[Difficulty experienced by family in supporting elderly diabetic patients is associated with a decline in patients' higher-level functions].

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between difficulties experienced by family in supporting elderly patients with diabetes and these patients' higher-level functions. METHODS: The subjects were outpatients with diabetes ≥65 years old at Ise Red Cross Hospital and their family members. The Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence (TMIG-IC) was used to assess patients' higher-level functions. The Japanese version of the Diabetes Caregiver Activity and Support Scale (D-CASS-J) was used to measure difficulties experienced by family in supporting elderly patients with diabetes. Using a multiple regression analysis with TMIG-IC scores (instrumental ADL, intellectual activity, and social participation) as the dependent variable and D-CASS-J scores (based on the highest scoring Q1 group among the three quartiles of D-CASS-J scores) as the explanatory variables, standardized regression coefficients (ß) for higher-level functions on the family's perceived support difficulties were calculated. RESULTS: In total, 429 patients (254 male patients and 175 female patients) were included in the analysis. For male patients, the adjusted beta values for TMIG-IC scores in Q2 and Q3 were -0.039 (P=0.649) and -0.352 (P<0.001), respectively, and the adjusted beta values for the instrumental ADL scores were -0.064 (P=0.455), -0.192 (P=0.047), -0.090 (P=0.375), and -0.360 (P=0.002) for the Intellectually Active scores, respectively, and the adjusted beta for social role scores were 0.054 (P=0.581) and -0.261 (P=0.019), respectively. However, there was no association between the patients' higher-level functions and family support difficulties among female patients. CONCLUSIONS: Difficulty experienced by the family in supporting elderly male patients with diabetes is associated with reduced higher-level functioning.

Frequency and Overlap of Cachexia, Malnutrition, and Sarcopenia in Elderly Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: A Study Using AWGC, GLIM, and AWGS2019.

This study aimed to estimate the frequency and overlap of cachexia, malnutrition, and sarcopenia in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. Patients who were aged at least 65 years, had diabetes mellitus, and were regularly visiting the Ise Red Cross Hospital on an outpatient basis were included. The patients were assessed to determine whether they had cachexia, malnutrition, and sarcopenia according to the Asian Working Group for Cachexia criteria, the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria, and the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 criteria. A total of 510 patients (310 men and 200 women) were analyzed in this study. Sarcopenia, cachexia, and malnutrition were found in 84 patients (16.4%), 40 patients (7.8%) (17.8% among patients with chronic diseases), and 110 patients (21.5%), respectively. Among patients with sarcopenia, the frequencies of cachexia and malnutrition were 30% and 71.4%, respectively. Among patients with cachexia, the frequencies of sarcopenia and malnutrition were 65% and 90%, respectively, and among those with malnutrition, the frequencies of sarcopenia and cachexia were 54% and 32.7%, respectively. The overlap among cachexia, malnutrition, and sarcopenia appears to be an important factor to be considered in the treatment of elderly patients with diabetes mellitus.