Risk assessment of diabetes using the Indian Diabetes Risk Score among older adults: Secondary analysis from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Saurav Basu; Vansh Maheshwari; Debolina Roy; Mahira Saiyed; Rutul Gokalani

doi:10.1016/j.dsx.2024.103040

Risk assessment of diabetes using the Indian Diabetes Risk Score among older adults: Secondary analysis from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India

Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2024 May 16;18(5):103040. doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2024.103040. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Saurav Basu¹, Vansh Maheshwari², Debolina Roy², Mahira Saiyed³, Rutul Gokalani³

Affiliations

¹ Indian Institute of Public Health - Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, India. Electronic address: saurav.basu1983@gmail.com.
² Indian Institute of Public Health - Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, India.
³ AHC Diabetes Centre, Ahmedabad, India.

PMID: 38761608
DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2024.103040

Abstract

Background: The Indian Diabetes Risk Score (IDRS) is a simple tool to assess the probability of an individual having type 2 diabetes (T2DM) but its applicability in community-dwelling older adults is lacking. This study aimed to estimate the risk of T2DM and its determinants among older adults without prior diabetes (DM) using the IDRS, while also assessing its sensitivity and specificity in individuals with a history of diabetes.

Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) wave-1 (2017-18). IDRS was calculated amongst individuals aged ≥45 years considering waist circumference, physical activity, age and family history of DM. Risk was categorized as high (≥60), moderate (30-50), and low (<30).

Results: Among 64541 individuals, 7.27 % (95 % CI: 6.78, 7.80) were at low risk, 61.80 % (95 % CI: 60.99, 62.61) at moderate risk, and 30.93 % (95 % CI: 30.19, 31.67) at high risk for T2DM. Adjusted analysis showed higher risk of T2DM among men, widowed/divorced, urban residents, minority religions, overweight, obese, and individuals with hypertension. ROC curve yielded an AUC of 0.67 (95 % CI: 0.66, 0.67, P < 0.001). The IDRS cutoff ≥50 had 73.69 % sensitivity and 51.40 % specificity for T2DM detection.

Conclusion: More than 9 in 10 older adults in India without history of DM have high-moderate risk of T2DM when assessed with the IDRS risk-prediction tool. However, the low specificity and moderate sensitivity of IDRS in existing DM cases constraints its practical utility as a decision tool for screening.

Keywords: Diabetes; Indian Diabetes Risk Score; Longitudinal Ageing Study in India; Risk score.