Search

Introduction Hospitalization is associated with acute changes in sarcopenia status in older people, but the influencing factors are not fully understood. Pre-admission care dependency level as a risk factor has not yet been investigated. Objective Evaluate if pre-admission care dependency level is an independent predictor of sarcopenia changes following hospitalization. Setting and subjects Data came from the Sarcopenia 9+ EAMA Project, a European prospective multi-centre study. For this study, 227 hospitalised older people were included from four different hospitals in Belgium, Spain and Poland, between 18 February 2019 and 5 September 2020. Methods Sarcopenia status at admission and discharge were calculated using a combined score (desirability value) based on muscle mass (calf circumference), strength (grip) and function (walking speed). Ratio of admission to discharge status was the outcome (desirability ratio; 1.00 meaning no difference). Predictor variable was the pre-admission care dependency level, classified into three groups: independent older people living at home, dependent older people living at home and older people living in a care home. Linear regression models were applied, considering potential confounders. Results Mean desirability ratio for dependent older people living at home ('middle dependent group') was lower (0.89) compared to independent older people (0.98; regression coefficient −0.09 [95% CI −0.16, −0.02]) and care home patients (1.05; −0.16 [95% CI −0.01, −0.31]). Adjusting for potential confounders or using another statistical approach did not affect the main results. Conclusion Dependent older people living at home were at higher risk of deterioration in sarcopenia status following hospitalization. In-depth studies investigating causes and potential interventions of these findings are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim was to analyse the associations between several physical fitness variables and bone parameters in a sample of elderly people. 129 participants (94 females and 35 males, 76.2 ± 5.4 y) from the EXERNET cohort of Zaragoza (Spain) were included in the study. Physical fitness was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test Battery. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at the tibia and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the hip and lumbar spine were used to assess bone and muscle parameters. Partial correlations were used to describe the associations between fitness and bone parameters. A stepwise regression analysis was used to determine the influence of fitness variables on bone parameters. In males, significant correlations were found between lower body strength and agility with bone total mineral density (Tt.BMD) (r = 0.41 and -0.50) and cortical thickness (r = 0.40 and -0.50, respectively) and walking speed with total and cortical density (r = − 0.41 and -0.40, respectively), all measured at tibia (all p < 0.05). Regarding DXA, neck areal bone mineral density (aBMD) correlated with flexibility (r = − 0.37) and walking speed (r = 0.39) and Ward's triangle with walking speed (r = 0.39). Agility predicted Tt.BMD and cortical thickness ( r 2 change = 24.8 % and 23.0%), while walking speed predicted cortical bone mineral density ( r 2 change = 19.5 %) (all p < 0.05). Females showed correlations between balance and total hip aBMD (r = 0.27) and trochanter aBMD (r = 0.25). Balance predicted trochanter ( r 2 change = 4.2 %) and total hip aBMD ( r 2 change = 4.9 %) (both p < 0.05). In conclusion, bone mass in elderly males seems to be more influenced by physical fitness than in females, being agility and walking speed the variables showing greater associations. Other variables should be taken into account in females for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although clinical gait speed may indicate health and well-being in older adults, there is a lack of studies comparing clinical tests with ambulatory gait speed with regard to several health outcomes. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the associations of clinical gait speed, measured by the 2.44-m walk test and the ambulatory gait speed with several physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes in older adults. Design A cross-sectional design was used. Methods The study population comprised 432 high-functioning, community-dwelling older adults (287 women) aged between 65 and 92 years. Clinical and ambulatory gait speeds were measured using the 2.44-m walk test and a portable gait analysis device, respectively. