Abstract
Aims Sarcopenia is a common condition in older individuals, especially in the elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to examine the risk factors for sarcopenia in elderly individuals with T2DM and the effects of metformin. Methods A total of 1732 elderly with T2DM were recruited to this cross-sectional observational study, and we analyzed the data using logistic regression analyses. Skeletal muscle mass, grip strength, and usual gait speed were measured to diagnose sarcopenia according to the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia, combined with expert consensus on sarcopenia in China. Results The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 10.37% of the participants. In the multivariate analysis, sex, age, educational level, and BMI were risk factors for sarcopenia, with women more likely to develop sarcopenia relative to men (OR = 2.539, 95% CI = 1.475–4.371; P < 0.05). We observed that sarcopenia increased with age and decreased with increasing BMI and educational level (P < 0.05). Participants who took metformin alone or combined with other drugs exhibited a lower risk for sarcopenia than those who took no medication (OR = 0.510, 95% CI = 0.288–0.904 and OR = 0.398, 95% CI = 0.225–0.702, respectively; P < 0.05). Conclusions We showed that being female and at an older age, lower educational level, and lower BMI were risk factors for sarcopenia in elderly T2DM and that metformin acted as a protective agent against sarcopenia in these patients.
Highlights
One of the most pressing problems facing mankind today is the aging of the general population, in terms of qualityof-life issues
When the prevalence of sarcopenia was evaluated by age group, it significantly increased with age—from 6.51% in the 60- to 69-year-old group to 27.67% for those >80 years of age (P < 0:001)
Sarcopenia was associated with alcohol intake, we showed that its incidence was relatively low in persons with alcohol intake
Summary
One of the most pressing problems facing mankind today is the aging of the general population, in terms of qualityof-life issues. As a result of population aging, sarcopenia has become a worldwide social issue [1]. Sarcopenia is a common disorder in elderly populations and is characterized by age-related loss of muscle mass, reduced muscle strength, and/or low physical performance that contributes to functional decline, disability, frailty, and falls [2,3,4]. In 1989, Rosenberg first introduced the term “sarcopenia” to refer to age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and volume [5]. Muscle mass accounts for 75% of body cell mass and 45% of body mass [5, 6]; but once individuals reach the age of 50, they tend to lose 1%–2% of their muscle mass per year [2]. The prevalence of sarcopenia as reported in the literature varies considerably, ranging from 1% to 29% in community-dwelling populations to 14%–33% in long-term care populations [7]
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