Physical activity plays a crucial role in multidomain intervention for frailty prevention

The relationship between accelerometer-based physical activity, sedentary behavior, and seven common geriatric syndromes: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Introduction

To investigate the causal associations between accelerometer-based physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and seven common geriatric syndromes (GSs) (frailty, falls, delirium, urinary incontinence, dysphagia, hearing loss, and visual impairment) by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

Instrumental variables from a genome-wide association study were used for MR analysis. The exposure factors were three PA phenotypes (average acceleration, overall activity, and moderate-intensity activity) and one SB phenotype (SB). The outcome variables were seven common GSs. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was utilized for the primary MR analysis. Additionally, sensitivity, pleiotropy, and heterogeneity analyses were subsequently conducted to assess the robustness of the present study's findings.

Results

According to the primary MR results obtained using the IVW method, genetically predicted PA (average acceleration) decreased the risk of two GSs (frailty, p = 0.01; dysphagia, p = 0.03). Similarly, overall activity decreased the risk of two GSs (frailty, p = 0.01; delirium, p = 0.03), and moderate-intensity activity reduced the risk of three GSs (urinary incontinence, p = 0.04; hearing loss, p = 0.02; visual impairment, p = 0.01). Furthermore, SB was causally correlated with a greater risk for three GSs (frailty, p = 0.03; fall, p = 0.01; dysphagia, p = 0.04).

Conclusion

This study provided evidence that accelerometer-based PA may be causally associated with a lower risk of GSs, while SB may increase the risk of GSs.

Goal Setting for Participatory Person-Centered Geriatric Rehabilitation-From Function-Centered Rehabilitation towards Digitally Supported Personalized and Integrated Care for Older People

As chronic illness is common among older people, self-care practices for older people are needed to control health status, to prevent possible complications and to ensure optimal quality of life. The literature has demonstrated that integrated care approaches are one key success factor for delivering person-centered and sustainable care for older people, with rehabilitation being a cornerstone in tertiary care prevention for older citizens. The current paper addresses the state of the literature for person-centered geriatric rehabilitation (GR) and the importance of personalized and participatory goal setting. In accordance with the bio-psycho-social model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), social participation and the related goals are of particular importance for the entire rehabilitation process. The social participation of individuals enrolled into GR is therefore one of the milestones to be achieved during GR. Personalized goal setting during the entire rehabilitation process, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) and shared decision making allow a comprehensive care approach separate from solely function-based rehabilitation. The review also focusses on recent developments in digitalization in healthcare and delivers insights into how healthcare professionals' collaborative practice supports sustainable rehabilitation results in patients of advanced chronological age.

Dynamic associations between frailty and cognition over 4 years: A population-based study on adults aged ≥50 from 12 European countries

PURPOSE

This study aimed (1) to investigate autoregressive and cross-lagged associations between frailty and cognition over 4 years in a large sample of European citizens aged ≥50 years, (2) to examine the 4-year temporal associations' differences between sex and between active and inactive physical behaviour, and (3) to explore in the years 2011, 2013, and 2015 associations between cognitive performance and the pre-frailty and frailty conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This longitudinal analysis was conducted with 20,857 individuals (11,540 women) from 12 countries aged ≥50 years who responded to waves 4, 5, and 6 of the SHARE project. The variables analysed were frailty (SHARE-FI) and a general cognition index (Cogindex) calculated for each wave from verbal fluency, immediate recall, and delayed recall.

RESULTS

A greater propensity for cognitive impairment was found in women, as well as in pre-frail and frail individuals. There were no significant differences between the sexes for the autoregressive effect of frailty and Cogindex over 4 years. On the other hand, sedentary and active individuals differed in frailty between Time 1-2. Cross-lagged analyses indicated a significant difference for the sexes between frailty and Cogindex Time 1-3 and between Cogindex and frailty of Time 2-3. Sedentary and active differed significantly in the path of frailty on Cogindex between Time 2-3.

CONCLUSION

Health policies should increase surveillance of frailty, cognition, and level of physical activity in the older European population, with a special focus on women.

Cognitive frailty and its association with disability among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

There are a variety of determinants that are key to functional disability of older adults. However, little is known regarding the relationship between cognitive frailty and disability among older people. The aims of this study were to examine the associations between cognitive frailty and its six components with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) functioning in community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

A total of 313 community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) were recruited from eight community centers in central China. Cognitive frailty was operationalized using the Mini-Mental State Examination for the evaluation of cognitive status and the Fried criteria for the evaluation of physical frailty. The outcome was functional disability assessed by the IADL scale. The association between cognitive frailty, as well as its components, and IADL limitations was identified by conducting binary logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of cognitive frailty was 8.9% in this study. The results showed that cognitive frailty (OR = 22.86) and frailty without cognitive impairment (OR = 8.15) were associated with IADL limitations. Subdimensions of cognitive frailty, exhaustion, weakness, low physical activity and cognitive impairment components were independently associated with IADL limitations.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive frailty was associated with a higher prevalence of disability. Interventions for improving cognitive frailty should be developed to prevent IADL disability among community-dwelling older adults in China.

