Osteoporosis complication is a risk factor for frailty in females with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Hiroshi Tamura, Toshiaki Miyamoto, Akira Tamaki and 2 others
PMID 31527997WHAT IT FOUND
Frailty scores did not differ between older women with type 2 diabetes who had osteoporosis and those who did not.
In the osteoporosis group, weaker legs, grip and slower walking were linked with more frailty signs. Leg strength was lower than controls.
Key findings
01Frailty scale scores did not differ significantly between the osteoporosis and control groups (median 2 versus 1 points, p=0.92).
02Lower limb muscle strength was significantly lower in the osteoporosis group than in the control group (median 54.2 versus 83.4 Nm, p=0.03).
03In the osteoporosis group, frailty scores were inversely correlated with lower limb strength, handgrip and gait speed; no significant correlations were found in the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
It was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that osteoporosis caused lower strength or frailty. The sample was small, with 27 older women with type 2 diabetes (14 with osteoporosis and 13 without). All participants were female, aged 65 years or older, and were in hospital for diabetes education. People with stroke, dementia or difficulty walking were excluded. Frailty scores did not differ between groups, while correlations were only within the osteoporosis group. The study did not test exercise or treatment.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that osteoporosis causes frailty or that leg-strength exercise will improve frailty. Frailty scores did not differ between groups, and this was a small cross-sectional study of 27 older women with type 2 diabetes, not a treatment trial.