Low Free Triiodothyronine Levels Are Associated With Risk of Frailty in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

[helvella]

A peculiar paper. The idea that we should measure FT3 in order to assess risk of frailty seems distinctly half-baked.

We see so many times assertions that it is entirely "normal" for older people to have higher TSH and lower FT4 and FT4, it at least could be welcome to see low FT3 highlighted as having some significance within the age group.

From what is available, I cannot see whether having Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus is relevant. Would an otherwise similar cohort who do not have T2DM be robust despite low FT3? I have my doubts.

Exp Gerontol

. 2020 Jun 23;111013.

doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111013. Online ahead of print.

Low Free Triiodothyronine Levels Are Associated With Risk of Frailty in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Shuangling Xiu 1 , Zhijing Mu 2 , Lei Zhao 2 , Lina Sun 2

Affiliations

• PMID: 32590129

• DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.111013

Abstract

Objectives: With aging populations around the world, frailty is becoming more prevalent increasing the need to early identify those at risk of frailty). The association between thyroid hormone levels and frailty in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unclear. The objective of the study was to evaluate the relationship between thyroid hormone concentrations and frailty in older adults with T2DM.

Methods: A total of 240 older adults with T2DM were divided into three groups according to the frailty phenotype criteria: robust group (n = 94), pre-frail (n = 110) and frail group (n = 36). Concentrations of free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH) D3], highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined. Handgrip strength was measured using a Jamar hand dynamometer. Physical function was assessed by gait speed and the timed go and up (TUG) test. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between FT3 and frailty.

Results: The FT3 level was the lowest among frail people (2.56 ± 0.42 pg/mL), followed by pre-frail participants (2.73 ± 0.38 pg/mL), with the highest among the robust subjects (2.83 ± 0.43 pg/mL). FT3 level was positively correlated with handgrip strength and gait speed (R = 0.313, P < 0.001; R = 0.250, P < 0.001, respectively), while negatively correlated with TUG time (R = -0.276, P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, TSH, 25(OH) D3 and estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), logistic regression showed that low FT3 was significantly associated with an increased risk of frailty (odds ratio (OR): 4.53; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.89-10.83; P = 0.001).

Conclusion: Low levels of FT3 were associated with an increased risk of frailty in older adults with T2DM. Measuring FT3 might be useful for identifying those at high risk of frailty.

Keywords: China; Diabetes; FT3; Frailty; Thyroid disease; Thyroid function.

Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc.

As so often, the full paper is behind a paywall:

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/325...

[Lalatoot]

You trying to get to sleep helleva that you are reading all these studies?

Seriously though thanks for sharing.

[shaws Administrator]

How many, many frail older people are not being given the T3 hormones they need to help them from deteriorating?

It's nothing more than severe neglect and also refusing those who're hypo who are also neglected through the 'misinformation' about NDT and refusal to prescribe T3.