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Frailty, Body Composition, and Glycemic Control in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes
Kenneth M Madden1,2,3,4, Boris Feldman1,3, Sarah Sy3
1Gerontology and Diabetes Research Laboratory, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
In older adults with diabetes, frailty is linked to poorer glycemic control, even when considering body composition. This study highlights the importance of assessing frailty in managing diabetes in seniors.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Diseases
Background:
- The interplay between frailty and glycemic control in older adults with diabetes is not fully understood.
- Previous research has often overlooked the impact of body composition on this relationship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between different frailty measures and glycemic control in older adults with diabetes.
- To account for body composition metrics like fat-free mass and waist circumference in this analysis.
Main Methods:
- Eighty older adults (age ≥65) with diabetes were assessed.
- Frailty was measured using gait speed, Cardiovascular Health Study Index (CHSI), and Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (RCFS).
- Glycemic control was evaluated using glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), with adjustments for fat-free mass (FFM) and waist circumference (WC).
Main Results:
- Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) showed a significant negative association only with the CHSI (β = -0.255, p = 0.038).
- No significant association was found between HbA1c and gait speed or RCFS.
- A negative association persisted between HbA1c and increasing frailty after controlling for FFM and WC.
Conclusions:
- Frailty, particularly as measured by CHSI, is associated with poorer glycemic control in older adults with diabetes.
- Body composition does not fully explain the link between frailty and glycemic control in this population.
- These findings underscore the need to consider frailty assessment in the management of diabetes in the elderly.
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