Objective: To examine whether odds of frailty differ by DPP intervention arms (intensive lifestyle intervention [ILS], metformin [MET], placebo [PLB] after long-term follow-up in the DPPOS.

Methods: DPP, a randomized trial of individuals at high risk of diabetes, lasted 2.8 years, after which there was a 13-month bridge period in which 16 sessions of group ILS was offered to all participants. During DPPOS, ILS was offered lifestyle reinforcement semi-annually and MET received unmasked metformin. Frailty was measured initially in DPPOS Year 8 in 2385 participants and repeated in 2264 of these in Year 10 (12 and 14 years after randomization). Using Fried criteria, presence of 3 of 5 characteristics (slow walking speed, weak grip strength, unintentional weight loss, low physical activity, and exhaustion) was classified as frail, 1 or 2 pre-frail, and 0 non-frail.: GEE models adjusting for visit year were employed with repeated measures pooled from Years 8 and 10 to estimate pairwise odds ratios between ILS, MET and PLB for the outcomes of frail and pre-frail vs. non-frail.

Results: Odds of frailty vs. non-frailty were 37% lower in ILS compared to PLB (Table) and MET (OR=0.629, CI= 0.420-0.942, p=0.024). There were no significant treatment group differences in odds of pre-frailty.

Conclusion: ILS intervention in persons at high risk of diabetes may reduce frailty in later life.

 12 years Post-randomization 14 years post-randomization Odds of Frailty vs. Non-Frailty Pooled over both exams 
Treatment Group Prevalence Prevalence  OR (95% CI) compared with placebo P-value 
 Pre-Frailty Frailty Pre-Frailty Frailty   
Placebo 42.8% 5.7% 43.7% 5.4% 1 (referent) n/a 
Metformin 45.8% 5.4% 42.5% 5.3% 0.994 (0.694-1.424) 0.976 
Lifestyle 46.8% 3.0% 46.3% 3.6% 0.625 (0.419-0.934) 0.022 
 12 years Post-randomization 14 years post-randomization Odds of Frailty vs. Non-Frailty Pooled over both exams 
Treatment Group Prevalence Prevalence  OR (95% CI) compared with placebo P-value 
 Pre-Frailty Frailty Pre-Frailty Frailty   
Placebo 42.8% 5.7% 43.7% 5.4% 1 (referent) n/a 
Metformin 45.8% 5.4% 42.5% 5.3% 0.994 (0.694-1.424) 0.976 
Lifestyle 46.8% 3.0% 46.3% 3.6% 0.625 (0.419-0.934) 0.022 

Disclosure

H.P. Hazuda: None. Q. Pan: None. J.P. Crandall: None. H. Florez: Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. J.A. Luchsinger: None. E.M. Venditti: None. A. Kriska: None. S. Golden: None. G. Bray: Advisory Panel; Self; Herbalife International of America, Inc., Novo Nordisk A/S. D. Research Group: None.

Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered. More information is available at http://www.diabetesjournals.org/content/license.