Severe hypoglycaemia and cognitive impairment in older patients with diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study

Association of hypoglycemic events with cognitive impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Protocol for a dose-response meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

With an incidence rate as high as 46%-58%, hypoglycemia is a common complication of glycemic management among those suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). According to preclinical research, hypoglycemia episodes may impair cognition by harming neurons. However, there is still controversy regarding the clinical evidence for the relationship between hypoglycemic events and the likelihood of cognitive impairment. Furthermore, little research has been done on the dose-response association between hypoglycemia incidents and the possibility of cognitive impairment. To address these knowledge gaps, the present research intends to update the comprehension of the association among hypoglycemic events and the risk of cognitive impairment and to clarify the correlation between dose and response by incorporating the most recent investigations.

METHOD AND ANALYSIS

This work has developed a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis that will examine, via a well-organized assessment of several databases, the relationship between the incidence of hypoglycemia and the probability of cognitive impairment. Observational studies investigating the connection between hypoglycemia episodes and cognitive impairment will be included. The databases that will be searched are PubMed, Web of Science, the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Cochrane Library, Embase, the China National Knowledge (CNKI), Wan Fang, the Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), and Du Xiu. Literature from the establishment of each database to December 2023 will be included in the search. Two researchers will independently screen the studies that satisfy the requirements for both inclusion and exclusion. A third researcher will be asked to mediate any disputes. The methodological caliber of the studies included will be assessed utilizing the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) or the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal method. With regard to GRADE, which stands for Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, the quality of the evidence will be evaluated. ROBIS Tool will be used to evaluate the risk of bias in the development of the systematic review. If the data is accessible, meta-analysis and dose-response curve analysis will be employed by Stata software. However, if the data does not allow for such analysis, a descriptive review will be performed.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Hypoglycemic episodes may raise the likelihood of cognitive impairment, according to earlier investigations. This study will update the relevant evidence and explore the dose-response connection between hypoglycemic episodes and cognitive impairment. The results of this review will have significant effects on decision-making by individuals with diabetes, healthcare providers, and government policy institutions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospero registration number: CRD42023432352.

Effect of hypoglycemia on cognitive performance in older patients with diabetes: A meta-analysis

GOALS

The goal of this study was to use meta-analysis to compile information from various studies to investigate the existence and severity of cognitive impairment in elderly diabetes patients who have hypoglycemic episodes.

MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES

For research studies on the relationship between hypoglycemia and cognitive decline or dementia in persons older than 45 years, we searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang, CBM and VIP databases for the period 1989 to 2022. We conducted random effects inverse variance on the meta-analysis and used the I2 statistic to assess heterogeneity.

RESULT

We selected 44 of the 518 studies we retrieved, 7 being appropriate for meta-analysis. Six thousand and forty-five individuals were involved in total. Both types of older diabetic patients with hypoglycemia performed considerably worse on tests of general intelligence than control participants (standardized mean difference, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.88-0.28). Also, elderly type-2 diabetes patients with hypoglycemic episodes had significantly worse memory performance (standardized mean difference, 0.19; 95% CI, 0.29-0.09). Additionally, we found that older type-2 diabetes patients with hypoglycemia had significantly poorer psychomotor function than those without hypoglycemia (standardized mean difference, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.38-0.63).

Medication-Related Hospital Admissions and Emergency Department Visits in Older People with Diabetes: A Systematic Review

Limited data are available regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medication-related hospitalisations or emergency department (ED) visits in older adults with diabetes, especially since the emergence of newer antidiabetic agents. This systematic review aimed to explore the nature of hospital admissions and ED visits that are medication-related in older adults with diabetes. The review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies in English that reported on older adults (mean age ≥ 60 years) with diabetes admitted to the hospital or presenting to ED due to medication-related problems and published between January 2000 and October 2023 were identified using Medline, Embase, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts databases. Thirty-five studies were included. Medication-related hospital admissions and ED visits were all reported as episodes of hypoglycaemia and were most frequently associated with insulins and sulfonylureas. The studies indicated a decline in hypoglycaemia-related hospitalisations or ED presentations in older adults with diabetes since 2015. However, the associated medications remain the same. This finding suggests that older patients on insulin or secretagogue agents should be closely monitored to prevent potential adverse events, and newer agents should be used whenever clinically appropriate.

The association between dementia and the risk of hypoglycaemia events among patients with diabetes mellitus: a propensity-score matched cohort analysis

Background

Hypoglycaemia commonly occurs in patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) and dementia. The impact of dementia on hypoglycaemic events is controversial. Thus, we evaluated whether dementia increases the risk of hypoglycaemic events in older patients diagnosed with DM.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

We used the IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD-UK) database (formerly known as the THIN database).

Participants

All patients aged ≥55 years and diagnosed with DM who were prescribed at least two prescriptions of antidiabetic medication between 2000 and 2017. Two groups of patients, dementia and non-dementia group, were propensity-score (PS) matched at 1:2. The risk of hypoglycaemia was assessed through a Cox regression analysis.

Main outcome and measures

Hypoglycaemic events were determined during the follow-up period by Read codes.

Results

From the database, 133,664 diabetic patients were identified, with a mean follow-up of 6.11 years. During the study period, 7,762 diabetic patients diagnosed with dementia were matched with 12,944 diabetic patients who had not been diagnosed with dementia. The PS-matched Cox regression analysis showed that patients diagnosed with dementia were at a 2-fold increased risk for hypoglycaemic events compared with those not diagnosed with dementia (hazard ratio [HR], 2.00; 95% CI, 1.63-2.66). A similar result was shown for a multivariable analysis using all patient data (adjusted HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 2.22-2.32).

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that diabetic patients with a diagnosis of dementia have a statistically significant higher risk of experiencing hypoglycaemia.

Diabetes and cognitive decline: Challenges and future direction

There is growing evidence that diabetes can induce cognitive decline and dementia. It is a slow, progressive cognitive decline that can occur in any age group, but is seen more frequently in older individuals. Symptoms related to cognitive decline are worsened by chronic metabolic syndrome. Animal models are frequently utilized to elucidate the mechanisms of cognitive decline in diabetes and to assess potential drugs for therapy and prevention. This review addresses the common factors and pathophysiology involved in diabetes-related cognitive decline and outlines the various animal models used to study this condition.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cognitive function: understanding the connections

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the connection between type 2 diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, including its epidemiology, potential mechanisms of pathophysiology, risk factors, possible prevention, and treatment considerations.

