Which factors are associated with sarcopenia and frailty in elderly persons residing in the community?

Frailty Syndrome and sarcopenia in older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus in the municipality of Sinop, Mato Grosso: an epidemiological study

OBJECTIVE

to relate Frailty Syndrome and sarcopenia in older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus and identify potential risk factors for frailty and sarcopenia.

METHOD

this descriptive epidemiological study was conducted with 140 older adults in the municipality of Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The frailty phenotype was used for the assessment of Frailty Syndrome, and a physical assessment questionnaire with calf circumference measurement was used for the assessment of sarcopenia.

RESULTS

regarding Frailty Syndrome, a higher percentage was observed in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to those without the disease (p = 0.00). Concerning the presence of sarcopenia, older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus showed similar values, with no statistical significance (p = .74). Frailty Syndrome was associated with physical inactivity (95%CI: 3.29-56.55), age over 75 years (95%CI: 3.30- 27.82), low family income (95%CI: 1.80-50.98), and comorbidities (95%CI: 4.90-5.40). However, sarcopenia was associated with the presence of physical inactivity (95%CI: 1.26-10.44), low weight/ eutrophic (95%CI: 3.32-26.76), and malnutrition/nutritional risk (95%CI: 1.30-7.70) for older adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus.

CONCLUSION

older adults with diabetes have a higher vulnerability to develop Frailty Syndrome, necessitating the adoption of preventive measures in primary healthcare.

Prevalência e características associadas à sarcopenia em pessoas idosas: estudo transversal

RESUMO Objetivos: identificar a prevalência e as características associadas à sarcopenia em pessoas idosas de Unidades de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Métodos: estudo transversal, com 384 pessoas idosas. Para avaliação de sarcopenia, mediu-se: força e massa muscular, desempenho físico. Classificaram se pessoas idosas com: sarcopenia provável; sarcopenia; e sarcopenia grave. Analisou-se com teste de qui quadrado e método de regressão logística multinomial. Resultados: a prevalência de provável sarcopenia foi de 25,52%; sarcopenia, 11,98%; e sarcopenia grave, 9,90%. Homens são 1,75 vez mais prevalentes em indivíduos com provável sarcopenia; osteoporose é 2,16 vezes mais prevalente na sarcopenia grave; polifarmácia, 1,57 vez mais prevalente na provável sarcopenia; circunferência da panturrilha menor que 31 cm é 2,24 vezes mais prevalente na sarcopenia e 2,19 vezes na sarcopenia grave. Conclusões: houve maior prevalência de provável sarcopenia, e as características associadas à sarcopenia foram: sexo, osteoporose, polifarmácia, sobrepeso, obesidade e circunferência da panturrilha.

Prevalence of characteristics associated with sarcopenia in elders: a cross-sectional study

Objectives:

to identify the prevalence and characteristics associated with sarcopenia in elders in Primary Health Care Units.

Methods:

cross-sectional study with 384 elders. To evaluate sarcopenia, we measured: strength and muscle mass, and physical performance. The elderly were classified as having: probable sarcopenia; sarcopenia; or severe sarcopenia. The chi-squared test and the multinomial logistic regression method were used.

Results:

the prevalence of probable sarcopenia was 25.52%; of sarcopenia, 11.98%; and of severe sarcopenia, 9.90%. Probable sarcopenia is 1.75 times more prevalent in men; osteoporosis is 2.16 times more prevalent in people with severe sarcopenia; polypharmacy is 1.57 times more likely in individuals with probable sarcopenia; and calf circumference below 31 cm is 2.24 times more likely in patients with sarcopenia and 2.19 times more likely in patients with severe sarcopenia.

Conclusions:

the highest prevalence was of probable sarcopenia, and the characteristics associated with sarcopenia were sex, osteoporosis, polypharmacy, overweight, obesity, and calf circumference.

Using structural equation modeling in the understanding of functional disability in older adults

Objective:

to analyze functional disability and its associated factors among community-dwelling older adults.

Method:

a cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,635 older adults distributed in the following age groups: 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 years old or more, living in a health macro-region of the state of Minas Gerais. Descriptive and trajectory analysis was carried out (p<0.05). The parameters were estimated by the Maximum Likelihood method.

