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Table 1 Participant demographic information, the prevalence of selected health comorbidities in each age group, and prevalence comparisons

From: Health comorbidities and cognitive abilities across the lifespan in Down syndrome

  

Younger children

(0–5.5 years)

Older children

(5.5–15 years)

Younger adults (16–35 years)

Older adults (36+ years)

Younger adults vs younger children

Older adults vs younger adults

Demographic information

Number

115

35

170

282

N/A

N/A

Age

2.18 ± 1.13 (3.6 months to 5 years 1.3 months)

10.63 ± 3.05 (5 years 6.5 months to 14 years 8.5 months)

25.25 ± 5.46 (16–35 years)

50.21 ± 7.76 (36–73 years)

N/A

N/A

Sex

Male

62 (53.9%)

16 (45.7%)

83 (48.8%)

153 (54.3%)

N/A

N/A

Female

53 (46.1%)

19 (54.3%)

87 (51.2%)

129 (45.7%)

N/A

N/A

Ethnicity

White

93 (81.6%)

25 (86.2%)

145 (85.3%)

261 (92.6%)

N/A

N/A

Black

5 (4.4%)

0 (0.0%)

7 (4.1%)

11 (3.9%)

N/A

N/A

Asian

6 (5.3%)

0 (0.0%)

8 (4.7%)

6 (2.1%)

N/A

N/A

Mixed

7 (6.1%)

4 (13.8%)

8 (4.7%)

2 (0.7%)

N/A

N/A

Other

3 (2.6%)

0 (0.0%)

2 (1.2%)

2 (0.7%)

N/A

N/A

Parental socioeconomic statusa

1

24 (22.6%)

9 (27.3%)

21 (16.0%)

16 (9.5%)

N/A

N/A

2

47 (44.3%)

14 (42.4%)

55 (42.0%)

66 (39.1%)

N/A

N/A

3

19 (17.9%)

5 (15.2%)

23 (17.6%)

10 (5.9%)

N/A

N/A

4

5 (4.7%)

1 (3.0%)

15 (11.5%)

13 (7.7%)

N/A

N/A

5

4 (3.8%)

2 (6.1%)

8 (6.1%)

36 (21.3%)

N/A

N/A

6

3 (2.8%)

1 (3.0%)

6 (4.6%)

4 (2.4%)

N/A

N/A

7

2 (1.9%)

1 (3.0%)

0 (0.0%)

5 (3.0%)

N/A

N/A

8

1 (0.9%)

0 (0.0%)

2 (1.5%)

9 (5.3%)

N/A

N/A

9

1 (0.9%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.8%)

10 (5.9%)

N/A

N/A

Missing

9

2

39

113

N/A

N/A

DS typea

Trisomy 21

93 (96.9%)

26 (96.3%)

157 (95.7%)

250 (96.5%)

N/A

N/A

Mosaic

2 (2.1%)

0 (0.0%)

4 (2.4%)

6 (2.3%)

N/A

N/A

Partial trisomy

1 (1.0%)

1 (3.7%)

3 (1.8%)

3 (1.2%)

N/A

N/A

Unknown

19

8

6

23

N/A

N/A

Physical measurements

Height (cm)

81.21 ± 9.72

N/A

152.44 ± 10.32

150.11 ± 9.92

N/A

N/A

Weight (kg)

11.62 ± 2.80

N/A

69.78 ± 16.14

68.17 ± 16.09

N/A

N/A

BMI

N/A

N/A

30.09 ± 7.01

30.47 ± 7.25

N/A

N/A

Head circumference (cm)

46.02 ± 2.26

50.40 ± 2.15

53.45 ± 2.55

52.57 ± 2.28

N/A

N/A

Psychiatric

Autism

N/A

2 (5.7%)

23 (13.5%) +

7 (2.5%) +

N/A

OR = 0.16 (0.07, 0.39), Χ(1) = 20.89, p < 0.001b

ADHD

N/A

3 (8.6%)

