Síndrome Metabólico y su asociación en la función cognitiva, en adulos mayores del Ecuador, 2021.

Abstract

The aim was to analyze the association between the Metabolic Syndrome (MS) and cognitive function (CF) in a representative sample of Ecuadorian older adults and to establish community intervention strategies based on the results. Methods: First, the problematic situation was analyzed through an analytical cross-sectional observational study and thereafter the strategic axes of a community intervention were developed. The sample included older adults participating in the study Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento Ecuador (Health, Well-being and Aging Ecuador). CF was assessed using the abbreviated Minimental-State-Examination (MMSE). Older adults with MS were identified through the National-Cholesterol-Education-Progam-Adult-Panel-III (NCEP-ATP-III) criteria. The association between MS and CF was analyzed through lineal regression models that were adjusted for age, sex, instruction level, socioeconomic level and history of CVD, using Jamovi. Results: The sample included 1964 older adults, mostly women (55.4%, n=1088), with a mean age of 70.2 years (DE, 3,26). 49% of the older adults had MS and their mean MMSE was 14.9 (DE, 3.26). Older adults with MS had higher MMSE scores than adults without MS (15.3 vs 14.5; p <0.001). Analysis with unadjusted simple linear regression showed that older adults with MS had 0.824 MMSE points (95%IC: 0.538 – 1.11, p<0.001) more than those without MS. Nevertheless, the adjusted model suggests that MS is not associated with CF. Conclusions: Evidence that indicates a relationship between MS and CF was not found. However, given the high frequency of MS and CF deterioration in older adults, a later use of health strategies in preventive community interventions was proposed.