Assessment of function and disability in longitudinal studies

Exploring previously used thresholds for computed tomography-defined low skeletal muscle mass in predicting functional limitations among lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Various cutoffs have been used to diagnose computed tomography (CT)-defined low skeletal muscle mass; however, the impact of this variability on predicting physical functional limitations (PFL) remains unclear. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic test metrics for predicting PFLs using a fixed cutoff value from previous reports and sought to create a prediction score that incorporated the skeletal muscle index (SMI) and other clinical factors.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study including 237 patients with lung cancer, the SMI was assessed using CT-determined skeletal muscle area at the third lumbar vertebra. Physical function was assessed using the short physical performance battery (SPPB) test, with PFL defined as an SPPB score ≤9. We analyzed the diagnostic metrics of the five previous cutoffs for CT-defined low skeletal muscle mass in predicting PFL.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 66.0 ± 10.4 years. Out of 237 patients, 158 (66.7%) had PFLs. A significant difference was observed in SMI between individuals with and without PFLs (35.7 cm2/m2 ± 7.8 vs. 39.5 cm2/m2 ± 8.4, p < 0.001). Diagnostic metrics of previous cutoffs in predicting PFL showed suboptimal sensitivity (63.29%-91.77%), specificity (11.39%-50.63%), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values (0.516-0.592). Age and the SMI were significant predictors of PFL; therefore, a score for predicting PFL (age - SMI + 21) was constructed, which achieved an AUC value of 0.748.

CONCLUSION

Fixed cutoffs for CT-defined low skeletal muscle mass may inadequately predict PFLs, potentially overlooking declining physical functions in patients with lung cancer.

Remote administration of the short physical performance battery, the 1-minute sit to stand, and the Chester step test in post-COVID-19 patients after hospitalization: establishing inter-reliability and agreement with the face-to-face assessment

PURPOSE

To assess the inter-reliability of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), the 1-min Sit to Stand test (1-MSTS), and the Chester Step Test (CST) via remote assessment in post-COVID-19 patients after hospitalization.

METHODS

Twenty-five post-COVID-19 patients randomly performed the functional tests via remote assessment using a software platform at home and via face-to-face assessment at the rehabilitation center 24-72 h apart. One day before the remote assessment, all participants had a 1-h guidance session regarding the platform use, safety instructions, and home equipment preparation.

RESULTS

Participants completed all tests for both assessment procedures without experience of adverse events. The mean age was 53 (SD = 10) years old, and the median days of hospitalization were 23 (IQR = 10-33). The inter-reliability was moderate for the total score in the SPPB: Cohen's kappa = 0.545 (95% CI: 0.234 to 0.838), excellent for the number of repetitions in the 1-MSTS: ICC = 0.977 (95% CI: 0.948 to 0.990) and good for the total number of steps in the CST: ICC = 0.871 (95% CI: 0.698 to 0.944).

CONCLUSION

Remote functional assessments for SPPB, 1-MSTS, and CST indicated moderate to excellent inter-reliability in post-COVID-19 patients after hospitalization.

Multidisciplinary approach to sarcopenia: a narrative review

Sarcopenia is a condition in which muscle mass and strength are decreased and muscle function is impaired. It is an indicator of frailty and loss of independence in older adults. It is also associated with increased physical disability, which increases the risk of falls. As a multifactorial disease, sarcopenia is caused by a combination of factors including aging, hormonal changes, nutritional deficiencies, and physical inactivity. Understanding the underlying pathophysiology of sarcopenia and identifying its different causes is critical to developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, consequences, diagnostic methods, and multidisciplinary approaches to sarcopenia.

Patient-stimulated fall prevention screening in primary care: analysis of provider coding changes

BACKGROUND

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed an evidenced based clinical screening tool, Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) but penetration into routine clinical practice has been slow. To increase screening for falls and fall risk in an internal medicine primary care practice, a patient-centered screening program was integrated into a busy academic clinic.

METHODS

Over a three month period, Patients were invited to self-screen via a large poster in the waiting room, and complete a STEADI Staying Independent questionnaire, and discuss findings with their healthcare provider. Fall Prevention Booklets were made readily available in clinic exam rooms. Questionnaires and fall prevention booklets, were uniquely numbered, and Epic Slicer-Dicer reports were utilized to evaluate falls screening-related ICD-10 codes determined a priori. Generalized linear modeling calculated difference-in-difference compared with other clinics without this program for rates of coding for fall-related diagnosis codes.

RESULTS

In three months, 255 questionnaires were taken; only 5 (2%) were returned for later review. 110 booklets were disseminated from clinic exam rooms. The absolute difference-in-difference in ICD-10 coding was 0.7% compared to other clinics in the same practice, and year before. Generalized linear modeling showed a 4.7% increased impact in screening-related ICD-10 codes, which was statistically significant (P =  < .0001) without reported disruption to clinical workflows.

CONCLUSION

There are indicators that patient-centered selective screening at a busy academic practice may have resulted in an increase in falls-related ICD-10 coding. Clinical integration of this program was well received.