5 (2.9%) +

1 (0.4%) +

N/A

OR = 0.12 (0.01, 1.01), p = 0.030c

Schizophrenia

N/A

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.6%)

3 (1.1%)

N/A

OR = 1.82 (0.19, 17.61), p = 1.000c

Bipolar disorder

N/A

1 (2.9%)

1 (0.6%)

6 (2.1%)

N/A

OR = 3.67 (0.44, 30.78), p = 0.263c

Depression

N/A

0 (0.0%)

21 (12.4%)

52 (18.4%)

N/A

OR = 1.60 (0.93, 2.77), Χ(1) = 2.90, p = 0.088b

Anxiety

N/A

1 (2.9%)

14 (8.2%)

18 (6.4%)

N/A

OR = 0.76 (0.37, 1.57), Χ(1) = 0.55, p = 0.457b

Neurological

Cerebral palsy

0 (0.0%)

1 (2.9%)

1 (0.6%)

0 (0.0%)

p = 1.000c

p = 0.376c

Dementia

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%) +

90 (31.9%) +

N/A

Χ(1) = 67.74, p < 0.001b

Parkinson’s disease

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

N/A

N/A

Stroke

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%)

2 (0.7%)

N/A

p = 0.530c

Migraine

N/A

N/A

2 (1.2%)

2 (0.7%)

N/A

OR = 0.60 (0.08, 4.30), p = 0.634c

Epilepsy / seizures

5 (4.3%)

5 (14.3%)

17 (10.0%) +

58 (20.6%) +

OR = 2.44 (0.88, 6.83), Χ(1) = 3.08, p = 0.079b

OR = 2.33 (1.31, 4.16), Χ(1) = 8.56, p = 0.003b

Insomnia

0 (0.0%) *

0 (0.0%)

9 (5.3%) *

16 (5.7%)

p = 0.012c

OR = 1.08 (0.47, 2.49), Χ(1) = 0.03, p = 0.864b

Physical health

Obstructive sleep apnoea

1 (0.9%) *

2 (5.7%)

27 (15.9%) * +

11 (3.9%) +

OR = 21.52 (2.88, 160.81), Χ(1) = 17.45, p < 0.001b

OR = 0.22 (0.10, 0.45), Χ(1) = 19.77, p < 0.001b

Congenital heart defects

Total

63 (54.8%)

19 (54.3%)

78 (45.9%) +

49 (17.4%) +

OR = 0.70 (0.44, 1.13), Χ(1) = 2.17, p = 0.140b

OR = 0.25 (0.16, 0.38), Χ(1) = 42.66, p < 0.001b

Known AVSD

49 (42.6%)

12 (34.3%)

36 (21.2%)

9 (3.2%)

N/A

N/A

Surgery

22 (19.1%)

5 (14.3%)

36 (21.2%) +

6 (2.1%) +

OR = 1.14 (0.63, 2.05), Χ(1) = 0.18, p = 0.674b

OR = 0.08 (0.03, 0.20), Χ(1) = 45.66, p < 0.001b

Recurrent pneumonia

5 (4.3%)

3 (8.6%)

9 (5.3%)

13 (4.6%)

OR = 1.23 (0.40, 3.77), Χ(1) = 0.13, p = 0.717b

OR = 0.87 (0.36, 2.07), Χ(1) = 0.11, p = 0.743b

Coeliac disease

0 (0.0%)

2 (5.7%)

4 (2.4%)

5 (1.8%)

p = 0.150c

OR = 0.75 (0.20, 2.83), p = 0.734c

Rheumatoid arthritis

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%)

6 (2.1%)

N/A

p = 0.088c

Psoriasis

0 (0.0%) *

0 (0.0%)

7 (4.1%) *

12 (4.3%)

p = 0.044c

OR = 1.04 (0.40, 2.68), Χ(1) = 0.01, p = 0.944b

Eczema

11 (9.6%) *

6 (17.1%)

2 (1.2%) *

7 (2.5%)

OR = 0.11 (0.02, 0.52), Χ(1) = 11.09, p = 0.001b

OR = 2.14 (0.44, 10.41), p = 0.494c

Gout

N/A

N/A

2 (1.2%)

