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Objective: To evaluate the role of PhA in diabetes in a large population of older adults with a high prevalence of diabetes in order to gain new insights on the potential diagnostic and prognostic role of PhA in individuals with diabetes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Teaching Hospital. Participants: 1085 individuals aged 55 years or over. Measurements: Phase Angle was obtained using bioimpedance analysis with the Bodystat QuadScan®4000. Diabetes mellitus was considered present with fasting hyperglycaemia (serum fasting glucose >6.66 mmol/l), HbA1c > 42 mmol/mol (6.1%), or self-reported Diabetes or the consumption of glucose-lowering agents. Results: The mean age of the (standard deviation) of the 1,085 participants was 68.11 (7.12) years and 60.7% were women. Among male participants, individuals with PhA within the lowest quartile (PhA ≤4.9) were significantly more likely to have diabetes mellitus [odds Ratio (95% confidence interval, CI), 2.02 (1.17–3.47)] following adjustments for age, body mass index and other comorbidities. The above relationship was attenuated following further adjustment hypoglycaemic medications. Men on oral hypoglycaemic agents had significantly reduced PhA [mean difference (95% CI), −0.44 (−0.67 to −0.22)]. No significant relationship between PhA and diabetes existed among women. Conclusion: The association between lower PhA (≤4.9) in men aged 55 and over and diabetes which is accounted for by oral hypoglycaemic agents. The mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. This relationship should also be evaluated further to determine the potential of PhA as a prognostic tool for diabetes.

ABSTRACTObjectivesWhile metabolic syndrome, falls, and frailty are common health issues among older adults which are likely to be related, the potential interplay between these three conditions has not previously been investigated. We investigated the relationship between metabolic syndrome with falls, and the role of frailty markers in this potential relationship, among community-dwelling older adults.MethodsData from the first wave Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study comprising urban dwellers aged 55 years and above were utilized. Twelve-month fall histories were established during home-based, computer-assisted interviews which physical performance, anthropometric and laboratory measures were obtained during a hospital-based health check. Gait speed, exhaustion, weakness, and weight loss were employed as frailty markers.ResultsData were available for 1415 participants, mean age of 68.56 ± 7.26 years, 57.2% women. Falls and metabolic syndrome were present in 22.8% and 44.2%, respectively. After adjusting for age, sex, and multiple comorbidities, metabolic syndrome was significantly associated with falls in the sample population [odds ratio (OR): 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03; 1.72]. This relationship was attenuated by the presence of slow gait speed, but not exhaustion, weakness, or weight loss.ConclusionMetabolic syndrome was independently associated with falls among older adults, and this relationship was accounted for by the presence of slow gait speed. Future studies should determine the value of screening for frailty and falls with gait speed in older adults with metabolic syndrome as a potential fall prevention measure.

The CASP-19 is an age-specific measure of quality of life. It comprises four domains: control, autonomy, self-realisation and pleasure, and is widely used in large cohort studies in temperate climates. Our objective was to translate the CASP-19 into Bahasa Malaysia and validate it for use in older Malaysians in their three commonly used languages of English, Bahasa Malaysia and Traditional Chinese. CASP-19 showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability with acceptable construct validity compared with the 12-item short-form health survey. Factor analysis found the best fit for the Taiwanese five-domain model. The validity of CASP-19 may be limited by cultural differences.

Background: Rapid population aging occurring in developing nations necessitates innovation to ensure we continue to gain ground on aging research despite pandemic threats. While developed nations have resorted to virtual communications, this is challenging in developing nations due to poor internet connectivity and digital literacy., Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of virtual data collection for a longitudinal study of aging assessing cognitive frailty in a middle-income Southeast Asian country., Methods: The Transforming Cognitive Frailty into Later-Life Self-Sufficiency (AGELESS) longitudinal study of aging involved community-dwelling participants aged 60 years and above. A semi-structured focus group discussion was conducted via videoconferencing with selected representatives from existing participants. The survey instrument was compiled during a hybrid meeting and refined using a virtual Delphi process involving 51 AGELESS investigators. The final draft survey and recruitment strategy were then piloted among selected participants., Results: Twelve individuals participated in the virtual focus group interview. Smartphone, tablet computer, laptops, and desktop personal computers were used for information gathering, communication, banking, shopping, leisure, religion, and education, within this group. The survey instrument was redacted from 362 items in 18 sections to 141 items in 12 sections through 3 virtual Delphi rounds facilitated by email, social media messaging, and videoconferencing which attracted 213 comments. Of 45 participants selected for the pilot survey, 30 were successfully contacted after one attempt and 18 completed the survey. Cognitive frailty was present in 13%, cognitive impairment in 20%, frailty in 20%, and 47% were robust., Conclusion: A virtual survey instrument was developed for the AGELESS longitudinal survey of aging which was vital for determining the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our older population as well as sustaining research into aging despite barriers posed by the pandemic., (© 2021 S. Karger AG, Basel.)