Utilization of Frontal Assessment Battery and Executive Interview 25 in assessing for dysexecutive syndrome and its association with diabetes self-care in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
Executive function (EF) comprises a set of cognitive skills that controls the execution of complex activities. In the context of diabetes, this may include patients' self-monitoring and daily management of their condition. We compared two different measures of EF in a population of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and studied its relationship with diabetes self-care.


METHODS
Fifty patients (34 males) had EF assessed using Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and Executive Interview 25 (EXIT25). Diabetes self-care was assessed using the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities (SDSCA) scale. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid levels, blood pressure and diabetes duration were recorded.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 67.0+/-7.5 years and mean duration of diabetes was 8.1+/-6.4 years. Mean HbA1c was 7.0+/-1.2%, and mean fasting plasma glucose, cholesterol and LDL-C were 7.0+/-1.7mM, 4.0+/-0.9mM and 2.1+/-0.7mM respectively. Mean EXIT25 score was 9.5+/-4.6 in the range of normal EF (14% had EXIT25 score>15, indicating impaired EF). Mean FAB score was 13.7+/-3.3 (48% having scores<15, indicating impaired EF), suggesting a degree of dysexecutive syndrome involving frontal lobe functions. EXIT25 score was inversely correlated with SDSCA (r=-0.3, p<0.05) but no significant correlation between FAB and SDSCA or HbA1c, diabetes duration, lipid levels and blood pressure with EXIT25, FAB or SDCSA was found.


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of elderly patients with T2DM may have dysexecutive syndrome and impairment in EF may impact on self-care in this group.
Thabit
H
H
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes Mellitus, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Connolly Hospital, Dublin 15, Ireland.
Kennelly
S M
SM
Bhagarva
A
A
Ogunlewe
M
M
McCormack
P M E
PM
McDermott
J H
JH
Sreenan
S
S
D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008950:MMPI; D008875:Middle Aged; D012648:Self Care
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids