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Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and frailty are associated with functional decline in older population. Objective To explore the individual response to a multimodal intervention on functional performance. Design A cluster-randomised multicentre clinical trial. Setting Outpatients in hospital or primary care. Subjects 843 (77.83 years, 50.65% men) prefrail and frail individuals ≥70 years with T2DM. Methods Participants were allocated to usual care group (UCG) or a multicomponent intervention group (IG): 16-week progressive resistance training, seven nutritional and diabetological educational sessions and achievement of glycated haemoglobin (7–8%) and blood pressure (<150 mmHg) targets. Functional performance was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) at 1 year. We used multivariate binomial and multinomial logistic regression models to explore the effect of the IG, and adherence on the outcomes studied, in several adjusted models. Results 53.7% in the IG versus 38.0% in the UCG improved by at least 1 point in their SPPB score [OR (95% CI): 2.07 (1.43, 2.98), P value <0.001]. Age, SPPB score and number of frailty criteria met decreased the probability of improving the SPPB score. Factors associated with worsening were pertaining to IG (decreased), age, SPPB score and the number of frailty criteria (increased). An adherence ≥84% was needed to achieve benefits, reaching the peak in the probability of improving SPPB when this was ≥85% [OR(95%CI): 2.38 (1.29, 4.79), P value 0.014]. Conclusions Factors predicting the likelihood of improvement in a multimodal programme in pre-frail and frail older adults with diabetes are age, basal SPPB score, the number of frailty criteria and adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frailty in older people with diabetes is viewed as one homogeneous category. We previously suggested that frailty is not homogeneous and spans across a metabolic spectrum that starts with an anorexic malnourished (AM) frail phenotype and ends with a sarcopenic obese (SO) phenotype. We aimed to investigate the metabolic characteristics of frail older people with diabetes reported in the current literature to explore whether they fit into two distinctive metabolic phenotypes. We performed systematic review of studies published over the last 10 years and reported characteristics of frail older people with diabetes mellitus. A total of 25 studies were included in this systematic review. Fifteen studies reported frail patients' characteristics that could fit into an AM phenotype. This phenotype is characterised by low body weight, increased prevalence of malnutrition markers such as low serum albumin, low serum cholesterol, low Hb, low HbA1c, and increased risk of hypoglycaemia. Ten studies reported frail patients' characteristics that describe a SO phenotype. This phenotype is characterised by increased body weight, increased serum cholesterol, high HbA1c, and increased blood glucose levels. Due to significant weight loss in the AM phenotype, insulin resistance decreases, leading to a decelerated diabetes trajectory and reduced hypoglycaemic agent use or deintensification of therapy. On the other hand, in the SO phenotype, insulin resistance increases leading to accelerated diabetes trajectory and increased hypoglycaemic agent use or intensification of therapy. Current literature suggests that frailty is a metabolically heterogeneous condition that includes AM and SO phenotypes. Both phenotypes have metabolically distinctive features, which will have a different effect on diabetes trajectory. Therefore, clinical decision-making and future clinical studies should consider the metabolic heterogeneity of frailty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimorbidity and frailty are highly prevalent in older people with diabetes. This high prevalence is likely due to a combination of ageing and diabetes-related complications and other diabetes-associated comorbidities. Both multimorbidity and frailty are associated with a wide range of adverse outcomes in older people with diabetes, which are proportionally related to the number of morbidities and to the severity of frailty. Although, the multimorbidity pattern or cluster of morbidities that have the most adverse effect are not yet well defined, it appears that mental health disorders enhance the multimorbidity-related adverse outcomes. Therefore, comprehensive diabetes guidelines that incorporate a holistic approach that includes screening and management of mental health disorders such as depression is required. The adverse outcomes predicted by multimorbidity and frailty appear to be similar and include an increased risk of health care utilisation, disability and mortality. The differential effect of one condition on outcomes, independent of the other, still needs future exploration. In addition, prospective clinical trials are required to investigate whether interventions to reduce multimorbidity and frailty both separately and in combination would improve clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on comparing the cardiovascular effectiveness and safety of Sodium-Glucose Transport Protein 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors among individuals with type 2 diabetes, particularly in relation to frailty. It reports that both SGLT-2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists are associated with fewer cardiovascular events and deaths compared to DPP-4 inhibitors.

