Frailty: An Important Determinant Influencing Glycaemic Control in Elderly Chinese Patients Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract

Few studies have investigated blood glucose levels and complication management in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) at community hospitals in China. The objective of this study was to investigate the factors influencing blood glucose control in elderly patients with T2D. One thousand one hundred and fifty elderly patients (age ≥ 65 years) with T2D were involved in the study to assess blood glucose control, health status (including comorbidities and cognitive status), complication management, and adherence to medication according to the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association. The FRAIL scale was used to screen for frailty syndrome in the elderly patients. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the factors affecting glucose control. Among the 1150 participants, 351 (30.52%) had poor glucose control. Frailty (odds ratio [OR]:2.546; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.267–5.117; p = 0.009), male sex (OR:0.679; 95% CI: 0.522–0.884; p = 0.004), and insulin treatment (OR: 0.229; 95% CI: 0.165–0.317; p < 0.001) were significantly independently associated with poor blood glucose control. In conclusion, for elderly patients with T2D, more attention should be paid to men, insulin therapy initiation and screening for frailty.