Higher blood glucose level associated with body mass index and gut microbiota in elderly people

Figures & data

Table 1 Clinical–biochemical data of healthy elderly volunteers (HE) and hospitalized patients (PE)

	Mean±SD, prevalence N (%)
Characteristics	Total N=38 Age 72±5.0	Group HE N=19 Age 72±4.0	Group PE N=19 Age 72±5.9	p values^1–2 HE vs. PE
Body mass index (kg/m^2)	27.1±4.0	25.3±3.2	28.9±4	^10.002
Normal 18.5–24.9 kg/m^2 (N%)	15 (39%)	12 (63%)	3 (16%)
Overweight >25 kg/m^2 (N%)	14 (37%)	5 (26%)	9 (47%)	^20.008
Obese >30 kg/m^2 (N%)	9 (24%)	2 (11%)	7 (37%)
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	134±16.1	134±19	134±13	NS
>130 mmHg (N%)	13 (34%)	9 (47%)	7 (37%)	NS
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	79±8.0	79±8	79±8	NS
>85 mmHg (N%)	6 (16%)	2 (11%)	4 (21%)	NS
Fasting plasma glucose mmol/L	5.2±0.6	4,9±0,5	5.5±0.5	^10.001
Erythrocytes×10^12/L	4.6±0.4	4.7±0.4	4.6±0.3	NS
Hemoglobin	139±11	142±8	137±14	NS
Platelets×10^9 L	227.4±41	232±41	222±41	NS
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	5.8±1.1	5.8±1.1	5.8±1.1	NS
>5.0 mmol/L (N%)	29 (76%)	13 (68%)	16 (84%)	NS

NS, no statistically significant differences.

¹ Student t-test or Mann–Whitney test according to parametric vs. non-parametric distribution of data.

² Fisher exact test.

Table 2 Intestinal microbiota in healthy volunteers (HE) versus hospitalized patients (PE) and in normal weight versus overweight elderly people (prevalence, %; count log cfu/g median—25%; 75%)¹

		Volunteers (HE) and hospitalized (PE)		Normal (BMI <25) and overweight (BMI >25)
Bacteria	Total N=38	Group HE N=19	Group PE N=19	BMI <25 N=13	BMI >25 N=25
Total count	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
	10.2	9.9	10.7	10.3	8.3
	(9.9; 10.7)	(9.8; 10.1)^a	(10.2; 11.2)^a	(9.5; 11)^c	(6; 9.3)^c
Anaerobes	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Prevalence	9.8	9.8	10.0	9.8	6.4
Count	(9.6; 10.4)	(9.6; 9.9)	(9.3; 10.9)	(9.6; 10.3)^d	(5.5; 8.6)^d
Bacteroides	97%	100%	95%	92%	100%
Prevalence	9.6	9.6	9.6	9.6	9.5
Count	(9.3; 10.3)	(9.4; 9.8)	(9.2; 10.9)	(9.6; 9.9)	(9.2; 10.4)
Bifidobacteria	50%	47%	53%	31%	60%
Prevalence	9.3	9.3	9.3	8.8	9.3
Count	(8.6; 9.6)	(8.5; 9.4)	(8.6; 9.8)	(8.2; 9.3)	(8.8; 9.8)
Anaerobic cocci	73%	79%	68%	62%	74%
Prevalence	8.8	8.9	8.3	8.45	8.9
Count	(8.1; 9.3)	(8.6; 9.3)	(7; 9.1)	(7.8; 8.9)	(8.1; 9.3)
Clostridia	39%	53%	26%	46%	36%
Prevalence	0	7.3	0	9.1	9.0
Count	(0–8.8)	(0–9.25)	(0–3.6)	(7.8; 9.5)	(7.3; 9.5)
Lactobacilli	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Prevalence	7.2	6.3	7.8	7.3	6.8
Count	(5.5; 8.6)	(4.5; 7.3)^b	(6.3; 9.3)^b	(4.6; 8.4)	(5.9; 8.6)
Coliforms	94%	100%	89%	100%	96%
Prevalence	8.3	7.3	9.3	8.3	8.3
Count	(6.3; 9.3)	(6.3; 8.3)	(7.7; 9.8)	(6.3; 9.2)	(6.2; 9.3)
Staphylococci	84%	88%	88%	85%	76%
Prevalence	9.2	7.3	9.7	8.3	9.6
Count	(7.3; 9.8)	(5.3; 8.5)	(9.2; 10.2)	(6.8; 8.9)^e	(7.2; 10.1)^e
Streptococci	60%	50%	77%	62%	60%
Prevalence	9.4	9.3	10.3	9.4	10.0
Count	(8.7; 10.5)	(8.5; 9.4)	(9.6; 10.8)	(9; 9.5)	(8.5; 10.89)

¹Data were analyzed using Student's t-test for unpaired samples for continuous variables or Mann–Whitney rank sum test (non-parametric distribution) and Chi-square test for categorical variables. ^ap=0.004; ^bp=0.02; ^cp<0.001; ^dp<0.001; ^ep=0.037.

Fig. 1 The correlation of BMI and blood glucose level.