An Overview of Systemic Health Factors Related to Rapid Oral Health Deterioration among Older People

The oral health of older individuals can be negatively impacted by various systemic health factors, leading to rapid oral health deterioration. This paper aims to present an overview of the published evidence on systemic health factors that contribute to rapid oral health deterioration in older individuals, and to explore the implications of these factors for both general healthcare and oral healthcare provision. Older people are at risk of experiencing adverse reactions to medications due to multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Hyposalivation, a significant side effect of some medications, can be induced by both the type and number of medications used. Frailty, disability, sarcopenia, care dependency, and limited access to professional oral healthcare can also compromise the oral health of older people. To prevent rapid oral health deterioration, a comprehensive approach is required that involves effective communication between oral healthcare providers, other healthcare providers, and informal caregivers. Oral healthcare providers have a responsibility to advocate for the importance of maintaining adequate oral health and to raise awareness of the serious consequences of weakened oral health. By doing so, we can prevent weakened oral health from becoming a geriatric syndrome.

Associations between social support and poverty among older adults

BACKGROUND

With population aging becoming a pressing global concern, social support is more meaningful for older adults. In particular, financial supports, such as health insurance and financial assistance derived from family, all play great role in assistance affairs. Research shows social support possibly has an impact on poverty, but the association between formal and informal supports is unclear. We are aimed at verifying the association between distinct social supports and exploring whether this association would affect poverty alleviation for older adults.

METHODS

A total of 2,683 individuals aged 60 years or older who have medical expenses were included in a survey conducted by the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2018. A chi-square analysis and an independent samples T test all were used to explore the differences of social supports among old people with different economic condition. A binary logistic regression was aimed at analyzing the association between social supports and poverty for older adults. The structural equation model was established to evaluate the association between formal support and informal support and the mechanism(s) of social supports affecting poverty.

RESULTS

The overall average rate of reimbursement for outpatient care was 0.20 with standard deviation 0.22, and the average reimbursement rate of inpatient care for the poor older adults is nearly 5% lower than the average of the non-poor older adults. We found that having private health insurance and higher reimbursement rate of inpatient care were associated with lower likelihood of living in poverty for older adults. Formal support would directly affect poverty, but its impact on poverty through informal support is insignificant even if formal support is negatively associated with informal support.

CONCLUSION

A dilemma in reducing the economic burden of disease and receiving family assistance for older adults was revealed, and a more complete health security and higher level of medical expenses compensation would be beneficial to prevent poverty. Optimizing the primary healthcare and increasing the percentage of insurance compensation, policies that focus on the specific cultural values and strengthening the role of supplementary insurance are advantaged for alleviating poverty among older adults.

Pragmatic evaluation of events and benefits of lipid lowering in older adults (PREVENTABLE): Trial design and rationale

Whether initiation of statins could increase survival free of dementia and disability in adults aged ≥75 years is unknown. PREVENTABLE, a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized pragmatic clinical trial, will compare high-intensity statin therapy (atorvastatin 40 mg) with placebo in 20,000 community-dwelling adults aged ≥75 years without cardiovascular disease, disability, or dementia at baseline. Exclusion criteria include statin use in the prior year or for >5 years and inability to take a statin. Potential participants are identified using computable phenotypes derived from the electronic health record and local referrals from the community. Participants will undergo baseline cognitive testing, with physical testing and a blinded lipid panel if feasible. Cognitive testing and disability screening will be conducted annually. Multiple data sources will be queried for cardiovascular events, dementia, and disability; survival is site-reported and supplemented by a National Death Index search. The primary outcome is survival free of new dementia or persisting disability. Co-secondary outcomes are a composite of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for unstable angina or myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, or coronary revascularization; and a composite of mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Ancillary studies will offer mechanistic insights into the effects of statins on key outcomes. Biorepository samples are obtained and stored for future study. These results will inform the benefit of statins for increasing survival free of dementia and disability among older adults. This is a pioneering pragmatic study testing important questions with low participant burden to align with the needs of the growing population of older adults.

Long-Term Evolution of Activities of Daily Life (ADLs) in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients, a Case Series

BACKGROUND

The most common long-term symptoms of critically ill COVID-19 patients are fatigue, dyspnea and mental confusion. Adequate monitoring of long-term morbidity, mainly analyzing the activities of daily life (ADLs), allows better patient management after hospital discharge. The aim was to report long-term ADL evolution in critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to a COVID-19 center in Lugano (Switzerland).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis on consecutive patients discharged alive from ICU with COVID-19 ARDS was performed based on a follow-up one year after hospital discharge; ADLs were assessed through the Barthel index (BI) and the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scale. The primary objective was to assess differences in ADLs at hospital discharge (acute ADLs) and one-year follow-up (chronic ADLs). The secondary objective was to explore any correlations between ADLs and multiple measures at admission and during the ICU stay.

RESULTS

A total of 38 consecutive patients were admitted to the ICU; a t-test analysis between acute and chronic ADLs through BI showed a significant improvement at one year post discharge (t = -5.211, p < 0.0001); similarly, every single task of BI showed the same results (p < 0.0001 for each task of BI). The mean KPS was 86.47 (SD 20.9) at hospital discharge and 99.6 at 1 year post discharge (p = 0.02). Thirteen (34%) patients deceased during the first 28 days in the ICU; no patient died after hospital discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on BI and KPS, patients reached complete functional recovery of ADLs one year after critical COVID-19.

Predictive Validity of Different Walking Measures to Identify the Incident Long-Term Care Needs in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

A comfortable walking speed is a suitable measurement of functional status in older adults. In addition to assessing their comfortable walking speed, two complex walking tests were administered to a cohort of older people, assuming that these tests would be a more sensitive predictor of the incident long-term care needs than comfortable walking speed.