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the association of clinical and ambulatory gait speeds with several health outcomes (body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, chronic conditions, self-rated health, exhaustion, upper- and lower-body strength, physical and mental health status, cognitive status, and self-rated cognitive status). Results The results showed that the average gait speed for clinical and ambulatory measures cannot be directly compared. Clinical gait speed was associated with 7 health outcomes, and the ambulatory gait speed was associated with 6 health outcomes. The significant associations between measures of gait speed and the health outcomes converged in 5 of the 13 health outcomes studied; however, the strength of associations was singly different between measures. Limitations The short monitoring time, the inability to distinguish between the ambulatory gait speed inside the home and outdoor gait speed, and the under-representative sample are limitations of the study. Conclusion The results indicated differences in the number and strength of associations between clinical and ambulatory gait speed. Both measures have construct validity because they have been associated with physical and health outcomes; however, they may have different predictive validity. Further research should be conducted to compare their predictive validity in longitudinal designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the potential benefits of dual-task interventions on older adults living in long-term nursing homes (LTNHs) from a multidimensional perspective are unknown. We sought to determine whether the addition of simultaneous cognitive training to a multicomponent exercise program offers further benefits to dual-task, physical and cognitive performance, psycho-affective status, quality of life and frailty in LTNH residents. Design: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Setting nine LTNHs in Gipuzkoa, Spain. Subjects 85 men and women (ACTRN12618000536268). Methods participants were randomly assigned to a multicomponent or dual-task training group. The multicomponent group performed two sessions per week of individualized and progressive strength and balance exercises for 3 months. The dual-task group performed simultaneous cognitive tasks to the same tasks as in the multicomponent group. Gait speed under single- and dual-task conditions, physical and cognitive performance, psycho-affective status, quality of life and frailty were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention. Results both groups showed clinically significant improvements on gait performance under single- and dual-task conditions and on the short physical performance battery (P  < 0.05). Both interventions were effective in maintaining cognitive function (P  > 0.05). Only the multicomponent group significantly improved quality of life, and reduced anxiety and Fried frailty score (P  < 0.05). No group-by-time interactions were found except for the chair-stand test in favour of the multicomponent group (P  < 0.05). Conclusions the addition of simultaneous cognitive training does not seem to offer significantly greater benefits to the evaluated multicomponent exercise program in older adults living in LTNHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the association between vitamin intake and frailty has hardly been studied. The objective was to assess the association of dietary vitamin intake with incident frailty in older adults from Spain. Methods data came from a cohort of 1,643 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65, recruited in 2008–10 and followed up prospectively throughout 2012. At baseline, 10 vitamins were assessed (vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins B6, B12, C, D, E and folates) using a validated face-to-face diet history. Incident frailty was identified using Fried's definition as having ≥3 of the following five criteria: unintentional weight loss of ≥4.5 kg, exhaustion, weakness, slow walking speed and low physical activity. Nonadherence to the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) was considered when the intake of a vitamin was below the recommendation. Analyses were performed with logistic regression and adjusted for main confounders. Results during a 3.5-year follow-up, 89 (5.4%) participants developed frailty. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of frailty for those in the lowest versus the highest tertile of vitamin intake were 2.80 (1.38–5.67), P -trend: 0.004, for vitamin B6; 1.65 (0.93–2.95), P -trend: 0.007, for vitamin C; 1.93 (0.99–3.83), P -trend: 0.06, for vitamin E and 2.34 (1.21–4.52), P -trend: 0.01, for folates. Nonadherence to the RDAs of vitamins was related to frailty for thiamine odds ratio (OR): 2.09 (1.03–4.23); niacin OR: 2.80 (1.46–5.38) and vitamin B6; 2.23 (1.30–3.83). When considering tertiles of RDAs for the 10 vitamins those who met <5 RDAs had a higher risk of frailty, OR: 2.84 (1.34–6.03); P -trend: <0.001, compared to those who met >7. Conclusion a lower intake of vitamins B6, C, E and folates was associated with a higher risk of frailty. Not meeting RDAs for vitamins was also strongly associated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the relationship between blood pressure and all-cause mortality according to objectively measured walking speed in a Mediterranean population-based sample of older persons. We used data from the longitudinal 'Peñagrande' Cohort Study, initiated in 2008 in a sex- and age-stratified random sample of 1250 people aged ⩾65 years living in Madrid (Spain). A total of 814 individuals participated in the first study