RECENT FINDINGS

Diabetes is a risk factor for mild cognitive decline, in addition to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Duration of diabetes, concomitant vascular or associated co-morbidities, hyper- and hypoglycemia may lead to worsening cognitive dysfunction. Unfortunately, there is a lack of evidence-based guidance on the prevention of cognitive dysfunction in the diabetes population. Studies of diabetes medications, including metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2) have shown some benefit with cardiovascular morbidity and may affect cognition. In the absence of clearly defined preventive tools, diabetes practice guidelines recommend annual cognitive screening as standard of care in adults with diabetes aged 65 years or older.

SUMMARY

People living with diabetes are at risk for significant decline in cognitive function. Epidemiology and risk factors are well defined. Prevention and treatment strategies are limited and require further study.

Hypoglycaemia and the risk of dementia: a population-based cohort study using exposure density sampling

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown hypoglycaemia to be associated with an increased risk of dementia; however, there are several design challenges to consider. The objective of this study is to assess the association between hypoglycaemia and dementia while addressing these challenges using a lag period, exposure density sampling (EDS) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

METHODS

This was a population-based cohort using data (1996-2018) from British Columbia, Canada. From a cohort of incident type 2 diabetes patients aged 40-70 years, we created a dynamic sub-cohort of hypoglycaemia-exposed (≥1 episode requiring hospitalization or a physician visit) and unexposed individuals using EDS, in which four unexposed individuals per one exposed were randomly selected into risk sets based on diabetes duration and age. Follow-up was until dementia diagnosis, death, emigration or 31 December 2018. Those diagnosed with dementia within 2 years of follow-up were censored. We adjusted for confounding using IPTW and estimated the hazard ratio (HR, 95% CI) of dementia using weighted conditional cause-specific hazards risk models with death as a competing risk.

RESULTS

Among 13 970 patients with incident type 2 diabetes, 2794 experienced hypoglycaemia. There were 329 dementia events over a median (interquartile range: IQR) follow-up of 5.03 (5.7) years. IPTW resulted in well-balanced groups with weighted incidence rates (95% CI) of 4.59 (3.52, 5.98)/1000 person-years among exposed and 3.33 (2.58, 3.88)/1000 person-years among unexposed participants. The risk of dementia was higher among those with hypoglycaemia (HR, 1.83; 95% CI 1.31, 2.57).

CONCLUSIONS

After addressing several methodological challenges, we showed that hypoglycaemia contributes to an increased risk of all-cause dementia among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Mechanistic Biomarkers of Diabetes Mellitus-Associated Cognitive Decline

Cognitive dysfunctions such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and other forms of dementia are recognized as common comorbidities of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Currently, there are no disease-modifying therapies or definitive clinical diagnostic and prognostic tools for dementia, and the mechanisms underpinning the link between T2DM and cognitive dysfunction remain equivocal. Some of the suggested pathophysiological mechanisms underlying cognitive decline in diabetes patients include hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and altered insulin signaling, neuroinflammation, cerebral microvascular injury, and buildup of cerebral amyloid and tau proteins. Given the skyrocketing global rates of diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders, there is an urgent need to discover novel biomarkers relevant to the co-morbidity of both conditions to guide future diagnostic approaches. This review aims to provide a comprehensive background of the potential risk factors, the identified biomarkers of diabetes-related cognitive decrements, and the underlying processes of diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction. Aging, poor glycemic control, hypoglycemia and hyperglycemic episodes, depression, and vascular complications are associated with increased risk of dementia. Conclusive research studies that have attempted to find specific biomarkers are limited. However, the most frequent considerations in such investigations are related to C reactive protein, tau protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, advanced glycation end products, glycosylated hemoglobin, and adipokines.

New Horizons-Cognitive Dysfunction Associated With Type 2 Diabetes

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cognitive dysfunction increases with age. As society ages, clinicians will be increasingly tasked with managing older people who have both T2D and cognitive dysfunction. T2D is associated with an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction and hence there is increasing interest in whether T2D is a causal factor in the pathogenesis of cognitive decline and dementia. Recent advances in the use of sensitive measures of in vivo brain dysfunction in life-course studies can help understand potential mechanistic pathways and also help guide recommendations for clinical practice. In this article we will describe new horizons in the understanding of cognitive dysfunction associated with T2D. Coming from a clinical perspective, we discuss potential mechanisms and pathways linking the 2 conditions and the contribution of multimodal neuroimaging and study designs to advancing understanding in the field. We also highlight the important issues on the horizon that will need addressing in clinical identification, management, and risk reduction for people with coexistent T2D and cognitive dysfunction.

Potential Roles of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 and Its Analogues in Dementia Targeting Impaired Insulin Secretion and Neurodegeneration

Dementia is a chronic, irreversible condition marked by memory loss, cognitive decline, and mental instability. It is clinically related to various progressive neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Huntington’s. The primary cause of neurological disorders is insulin desensitization, demyelination, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation accompanied by various aberrant proteins such as amyloid-β deposits, Lewy bodies accumulation, tau formation leading to neurofibrillary tangles. Impaired insulin signaling is directly associated with amyloid-β and α-synuclein deposition, as well as specific signaling cascades involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Insulin dysfunction may initiate various intracellular signaling cascades, including phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Neuronal death, inflammation, neuronal excitation, mitochondrial malfunction, and protein deposition are all influenced by insulin. Recent research has focused on GLP-1 receptor agonists as a potential therapeutic target. They increase glucose-dependent insulin secretion and are beneficial in neurodegenerative diseases by reducing oxidative stress and cytokine production. They reduce the deposition of abnormal proteins by crossing the blood-brain barrier. The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of insulin dysfunction in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, specifically dementia. Additionally, we reviewed the therapeutic target (GLP-1) and its receptor activators as a possible treatment of dementia.

Amyloids: The History of Toxicity and Functionality

Proteins can perform their specific function due to their molecular structure. Partial or complete unfolding of the polypeptide chain may lead to the misfolding and aggregation of proteins in turn, resulting in the formation of different structures such as amyloid aggregates. Amyloids are rigid protein aggregates with the cross-β structure, resistant to most solvents and proteases. Because of their resistance to proteolysis, amyloid aggregates formed in the organism accumulate in tissues, promoting the development of various diseases called amyloidosis, for instance Alzheimer's diseases (AD). According to the main hypothesis, it is considered that the cause of AD is the formation and accumulation of amyloid plaques of Aβ. That is why Aβ-amyloid is the most studied representative of amyloids. Therefore, in this review, special attention is paid to the history of Aβ-amyloid toxicity. We note the main problems with anti-amyloid therapy and write about new views on amyloids that can play positive roles in the different organisms including humans.

