The Effect of Polypharmacy on the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Katz Index in Aging People with and without Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is growing worldwide, as well as in the aging population, and its comorbidity and mortality rates are higher in aging people than they are in young people. It has been observed that the number of drugs used increases in aging patients, especially in diabetic patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between polypharmacy and modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Katz ADL) scores in aging diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Materials and methods: This prospective study included 184 diabetic and 62 non-diabetic subjects who were ≥65 years old. Comorbidity was determined with CCI, and dependency on daily basic activities was assessed with Katz ADL.

Results: CCI and the number of drugs were significantly higher in diabetic groups (P = .001). In all subjects and in the diabetic group, there was a negative correlation between CCI and Katz ADL (r = -0.343, P = .001; r = -0.383, P = .001, respectively); there was a positive correlation between CCI and number of drugs (r = 0.430, P = .001; r = 0.248, P = .001, respectively).

Conclusion: We found an increase in the number of drugs taken by the aging patients, positively correlated with the CCI score. The increase in the number of drugs used is closely related to the insufficiency in daily life activity and comorbidity, and this predicts 10-year survival. Patients should be directed to special centers or physicians who will be scheduled for multidisciplinary treatment for the prevention of polypharmacy, especially in the aging.