Summary of best evidence for prevention and management of frailty

BACKGROUND

Frailty in older people can seriously affect their quality of life and increase the demand for long-term care and health care expenses. Aims of this study are to provide an evidence-based basis for clinical practice of frailty in older people by systematically searching for the best current evidence on interventions for the prevention and management of frailty.

METHODS

According to the '6S' evidence resource model, evidence retrieval is searched from the top-down and collected relevant guidelines, best practices, evidence summaries, systematic reviews and expert consensus. The retrieval time limit was from the database establishment to 20 March 2023. Two reviewers independently screened and evaluated the literature, and then extracted and summarised the evidence according to the JBI grading of evidence and recommendation system.

RESULTS

A total of 44 publications were finally included, including 12 guidelines, 5 best practices, 4 expert consensus, 5 evidence summaries and 18 systematic reviews. Through the induction and integration of the evidence, the evidence was finally summarised from eight aspects: frailty screening, frailty assessment, exercise intervention, nutrition intervention, multi-domain intervention, drug administration, social support and health education, and 43 best evidences were formed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study summarised the best evidence for the prevention and management of frailty from eight aspects, which can provide guidance for clinical or community medical staff to develop and apply frailty intervention and practice programmes for older people and improved the clinical outcome and quality of life of older people.

The Impact of Behavioral Lifestyle Intervention on Inflammatory Cytokines in Older Adults Living With Type 2 Diabetes: A Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the effects of a behavioral lifestyle intervention on inflammatory cytokines and frailty in older adults (≥ 65 years) with type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHOD

We conducted a single-arm, 6-month intervention supplemented with diet and activity self-monitoring technology. We assessed frailty using Fried criteria and quantified inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating-factor [GM-CSF], interferon [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor [TNF-α]) using a multiplex assay. We used paired t-tests with significance at P < .05. We calculated the Spearman correlation and evaluated the relationship between frailty, BMI, and inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS

Eighteen participants completed the study (mean ± SD: 71.5 ± 5.3 years; BMI: 34 ± 6 kg/m2). At baseline, we had 4 frail, 13 pre-frail, and 1 non-frail participant. At 6 months, we observed the therapeutic effects of the intervention on frailty score, BMI, IL-2, IFN-y, and GM-CSF.

DISCUSSION

The study highlights the importance of behavioral lifestyle intervention in improving inflammatory cytokines and frailty in older adults.

Mediating effects of depression on sleep disturbance and frailty in older adult type 2 diabetes patients in the community

Introduction

With the progressive aging of the population, frailty is now a significant challenge in geriatrics research. A growing amount of evidence suggests that sleep disturbance and depression have independent effects on frailty, although the underlying mechanisms are not yet clear. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of depression in the relationship between sleep disturbance and frailty in older adult patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in the community.

Method

Purposive sampling was used to collect face-to-face data from 342 community-dwelling T2DM patients in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, between February and May 2023. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale was used to evaluate sleep quality, the Simple Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was used to evaluate depressive symptoms, and the FRAIL Scale (FRAIL) was used to evaluate frailty. Linear regression equation and bootstrap self-sampling were used to verify the mediating role of depressive symptoms in sleep disturbance and frailty.

Result

The study found that sleep disturbance had a direct positive effect with frailty [β = 0.040, 95% CI: (0.013, 0.069)]. Additionally, depression had a direct positive effect on frailty [β = 0.130, 95% CI: (0.087, 0.173)], and depression was found to partially mediate the relationship between sleep disturbance and frailty.

Conclusion

Poor sleep quality and frailty are common in patients with T2DM. To reduce the frailty of older adult T2DM patients, all levels of society (government, medical institutions, and communities) must pay more attention to mental health. A variety of interventions should be considered to improve sleep quality and depression, which in turn may prevent or control frailty.

Physical activity and exercise for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a collaborative international guideline

BACKGROUND

Physical activity and exercise have been suggested as effective interventions for the prevention and management of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, but there are no international guidelines.

OBJECTIVES

To create a set of evidence- and expert consensus-based prevention and management recommendations regarding physical activity (any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that results in energy expenditure) and exercise (a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive), applicable to a range of individuals from healthy older adults to those with MCI/dementia.

METHODS

Guideline content was developed with input from several scientific and lay representatives' societies. A systematic search across multidisciplinary databases was carried out until October 2021. Recommendations for prevention and management were developed according to the GRADE and complemented by consensus statements from the expert panels.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Physical activity may be considered for the primary prevention of dementia. In people with MCI there is continued uncertainty about the role of physical activity in slowing the conversion to dementia. Mind-body interventions have the greatest supporting evidence. In people with moderate dementia, exercise may be used for maintaining disability and cognition. All these recommendations were based on a very low/low certainty of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the scientific evidence on the beneficial role of physical activity and exercise in preserving cognitive functions in subjects with normal cognition, MCI or dementia is inconclusive, this panel, composed of scientific societies and other stakeholders, recommends their implementation based on their beneficial effects on almost all facets of health.