A survey by NHANES III in the United States showed an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome along with increased age.6,8 Factors influencing insulin resistance in the elderly

Aim: to obtain a depiction of insulin resistance and to determine the correlation between age, body mass index, and insulin resistance, and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in elderly women living in nursing homes. Methods: ninety two elderly females with an average age of 71.4 (SD 7.45) who did not suffer from chronic renal disease or chronic liver disease and were not taking corticosteroids, beta blockers, thiazides, or anti-dyslipidemic drugs, participated as research subjects. Investigated variables, comprising blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, laboratory measurements, lipid profile, fasting blood glucose level, and fasting insulin level, were used to determine insulin resistance according to HOMA-IR > 75 percentile. The NCEP ATP III criteria Asia Pacific modification was used to determine metabolic syndrome. Results: there were twenty three subjects with insulin resistance (HOMA-IR > 2.67) for the 75th percentile. Seventeen of them (73.9%) had metabolic syndrome. However, out of the 6 subjects (26.1%) without metabolic syndrome, 5 subjects had at least one component of metabolic syndrome. There was no correlation between age and insulin resistance. However, there was a correlation between BMI and insulin resistance (p<0.017). There were 53 elderly females (57.6%) with metabolic syndrome; the most common metabolic syndrome component being hypertension (79.3%), followed by HDL hypocholesterolemia (55.4%), and central obesity (53%). As many as 32.1% of subjects with metabolic syndrome also demonstrated insulin resistance. Conclusion: the value of insulin resistance was 2.67 (HOMA-IR cut-off > 75 percentile). Subjects with insulin resistance had at least one component of metabolic syndrome. A high prevalence (57.6%) of metabolic syndrome in elderly females living in a nursing home was found.