Impact of Type-2 Diabetes Time Since Diagnosis on Elderly Women Gait and Functional Status.
OBJECTIVE
The gait, mobility and lower-limb strength alterations of diabetic elderly women without symptoms of diabetic neuropathy in different periods of the chronic disease can contribute to an early functional diagnosis, allowing prevention of adverse outcomes like falls and disability. This could also contribute to the development of interventions, cures and physiotherapy practice for this population. The aim of this study was to verify the impact of type-2 diabetes mellitus time since diagnosis on gait and functional status of elderly women.


METHODS
Eighty-two diabetic elderly women without neuropathic symptoms participated and divided in two groups: 1) 49 elderly (71.4 ± 4.8 years) with less than 10 years of type-2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis, and 2) 33 elderly (70 ± 4.5 years) with 10 or more years of type-2 diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Outcomes were spatiotemporal gait parameters (speed, cadence, step length, base of support, stance time, swing time, and double support time) assessed through GAITRite® system, and functional status assessed using the Timed Up and Go test and five times sit-to-stand test. To compare spatiotemporal gait variables and performance on functional tests between groups, multivariate analysis of variance and Mann-Whitney test were performed, respectively.


RESULTS
The group with 10 or more years of diagnosis showed lower gait speed and smaller step length (112.3 cm/s; 59.2 cm) compared with the group with less than 10 years of diagnosis (122.9 cm/s; 62.4 cm). In relation to Timed Up and Go test and five times sit-to-stand test, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Type-2 diabetes mellitus time since diagnosis has a negative impact on gait speed and step length, but not on functional status of the elderly women. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Physical Therapy Course, Faculdade Estácio de Sá, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Daniela Maria
DM
da Cruz Anjos
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Bruno
B
de Souza Moreira
Physical Therapy Course, Nursing School, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Daniele Sirineu
DS
Pereira
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Alexandra Miranda Assumpção
AM
Picorelli
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Danielle Aparecida Gomes
DA
Pereira
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Renata Noce
RN
Kirkwood
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Rosângela Corrêa
RC
Dias
Graduate Programme in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.|Department of Physical Therapy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Leani Souza Máximo
LS
Pereira
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors
diabetes mellitus; elderly; frail elderly; functional status; gait