Mortality Risk of Sarcopenia and Malnutrition in Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate how sarcopenia and nutritional risk influence all-cause mortality among older individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

In view of the presence of sarcopenia, defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria, and nutritional risk, as determined by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), a total of 396 participants were divided into four distinct groups (group 1: no nutritional risk and no sarcopenia, n = 306; group 2: nutritional risk and no sarcopenia, n = 32; group 3: no nutritional risk and sarcopenia, n = 36; and group 4: nutritional risk and sarcopenia, n = 22). Mortality risk was assessed through time-to-event analysis using Cox regression.

Results

Throughout the 86-month median follow-up, 31 participants died. Compared to group 1, hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality of groups 2, 3, and 4 were 9.08 (95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.44-33.8), 9.08 (95% CI: 2.44-33.8), and 14.0 (95% CI: 4.62-42.4), respectively. The risk of death was significantly higher in groups 2, 3, and 4 compared to group 1. Additionally, group 4 had a significantly higher risk of death than group 3. However, no significant difference in mortality risk was observed between groups 3 and 4 when compared to group 2.

Conclusions

Coexistence of nutritional risk and sarcopenia was linked to an increased risk of mortality across older individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. There was no significant difference in mortality between individuals presenting or not presenting with sarcopenia within the nutritional risk group; therefore, greater attention should be directed toward malnutrition.