DESIGN

A prospective observational study was conducted to collect data.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Among the initial 5,563 community-dwelling independent older adults (aged ≥ 65 years), 935 were excluded and the data of 4,628 (mean age, 73.9 ± 5.5 years, 65-94 years; 2,052 men, 2,576 women) older adults were finally analyzed.

METHODS

Three walking tasks were administered: comfortable, complicated balance, and Go-stop walking. Complicated balance walking was measured under comfortable walking conditions, with participants having to walk with their hands crossed at the shoulder joint at 90°. For the Go-stop walking test, the time taken to walk 2 meters was measured using a stopwatch. For two years following baseline assessments, participants received monthly follow-ups for incident certification of the need for care under the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system.

RESULTS

Low performance in comfortable, complicated balance, and Go-stop walking were 29.8%, 37.7%, and 35.1%, respectively. During the 24-month follow-up period, 246 participants (5.3%) required LTCI certification. The Youden Index was used to determine the cut-points of the incident long-term care needs in the comfortable, complicated balance, and Go-stop walking conditions, which were 1.055 m/s, 0.936 m/s, and 3.205 seconds, respectively. Participants classified as exhibiting low performance included 1,381 (29.8%) under comfortable walking, 1,746 (37.7%) under complicated balance walking, and 1,623 (35.1%) under the Go-stop walking tests. The C-indices of the comfortable, complicated balance, and Go-stop walking tests were 0.72 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.69-0.76), 0.71 (95% CI 0.67-0.74), and 0.65 (95% CI 0.61-0.69), respectively. Cox proportional hazards regression model revealed significant relationships between the incident long-term care needs and the comfortable (hazard ratio (HR) 2.14, 95% CI 1.62-2.84), complicated balance (1.81, 1.36-2.41), and Go-stop (1.46, 1.12-1.91) walking conditions.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The findings suggest that slow walking speed has a considerably greater impact on the incident long-term care needs in older adults. However, the complex walking task did not improve the predictive performance. Comfortable walking speed tests, which can easily be measured to predict the future incident long-term care needs, are effective tools in community health promotion and primary care.

Remote administration of physical performance tests among persons with and without a cancer history: Establishing reliability and agreement with in-person assessment

OBJECTIVES

To assess the reliability of using videoconference technology to remotely administer the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), including the 5-time sit-to-stand (5XSTS) and usual 4-m walk (4mWT), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests and agreement with in-person administration among adults with and without cancer.

METHODS

Participants from two ongoing clinical exercise trials in cancer survivors, one that included partners without cancer, comprised the available sample (n = 176; mean age 62.5 ± 11.5 years.). Remote tests were administered on two separate days by either the same or a different assessor to determine intra-rater and inter-rater reliability, respectively. We also compared tests conducted remotely and in-person using the same assessor and the same participant. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used for all comparisons, except for the SPPB score, which used Cohen's kappa and Krippendorf's alpha for intra- and inter-rater reliability, respectively.

RESULTS

Remote assessment of the TUG test had excellent intra-rater reliability (0.98, 95% CI 0.93-0.99), inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.96, 95% CI 0.90-0.99), and good agreement with in-person tests (ICC = 0.88, 95% CI 0.74-0.94). The 5XSTS and 4mWT showed excellent (ICC = 0.92, 95% CI 0.84-0.96) and good (ICC = 0.87, 95% CI 0.71-0.94) intra-rater reliability, respectively, but somewhat lower inter-rater reliability (5XSTS: ICC = 0.65, 95% CI 0.34-0.83 and 4mWT: ICC = 0.62, 95% CI 0.30-0.81). Remote 5XSTS had moderate agreement (ICC = 0.72, 95% CI 0.62-0.80) and 4mWT had poor agreement (ICC = 0.48, 95% CI -0.07-0.76) with in-person tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Remote assessment of common physical function tests in older adults, including those who have cancer, is feasible and highly reliable when using the same assessor. TUG may be the most methodologically robust measure for remote assessment because it is also highly reliable when using different assessors and correlates strongly with in-person testing. Adapting administration of objective measures of physical function for the remote environment could significantly expand the reach of research and clinical practice to assess populations at risk of functional decline.

Association Between Dynamic Trends of Functional Disability and Poverty Among People Aged 45 and Over

Background

The disability problem has become prominent with the acceleration of the global aging process. Individual disability is associated with economic conditions and contributes to family poverty. As disability will change over a long period of time and may even show distinct dynamic trends, we aimed to focus on activities of daily living (ADL) and classify functional disability trends. Moreover, we aimed to highlight and analyze the association between functional disability trends and economic conditions and explore the influencing factors.

Materials and Methods

A total of 11,222 individuals who were 45 years old or older were included in four surveys conducted by the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018. Samples were analyzed after excluding those with missing key variables. The latent class growth model was used to classify the ADL trends. Two binary logistic regressions were established to observe the association between the ADL trends and follow-up economic conditions or catastrophic health expenditure trends.

Results

ADL trends of older adults were classified into improving (25.4%), stabilizing (57.0%), and weakening ADL (17.6%). ADL trend was associated with follow-up poverty (p = 0.002) and catastrophic health expenditure trends (p < 0.001). Compared with the improving ADL trend, the stabilizing ADL may have a negative influence on individuals' economic conditions (OR = 1.175, 95%CI = 1.060–1.303). However, a stabilizing ADL trend was less likely to bring about catastrophic health expenditures (OR = 0.746, 95%CI = 0.678–0.820) compared with an improving ADL trend.