To explore the individual response to a multimodal intervention on quality of life (QOL) and disability. 843 (77.83 years, 50.65 % men) prefrail and frail individuals ≥ 70 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Participants were randomized to the usual care group (UCG) or the multicomponent intervention (IG). Intervention consisted in 16-week progressive resistance training program, 7 educational sessions and the achievement of HbA1c (7–8 %, 53–64 mmol/mol)) and BP (<150 mmHg) targets. QOL (EuroQol EQ-5D-5L), basic (Barthel Index, BI) and instrumental (Lawton and Brody Index) activities of daily living (ADL) were assessed. Multivariate binomial and multinomial logistic regression models were used to explore the effect of the IG, and adherence on the outcomes studied. The IG was associated with a significant higher probability of improvement in the QOL [OR(95 %CI): 1.75 (1.20, 2.54), p-value 0.004] and a lower probability of deterioration in QoL [0.61 (0.87, 0.54), 0.006] and Barthel Index [0.59 (0.37, 0.93), 0.023]. A high adherence (≥93 %) was needed to achieve benefits in the QOL while > 84.38 % was needed for achieving the benefits in Barthel Index. IG has proven to be effective in increasing QOL and avoiding the worsening of QOL and basic ADL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To provide a pathophysiological basis for distinguishing metabolic variants of the frailty phenotype in older adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: We have made an in‐depth review of the possible mechanisms in diabetes, ageing and frailty that will alter allow us to describe phenotypic changes which might assist in predicting responses to particular glucose‐lowering therapy. Results: Our review has enable us to describe with some confidence a sarcopenic obese phenotype and an anorexic malnourished phenotype. Conclusions: By identifying these two phenotypes we can predict which would be most responsive to certain classes of therapy and where therapies may be ill‐advised. This represents the first novel approach in this area. Further work is being planned to develop this hypothesis. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 614–622. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the benefits and risks of treatments to be used by older individuals (≥65 years old) is critical for informed therapeutic decisions. Glucose‐lowering therapy for older patients with diabetes should be tailored to suit their clinical condition, comorbidities and impaired functional status, including varying degrees of frailty. However, despite the rapidly growing population of older adults with diabetes, there are few dedicated clinical trials evaluating glucose‐lowering treatment in older people. Conducting clinical trials in the older population poses multiple significant challenges. Despite the general agreement that individualizing treatment goals and avoiding hypoglycaemia is paramount for the therapy of older people with diabetes, there are conflicting perspectives on specific glycaemic targets that should be adopted and on use of specific drugs and treatment strategies. Assessment of functional status, frailty and comorbidities is not routinely performed in diabetes trials, contributing to insufficient characterization of older study participants. Moreover, significant operational barriers and problems make successful enrolment and completion of such studies difficult. In this review paper, we summarize the current guidelines and literature on conducting such trials, as well as the learnings from our own clinical trial (IMPERIUM) that assessed different glucose‐lowering strategies in older people with type 2 diabetes. We discuss the importance of strategies to improve study design, enrolment and attrition. Apart from summarizing some practical advice to facilitate the successful conduct of studies, we highlight key gaps and needs that warrant further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author stresses the need for more education and training of trial personnel in conducting studies in older people with diabetes. Topics include his opinion on the absence of clinical trial evidence or first class real world observational data, the strong reliance by general practitioners and hospital specialists in Great Britain on the recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and key step in the creation of the 2019 American Endocrine Society guideline.

