Association between psychotropic drug use and handgrip strength in older hospitalized patients

Association of the use of psychotropic drugs with hospitalization, cardiovascular events, and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: a propensity score-matched cohort study

Background

Use of psychotropic drugs (PD) may be associated with impairment of physical function. However, few studies have assessed the impact of PD on health outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to examine the associations between psychotropic drug use and handgrip strength (HGS) and between the use of PD and hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

From April 2013 to December 2015, we conducted a retrospective cohort study in patients with type 2 diabetes at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine Kohnodai Hospital. Patients aged 20 years and over who can measure HGS were included. All participants received nutritional guidance regarding diet therapy for type 2 diabetes at baseline. Nonpsychotropic drug users were matched one-to-one with the PD users using propensity score matching method with respect to their baseline covariates. The differences in HGS and the number of patients who had hospitalizations during the study period were examined. By Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, the association between the use of PD and repeated hospitalizations was estimated.

Results

A total of 1,282 patients were enrolled and followed up for 2.36 ± 0.73 years. In the propensity score matching cohort, HGS was significantly lower (p = 0.006) in PD users than non-PD users. PD users had more hospitalizations than non-PD users. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis confirmed the association of repeated hospitalizations with the use of PD (hazard ratio = 2.138; 95% confidence interval, 1.144-3.995, p = 0.017)). In addition, HGS was significantly and inversely correlated with the number of hospitalizations (r = -0.143, p = 0.013).

Conclusions

The use of PD could increase the risk of repeated hospitalizations. Skeletal muscle may play a role in reducing the risk of hospitalization in patients who are treated with PD.

Potentially inappropriate medications are negatively associated with functional recovery in patients with sarcopenia after stroke

BACKGROUND

Evidence is scarce for potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in rehabilitation medicine.

AIM

To examine the effect of PIMs on functional recovery in older patients with sarcopenia after stroke.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a post-acute rehabilitation hospital. All patients diagnosed with sarcopenia aged ≥ 65 years among all post-stroke patients hospitalized from 2015 to 2020 were included. PIMs were defined based on the 2019 Beers criteria. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using handgrip strength (HG) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), according to the criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019. The outcomes included functional independence measure motor (FIM-motor), HG, and SMI values at discharge. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine whether PIMs used at admission were independently associated with outcomes.

RESULTS

Of the eligible patients, 361 were 65 years or older, of whom 196 (mean age 81.0 years, 44.4% male) presented with sarcopenia and were included in the analysis. Of these, 131 (66.8%) were prescribed PIMs at admission. The most frequently prescribed PIMs were proton pump inhibitors, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The number of PIMs on admission was independently associated with FIM-motor (β = - 0.132, P = 0.001) and HG (β = - 0.091, P = 0.048) at discharge, but not with SMI (β = - 0.055, P = 0.256).

CONCLUSIONS

High admission PIMs prescription numbers are negatively associated with favorable discharge functional status and muscle strength in older patients with sarcopenia after stroke.