The type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) specific dementia risk score (DSDRS) was conceived to assess the stake of Dementia in older adults with T2DM. Factors associated withT2DM- are shown to increase the risk of age-related conditions, which also can increase threat of Dementia. Hence, in the study here, we assess the correlation of DSDRS with frailty, disability, quality of life (QoL) and cognitive assessment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus coming to the tertiary care centre.
Material: In this study we assessed 286 patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus to assess the correlation between DSDRS and Mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Isaac's set-test (IST), clock drawing test (CDT), quality of life (SF-36), risk of malnutrition (Mini-Nutritional Assessment or MNA), as well as frailty, Katz' and Lawton-Brody scores. We also evaluated the phenotype and correlates of high estimated dementia risk by doing assessing of individuals with DSDRS >75th age specific percentiles.
Observation: Study population mean age was 77.0 ± 5.2 years. in this study DSDRS was seen to have a significant correlation with MMSE test, IST, CDT, SF-36, MNA, Lawton-Brody and Katz scores, and an increasing number of frailty components. DSDRS was found to be more among frail, pre-frail, and subjects with limited ADL and IADL (p < 0.001). Study population with DSDRS >75th age specific percentiles had lower education, MMSE, IST, SF-36, MNA, Katz, Lawton-Brody, and higher frailty scores. High estimated 10 year dementia risk was associated with ADL and IADL disability, frailty and risk of malnutrition. When evaluating separate components of DSDRS, T2DM related microvascular complications were related to all outcome measures.
Conclusion: The DSDRS is associated with frailty, disability, malnutrition and lower cognitive performance. These findings support that T2DM-related factors have significant burden on functional status, QoL, disability and dementia risk.
© Journal of the Association of Physicians of India 2011.