Geriatric management of older patients with multimorbidity

Older patients tend to have multimorbidity represented by multiple chronic diseases or geriatric conditions due to aging changes of organs, which require a variety of medical management. Currently, there are no sufficient disease treatment guidelines for older people with multimorbidity, therefore physicians have difficulty managing multimorbidity, such as which diseases should be treated intensively or to what extent the conditions should be improved. Furthermore, there are other points to be considered when initiating the treatment of diseases. For example, physicians must assess physical function. Some people have no difficulty with ambulation, but some are bedridden and have difficulty getting up on their own. As there are differences in disease severity, comorbid conditions and life expectancy, there should be differences in deciding treatment and prescribing drugs. It may be necessary to change the option for treatment depending on cognitive function, the living environment and the care environment, using comprehensive geriatric assessments. In addition, when treating multimorbidity, patients tend to have polypharmacy, which is a risk for adverse drug events. Because of this, it is necessary to consider dose reduction and drug discontinuation in patients with polypharmacy. Because of the global increase in older patients with multimorbidity, developing an essential method for managing multimorbidity is an urgent issue. More research and practices are necessary to achieve high-quality care in patients with multimorbidity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 1105-1111.

Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Older Adults Living in Social Housing: A Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to describe the risk of developing diabetes and the probable prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in residents of subsidized or social housing who were 55 years of age or older.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data collected from an ongoing community health program in social housing buildings-the Community Paramedicine at Clinic (CP@clinic) program. Community paramedics staffing the CP@clinic program conducted lifestyle-related modifiable risk factor assessments of participating social housing residents who were 55 years of age or older. The Canadian Diabetes risk assessment (CANRISK) tool was administered to all participants, and those with moderate-to-high risk of developing diabetes were asked to return for a fasting capillary blood glucose (CBG) measurement. Data were collected from program participants who attended the sessions between December 2014 and May 2018.

RESULTS

There were 728 participants. Most were women (80.5%), aged 65 to 84 (68.1%), white (85.4%) and educated to the high school level or less (69.2%). At baseline, 71.3% were identified as having overweight or obesity, and 12.5% were diagnosed with diabetes. Of participants not diagnosed with diabetes (N=632), 66.6% were at high risk of developing diabetes, and 30.1% were categorized as moderate risk. The CBG assessments showed that 37.7% (N=158) of those with high risk and 22.0% (N=42) of those with moderate risk had blood glucose readings indicating impaired fasting glucose or probable diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that 96.7% of low-income older adults in social housing buildings had moderate-to-high risk of developing diabetes and that the probable prevalence of undiagnosed prediabetes and diabetes was 32.0%.

Glycemic Control is Related to Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in a Rural Chinese Population

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing interest on Cognitive Impairment (CI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but evidence is conflicting regarding the association between CI and glycemic control.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of CI in patients with T2DM from northern rural China in order to determine whether cognitive dysfunction is related to glycemic control.

METHODS

First, we conducted a study with a cross-sectional design. We performed cluster random sampling of 1848 residents who were aged 60 years or older and lived in the countryside in China. All eligible participants with and without T2DM were interviewed and screened for cognitive function status. Diagnoses for dementia and Cognitive Impairment No Dementia (CIND) were based on the standard criteria. Second, on the basis of the results of the cross-sectional survey, we conducted a case-control study. In the T2DM group, we identified cases of T2DM with Cognitive Impairment (T2DM-CI), as well as cases of T2DM with normal cognition (T2DM-NC) to be used as controls. The effects of specific diabetes-related variables were examined. After matching for sex, age, and education level in the T2DM-CI and T2DM-NC groups, multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate risk factors for T2DM-CI.

RESULTS

In the cross-sectional study, the prevalence of T2DM with CIND and dementia were 28.3% (95% CI: 23.5-33.2) and 9.5% (95% CI: 6.3-12.6), respectively. Compared with subjects without DM, the prevalence of CI in T2DM patients was more frequent than the prevalence of CI in the general population in almost every age group. In the case-control study, the multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that variables, including duration from diabetes onset, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c level (HbA1c), and severe hypoglycemia history, were significantly associated with an increased risk of CI in patients with T2DM (odds ratios [ORs] [95%CIs]: 1.67 [1.03-2.70], 1.40 [1.15-1.72], and 2.72 [1.02- 7.21], respectively [P <0.05]).

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates a high prevalence of CI in patients with T2DM among the elderly population of rural China. Glycemic control, including HbA1c and exposure to severe hypoglycemia, affected cognitive function in patients with T2DM.

Diabetic Cognitive Dysfunction: From Bench to Clinic

Type 2 diabetes increases the risk of developing cognitive dysfunction in the elderly in the form of short-term memory and executive function impairment. Genetic and diet-induced models of type 2 diabetes further support this link, displaying deficits in working memory, learning, and memory performance. The risk factors for diabetic cognitive dysfunction include vascular disease, hypoglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia, adiposity, insulin resistance, lifestyle factors, and genetic factors. Using neuronal imaging technologies, diabetic patients with cognitive dysfunction show atrophy of the whole brain, particularly the grey matter, hippocampus and amygdala; increased volume of the ventricular and white matter; brain infarcts; impaired network integrity; abnormal microstructure; and reduced cerebral blood flow and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations. The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes with cognitive dysfunction involves hyperglycaemia, macrovascular and microvascular diseases, insulin resistance, inflammation, apoptosis, and disorders of neurotransmitters. Large clinical trials may offer further proof of biomarkers and risk factors for diabetic cognitive dysfunction. Advanced neuronal imaging technologies and novel disease animal models will assist in elucidating the precise pathogenesis and to provide better therapeutic interventions and treatment.

Impact of antidiabetic agents on dementia risk: A Bayesian network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Dementia is more prevalent among people with type 2 diabetes, but little is known regarding the influence of antidiabetic agents on this association.

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the impact of various antidiabetic agents on the risk of dementia among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Relevant studies were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Nine antidiabetic agents were included in the search. Data were pooled via network meta-analysis and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Nine studies were selected for the network meta-analysis with 530,355 individuals and 17 studies for the meta-analysis with 1,258,879 individuals. The analysis excluded glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs and sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors due to the absence of relevant data. The use of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, metformin, thiazolidinedione, and sulfonylurea was associated with a decreased risk of dementia in comparison to no treatment with antidiabetic agents (hazard ratio [HR] for DPP-4 inhibitors, 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.74, HR for metformin, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63-0.86; HR for sulfonylurea, 0.85; 95%CI, 0.73-0.98 and HR for thiazolidinedione, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.89, respectively). However, the node-splitting analysis showed the inconsistency of direct and indirect estimates in sulfonylurea (P = 0.042). DPP-4 inhibitors, metformin, thiazolidinedione, and sulfonylurea exhibited a significant impact on the risk of dementia in diabetics compared with insulin (HR, 0.35; 95%CI, 0.20-0.59, HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.77, HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.29-0.73 and HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34-0.88, respectively). DPP-4 inhibitors also exhibited a protective effect on the risk of Alzheimer's dementia compared with the no treatment with antidiabetic agents (HR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.25-0.92). The meta-analysis demonstrated a protective effect of using metformin and DPP-4 inhibitors on the risk of dementia (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74-1.00 and HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55-0.76, respectively). Further analysis showed insulin was associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's dementia (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.13-2.26). Only two case-control studies mentioned GLP-1 analogs and SGLT-2 inhibitors, and the pooled ORs showed no evidence of an association with dementia (GLP-1 analogs: 0.71; 95% CI, 0.46-1.10 and SGLT-2 inhibitors: 0.74; 95% CI, 0.47-1.15).

