed that counseling (96%) or medication (84%) should be offered to those with serious emotional problems, only about half (49%) of the depressed mothers had received mental health treatment in the past month. LIMITATIONS: Children were not assessed directly. CONCLUSIONS: The children of low-income depressed women at a general medicine practice were reported to have a greatly increased risk for emotional problems. Many mothers had not received treatment for their own emotional problems. By enquiring about the emotional health of children of adult primary care patients, primary care providers have an opportunity to promote early detection and to facilitate appropriate treatment for both the mothers and their children.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Alcohol intake and risk of dementia.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between intake of alcoholic beverages and risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia associated with stroke (DAS) in a cohort of elderly persons from New York City. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: The Washington Heights Inwood-Columbia Aging Project. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred eighty community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and older without dementia at baseline and with data on alcohol intake recruited between 1991 and 1996 and followed annually. MEASUREMENTS: Intake of alcohol was measured using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline. Subjects were followed annually, and incident dementia was diagnosed using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, criteria and classified as AD or DAS. RESULTS: After 4 years of follow-up, 260 individuals developed dementia (199 AD, 61 DAS). After adjusting for age, sex, apolipoprotein E (APOE)-epsilon 4 status, education, and other alcoholic beverages, only intake of up to three daily servings of wine was associated with a lower risk of AD (hazard ratio=0.55, 95% confidence interval=0.34-0.89). Intake of liquor, beer, and total alcohol was not associated with a lower risk of AD. Stratified analyses by the APOE-epsilon 4 allele revealed that the association between wine consumption and lower risk of AD was confined to individuals without the APOE-epsilon 4 allele. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of up to three servings of wine daily is associated with a lower risk of AD in elderly individuals without the APOE epsilon-4 allele.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is associated with microalbuminuria in older patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is associated with microalbuminuria in young and middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes. We examined this relationship and the potential mediating role of blood pressure in older patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: At least two of three components of cardiovascular autonomic testing were completed by 132 patients (mean age 70 +/- 5.6 years). Relative rankings on each of the components were averaged to create a summary heart rate variability (HRV) measure. The urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio (milligrams albumin/grams creatinine) was calculated. Blood pressure was measured at rest and by 24-h ambulatory recording. RESULTS: Urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio was higher in those with lower HRV (mean urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio 28, 56, and 191 mg/g from the highest to lowest tertile of HRV; P < 0.0001). Resting and ambulatory blood pressure levels were negatively correlated with HRV and positively correlated with urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio. In multivariate analysis adjusting for age, duration of diabetes, HbA(1c), and HDL cholesterol, HRV and blood pressure were both independently associated with urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio, with no evidence that either mediates the effect of the other. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy and blood pressure are independently associated with microalbuminuria in older patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aged↗