Conclusion

The improvement of functional disability would make the medical expense burden heavier but would still be beneficial for the prevention of poverty. A significant association was found between socioeconomic factors and poverty. Preventing the older adults from developing disability and illness, improving the compensation level of medical insurance, and optimizing the long-term care insurance and the primary healthcare system can potentially contribute to the prevention of poverty. Meanwhile, focusing on people who are poor at early stages, women, middle-aged, low-educated, and in rural areas is important.

Muscle Mass Assessed by the D3-Creatine Dilution Method and Incident Self-reported Disability and Mortality in a Prospective Observational Study of Community-Dwelling Older Men

BACKGROUND

Whether low muscle mass is a risk factor for disability and mortality is unclear. Associations between approximations of muscle mass (including lean mass from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry [DXA]), and these outcomes are inconsistent.

METHODS

Muscle mass measured by deuterated creatine (D3Cr) dilution and appendicular lean mass (ALM, by DXA) were assessed at the Year 14 Visit (2014-2016) of the prospective Osteoporotic Fractures in Men study (N = 1,425, age 77-101 years). Disability in activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs, and mobility tasks was self-reported at the Year 14 visit and 2.2 years later; deaths were centrally adjudicated over 3.3 years. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated per standard deviation decrement with negative binomial, logistic regression, or proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

In age- and clinical center-adjusted models, the relative risks per decrement in D3Cr muscle mass/wgt was 1.9 (95% CI: 1.2, 3.1) for incident self-reported ADL disability; 1.5 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.9) for instrumental ADL disability; and 1.8 (95% CI: 1.5, 2.2) for mobility disability. In age-, clinical center-, and weight-adjusted models, the relative risks per decrement in D3Cr muscle mass was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.5, 2.2) for all-cause mortality. In contrast, lower DXA ALM was not associated with any outcome. Associations of D3Cr muscle mass with these outcomes were slightly attenuated after adjustment for confounding factors and the potentially mediating effects of strength and physical performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Low muscle mass as measured by D3Cr dilution is a novel risk factor for clinically meaningful outcomes in older men.

Identification of Disability Risk in Addition to Slow Walking Speed in Older Adults

INTRODUCTION

A cutoff speed of 1.0 m/s for walking at a comfortable pace is critical for predicting future functional decline. However, some older adults with walking speeds below the cutoff point maintain an independent living. We aimed to identify specific predictors of disability development in older adults with slow walking speeds in contrast to those with a normal walking speed.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study on 12,046 community-dwelling independent Japanese older adults (mean age, 73.6 ± 5.4 years) was conducted between 2011 and 2015. Participants were classified into slow walking speed (comfortable walking speed slower than 1.0 m/s) and normal walking speed (speed of 1.0 m/s or faster) groups and followed up to assess disability incidence for 24 months after baseline assessments. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify predictors of disability development in the slow and normal walking groups.

RESULTS

Overall, 26.8% of participants had a slow walking speed. At follow-up, 17.3% and 5.1% of participants in the slow and normal walking groups, respectively, developed disability (p < 0.01). Cox regression models revealed that age (hazard ratio 1.07, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.09), walking speed (0.12, 0.07-0.22), grip strength (0.97, 0.95-0.99), Parkinson's disease (4.65, 2.59-8.33), word list memory-immediate recognition score (0.90, 0.85-0.97), word list memory-delayed recall score (0.94, 0.89-1.00), Symbol Digit Substitution Test (SDST) score (0.98, 0.96-0.99), and 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score (1.04, 1.01-1.07) were significantly associated with disability incidence in the slow walking group. In the normal walking group, age, grip strength, depression, diabetes, cognition, GDS score, and reduced participation in outdoor activity were significantly associated with disability incidence; however, there was no significant association with walking speed.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased walking speeds have considerably greater impact on disability development in older adults with a slow walking speed than in those with a normal walking speed. Health-care providers should explore modifiable factors for reducing walking speed; they should also encourage improvement of risk factors such as muscle weakness and depression to reduce disability risk in older adults with slow walking speeds.

Use of the Barthel Index to Assess Activities of Daily Living before and after SARS-COVID 19 Infection of Institutionalized Nursing Home Patients

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the activities of daily living (ADLs) using the Barthel Index before and after infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and also to determine whether or not the results varied according to gender. The ADLs of 68 cohabiting geriatric patients, 34 men and 34 women, in two nursing homes were measured before and after SARS-CoV-2 (Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)) infection. COVID-19 infection was found to affect the performance of ADLs in institutionalized elderly in nursing homes, especially in the more elderly subjects, regardless of sex. The COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to having claimed many victims, especially in the elderly population, has led to a reduction in the abilities of these people to perform their ADLs and caused considerable worsening of their quality of life even after recovering from the disease.

Examination of the measurement equivalence of the Functional Assessment in Acute Care MCAT (FAMCAT) mobility item bank using differential item functioning analyses

OBJECTIVE

To assess differential item functioning (DIF) in an item pool measuring the mobility of hospitalized patients across educational, age, and gender groups.