CONCLUSION

This analysis indicated that patients with type 2 diabetes under treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors presented with the lowest risk of dementia, followed by those treated with metformin and thiazolidinedione, while treatment with insulin was associated with the highest risk. For the increasing focus on the protective effect on dementia, further specific clinical studies are needed to evaluate the impact of GLP-1 analogs and SGLT-2 inhibitors on the risk of dementia.

Type 2 diabetes and cognitive dysfunction-towards effective management of both comorbidities

Type 2 diabetes and cognitive dysfunction are highly prevalent disorders worldwide. Although type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of dementia, awareness of the link between the two conditions is poor, and few recommendations are available to guide clinicians about how to approach cognitive dysfunction in people with diabetes. Clinical guidelines in diabetes have only recently begun to emphasise the importance of cognitive impairment in diabetes and its management. This Series paper aims to synthesise knowledge about the link between diabetes and cognitive dysfunction, issues pertaining to screening and diagnosis of cognitive impairment and dementia in those with type 2 diabetes, management of diabetes in people with cognitive dysfunction (accounting for age and frailty), and emerging therapies for prevention. A conceptual framework for approaching screening and diagnosis is included, and future research directions to guide the field forward are suggested.

Hypoglycemia and Dementia Risk in Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis of a Population-Based Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with an increased risk for dementia. The effects of hypoglycemia on dementia are controversial. Thus, we evaluated whether hypoglycemia increases the risk for dementia in senior patients with T2DM.

METHODS

We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service Senior cohort, which includes >10% of the entire senior population of South Korea. In total, 5,966 patients who had ever experienced at least one episode of hypoglycemia were matched with those who had not, using propensity score matching. The risk of dementia was assessed through a survival analysis of matched pairs.

RESULTS

Patients with underlying hypoglycemic events had an increased risk for all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's dementia (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD) compared with those who had not experienced a hypoglycemic event (hazard ratio [HR], 1.254; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.166 to 1.349; P<0.001 for all-cause dementia; HR, 1.264; 95% CI, 1.162 to 1.375; P<0.001 for AD; HR, 1.286; 95% CI, 1.110 to 1.490; P<0.001 for VaD). According to number of hypoglycemic episodes, the HRs of dementia were 1.170, 1.201, and 1.358 in patients with one hypoglycemic episode, two or three episodes, and more than three episodes, respectively. In the subgroup analysis, hypoglycemia was associated with an increased risk for dementia in both sexes with or without T2DM microvascular or macrovascular complications.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that patients with a history of hypoglycemia have a higher risk for dementia. This trend was similar for AD and VaD, the two most important subtypes of dementia.

Type 2 diabetes in older patients: an analysis of the DPV and DIVE databases

BACKGROUND

The clinical profile differs between old and young patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We explored, based on a large real-world database, patient and disease characteristics and actual treatment patterns by age.

METHODS

The analysis was based on the DIVE and DPV registries of patients with T2DM. Patients were analyzed by age groups 50-59 (middle-young), 60-69 (young-old), 70-79 (middle-old), 80-89 (old), and 90 years or more (oldest-old).

RESULTS

A total of 396,719 patients were analyzed, of which 17.7% were 50-59 years, 27.7% 60-69 years, 34.3% 70-79 years, 18.3% 80-89 years and 2.0% at least 90 years. We found that (a) T2DM in old and oldest-old patients was characterized much less by the presence of metabolic risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia and smoking than in younger patients; (b) the HbA1c was much lower in oldest-old than in middle-young patients (7.2 ± 1.6% versus 8.0 ± 2.2%; p < 0.001), but it was associated with higher proportions of patients with severe hypoglycemia (7.0 versus 1.6%; p < 0.001); (c) this was potentially associated with the higher and increasing rates of insulin use in older patients (from 17.6% to 37.6%, p < 0.001) and the particular comorbidity profile of these patients, for example, chronic kidney disease (CKD); (d) patients with late diabetes onset had lower HbA1c values, lower bodyweight and less cardiovascular risk factors; (e) patients with a longer diabetes duration had a considerable increase in macrovascular and even more microvascular complications.

CONCLUSION

In very old patients there is a need for frequent careful routine assessment and a tailored pharmacotherapy in which patient safety is much more important than blood-glucose-lowering efficacy.

Clinical guidelines for type 1 diabetes mellitus with an emphasis on older adults: an Executive Summary

We present a summary of a guideline produced by an international group of experts for managing type 1 diabetes in adults with an emphasis on the special needs of older people with this condition. The rationale for delivering high-quality diabetes care for adults with type 1 diabetes, why it is important to include older people in our considerations, and the key underpinning principles of the guideline are included. The structure of the recommendations given is described and consists of 'general' recommendations followed by 'specific' recommendations according to three categories depending on the characteristics of adults addressed, such as functional level or self-management ability. Recommendations are provided in the areas of: clinical diagnosis, establishing management plans and glucose regulation, diabetes self-management education, nutritional therapy, physical activity, exercise and lifestyle modification, insulin treatments and regimens, use of technology in diabetes management, hypoglycaemia, managing cardiovascular risk, management of microvascular risk, and inpatient management of type 1 diabetes and ketoacidosis.

A Different View to Older Diabetics: Management of Treatment According to Cognitive Functions

Background and aims. Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic systemic disease which has multiple complications and the presence of these complications affects the management of disease. It is also important to consider cognitive functions when managing the treatment of older diabetics. In this study, we aimed to make proposals for the appropriate drug choice to preserve cognitive functions in elderly diabetics.

Matherial and methods. A total of 270 older diabetic patients were reviewed. Possible risk factors of cognitive impairment were investigated. Correlation analysis was performed between MMSE and GDS, age, HbA1c, duration of diabetes.