Results:

the highest percentage was female, with a monthly income of 1 minimum wage and living with a companion. In the age groups from 60 to 69 and from 70 to 79 years old, older adults with a partner predominated; and, among those aged 80 years old or more, widowed individuals prevailed. In the three groups, functional disability occurred hierarchically. Lower schooling, frailty and depressive symptomatology were factors directly associated with functional disability in the advanced activities; frailty and sedentary behavior were directly associated with functional disability in the instrumental activities. In the older adults aged between 60 and 69 years old and from 70 to 79 years old, sedentary behavior was associated with greater dependence on the basic activities.

Conclusion:

the expanded understanding of the factors in the functional disability of the older adults, according to age group, helps the health professional in the development of preventive measures for this disease.

Muscle, endocrine, and immunological markers of frailty in older people

OBJECTIVE

To analyze muscle, endocrine, and immunological markers that influence frailty in older people assisted in primary care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional, analytical, and probabilistic study were linked to the institutional research "Integrated Health Care for Older People." The study population consisted of males and females aged 60 years or more and assisted in primary health care. The research protocol included an interview and physical examination to evaluate the frailty criteria. Analysis of the following were done: serum calcium and creatinine as muscle markers; vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and insulin-like growth factor - 1 as endocrine markers; and interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio as immunological markers. Statistical analysis included the Mann-Whitney test to compare means, and linear regression to analyze the relationship between dependent and independent variables.

RESULTS

There was a relationship between creatinine and prediction of weight loss (p < 0.001), leukocytes and prediction of handgrip strength (p = 0.022), interleukin-6 and prediction of energy expenditure (p = 0.026), and vitamin D and prediction of gait time (p = 0.036). Also, sex influenced handgrip strength (p < 0.001), and age influenced handgrip strength (p < 0.001), gait time (p < 0.001) and energy expenditure (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The joint use of muscle, endocrine, and immunological markers may be useful to diagnose frailty and to propose resolutive interventions to reduce negative outcomes for older people.

Prevalência de sintomas depressivos e fatores associados em idosos de Unidades de Atenção Primária à Saúde em Rio Branco, Acre

Resumo Objetivo Estimar a prevalência de sintomas depressivos e fatores associados em idosos assistidos por Unidades de Atenção Primária à Saúde em Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil. Método Estudo transversal realizado com idosos cadastrados em duas unidades de Atenção Primária à Saúde de Rio Branco, Acre, entre 2016 e 2017. A prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi medida por meio da Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) e as associações foram testadas com variáveis selecionadas. Foram calculadas as razões de prevalências brutas e ajustadas com intervalo de confiança de 95%, por regressão de Poisson, com variância robusta. Resultados A prevalência de sintomas depressivos foi de 74,5%. Os fatores mais fortemente associados foram: percepção de insegurança no local de moradia (RP=1,46; IC 95% 1,23-1,74), renda familiar menor que um salário mínimo (RP=1,10; IC 95% 1,01-1,20) e autopercepção da saúde insatisfatória (RP=1,25; IC 95% 1,14-1,37), ajustados por sexo, faixa etária, escolaridade, atividade laboral e fragilidade. Conclusão Evidenciou-se uma elevada prevalência de sintomas depressivos na população estudada. A identificação dos fatores associados apontou a vulnerabilidade socioeconômica e de saúde nas quais os idosos estão imersos, relacionando-se com as condições associadas à sintomatologia depressiva.

Trace Mineral Intake and Deficiencies in Older Adults Living in the Community and Institutions: A Systematic Review

The global population is ageing with many older adults suffering from age-related malnutrition, including micronutrient deficiencies. Adequate nutrient intake is vital to enable older adults to continue living independently and delay their institutionalisation, as well as to prevent deterioration of health status in those living in institutions. This systematic review investigated the insufficiency of trace minerals in older adults living independently and in institutions. We examined 28 studies following a cross-sectional or cohort design, including 7203 older adults (≥60) living independently in 13 Western countries and 2036 living in institutions in seven Western countries. The estimated average requirement (EAR) cut-off point method was used to calculate percentage insufficiency for eight trace minerals using extracted mean and standard deviation values. Zinc deficiency was observed in 31% of community-based women and 49% of men. This was higher for those in institutional care (50% and 66%, respectively). Selenium intakes were similarly compromised with deficiency in 49% women and 37% men in the community and 44% women and 27% men in institutions. We additionally found significant proportions of both populations showing insufficiency for iron, iodine and copper. This paper identifies consistent nutritional insufficiency for selenium, zinc, iodine and copper in older adults.