ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine differences in somatosensation between older adults with and without type 2 diabetes among three age groups (60s, 70s, and 80s). We recruited 67 adults with type 2 diabetes and 67 age-matched adults without diabetes, aged 60-85. Data were collected using measures in Somatosensory Domain of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Toolbox. We found significant differences in the total scores of five tests examining kinesthesia, tactile sensation, and stereognosis among the three age groups. For all significant differences, the nondiabetes group and those in their 60s and 70s had better functioning than the diabetes group and those in their 80s. The NIH Toolbox-Somatosensory Tools used in this study may be more suitable to discriminate among age groups rather than diagnostic groups.
Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/complications , Diabetic Neuropathies/diagnosis , Diabetic Neuropathies/etiology , Somatosensory Disorders/diagnosis , Somatosensory Disorders/etiology , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Australia , Female , Humans , Kansas , Male , Middle Aged , Ohio , PennsylvaniaABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe the relation between sensory issues and medical complexity in a series of patients presenting to an outpatient multidisciplinary feeding team for evaluation, by a standardized measure of sensory-processing abilities. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all of the patients seen from 2004 to 2009 on 2 key variables: medical diagnostic category and short sensory profile (SSP) score. RESULTS: On the SSP, 67.6% of children scored in the clinical ("definite difference") range. The most common diagnostic categories were developmental (n = 23), gastrointestinal (n = 16), and neurological (n = 13). Behavioral and cardiorespiratory medical diagnostic categories were significantly related to SSP total score and SSP definite difference score. CONCLUSIONS: Children who present for feeding evaluation do indeed tend to have clinically elevated scores regarding sensory processing, and these elevated scores are significantly related to certain medical diagnostic categories. Future research is needed to determine why these significant relations exist as well as their implications for treatment of feeding-related issues.
