Effect of Sarcopenia on Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes: A Long-Term Follow-Up Propensity Score-Matched Diabetes Cohort Study

Purpose: The effect of sarcopenia on the survival of patients with type 2 diabetes remains unclear. Therefore, we designed a propensity score-matched population-based cohort study to compare the patients with diabetes with or without sarcopenia. Patients and Methods: We included patients with type 2 diabetes and categorized them into two groups according to whether they had sarcopenia and compared their survival; patients in the groups were matched at a ratio of 1:2. Results: The matching process yielded a final cohort of 201,698 patients (132,805 and 68,893 in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia diabetes groups, respectively) who were eligible for further analysis. According to both univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs; 95% confidence interval [CI]) of all-cause death for the sarcopenia diabetes group compared with the control group: 1.35 (1.33–1.38; p < 0.001). The aHRs (95% CIs) of all-cause death for those aged 41–50, 51–60, and >60 years (compared with those aged ≤40 years) were 1.53 (1.48–1.60), 2.61 (2.52–2.72), and 6.21 (5.99–6.45), respectively. The aHR (95% CI) of all-cause death for the male patients compared with the female patients was 1.56 (1.54–1.60). The aHRs (95% CIs) of all-cause death for those with adapted Diabetes Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) scores of 1, 2, 3, 4, and ≥5 (compared with an aDCSI score of 0) were 1.01 (1.00–1.14), 1.38 (1.35–1.42), 1.58 (1.54–1.63), and 2.23 (2.14–2.33), respectively. Conclusion: Patients with type 2 diabetes and sarcopenia had higher mortality than did those without sarcopenia.