Diabetes Mellitus in Elderly Patients

Background: Diabetes mellitus, a chronic metabolic disease, is considerably increasing among elderly patients. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality especially in these patients who usually had many comorbidity. Aim: The aim was to describe the clinical characteristics and complications in elderly patient with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: A retrospective single-center study performed in the internal medicine department at a teaching hospital of Sahloul, Tunisia between 2005 and 2014 and 338 elderly patients (>=65 years according to WHO) were enrolled. Information’s regarding demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained from medical files. Results: Three-hundred thirty-eight old patients were diabetics. The mean age was 73 years old. All of them had type 2 diabetes mellitus. Obesity was observed in 55 (16.2%) patients. Acute metabolic complications were found in 47 patients; ketosis in 34 patients, hyperosmolar in 10 patients and hypoglycemia in 3 patients. Twenty-five (24%) patients were smoker. Diabetes was complicated by neuropathy in 58 (17.1%) patients, retinopathy in 32 (9.4%) patients, nephropathy in 77 (22.7%) patients, acute ischemic stroke in 58 (17.1%) patients, limb arteritis in 40 (11.8%) patients and ischemic heart disease in 61 (18.04%) patients. The lipid abnormalities were: hypercholesterolemia 8 (2.3%), hypo HDL, cholesterol 114 cases (33.7%) and hypertriglyceridemia 69 (20.4%). Conclusion: Diabetes mellitus is very common in elderly patients. Given the high risk and complications of diabetes in these patients, a regular follow-up and early screening is required.