Results. Sulfonylurea (adj. OR: 2.33, %95 CI: 1.11-4.90) and insulin treatment (adj. OR: 3.79, %95 CI: 1.56-9.21) were found associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment. In addition, there was a negative correlation between MMSE and GDS (r: -.129, p<0.05).

Conclusion. We suggest that insulin and sulfonylureas should be used with caution in those with cognitive impairment.

High one-year mortality following hospitalization for severe hypoglycemia among patients with diabetes mellitus: findings of a retrospective cohort study at an acute tertiary care hospital in Singapore

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about the 1-year short-term mortality rate following hospital admissions with severe hypoglycemia. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with increased 1-year mortality rate following hospitalization in diabetes patients admitted with severe hypoglycemia to the Singapore General Hospital.

METHODS

Clinical, biochemical, and 1-year mortality data from diabetes patients who were admitted with severe hypoglycemia in the year 2014 were extracted from institutional medical records. Patients who passed away during the episode of admissions with severe hypoglycemia were excluded from the analysis. The clinical and biochemical factors between patients who survived and those who did not survive within 1 year following admission were compared using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Three hundred and four patients (181 female and 123 male) were admitted with severe hypoglycemia in 2014, and the mean capillary blood glucose on admission was 2.3 ± 0.7 mmol/L. Sixty-three (20.7%) patients died within 1-year post-discharge from the hospital. Compared with patients who survived 1-year post-discharge from the hospital, non-survivors were older (69.3 ± 11.0 vs 75.5 ± 11.2 years, p < .001), had longer lengths of stay (LOS) (5.0 ± 7.4 vs 9.0 ± 12.8 days, p = .02), and had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (4.1 ± 1.9 vs 5.9 ± 2.4, p < .001). Factors associated with increased 1-year mortality risk were age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.09, p < .01), LOS in hospital (OR = 1.01; 95% CI = 1.01-1.08, p < .01), and CCI (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 1.31-1.75, p < .01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Older diabetes patients with more comorbidities and longer LOS were at increased risk of dying within a year of discharge after hospitalization with severe hypoglycemia. Admission with severe hypoglycemia has important prognostic implications. Healthcare professionals should address hypoglycemia and other health issues during the hospital admissions.

Prevalence and associated factors of hospitalization for dysglycemia among elderly type 2 diabetes patients: A nationwide study

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of older individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing due to the aging population and improved medical care. These patients are very susceptible to disease and treatment-related hospitalizations, resulting in higher health care costs, morbidity, and decreased quality of life. However, data of treatment-related complications, especially dysglycemia-related hospitalizations, are lacking.

AIM

To assess the prevalence and associated factors for dysglycemia-related hospitalizations among elderly diabetic patients in Thailand using nationwide patient sample.

METHODS

T2DM patients aged ≥ 65 years who received medical care at public hospitals in Thailand in the year 2014 were included. The prevalence of hospitalization due to dysglycemia within one year was examined. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the independent factors associated with hospitalization due to hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia

RESULTS

A total of 11404 elderly T2DM patients were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 72.9 ± 5.5 years. The prevalence of hospital admissions due to diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, hyperglycemic dehydration syndrome, and hypoglycemia among elderly T2DM patients in the year 2014 was 0.1%, 0.1%, 1.7% and 3.1%, respectively. Increased hospitalization due to hypoglycemia was associated with older age, female sex, had hypertension, dementia, lower body mass index, elevated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), decreased kidney function, insulin use. Increased hospitalization due to hyperglycemia was associated with dementia, depression, lower body mass index, elevated HbA1C, and insulin use.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of dysglycemia-related hospitalization in elderly T2DM patients in Thailand was 4.9%. Close monitoring of blood glucose should be provided in high-risk patients for prevention and early detection for these complications.

Temporal changes in the incidence and predictors of severe hypoglycaemia in type 2 diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study

AIM

To determine the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia and its predictors in community-based patients with type 2 diabetes studied between 2008 and 2013 compared with those in a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes from the same geographical area assessed a decade earlier.

METHODS

We studied 1551 participants (mean age 65.7 years, 51.9% men) with type 2 diabetes from the longitudinal observational Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II (FDS2). Severe hypoglycaemia was ascertained as that requiring ambulance attendance, emergency department services and/or hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to determine predictors of a first episode of severe hypoglycaemia, and negative binomial regression was used to identify predictors of frequency.

RESULTS

Sixty-three participants (4.1%) experienced 83 episodes, representing an incidence of 1.34/100 participant-years (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08 to 1.67; vs 1.67/100 participant-years [95% CI 1.31-2.13] in the Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase I [FDS1]; P = 0.18). Those experiencing severe hypoglycaemia experienced one to four episodes in both cohorts. The independent predictors of incident severe hypoglycaemia in the FDS2 were: older age; higher educational attainment; alcohol consumption; current smoking; sulphonylurea/insulin treatment; prior severe hypoglycaemia; renal impairment; and plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The same variables except smoking were associated with frequency of severe hypoglycaemia. Most of these risk factors paralleled those in the FDS1, but current smoking and plasma NT-proBNP were novel.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence and frequency of severe hypoglycaemia did not change between the Fremantle Diabetes Study phases but novel risk factors, including plasma NT-proBNP, were observed in the FDS2.

Cognitive Frailty in Older People with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: the Central Role of Hypoglycaemia and the Need for Prevention

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To highlight the central role of hypoglycaemia in the causation of cognitive frailty and explore ways of recognition and prevention of hypoglycaemia.

RECENT FINDINGS

Cognitive frailty is an emerging new concept defined as the concomitant presence of physical frailty and cognitive impairment. In older people with diabetes, cognitive frailty is associated with an increased risk of mortality greater than from either physical frailty or cognitive impairment alone. Hypoglycaemia is directly associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and physical frailty which are the two components of cognitive frailty. The incidence of hypoglycaemia in older people with diabetes is rising and hypoglycaemia-related hospitalisation has overtaken that of hyperglycaemia. Recognition of hypoglycaemic episodes in old age remains challenging which leads to misdiagnoses and under-reporting. Therefore, hypoglycaemia prevention strategies are needed. Research is still required to investigate whether prevention of hypoglycaemia would lead to a reduction in the incidence of cognitive frailty.

Association of metformin, sulfonylurea and insulin use with brain structure and function and risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: Pooled analysis from 5 cohorts

Objective

To determine whether classes of diabetes medications are associated with cognitive health and dementia risk, above and beyond their glycemic control properties.

