The prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia among community living elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary care clinics in Malaysia.

Shariff-Ghazali Sazlina,Mohamad Shariff A Hamid,Ngiap Chuan Tan,Yoke Mun Chan,Ping Yein Lee,Manal S Fawzy

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233299

Shariff-Ghazali Sazlina, Mohamad Shariff A Hamid + Show 4 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233299

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Abstract

Sarcopenia is a recognised geriatric syndrome but few studies address its associated factors among elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in South East Asia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and its associated factors among the elderly with T2DM in public primary care clinics in Malaysia. This study utilised data from a longitudinal study of 506 adults with T2DM aged ≥60 years. Data on socio-demography, clinical and functional status, diet and levels of physical activity (PA) were collected. Sarcopenia was defined using Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria and its associated factors were analysed using multiple logistic regression. The proportion of elderly with T2DM with sarcopenia was 28.5%. Those aged ≥70 years (β = 0.73;OR = 2.07; 95%CI = 1.24, 3.48; p = 0.006), men (β = 0.61; OR = 1.84; 95%CI = 1.12, 3.02; p = 0.017), with ≥10 years duration of diabetes (β = 0.62; OR = 1.85; 95%CI = 1.11, 3.09; p = 0.018), not using insulin sensitizers (β = -1.44; OR = 0.24; 95%CI = 0.08, 0.71; p = 0.010), using less than 5 medications (β = 0.68; OR = 1.98; 95%CI = 1.17, 3.36; p = 0.011), low body mass index (BMI) (β = -2.43; OR = 0.09; 95%CI = 0.05, 0.17; p<0.001), and engaging in low (β = 0.77; OR = 2.15; 95%CI = 1.07, 4.35; p = 0.032) and moderate physical activities (β = 0.80; OR = 2.23; 95%CI = 1.07, 4.66; p = 0.033) were associated with sarcopenia. Factors that predicts sarcopenia such as level of physical activity and body mass index were among the modifiable factors that could be used in developing future strategies to prevent or delay the progression of sarcopenia among elderly with T2DM to improve their health status.

Highlights

Age-related loss of muscle mass and function is referred to as sarcopenia [1]
Factors that predicts sarcopenia such as level of physical activity and body mass index were among the modifiable factors that could be used in developing future strategies to prevent or delay the progression of sarcopenia among elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to improve their health status
The mean duration of diabetes was 10.0±6.6 years and most had T2DM

Summary

Introduction

Age-related loss of muscle mass and function is referred to as sarcopenia [1]. Its development has been shown to begin in younger age [2], but often underdetected and undertreated in the clinical practice [3]. Sarcopenia is related to other geriatric syndromes such as the risk of falling, functional impairment, mobility limitations and unfavorable metabolic effects [4,5,6]. It leads to significant disabilities, poorer quality of life and high healthcare expenditure [7,8]. These modifications were considered necessary as it was proposed that the Asian populations may differ from Caucasians in ethnicities, body size, lifestyles, and cultural backgrounds [4]

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