Diabetes mellitus is increasingly becoming an older person disease due to the increased survival and aging of the population. Previous studies which showed benefits of tight glycemic control and a linear relationship between HbA1c and mortality have largely included younger patients newly diagnosed with diabetes and with less comorbidities. Recent studies, which included older population with diabetes, have shown a U-shaped relationship of increased mortality associated with low HbA1c. The mechanism of such relationship is unclear. There was no direct causal link between low HbA1c and mortality. It appears that malnutrition, inflammation and functional decline are characteristics shared by the populations that showed increased mortality and low HbA1c. In these studies functional status, disability or frailty was not routinely measured. Therefore, although adjustment for comorbidities was made there may be a residual confounding by unmeasured factors such as frailty. Thus, frailty or decline in functional reserve may be the main confounding factor explaining the relationship between increased mortality risk and low HbA1c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent hypoglycemia is common in older people with diabetes and is likely to be less recognized and under reported by patients and health care professionals. Hypoglycemia in this age group is associated with significant morbidities leading to both physical and cognitive dysfunction. Repeated hospital admissions due to frequent hypoglycemia are also associated with further deterioration in patients' general health. This negative impact of hypoglycemia is likely to eventually lead to frailty, disability and poor outcomes. It appears that the relationship between hypoglycemia and frailty is bidirectional and mediated through a series of influences including under nutrition. Therefore, attention should be paid to the management of under nutrition in the general elderly population by improving energy intake and maintaining muscle mass. Increasing physical activity and having a more conservative approach to glycemic targets in frail older people with diabetes may be worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes and frailty may be causally related and operate through each of the key components of the frailty phenotype or via the associated medical co-morbidities. The presence of frailty in a setting of diabetes increases the level of disability and leads to poorer clinical outcomes. The vascular complications of diabetes (both macro- and microvascular) are implicated in this aetiopathogenesis of frailty and any associated mood disturbance or cognitive impairments worsen the outcome. Research into exploring this relationship further is needed and this may lead to more effective interventional strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Frailty and sarcopaenia are commonly used terms in the medical management of older people but their relationship to those with diabetes has not been explored in great detail. In this review, we hypothesise that diabetes and frailty are related conditions, and we attempt to explain the nature of this relationship, and consider the possibility that sarcopaenia is an intermediate step. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Clinicians who manage older people with diabetes require special skills if they wish to provide high-quality care. Their approach is influenced by a multitude of factors, such as the higher frequency of medical comorbidities, frailty, and socioeconomic issues. Comprehensive geriatric assessment is a potentially important tool in ensuring that patients with diabetes receive a multiprofessional assessment of their functional status and unmet needs. Effective goal setting provides an additional means of confirming that therapeutic approaches are on target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE -- The aim of this systematic review was to determine the benefits of nutritional support in patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -- Studies utilizing an enteral nutritional support intervention (oral supplements or tube feeding) were identified using electronic databases and bibliography searches. Comparisons of interest were nutritional support versus routine care and standard versus diabetes-specific formulas (containing high proportions of monounsaturated fatty acids, fructose, and fiber). Outcomes of interest were measures of glycemia and lipid status, medication requirements, nutritional status, quality of life, complications, and mortality. Meta-analyses were performed where possible. RESULTS -- A total of 23 studies (comprising 784 patients) of oral supplements (16 studies) and tube feeding (7 studies) were included in the review, and the majority compared diabetes-specific with standard formulas. Compared with standard formulas, diabetes-specific formulas significantly reduced postprandial rise in blood glucose (by 1.03 mmol/l [95% CI 0.58-1.47]; six randomized controlled trials [RCTs]), peak blood glucose concentration (by 1.59 mmol/l [86-2.32]; two RCTs), and glucose area under curve (by 7.96 mmol ⋅ l[sup -1] ⋅ min[sup -1] [2.25-13.66]; four RCTs, i.e., by 35%) with no significant effect on HDL, total cholesterol, or triglyceride concentrations. In addition, individual studies reported a reduced requirement for insulin (26-71% lower) and fewer complications with diabetes-specific compared with standard nutritional formulas. CONCLUSIONS -- This systematic review shows that short- and long-term use of diabetes-specific formulas as oral supplements and tube feeds are associated with improved glycemic control compared with standard formulas. If such nutritional support is given long term, this may have implications for reducing chronic complications of diabetes, such as cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which examined the effect of diabetes in increasing the likelihood of visual impairment among older patients. Methodology; Results; Discussion on the study findings.

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The article reports on the medical care of elderly patients with diabetes. It states some developments in the diabetic care of the elderly including the recognition of the difference in the disease's characteristics when compared to cases of younger population and the early treatment of insulin for poorly-controlled elderly type 2 diabetes patients. It also mentions the efforts exerted by the National Health Service of Great Britain exerts to further improve its diabetic care.