GERODIAB: Glycaemic control and 5-year morbidity/mortality of type 2 diabetic patients aged 70 years and older: 1. Description of the population at inclusion

Abstract Aims The GERODIAB study is the first French multicentre, prospective, observational study that aims, through a 5-year cohort follow-up, to evaluate the link between glycaemic control and morbidity/mortality of type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients aged 70 years and older. This first report describes the study population at inclusion. Patients and methods A total of 987 T2D autonomous patients, aged ≥ 70 years, were recruited between June 2009 and July 2010 at 56 investigator centres. Their general parameters, diabetes characteristics and standard geriatric parameters were recorded. Results The patients’ mean age was 77 ± 5 years, with 65.2% aged 75 years or more. The mean BMI was close to 30 kg/m2 . Hypertension was found in 89.7% of patients, and 85.0% had at least one cholesterol abnormality. The mean duration of the diabetes was around 18 years, and the mean HbA1c level was about 7.5%. During the previous six months, 33.6% of patients had experienced one or several hypoglycaemias. Also, 26% of patients presented with diabetic retinopathy, 37.3% had a GFR < 60 mL/min, 31.2% had coronary insufficiency, 10.1% had heart failure, 15.8% had cerebrovascular involvement and 25.6% had peripheral vascular disease of the lower extremities. In addition, 30.5% of patients had orthostatic hypotension, 12.4% had malnutrition and 28.8% had cognitive impairment, all of which were often diagnosed at inclusion. Three-quarters of patients were taking an oral antidiabetic drug and nearly six in every 10 patients were using insulin. Conclusion This population can be considered representative of elderly, autonomous T2D patients, and its follow-up should clarify the link between glycaemic control and mortality/morbidity.