Cognitive Impairment and Its Associated Risk Factors in the Elderly With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Cognitive impairment is not only common but may also act as a precursor for dementia. Moreover, diabetes mellitus has been shown to promote the progression of dementia. This study aims to determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and its associated risk factors among the elderly patients having type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is a cross-sectional study involving 113 participants who were attending the physician clinic. The participants were selected using the universal sampling method. The tools included a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatry Interview. Descriptive analysis was performed and followed by multiple logistic regression. The prevalence of cognitive impairment, depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder was 46.9, 10.6, and 2.7%, respectively. Indians (aOR = 4.90, 95% CI = 1.57-15.27) as well as participants who had completed their secondary (aOR = 0.34; 95% CI = 0.12-0.96) and tertiary (aOR = 0.05; 95% CI = 0.01-0.26) levels of education were significantly associated with cognitive impairment. The prevalence of cognitive impairment was high as well as significantly associated with the ethnicity and education levels of the elderly participants. Indeed both secondary and tertiary education decreased the odds ratio of developing cognitive impairment when compared with no formal and primary education. To determine and reduce the potential risk factors which contribute to cognitive impairment, an early diagnosis of T2DM is crucial. The early detection and treatment of T2DM as well as its associated risk factors are key factors in protecting against cognitive impairment.