Research design and methods

Findings were pooled from 5 population-based cohorts: the Framingham Heart Study, the Rotterdam Study, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study, the Aging Gene-Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study (AGES) and the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA). Differences between users and non-users of insulin, metformin and sulfonylurea were assessed in each cohort for cognitive and brain MRI measures using linear regression models, and cognitive decline and dementia/AD risk using mixed effect models and Cox regression analyses, respectively. Findings were then pooled using meta-analytic techniques, including 3,590 individuals with diabetes for the prospective analysis.

Results

After adjusting for potential confounders including indices of glycemic control, insulin use was associated with increased risk of new-onset dementia (pooled HR (95% CI) = 1.58 (1.18, 2.12);p = 0.002) and with a greater decline in global cognitive function (β = -0.014±0.007;p = 0.045). The associations with incident dementia remained similar after further adjustment for renal function and excluding persons with diabetes whose treatment was life-style change only. Insulin use was not related to cognitive function nor to brain MRI measures. No significant associations were found between metformin or sulfonylurea use and outcomes of brain function and structure. There was no evidence of significant between-study heterogeneity.

Conclusions

Despite its advantages in controlling glycemic dysregulation and preventing complications, insulin treatment may be associated with increased adverse cognitive outcomes possibly due to a greater risk of hypoglycemia.

Depressive symptoms and quality of life after screening for cognitive impairment in patients with type 2 diabetes: observations from the Cog-ID cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To assess changes in depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after screening for cognitive impairment in people with type 2 diabetes.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study, part of the Cognitive Impairment in Diabetes (Cog-ID) study.

SETTING

Participants were screened for cognitive impairment in primary care. People suspected of cognitive impairment (screen positives) received a standardised evaluation at a memory clinic.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants ≥70 years with type 2 diabetes were included in Cog-ID between August 2012 and September 2014, the current study includes 179 patients; 39 screen positives with cognitive impairment, 56 screen positives without cognitive impairment and 84 participants not suspected of cognitive impairment during screening (screen negatives).

OUTCOME MEASURES

Depressive symptoms and HRQOL assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaire and the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale. Outcomes were assessed before the screening, and 6 and 24 months after screening. An analysis of covariance model was fitted to assess differences in score changes among people diagnosed with cognitive impairment, screen negatives and screen positives without cognitive impairment using a factor group and baseline score as a covariate.

RESULTS

Of all participants, 60.3% was male, mean age was 76.3±5.0 years, mean diabetes duration 13.0±8.5 years. At screening, participants diagnosed with cognitive impairment had significantly more depressive symptoms and a worse HRQOL than screen negatives. Scores of both groups remained stable over time. Screen positives without cognitive impairment scored between the other two groups at screening, but their depressive symptoms decreased significantly during follow-up (mean CES-D: -3.1 after 6 and -2.1 after 24 months); their HRQOL also tended to improve.

CONCLUSIONS

Depressive symptoms are common in older people with type 2 diabetes. Screening for and a subsequent diagnosis of cognitive impairment will not increase depressive symptoms.

People with type 2 diabetes and screen-detected cognitive impairment use acute health care services more often: observations from the COG-ID study

BACKGROUND

Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of cognitive impairment which can lead to impaired diabetes self-management and an increased risk of diabetes-related complications. Routine screening for cognitive impairment in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes is therefore increasingly advocated. The aim of this study is to investigate whether people with type 2 diabetes and screen-detected cognitive impairment use acute health care services more often than patients not suspected of cognitive impairment.

METHODS

People with type 2 diabetes ≥ 70 years were screened for cognitive impairment in primary care. Diagnoses in screen positives were established at a memory clinic. Information about acute health care use was collected for 2 years prior to and 2 years after screening and compared to screen negatives.

RESULTS

154 participants (38% female, mean age 76.7 ± 5.2 years, diabetes duration 8.7 ± 8.2 years) were included, 37 patients with cognitive impairment, 117 screen negatives. A higher percentage of participants with cognitive impairment compared to screen negative patients used acute health care services; this difference was significant for general practitioner's out of hours services (56% versus 34% used this service over 4 years, p = 0.02). The mean number of acute health care visits was also higher in those with cognitive impairment than in screen negatives (2.2 ± 2.8 versus 1.4 ± 2.2 visits in 4 years, p < 0.05; 1.4 ± 2.2 versus 0.7 ± 1.5 visits in 2 years after screening, p = 0.03). Factors that could have played a role in this increased risk of acute health care services use were a low educational level, the presence of depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 16), self-reported problems in self-care and self-reported problems in usual activities.

CONCLUSIONS

People with type 2 diabetes and screen-detected cognitive impairment use acute health care services more often.

Diabetic ketoacidosis further increases risk of Alzheimer's disease in patients with type 2 diabetes

AIM

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for dementia. It is unclear whether diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) further increases the risk of dementia in patients with type 2 DM.

METHODS

This retrospective nationwide population-based cohort study was conducted using Taiwan's National Health Insurance database. We extracted claims data for 4451 patients with type 2 diabetes and DKA and 8902 diabetic controls matched for age, gender, diabetes complication severity index, frequency of clinic visits and baseline comorbidities between 2000 and 2002. Patients with type 1 diabetes or prior hypoglycemia before index date were excluded. All patients were tracked until new dementia diagnosis, death, or end of 2011.

RESULTS

Of the 4451 DKA patients, 211 (4.7%) and 305 (3.4%) of the 8902 diabetic controls were diagnosed as having dementia during the follow-up period. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) for dementia was 1.62 (95% CI 1.35-1.93; P < 0.0001) for patients with DKA versus diabetic patients without DKA. After adjusting for age, baseline comorbidities, geographic area, and income, patients with DKA were found to have 1.86 times the risk of developing dementia, compared to controls (95% CI 1.56-2.22, P < 0.0001). They were found to have a higher risk of Alzheimer's dementia (HR:1.86; 95% CI 1.52-2.28, P < 0.0001) but not non-Alzheimer's dementia.

CONCLUSION

Type 2 diabetes patients with DKA are at increased risk of Alzheimer's dementia but not non-Alzheimer dementia.

Glycaemic control and mortality in older people with type 2 diabetes: The Fremantle Diabetes Study Phase II

AIM

To investigate whether tight glycaemic control achieved with metformin, insulin or sulphonylurea-based pharmacotherapy increases all-cause mortality in older people with type 2 diabetes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study of individuals with known diabetes recruited between 2008 and 2011 and followed until 2016. The impact of baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) on mortality hazards was investigated in participants aged ≥75 years. Proportional hazards models for time to death were constructed from the baseline clinical assessment, then the variables of interest (HbA1c, treatment category and their interactions) were entered.