DESIGN

Measurement evaluation cohort study. Content experts generated DIF hypotheses to guide the interpretation. The graded response item response theory (IRT) model was used. Primary DIF tests were Wald statistics; sensitivity analyses were conducted using the IRT ordinal logistic regression procedure. Magnitude and impact were evaluated by examining group differences in expected item and scale score functions.

SETTING

Hospital-based rehabilitation PARTICIPANTS: 2216 hospitalized patients MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 111 self-reported mobility items RESULTS: Two linking items among those used to set the metric across forms evidenced DIF for gender and age: 'difficulty climbing stairs step-over-step without a handrail (alternating feet)' and 'difficulty climbing 3 to 5 steps without a handrail'. Conditional on the mobility state, the items were more difficult for women and older people (aged 65 and over). An additional 18 items were identified with DIF. Items with both high DIF magnitude and hypotheses related to age were difficulty: 'crossing road at a 4-lane traffic light with curbs'; 'jumping/landing on one leg'; 'strenuous activities'; 'descending 3-5 steps with no handrail'. Although DIF of higher magnitude was observed for several items, the scale-level impact was relatively small and the exposure rate for the most problematic items was low (0.35, 0.27 and 0.20).

CONCLUSIONS

This was the first study to evaluate measurement equivalence of the hospital-based rehabilitation mobility item bank. Although 20 items evidenced high magnitude DIF, five related to stairs, the scale-level impact was minimal; however, it is recommended that such items be avoided in the development of short-form measures. No items with salient DIF were removed from calibrations, supporting the use of the item bank across groups differing in education, age, and gender. The bank may thus be useful to assist clinical assessment and decision-making regarding risk for specific mobility restrictions at discharge as well as identifying mobility-related functions targeted for post- discharge interventions. Additionally, with the goal of avoiding long and burdensome assessments for patients and clinical staff; these results could be informative for those using the item bank to construct short forms.

Screening for intrinsic capacity impairments as markers of increased risk of frailty and disability in the context of integrated care for older people: Secondary analysis of MAPT

AIM

This longitudinal secondary analysis of the Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) aimed to test whether the Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Step 1 screening tool is able to identify people at risk of developing frailty and disability in basic (ADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living among community-dwelling older adults.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Seven hundred and fifty-nine (n = 759) non-demented participants of the MAPT aged 70-89 years were assessed in memory clinics in France between 2008 and 2013.

METHODS

We measured six intrinsic capacity (IC) impairments, adapted from the ICOPE screening tool. We used Cox models to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios of incident frailty and IADL/ADL disability. Incident frailty was defined by Fried's phenotype, and incident disability was measured according to Lawton and Katz for IADLs and ADLs.

RESULTS

Limited mobility (HR= 2.97, 95%CI= 1.85-4.76), depressive symptoms (HR= 2.07, 95%CI= 1.03-4.19), and visual impairment (HR= 1.70, 95%CI 1.01-2.86) were associated with a higher incidence of frailty over 5 years. Each additional IC condition demonstrated a positive association with a higher risk of incident frailty, IADL, ADL disability, with risk increased by 47%, 27%, and 23% over 5 years, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Screening for IC impairments identifies older adults at higher risk of incident frailty and incident IADL/ADL disability. It is relevant to screen for these impairments together because the risk of frailty and disability increases with each additional one. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00672685.

Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of low-intensity physical activity for frail older adults: Promoting seniors' health with home care aides (Pro-Home)

Regular participation in physical activity benefits older adults physically and mentally. However, the availability and assessment of physical activity programs that are safe and appropriate for homebound older adults at risk for nursing home admission are limited. Here we describe the protocol for a randomized controlled trial that examines the effectiveness of a gentle physical activity program. Delivered by home care aides who regularly help hard-to-reach older home care clients with housekeeping and routine personal care services in the home, this program is implemented in a real-world context of caregiver-client dyads in a Medicaid-funded home care program. The trial uses a two-group repeated measures design (baseline, Month 4, and Month 8) with 300 pairs of eligible home care clients and their home care aides. The results from this trial could provide evidence and guidelines for a new model of home care, which would facilitate the working together of older home care clients and their home care aides to maintain or improve the functional status of nursing home-eligible older adults.

SPPB reference values and performance in assessing sarcopenia in community-dwelling Singaporeans - Yishun study

Background

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is an established test of physical performance. We provide reference values for SPPB and determine SPPB performance and cut-offs in assessing sarcopenia for Asian community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Five hundred thirty-eight (57.8% women) community-dwelling adults aged 21–90 years were recruited. SPPB and its subtest scores and timings (8 ft. gait speed (GS), five-times repeated chair sit-to-stand (STS) and balance) were determined. Appendicular lean mass divided by height-squared, muscle strength (handgrip) and physical performance (6 m GS, STS and SPPB) were assessed to define sarcopenia for various Asian criteria. Area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to assess performance of SPPB and subtests in discriminating sarcopenia in adults aged ≥60 years. Optimal SPPB and GS subtest cut-offs for each sarcopenia criterion were determined by maximizing sensitivity and specificity.

