You are here

Costs of the metabolic syndrome in elderly individuals: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study.

TitleCosts of the metabolic syndrome in elderly individuals: findings from the Cardiovascular Health Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2007
AuthorsCurtis, LH, Hammill, BG, M Bethel, A, Anstrom, KJ, Gottdiener, JS, Schulman, KA
JournalDiabetes Care
Volume30
Issue10
Pagination2553-8
Date Published2007 Oct
ISSN1935-5548
KeywordsAged, Aged, 80 and over, Cholesterol, HDL, Continental Population Groups, Cost of Illness, Diabetic Angiopathies, Female, Humans, Hypertension, Interviews as Topic, Male, Medicare, Metabolic Syndrome, Multivariate Analysis, Obesity, Patient Education as Topic, Prospective Studies, Regression Analysis, United States
Abstract<p><b>OBJECTIVE: </b>The cardiovascular consequences of the metabolic syndrome and its component risk factors have been documented in elderly individuals. Little is known about how the metabolic syndrome and its individual components translate into long-term medical costs.</p><p><b>RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: </b>We used log-linear regression models to assess the independent contributions of the metabolic syndrome and its individual components to 10-year medical costs among 3,789 individuals aged > or = 65 years in the Cardiovascular Health Study.</p><p><b>RESULTS: </b>As defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program Third Adult Treatment Panel report, the metabolic syndrome was present in 47% of the sample. Total costs to Medicare were 20% higher among participants with the metabolic syndrome ($40,873 vs. $33,010; P < 0.001). Controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other covariates, we found that abdominal obesity, low HDL cholesterol, and elevated blood pressure were associated with 15% (95% CI 4.3-26.7), 16% (1.7-31.8), and 20% (10.1-31.7) higher costs, respectively. When added to the model, the metabolic syndrome composite variable did not contribute significantly (P = 0.32).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS: </b>Abdominal obesity, low HDL cholesterol, and hypertension but not the metabolic syndrome per se are important predictors of long-term costs in the Medicare population.</p>
DOI10.2337/dc07-0460
Alternate JournalDiabetes Care
PubMed ID17623825
Grant ListN01HC15103 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC35129 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC45133 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC55222 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC75150 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85079 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85080 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85081 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85082 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85083 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85084 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85085 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
N01HC85086 / HC / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
U01HL080295 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States