A cohort study published online in JAMA Internal Medicine noted that the prevalence of prediabetes was high among elderly patients; however, the proportion of patients progressing to diabetes was found to be low.

Among 70- to 90-year-old patients with prediabetes, regression to normoglycemia or death appeared to be more common than progressing to diabetes. Among 3,412 older adults recruited in the study, 44% had prediabetes at baseline characterized by elevated HbA1c, 59% had prediabetes characterized by impaired fasting glucose, while 29% had both of the conditions. Following over 6 years of follow-up, 9% of those with elevated HbA1c progressed to develop diabetes, while 13% improved to normoglycemia and 19% died. Of the subjects who had impaired fasting glucose, progression to diabetes was noted in 8%, while 44% regressed to normoglycemia, and 16% died… (Medpage Today)