Results

The mean SPPB score was 11.6(SD 1.1) in men and 11.5(SD1.2) in women. Majority of participants(≥50%) aged 21–80 years achieved the maximum SPPB score. SPPB total and subtest scores generally decreased with age (all p < 0.001), but did not differ between sex. Among older adults (≥60 years), SPPB and GS subtest had varied performance in assessing sarcopenia (AUC 0.54–0.64 and 0.51–0.72, respectively), and moderate-to-excellent performance in assessing severe sarcopenia (AUC 0.69–0.98 and 0.75–0.95, respectively), depending on sarcopenia definitions. The optimal cut-offs for discriminating sarcopenia in both sexes were SPPB ≤11points and GS subtest ≤1.0 m/s. The most common optimal cut-offs for discriminating severe sarcopenia according to various definitions were SPPB ≤11points in both sexes, and GS ≤0.9 m/s in men and ≤ 1.0 m/s in women.

Conclusions

Population-specific normative SPPB values are important for use in diagnostic criteria and to interpret results of studies evaluating and establishing appropriate treatment goals. Performance on the SPPB should be reported in terms of the total sum score and registered time to complete the repeated-chair STS and 8-ft walk tests. The performance of GS subtest was comparable to SPPB and could be a useful, simple and accessible screening tool for discriminating severe sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-021-02147-4.

Promoting Active Aging: Lessons Learned in an Implementation Pilot in Primary Care

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) preserves mobility, but few practices screen older adults for mobility impairment or counsel on PA.

DESIGN

"Promoting Active Aging" (PAA) was a mixed-methods randomized-controlled pilot, to test the feasibility and acceptability of a video-based PA counseling tool and implementation into practice of two mobility assessment tools.

SETTING

Three primary care practices affiliated with Wake Forest Baptist Health.

PARTICIPANTS

Adults aged 65 years and older who presented for primary care follow-up and were willing and able to answer self-report questions and walk 4 meters (n = 59).

INTERVENTION

Video-based PA counseling intervention versus control video, "Healthy Eating."

MEASUREMENTS

Potential participants completed mobility assessments: self-report (Mobility Assessment Tool-short form (MAT-sf)) and performance based (4-meter walk test). We assessed PAA's implementation-feasibility, acceptability, and value-via interviews and surveys. Effectiveness was measured via participant attendance at a PA information session.

RESULTS

Of 92 patients approached, 89 (96.7%) agreed to mobility assessment. Eighty-nine completed MAT-sf, and 97.8% (87/89) completed 4-meter walk test. Sixty-seven (75%) met eligibility criteria, and 59 (88%) consented to be randomized either to the PA counseling intervention (Video-PA) or to active control (Video-C). Most participants viewed the walk test positively (51/59; 86.4%). Staff reported that completion of patient surveys, MAT-sf, and videos required significant staff time and support (median = 26 minutes for all), resulting in low acceptability of MAT-sf and the videos. Attendance at a PA information session did not differ by randomization group (Video-PA = 11/29 (37.9%); Video-C = 12/30 (40%); 95% confidence interval for difference in proportion = -0.29 to 0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Mobility assessment, particularly a 4-meter walk test, was feasible in primary care. Tablet-based assessment (MAT-sf) and video counseling tools, selected to reduce staff effort, instead required significant time to implement. Future work to promote PA should identify effective ways to facilitate adoption of PA in sedentary older adults that do not burden staff.

Functional disability, depression, and suicidal ideation in older prisoners

BACKGROUND

The population of older prisoners (age ≥50), a group with high suicide rates, is growing. We sought to explore the associations among functional disability, depression, and suicidal ideation (SI) among older prisoners, focusing on the mediating role of depression.

METHODS

Study participants were 220 sentenced male inmates age ≥50 who were incarcerated in 8 prisons. Face-to-face interviews were conducted following consent. Functional disability was assessed objectively, using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and via self-report by asking participants their level of difficulty climbing stairs and completing activities necessary for daily living in prison (PADLS) such as standing in line for medications. The PHQ-9 and the Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale assessed depressive symptoms and SI, respectively. Data were analyzed using linear regression models and causal mediation models.

RESULTS

Participants were racially diverse and ranged from age 50 to 79 years. Whereas each functional disability measure was significantly associated with depressive symptoms, difficulty climbing stairs and PADL disability, but not SPPB score, were independently associated with SI. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between functional disability, assessed both objectively and via self-report, and SI.

LIMITATIONS

Cross-sectional study design; possible under-sampling of participants with depressive symptoms and SI.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings have implications for suicide prevention in older prisoners. As this population continues to grow, prevention efforts should target those with depression, including but not limited to those with functional disability. Furthermore, assessing functional disability may offer a means of identifying those who should be screened for depression and suicidal ideation.

Functional capacity and physical performance of community-dwelling elderly: a longitudinal study

This study aimed to verify the occurrence of changes in the functional capacity and physical performance of community-dwelling elderly and its determining factors over a two-year period. This is a quantitative, observational and longitudinal household survey conducted in 2014 and 2016, with the participation of 380 elderly from Uberaba, Minas Gerais. The following instruments were used: The Mini-Mental State Examination and questionnaires with sociodemographic/economic, clinical and life habits data. The functional capacity was evaluated through the Katz Index and Lawton-Brody's scale. Physical performance was verified through the Short Physical Performance Battery. A descriptive, bivariate and linear multiple regression analysis was conducted, with a significance level of α < 0.05. The results showed reduced functional capacity for the instrumental activities of daily living and physical performance in a two-year period. The determining factors for both outcomes were age group, occupational activity, and physical activity. Schooling was a specific factor only for the instrumental activities of daily living, and gender and the number of medicines used, for physical performance.