11 (3.9%)

N/A

OR = 3.41 (0.75, 15.57), p = 0.144c

Hypothyroid

8 (7.0%) *

3 (8.6%)

52 (30.6%) * +

117 (41.5%) +

OR = 5.89 (2.68, 12.97), Χ(1) = 23.05, p < 0.001b

OR = 1.61 (1.08, 2.41), Χ(1) = 5.38, p = 0.020b

Hyperthyroid

3 (2.6%)

1 (2.9%)

2 (1.2%)

2 (0.7%)

OR = 0.44 (0.07, 2.70), p = 0.396c

OR = 0.60 (0.08, 4.30), p = 0.634c

Diabetes

Type 1

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.6%)

3 (1.1%)

p = 1.000c

OR = 1.82 (0.19, 17.61), p = 1.000c

Type 2

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%)

0 (0.0%) +

8 (2.8%) +

N/A

p = 0.027c

Reflux

39 (33.9%) *

15 (42.9%)

5 (2.9%) *

14 (5.0%)

OR = 0.06 (0.02, 0.16), Χ(1) = 50.40, p < 0.001b

OR = 1.72 (0.61, 4.87), Χ(1) = 1.08, p = 0.299b

Leukaemia

0 (0.0%)

1 (2.9%)

4 (2.4%) +

0 (0.0%) +

p = 0.150c

p = 0.020c

Cancerous solid tumours

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%)

1 (0.4%)

N/A

p = 1.000c

Vision and hearing

Vision impairmentsa

27 (23.5%) *

10 (28.6%)

128 (77.6%) *

191 (75.5%)

OR = 11.28 (6.41, 19.85), Χ(1) = 80.25, p < 0.001b

OR = 0.89 (0.56, 1.42), Χ(1) = 0.24, p = 0.625b

Cataracts

N/A

N/A

15 (8.8%) +

76 (27.0%) +

N/A

OR = 3.81 (2.11, 6.89), Χ(1) = 21.67, p < 0.001b

Glaucoma

N/A

N/A

0 (0.0%)

4 (1.4%)

N/A

p = 0.302c

Hearing impairmentsa

32 (27.8%) *

11 (31.4%)

26 (16.4%) * +

74 (29.6%) +

OR = 0.51 (0.28, 0.91), Χ(1) = 5.27, p = 0.022b

OR = 2.15 (1.30, 3.55), Χ(1) = 9.23, p = 0.002b

Otitis media with effusion (glue ear)

64 (55.7%) *

26 (74.3%)

44 (25.9%) * +

15 (5.3%) +

OR = 0.28 (0.17, 0.46), Χ(1) = 25.83, p < 0.001b

OR = 0.16 (0.09, 0.30), Χ(1) = 39.52, p < 0.001b

  1. Values for age and physical measurements show mean ± standard deviation. Parental socioeconomic status (SES) groups are as follows: 1 managers / directors / senior officials, 2 professional occupations, 3 associate professional and technical occupations, 4 administrative and secretarial occupations, 5 skilled trade occupations, 6 caring, leisure, and other service occupations, 7 sales and customer service occupations, 8 process, plant, and machine operatives, 9 elementary occupations.
  2. ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, AVSD atrioventricular septal defect, N/A not applicable, OR odds ratio
  3. * Significant difference in prevalence between younger children and younger adults (p < 0.05), + significant difference in prevalence between younger adults and older adults (p < 0.05).
  4. a Percentages calculated based on subsamples; for SES and DS type this excluded individuals whose SES / DS type was unknown, for vision impairments younger adults n = 165 and older adults n = 253, for hearing impairments younger adults n = 159 and older adults n = 250. Where prevalence is N/A information was not included in medical questionnaire. Values for comparisons give odds ratios (95% CIs; not possible where one cell equals zero), and statistical comparisons performed using b chi-squared tests or c Fisher’s exact test as appropriate.
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Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders

ISSN: 1866-1955

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