wave. The average of two standardized blood pressure readings was used. Walking speed was measured over a 3-m walk and classified as faster (⩾0.8 m s−1) or slower. A total of 314 individuals were slower walkers, 475 were faster walkers and 25 did not complete the walk test. Cox proportional hazards models stratified by walking speed were used to assess the association between blood pressure and all-cause death. Non-linear relationship between BP and mortality was explored by a restricted cubic spline analysis. There were 171 deaths from study entry through 31 March 2013. Systolic blood pressure <140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure <90 mmHg were associated with higher mortality than blood pressure values above 140 and 90 mm Hg, respectively, but this association reached statistical significance only for systolic blood pressure and only in the slower walkers. In conclusion, systolic blood pressure levels <140 mm Hg were found associated with higher risk of total mortality among slower walkers in an old Spaniard population cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Frailty in the elderly increases their vulnerability and leads to a greater risk of adverse events. According to various studies, the prevalence of the frailty syndrome in persons age 65 and over ranges between 3% and 37%, depending on age and sex. Walking speed in itself is considered a simple indicator of health status and of survival in older persons. Detecting frailty in primary care consultations can help improve care of the elderly, and walking speed may be an indicator that could facilitate the early diagnosis of frailty in primary care. The objective of this work was to estimate frailty-syndrome prevalence and walking speed in an urban population aged 65 years and over, and to analyze the relationship between the two indicators from the perspective of early diagnosis of frailty in the primary care setting. Methods: Population cohort of persons age 65 and over from two urban neighborhoods in northern Madrid (Spain). Cross-sectional analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression to study the variables associated with frailty. Different cut-off points between 0.4 and 1.4 m/s were used to study walking speed in this population. The relationship between frailty and walking speed was analyzed using likelihood ratios. Results: The study sample comprised 1,327 individuals age 65 and older with mean age 75.41 ± 7.41 years; 53.4% were women. Estimated frailty in the study population was 10.5% [95% CI: 8.9-12.3]. Frailty increased with age (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.10-1.19) and was associated with poor self-rated health (OR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.43-4.44), number of drugs prescribed (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.08-1.26) and disability (OR = 6.58; 95% CI: 3.92-11.05). Walking speed less than 0.8 m/s was found in 42.6% of cases and in 56.4% of persons age 75 and over. Walking speed greater than 0.9 m/s ruled out frailty in the study sample. Persons age 75 and older with walking speed <0.8 m/s are at particularly high risk of frailty (32.1%). Conclusions: Frailty-syndrome prevalence is high in persons aged 75 and over. Detection of walking speed <0.8 m/s is a simple approach to the diagnosis of frailty in the primary care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Loneliness is related to worse health status outcome. Objectives: The present study aims to identify how longitudinal patterns of loneliness associated with health in old age. Methods: A total of 1,287 individuals aged 50+ were interviewed in 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2017-18 in a follow-up study conducted over a nationally representative sample of Spain. The three-item UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to assess loneliness. Chronic loneliness was defined as the presence of loneliness in the three measurements, whereas transient loneliness expressed the presence of these feelings only at one period of study. Health status was measured with self-reported questions regarding ten domains (vision, mobility, and self-care, among others), and seven measured tests (including grip strength, walking speed and immediate and delayed verbal recall). A multilevel linear regression was used to examine association between loneliness patterns and health over time. Results: Almost a-ten percent of participants reported feeling lonely throughout the three waves, who showed the worst health status. Both the group of chronic and transient loneliness showed a negative significant relationship with health status at follow-up, (ß = -6.2, p<0.001 and ß = -2.50, p = 0.02, respectively). Nevertheless, a significant change in the relationship between loneliness pattern and health status was not observed across time. Conclusions: Loneliness was longitudinally associated with poorer health, although health status of each loneliness pattern did not worsen over time. Different patterns of loneliness could benefit from the appropriate interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]