Objectives

To examine the association between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and incident cardiovascular disease and mortality in 85-year-old individuals without diabetes mellitus from the general population.

Design

Population-based prospective follow-up study.

Setting

General population.

Participants

Individuals without known diabetes mellitus (N = 445, n = 291 female).

Measurements

HbA1c levels were categorized into three groups (<5.0% (31 mmol/mol), 5.0-5.7% (31-39 mmol/mol; reference), 5.7-6.5% (39-48 mmol/mol)).

Results

At baseline, a history of myocardial infarction (MI) was more prevalent in subjects in the highest HbA1c group (18%) than in the reference group (7%) (P = .001). Prospectively, those with the highest level of HbA1c at baseline had a risk of incident MI during the 5-year follow-up that was 3.6 (95% confidence interval = 1.5-8.3) times as great as that of the reference group. No association was found between HbA1c level and incident stroke, cardiovascular mortality, or all-cause mortality.

Conclusion

In individuals aged 85 and older without diabetes mellitus, higher HbA1c is associated with greater risk of MI but not with stroke and mortality.

© 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.