[DAROC Symposium 2] Complication
21 Mar 2026
13:30
15:00
102
Musculoskeletal and Skeletal Complications of Diabetes Mellitus
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
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13:30
14:00
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102
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|
14:00
14:30
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102
|
|
14:30
15:00
|
Tung-Wei KaoTaiwan
Speaker
Sarcopenia in Diabetes: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management Sarcopenia is emerging as a critical yet under-recognized dimension of diabetes, linking metabolic disease to progressive loss of muscle health and physical function. Beyond its traditional association with ageing, growing evidence shows that diabetes is linked to accelerated declines in muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. These changes have important clinical consequences, contributing to frailty, disability, and loss of independence. As the global burden of diabetes continues to rise, maintaining skeletal muscle health is becoming an increasingly important component of diabetes care.
Recent advances in metabolic and musculoskeletal research have begun to illuminate the biological links between diabetes and accelerated muscle deterioration. Alterations in insulin signaling, ectopic fat accumulation within skeletal muscle, chronic low-grade inflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction are increasingly recognized as converging pathways that compromise muscle quality and function. At the same time, new consensus frameworks—including the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2025 update—have expanded the concept from sarcopenia alone toward a broader focus on muscle health across the lifespan.
Importantly, emerging clinical evidence suggests that sarcopenia in diabetes is not merely a consequence of ageing but a potentially modifiable condition. Interventions such as resistance exercise, structured physical activity, and targeted nutritional strategies have shown promising benefits in improving muscle strength and functional capacity in individuals with diabetes. As the global burden of diabetes continues to rise, understanding the bidirectional relationship between metabolic disease and skeletal muscle health is becoming increasingly relevant for clinical practice.
This lecture will review current perspectives on sarcopenia in diabetes, highlighting key mechanistic insights, evolving diagnostic approaches, and the growing body of evidence supporting preventive and therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving muscle health in this high-risk population.
102
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