This systematic review aimed to examine whether persons with diabetes and depression had poorer cognition and higher dementia risk than persons with diabetes only. Moreover, the impact of timing, frequency of depressive episodes throughout life, and antidepressant treatment were examined. Methods: PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO were searched to obtain observational studies between August 2015 and June 2021 that examined the association between depression and cognition, mild cognitive impairment or dementia in people with diabetes. Studies published before August 2015 were retrieved from a previous systematic review. Findings were pooled using meta-analyses. Results: 10 out of 19 included articles were appropriate for the meta-analyses. Persons with diabetes and depression experienced greater declines in executive function (SMD = − 0.39 (− 0.69, − 0.08)), language (SMD = − 0.80 (− 1.52, − 0.09)), memory (SMD = − 0.63 (− 1.12, − 0.14)) and overall cognition (SMD = − 0.77 (− 1.33, − 0.20)), and greater dementia risk (HR = 1.82 (1.79, 1.85)) than persons with diabetes only. No significant differences were observed for complex attention. No studies examined the role of timing and frequency of depressive episodes and antidepressant treatment. Conclusion:In persons with diabetes, depression is associated with worse cognition and higher dementia risk. The potential mitigating effect of antidepressant treatment remains unclear.

ObjectivesThis review provides insights into the potential for aspirin to preserve bone mineral density (BMD) and reduce fracture risk, building knowledge of the risk-benefit profile of aspirin.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis of observational studies. Electronic searches of MEDLINE and Embase, and a manual search of bibliographies was undertaken for studies published to 28 March 2018. Studies were included if: participants were men or women aged ≥18 years; the exposure of interest was aspirin; and relative risks, ORs and 95% CIs for the risk of fracture or difference (percentage or absolute) in BMD (measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) between aspirin users and non-users were presented. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklists for observational studies. Pooled ORs for any fracture and standardised mean differences (SMDs) for BMD outcomes were calculated using random-effects models.ResultsTwelve studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Aspirin use was associated with a 17% lower odds for any fracture (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.99; I2=71%; six studies; n=511 390). Aspirin was associated with a higher total hip BMD for women (SMD 0.03, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.07; I2=0%; three studies; n=9686) and men (SMD 0.06, 95% CI −0.02 to 0.13, I2=0%; two studies; n=4137) although these associations were not significant. Similar results were observed for lumbar spine BMD in women (SMD 0.03, 95% CI −0.03 to 0.09; I2=34%; four studies; n=11 330) and men (SMD 0.08; 95% CI −0.01 to 0.18; one study; n=432).ConclusionsWhile the benefits of reduced fracture risk and higher BMD from aspirin use may be modest for individuals, if confirmed in prospective controlled trials, they may confer a large population benefit given the common use of aspirin in older people.

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Clinical reasoning and research in modern geriatrics often prioritises the disease concept. This is understandable as it has brought impressive advances in medicine (e.g. antibiotics, vaccines, successful cancer treatment and many effective surgeries). However, so far the disease framework has not succeeded in getting us to root causes of many age-related chronic diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis). Moreover, in aging and disease constructs alone fail to explain the variability in illness presentations. Therefore, we propose to apply the underused illness concept in a new way by reconsidering the importance of common symptoms in the form of a dynamic network of symptoms as a complementary framework. We show that concepts and methods of complex system thinking now enable to fruitfully monitor and analyse the multiple interactions between symptoms in such in networks, offering new routes for prognosis and treatment. Moreover, close attention to the symptoms that bother older persons may also improve weighing the therapeutic objectives of well-being and survival and aligning treatment targets with the patients’ priorities.

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