Characteristics of older adults with type 1 diabetes from the Study of Longevity in Diabetes (SOLID) by lifetime exposure to diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) resulting in hospitalization
| Lifetime DKA exposure resulting in hospitalization | P value | ||||
| Overall | No DKA | Single DKA | Recurrent DKA | ||
| n=714 | n=513 | n=132 | n=69 | ||
| Age (years) | 0.21 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 67.2 (6.4) | 67.4 (6.6) | 66.5 (5.9) | 66.4 (5.3) | |
| Range | 60–96 | 60–96 | 60–84 | 60–83 | |
| Median (IQR) | 66 (62, 71) | 66 (62, 71) | 65 (62, 70) | 65 (62, 69) | |
| Female, n (%) | 367 (51.4) | 241 (47.0) | 77 (58.3) | 49 (71.0) | 0.0002 |
| Race/ethnicity, n (%) | 0.85 | ||||
| Non-Hispanic White | 614 (86.0) | 441 (86.0) | 112 (84.9) | 61 (88.4) | |
| African–American | 20 (2.8) | 13 (2.5) | 4 (3.0) | 3 (4.4) | |
| Hispanic | 24 (3.4) | 16 (3.1) | 5 (3.8) | 3 (4.4) | |
| Asian | 17 (2.4) | 14 (2.7) | 3 (2.3) | 0 (0.0) | |
| Other | 39 (5.5) | 29 (5.7) | 8 (6.1) | 2 (2.9) | |
| College degree or greater, n (%) | 449 (62.9) | 334 (65.1) | 77 (58.3) | 38 (55.1) | 0.13 |
| Diabetes duration (years) | 0.01 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 38.9 (15.1) | 38.2 (15.5) | 39.2 (14.5) | 44.2 (12.3) | |
| Range | 1–79 | 2–79 | 1–67 | 6–60 | |
| Median (IQR) | 51 (41, 57) | 40 (27, 50) | 40 (29, 50) | 47 (37, 53) | |
| Age at diabetes onset (years) | 0.001 | ||||
| Mean (SD) | 28.2 (15.2) | 29.2 (15.5) | 27.3 (14.4) | 22.2 (12.7) | |
| Range | 0–70 | 0–70 | 1–67 | 2–65 | |
| Median (IQR) | 39 (26, 50) | 27 (17, 40) | 26 (16, 37) | 20 (13, 28) | |
| Retinopathy, n (%) | 302 (44.3) | 188 (38.6) | 65 (51.2) | 49 (72.1) | <0.0001 |
| Neuropathy, n (%) | 284 (41.2) | 193 (39.0) | 55 (43.0) | 36 (53.7) | 0.06 |
| Nephropathy, n (%) | 53 (8.4) | 32 (7.1) | 10 (8.6) | 11 (18.0) | 0.02 |
| Recent (past 12 months) exposure to severe hypoglycemia, n (%) | 218 (30.5) | 156 (30.4) | 34 (25.8) | 28 (40.6) | 0.10 |
The following variables were based on participant self-report: race/ethnicity, education, age at diabetes onset and exposure to lifetime DKA and recent exposure to severe hypoglycemia. History of retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy was self-reported based on a physician’s diagnosis.