기대수명 연장 및 노인인구 증가와 함께 당뇨병 노인 비율이 높아지고 있다. 본 연구의 목적은 노인여성들의 당화혈색소(HbA1c) 수준과 혈액 지질의 관계를 알아보는 데 있다. 이를 위해 운동복지 프로그램에 참여한 노인여성(74.54±5.14세) 384명을 HbA1c 수준에 기반하여 3개 집단으로 구분하였다. 즉, HbA1c〈 5.7%를 비당뇨병 집단(NDG, n=178), HbA1c 5.7~6.4%를 당뇨병 전단계 집단(PDG, n=158), HbA1c≥6.5%를 당뇨병 집단(DG, n=48)으로 구분하였다. 혈액 지질지표는 total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, non-HDL-C/TG 등 8개였다. 연구변인들의 집단 차이를 알아보기 위해 분산분석법(ANOVA)을 적용하였고, 다중선형회귀분석(Multiple Linear Regression Analysis)을 통해 종속변수(HbA1c)와 독립변수(8개 지질지표)들 사이의 관계성을 파악하였다. 연구결과 NDG가 DG보다 TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, non-HDL-C/TG 수준에서 유의하게 높은 것으로 나타났다. 또한 TC는 약 200mg/dL 수준이고 LDL-C는 130mg/dL보다 약간 낮은 수준에 있는 노인여성들이 비당뇨병(HbA1c〈 5.7%)인 양상을 보였다. NDG에서는 non-HDL-C/TG가 HbA1c에 유의한 영향을 주는 변수였고, non-HDL-C/TG 증가 시 HbA1c는 감소하는 관계성이 나타났다. PDG에서는 LDL-C가 HbA1c에 유의한 영향을 주는 변수였고, LDL-C 증가 시 HbA1c는 감소하는 것으로 나타났다. DG에서는 HDL-C가 HbA1c에 유의한 영향을 주는 변수였고, HDL-C 증가 시 HbA1c는 낮아지는 관계성이 나타났다. 이와 같은 결과는 노인여성들의 경우 혈액 TC는 200mg/dL, LDL-C는 130mg/dL보다 약간 낮은 수준일 때 비당뇨병일 가능성을 시사하고 있다. 또한 HbA1c가 당뇨병 수준인 노인여성들의 경우 HDL-C를 높이는 운동 및 생활습관 중재는 HbA1c 수준을 낮추고 당뇨병을 관리하는 데 도움이 될 수 있음을 시사하고 있다. 이와 함께 노인의 TC 및 LDL-C가 어느 정도 수준에서 높고 낮을 때 때 당뇨병 등 만성질환 및 수명에 긍정적 또는 부정적인 영향을 주는 지를 규명하기 위한 후속연구의 필요성이 제기되었다.
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and blood lipid profiles in elderly women in welfare exercise programs. The research subjects were 384 elderly women. The participants were divided into three groups based on HbA1c levels. Participants with HbA1c levels lower than 5.7% were classified as the non-diabetic group (NDG, n = 178). Subjects with HbA1c levels between 5.7% and 6.4% were categorized as the pre-diabetes group (PDG, n = 158). Subjects with HbA1c levels ≥ 6.5% were labeled as the diabetes group (DG, n = 48). Eight blood lipid indexes were analyzed, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, TG/HDL-C, and non-HDL-C/TG. Differences in lipid profiles between the three groups were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Scheffe test. Relationships between the dependent variable (HbA1c) and independent variables (eight lipid indices) were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. The findings were as follows. The NDG group showed significantly higher levels of TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and non-HDL-C/TG than the DG group. Elderly women with TC levels near 200 mg/dL and LDL-C levels of about 130 mg/dL showed non-diabetic HbA1c levels. There were no significant differences in TG, HDL-C, TC/HDL-C, or TG/HDL-C between the three groups. Non-HDL-C/TG in the NDG group was an independent variable with a significant effect on HbA1c levels. When the non-HDL-C/TG ratio in the NDG group increased by 1 point, HbA1c levels decreased by 0.083. LDL-C in the PDG group had a significant effect on HbA1c levels. When LDL-C in the PDG group increased by 1 point, the HbA1c level decreased by 0.001. HDL-C in the DG group was an independent variable with a significant impact on HbA1c levels. When HDL-C in the DG group increased by 1 point bigger, HbA1c levels decreased by 0.019. In summary, this study found that elderly women with somewhat high blood lipid profile levels, including TC (slightly lower than 200 mg/dL) and LDL-C (slightly lower than 130 mg/dL), could have non-diabetic blood glucose levels. In the DG group with HbA1c levels indicating diabetes, interventions for HDL-C level elevations through exercise and lifestyle changes are likely to have beneficial effects on improving HbA1c and diabetes. Further research is needed to investigate the evidence of the causality between diabetes, lifespan, and TC and LDL-C levels in elderly women.