Operationalizing the Disablement Process for Research on Older Adults: A Critical Review

Self-care disability is difficulty with or dependence on others to perform activities of daily living, such as eating and dressing. Disablement is worsening self-care disability measured over time. The disablement process model (DPM) is often used to conceptualize gerontology research on self-care disability and disablement; however, no summary of variables that align with person-level DPM constructs exists. This review summarizes the results of 88 studies to identify the nature and role of variables associated with disability and disablement in older adults according to the person-level constructs (e.g., demographic characteristics, chronic pathologies) in the DPM. It also examines the evidence for cross-sectional applications of the DPM and identifies common limitations in extant literature to address in future research. Researchers can apply these results to guide theory-driven disability and disablement research using routinely collected health data from older adults.

Adaptation for Growth Via Learning New Skills as a Means to Long-Term Functional Independence in Older Adulthood: Insights From Emerging Adulthood

Maintenance of functional independence, or the ability to perform daily tasks independently, is a hallmark of successful aging. Healthy older adults are considered functionally independent if they pass a short survey consisting of relatively simple daily activities, including grocery shopping and managing finances. We argue that aging research often has overlooked an important factor for long-term functional independence in a dynamic environment: adaptation for growth via learning new skills. Previous research has focused primarily on compensation and mitigating decline rather than growth. Given that adaptation for growth is at the core of intelligence, resilience, and neuroplasticity, we suggest that functional independence research with older adults could integrate adaptation for growth into the construct, following research on adolescent autonomy and emerging adulthood. After briefly reviewing research on functional independence and compensation in older adulthood, we offer suggestions to push forward gerontological research linking adaptation for growth and functional independence.

Limitations in activities of daily living in old age in Germany and the EU - Results from the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS) 2

The health status of older people in Germany can be compared with the health of older people in other European Union (EU) Member States using data on the distribution of limitations in activities of daily living. This concept covers basic limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) such as eating, as well as limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (iADL) such as shopping and managing finances. The second wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS 2) collected data on five ADLs and seven iADLs for people aged 65 or above. An ADL or iADL limitation was defined if a participant reported at least a lot of difficulty in at least one ADL or iADL, respectively. On average, 8.4% of the EU population reported an ADL limitation, with 25.2% reporting an iADL limitation. However, prevalences vary widely between EU Member States and are lower in Germany than the EU average (ADL limitation 6.3%, iADL limitation 14.0%). In general, women, people aged 75 or above, and lower education groups have a higher prevalence of ADL and iADL limitations.

Activities of daily living in older community-dwelling persons: a systematic review of psychometric properties of instruments

BACKGROUND

Activities of daily living (ADL) are often used as predictors of health and function in older persons. This systematic review is part of a series initiated by the European Network for Action on Ageing and Physical Activity (EUNAAPA).

AIM

To assess psychometric properties of ADL instruments for use in older populations.

METHODS

Electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, AMED, Psycinfo, CINAHL) were searched, using MeSH terms and relevant keywords. Studies, published in English, were included if they evaluated one or more psychometric properties of ADL instruments in community-dwelling older persons aged 60 years and older. Combination scales with IADL were excluded. This systematic review adhered to a pre-specified protocol regarding reliability, validity, and responsiveness.

RESULTS

In total, 140 articles describing more than 50 different ADL instruments were included. Ten instruments which were applied in minimally three different articles of good quality (clear descriptions and adequate design according to the protocol), were evaluated for reliability, validity and responsiveness; each received a summary score. The four instruments with the highest scores were the Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF), 5-items Katz list (although content and wording are often inconsistent across studies), Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale (FIDS) and the Barthel Index.

DISCUSSION

Critical reflection is essential to avoid unnecessary modifications and use of instruments that have not been documented to be valid or reliable.

CONCLUSION

Based on this systematic review, we recommend the SMAF, 5-item Katz, FIDS and Barthel index as ADL measures for research and care practice in older populations.

Association Between the Discrepancy in Self-Reported and Performance-Based Physical Functioning Levels and Risk of Future Falls Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS)

OBJECTIVES

A discrepancy in self-reported and performance-based physical functioning levels is often observed among older adults. We investigated the association of discrepancy in self-reported and performance-based physical functioning levels with risk of future falls among community-dwelling older adults.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Two communities in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

1379 older adults who took part in the yearly health checkup in both 2009 and 2010.

MEASURES

The performance-based and self-reported physical functioning levels were evaluated by the Timed Up and Go test and the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (Japanese version) physical functioning subscale, respectively. We divided the participants into 4 groups based on the combinations of low or high performance-based and self-reported physical functioning groups, which were classified by age- and sex-specific reference values. The main outcome was the occurrence of any falls within the 1-year follow-up period, assessed using a self-reported questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total of 22% of the participants reported the occurrence of a fall during the follow-up period. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratios of the high self-reported and low performance-based, low self-reported and high performance-based, and low self-reported and low performance-based physical functioning groups were 1.10 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-1.82), 1.76 (95% CI, 1.17-2.66), and 1.80 (95% CI, 1.11-2.90), respectively, compared with the high self-reported and high performance-based physical functioning group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the discrepancy as high performance-based but low self-reported physical functioning level is associated with an increased risk of future falls in older adults aged 65-89 years. Clinicians should carefully assess older adults whose subjective perception of their physical functioning capacity is lower than those in similar age and sex groups, even if their actual physical functioning appears to be objectively high.