RESULTS

There were 367 participants (mean age 80.1 ± 3.9 years, median [interquartile range] HbA1c 50 [45-56] mmol/mol or 6.7 [6.3-7.3]%) who were followed for a median (interquartile range) 6.7 (4.5-7.7) years, during which 40.9% of the participants died. At baseline, 60.4% were on metformin-based treatment, 35.3% on sulphonylurea-based treatment and 23.2% on treatment including insulin. Baseline HbA1c was significantly associated with mortality in a model that included interactions between HbA1c and the three treatment-based groups compared with non-pharmacological treatment. The metformin treatment group had higher mortality when HbA1c levels were <48 mmol/mol (<6.5%) and the sulphonylurea and insulin treatment groups had higher mortality when HbA1c levels were <52 mmol/mol (<7.0%), with hazard ratios of 2.63 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.39-4.97), 2.49 (95% CI 1.14-5.44) and 2.22 (95% CI 1.12-4.43), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Tight glycaemic control may be hazardous in older people with type 2 diabetes when achieved with pharmacotherapy with metformin, and especially with insulin or sulphonylureas. These data confirm that overtreatment is likely to be an important clinical problem in this vulnerable population.

Impact of pharmacological treatment of diabetes mellitus on dementia risk: systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The association between diabetes mellitus (DM) treatment and dementia is not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between treatment of diabetes, hypoglycemia, and dementia risk.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of pharmacological treatment of diabetes and incident or progressive cognitive impairment. We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, and PsychINFO from inception to 18 October 2017. We included cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, and randomized controlled studies. The study was registered with PROSPERO (ID CRD42017077953).

RESULTS

We included 37 studies into our systematic review and 13 into our meta-analysis. Ten studies investigated any antidiabetic treatment compared with no treatment or as add-on therapy to prior care. Treatment with an antidiabetic agent, in general, was not associated with incident dementia (risk ratio (RR) 1.01; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.10). However, we found differential effects across drug classes, with a signal of harm associated with insulin therapy (RR 1.21; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.39), but potentially protective effects with thiazolidinedione exposure (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.55 to 0.93). Severe hypoglycemic episodes were associated with a nearly twofold increased likelihood of incident dementia (RR 1.77; 95% CI 1.35 to 2.33). Most studies did not account for DM duration or severity.

CONCLUSIONS AND LIMITATIONS

The association between treatment for diabetes and dementia is differential according to drug class, which is potentially mediated by hypoglycemic risk. Not accounting for DM duration and/or severity is a major limitation in the available evidence base.

Hypoglycemia and cognitive function in diabetic patients

AIMS

Hypoglycemia can be considered the most common complication of Diabetes Mellitus treatment. So far, controversial studies have been carried out to examine the impacts of hypoglycemia on the cognitive function.

METHODS

This study was conducted as case-control. The case group was 35 patients with Diabetes Mellitus Types I or II hospitalized in Imam Hussein Hospital, Tehran, Iran, who have experienced hypoglycemic attacks (glucose level below 70 mg/dl). The control group consisted of diabetic patients hospitalized in hospital, but they had no history of hypoglycemia. As the blood glucose level became in normal range and the patients' Mental status became stable, the brain cognitive function was examined using Mini-Mental State test.

RESULTS

The mean age of the subjects in the case and control groups was 56.77, 53.73 years old, respectively. The mean cognitive score in the control and hypoglycemic groups was 29.09 and 25.29, respectively. The mean MMSE cognitive score was significantly diminished in the hypoglycemic group (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that incidence of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients is associated with cognitive disorders. Further, there is a linear association between cognitive disorders and hypoglycemia, age and diabetes mellitus complication.

The Need for Actions Against Polypharmacy in Older People With Frailty

Providing safe and effective drug therapy to older patients is challenging for physicians since there is not sufficient evidence to support the efficacy of these drugs and this population is susceptible to adverse drug reactions. Special consideration is needed when treating patients who require nursing care or who are at a stage prior to disability (i.e., frailty) because they may have limited life expectancies, complications, or organ dysfunction. Polypharmacy refers to the condition in which a patient is taking many drugs and, thus, is at an increased risk of adverse events. Although it is difficult to avoid polypharmacy in older people with frailty, the periodic review of drugs and reduction of dose or discontinuation of potentially inappropriate medications are needed to address this problem. This article reviews the association between frailty and polypharmacy and counteractions against polypharmacy in patients with frailty.

Severe hypoglycaemia, mild cognitive impairment, dementia and brain volumes in older adults with type 2 diabetes: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort study

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

We aimed to evaluate the link between severe hypoglycaemia and domain-specific cognitive decline, smaller brain volumes and dementia in adults with type 2 diabetes, which so far has been relatively poorly characterised.

METHODS

We included participants with diagnosed diabetes from the community-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. At the participants' fifth study visit (2011-2013), we examined the cross-sectional associations of severe hypoglycaemia with cognitive status, brain volumes and prior 15 year cognitive decline. We also conducted a prospective survival analysis of incident dementia from baseline, visit 4 (1996-1998), to 31 December 2013. Severe hypoglycaemia was identified, using ICD-9 codes, from hospitalisations, emergency department visits and ambulance records. Prior cognitive decline was defined as change in neuropsychological test scores from visit 4 (1996-1998) to visit 5 (2011-2013). At visit 5, a subset of participants underwent brain MRIs. Analyses were adjusted for demographics, APOE genotype, use of diabetes medication, duration of diabetes and glycaemic control.

RESULTS

Among 2001 participants with diabetes at visit 5 (mean age 76 years), a history of severe hypoglycaemia (3.1% of participants) was associated with dementia (vs normal cognitive status): OR 2.34 (95% CI 1.04, 5.27). In the subset of participants who had undergone brain MRI (n = 580), hypoglycaemia was associated with smaller total brain volume (-0.308 SD, 95% CI -0.612, -0.004). Hypoglycaemia was nominally associated with a 15 year cognitive change (-0.14 SD, 95% CI -0.34, 0.06). In prospective analysis (n = 1263), hypoglycaemia was strongly associated with incident dementia (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.78, 3.63).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our results demonstrate a strong link between severe hypoglycaemia and poor cognitive outcomes, suggesting a need for discussion of appropriate diabetes treatments for high-risk older adults.

