Oldridge NB, Stump TE, Nothwehr FK, Clark DO. Prevalence and outcomes of comorbid metabolic and cardiovascular
conditions in middle- and older-age adults. J Clin Epidemiol 2001;54(9):928-34.
Ojbective: To estimate age group differences in the prevalence and outcomes of three common and often comorbid metabolic
conditions (i.e., obesity, hypertension, and diabetes) and heart disease.
Design: Nationally representative prospective cohort study.
Setting: Participants' homes. Participants: 9825 adults aged 51 to 61 years (middle-age) in 1992, and 7370 adults aged
70 years and over (older-age) in 1993.
Measurements: Two-year dichotomous outcomes included: doctor visits, hospitalization, mobility difficulty, activity of
daily living limitation, poor perceived health, and mortality. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted for sociodemographic
characteristics and history of cancer or lung disease.
Results: Those with one condition represented 80% and 70% of the middle- and older-age groups, respectively, while just
1-2% of each age group reported all three metabolic conditions. Thirteen percent and 32%, respectively, reported heart
disease with or without metabolic conditions. Diabetes comorbid with other metabolic conditions, and particularly with
heart disease, substantially elevated the risk of adverse outcomes such as health-related quality of life deficits, health
services use, and mortality in both middle- and older-age adults. In the middle-age group, the OR was 6.81 for mortality
in patients with a combination of obesity and diabetes and 6.10 in those with a combination of heart disease and diabetes.
There also were significant ORs for mortality in middle-aged patients with heart disease (OR = 2.40), diabetes (OR = 2.63)
and for those with a combination of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes (OR = 3.26).
Conclusion: The impact of these often comorbid conditions underscores the importance of targeted and aggressive prevention,
particularly among middle-age adults.
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