Royal College of Psychiatrists Liaison Faculty & Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS): guidelines for the management of diabetes in adults and children with psychiatric disorders in inpatient settings

The Royal College of Psychiatrists Liaison Faculty & Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS) for Inpatient Care guidelines for the management of diabetes in adults and children with psychiatric disorders in inpatient settings are available in full at: www.diabetes.org.uk/joint-british-diabetes-society and https://abcd.care/joint-british-diabetes-societies-jbds-inpatient-care-group. This article summarizes the guidelines and recommendations. Commissioners are urged to ensure that the needs of people with diabetes and severe mental illness are specifically addressed in contracts with providers of inpatient care, and to avoid financial or other barriers to cross-organizational working and to ensure that patient-structured education is commissioned to meets the complex needs of people with diabetes and severe mental illness. Acute trusts are asked to develop joint pathways with mental health providers and facilitate multidisciplinary working and to screen for mental ill health in those admitted with acute complications of diabetes whose aetiology is unclear or not medically explained. Mental health trusts should create a diabetes register, screen for diabetes, particularly in those prescribed second-generation antipsychotics and ensure that staff are trained in managing and avoiding hypoglycaemia, and the safe use of insulin. Finally, clinical teams should ensure that all staff can access training in diabetes and mental health to support them to care for people with both diabetes and severe mental illness, develop local pathways for joint working and ensure best practice tariff criteria are met for diabetic ketoacidosis and hypoglycaemia, and for children and young people with diabetes.

Diabetes in the older patient: heterogeneity requires individualisation of therapeutic strategies

Owing to the worldwide increase in life expectancy, the high incidence of diabetes in older individuals and the improved survival of people with diabetes, about one-third of all individuals with diabetes are now older than 65 years. Evidence is accumulating that type 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive impairment, dementia and frailty. Older people with diabetes have significantly more comorbidities, such as myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral arterial disease and renal impairment, compared with those without diabetes. However, as a consequence of the increased use of multifactorial risk factor intervention, a considerable number of older individuals can now survive for many years without any vascular complications. Given the heterogeneity of older individuals with type 2 diabetes, an individualised approach is warranted, which must take into account the health status, presence or absence of complications, and life expectancy. In doing so, undertreatment of otherwise healthy older individuals and overtreatment of those who are frail may be avoided. Specifically, overtreatment of hyperglycaemia in older patients is potentially harmful; in particular, insulin and sulfonylureas should be avoided or, if necessary, used with caution. Instead, glucose-dependent drugs that do not induce hypoglycaemia are preferable since older patients with diabetes and impaired kidney function are especially vulnerable to this adverse event.

Incidence rate and patient characteristics of severe hypoglycemia in treated type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in Japan: Retrospective Diagnosis Procedure Combination database analysis

AIMS/INTRODUCTION

To evaluate the incidence rate of and identify factors associated with severe hypoglycemic episodes in patients with treated type 2 diabetes mellitus.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Using Diagnosis Procedure Combination hospital-based medical database, we carried out a retrospective cohort study to assess the incidence rate of severe hypoglycemia in treated type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. We evaluated the associations between severe hypoglycemia and age, sex, complications, and current use of insulin or sulfonylurea (SU) in a nested case-control study.

RESULTS

Of 166,806 eligible patients, 1,242 had episodes of severe hypoglycemia during the observational period. The incidence rate of the first hypoglycemic events was 3.70/1,000 patient years. Based on the nested case-control analysis, age was associated with hypoglycemic events with adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of 1.64 or 65-74-year-old patients and 3.79 for ≥75-year-old patients in comparison with 20-64-year-old patients. Comorbidities, such as cognitive impairment, cancer, macrovascular disease and diabetic complications (retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy), were associated with severe hypoglycemia, with adjusted ORs ranging from 1.25 to 3.80. Severe hypoglycemic events also increased in patients with current use of both SU and insulin, either SU or insulin, with adjusted ORs of 18.36, 6.31 or 14.07, respectively, compared with patients with other antihyperglycemic agents. In patients with an SU glimepiride, adjusted ORs increased dose-dependently from 3.65 (≤1 mg) to 13.34 (>2 mg).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence rate of severe hypoglycemia in this cohort was 3.70/1,000 patient years. Age, cognitive impairment, cancer, diabetic complications, current use of insulin + SU and SU dosage were identified as risk factors for severe hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycaemia in the over 75s: Understanding the predisposing factors in type 2 diabetes (T2DM)

INTRODUCTION

Hypoglycaemia has been recognised as a problem in the treatment for type 2 diabetes. Here we describe how levels of HbA1C and treatment with a sulphonylurea or insulin relate to risk of significant hypoglycaemia.

METHODS

Incident hypoglycaemia as recorded for the previous 10 years was determined from the GP records for patients with T2DM aged 75 years or more.

RESULTS

The anonymised GP records of 5974 T2DM patients (2934 men and 3040 women) aged 75 years or more were analysed. Mean age of the men was 81.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 80.9-81.2) years and of the women was 82.2 (95% CI 82.0-82.4) years. Hypoglycaemic events of significance were recorded in 4.9% of men and 5.1% of women. The prevalence of hypoglycaemia was higher in those with a higher concurrent HbA1C. HbA1C for those people with a recorded significant hypoglycaemic attack(s) was 57.9 (95% CI 56.4-59.4) mmol/mol compared to those with no history of hypoglycaemic episodes at 51.6 (95% CI 51.3-52.0) mmol/mol (p<0.002). Even for those on sulphonylurea and/or insulin treatment, hypoglycaemia prevalence increased with HbA1C: for patients with an HbA1C of <48mmol/mol, age and gender adjusted hypoglycaemia prevalence was 11.1%, for HbA1C of 48-57mmol/mol, prevalence 9.9%, for HbA1C 58-67mmol/mol prevalence, 13.2% and for HbA1C 68mmol/mol or more, prevalence of hypoglycaemia was 16.1%. There was a slight fall in HbA1C by age (normalised β -0.069, p<0.001) and no difference by level of social disadvantage. Treatment with a sulphonylurea or insulin very significantly increased the likelihood of a hypoglycaemic episode: odds ratio (OR) 8.94 (95% CI 6.45-12.42), p<0.001, independent of age, BMI, Townsend index and gender.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of hypoglycaemia was greater in those individuals with higher HbA1C and in those on sulphonylurea/insulin treatment. Our findings suggest that it is variance in blood glucose rather than overall lower blood glucose levels that predisposes older people to hypoglycaemia.

[Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in elderly patients]

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) increases markedly with age. Antidiabetic treatment and the objectives of glycaemic control in elderly patients with DM2 should be individualised according to their biopsychosocial characteristics. In elderly patients for whom the benefits of intensive antidiabetic treatment are limited, the basic objectives should be to improve the quality of life, preserve functionality and avoid adverse effects, especially hypoglycaemia. Treatment of DM2 in the elderly was the subject of a consensus document published in 2012 and endorsed by several Spanish scientific societies. Since then, new therapeutic groups and evidence have emerged that warrant an update to this consensus document. The present document focuses on the therapeutic aspects of DM2 in elderly patients, understood as being older than 75 years or frail.