Patient-reported and objectively measured physical function in older breast cancer survivors and cancer-free controls

OBJECTIVES

Older breast cancer survivors (BCS) consistently report more functional limitations than women without cancer, but whether or not these differences remain when using objective measures of physical functioning and the correlates of these measures is unknown.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study comparing older (≥60 years old) BCS (n = 84) to similarly aged women without cancer (n = 40). Patient-reported physical function was assessed by the SF-36 physical function (SF-36PF) subscale and the Late Life Function & Disability Instrument (LLFDI). Objective measures included the short Physical Performance Battery (sPPB), usual walk speed (m/s), chair stand time (sec) and, grip strength (kg). Potential predictors included age, comorbidities, symptom severity, fatigue and skeletal muscle index (SMI; kg/m²).

RESULTS

Patient-reported physical function was significantly lower in BCS than controls using SF-36PF (47.3 ± 0.1 vs. 52.9 ± 4.0, p < 0.001) and LLFDI (68.2 ± 10.5 vs. 75.0 ± 8.9, p = 0.001). BCS had significantly lower sPPB scores (10.7 ± 0.1 vs. 11.7 ± 0.5, p < 0.001), longer chair stand times (12.6 ± 3.7 vs. 10.1 ± 1.4 s, p < 0.001), and lower handgrip strength (22.3 ± 5.0 vs. 24.3 ± 4.4 kg, p = 0.03) than controls, but similar walk speed (1.1+0.2 vs. 1.1+0.1 m/s, p = 0.75). Within BCS, age, comorbidities, SMI, symptom severity and fatigue explained 17.3%-33.1% of the variance across physical function measures. Fatigue was the variable most consistently associated with patient-reported physical functioning and age and comorbidities were the variables most consistently associated with objectively measured physical functioning.

CONCLUSION

Older BCS should be screened for functional limitations using simple standardized objective tests and interventions that focus on improving strength and reducing fatigue should be tested.

Development of a complex intervention aimed at reducing the risk of readmission of elderly patients discharged from the emergency department using the intervention mapping protocol

Background

Limitations in performing daily activities and a incoherent discharge are risk factors for readmission of elderly patients after discharge from the emergency department. This paper describes the development and design of a complex intervention whose aim was to reduce the risk of readmission of elderly patients discharged from the emergency department.

Methods

The intervention was described using the Intervention Mapping approach. In step 1, a needs assessment was conducted to analyse causes of readmission. In steps 2 and 3, expected improvements in terms of intervention outcomes, performance objectives and change objectives were specified and linked to selected theory- and evidence-based methods. In step 4, the specific intervention components were developed; and in step 5, an implementation plan was described. Finally, in step 6, a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the intervention was described. The intervention was informed by input from a literature search, informal interviews and an expert steering group.

Results

A three-phased theory- and evidence-based intervention was developed. The intervention consisted of 1) assessment of performance of daily activities, 2) defining a rehabilitation plan and 3) a follow-up home visit the day after discharge with focus on enhancing the patients’ performance of daily activities.

Conclusion

The intervention mapping protocol was found to be a useful method to describe and systemize this theory- and evidence-based intervention.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-018-3391-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Promoting Seniors' Health With Home Care Aides: A Pilot

Purpose

Regular physical activity (PA) benefits older adults. However, frail older adults lack opportunities to be physically active. This pilot study aimed to test and enhance the feasibility of a PA program delivered by home care aides (HCAs) for community-dwelling older adults in a Medicaid-funded home care setting and to generate preliminary efficacy and cost data.

Design and Methods

HCAs were trained to deliver a brief motivational enhancement and three chair-bound movements to motivate their older clients to do PA daily and to help maintain their independence in the community. Mixed methods were used to evaluate clients' function and health before and after the 4-month intervention.

Results

Clients' daily activity function and health outcomes (physical fitness, self-rated health, pain interference, and fear of falling) improved significantly. The program was well-received by clients (N = 54) and their HCAs (N = 46) as indicated by high retention rates among client participants (93%) and remarks provided by clients.

Implications

Building PA into the everyday care of older adults and the routine work of HCAs is feasible. The intervention has the potential for further implementation and dissemination.

Factors Associated With Physical Performance Measures in a Multiethnic Cohort of Older Adults

Objective: To explore the association between ethnicity, sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors, and physical performance (PP) in ethnically diverse community-dwelling older adults from one geographic area. Method: We used multivariable linear regression to identify factors associated with upper (grip strength [GS], arm curls [AC]) and lower (chair stands [CS]) body strength and mobility (gait speed [GSp]) in 577 older adults (mean age 74 ± 8; 104 African American, 142 Afro-Caribbean, 123 Hispanic, and 208 European American) from South Florida. Results: Worse mental health was negatively associated with CS in African Americans and AC in Hispanics. Older age and higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with slower GSp in all except in Hispanics. Higher physical activity was associated with higher upper body strength in Hispanics and better mobility in African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans, but not in European Americans. Conclusion: Studies with large multiethnic cohorts are needed to further our understanding of ethnic differences in PP, which will help in tailoring interventions and recognizing unmet needs for health and social services.

Effects of Postacute Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Including Exercise in Out-of-Hospital Settings in the Aged: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many older individuals receive rehabilitation in an out-of-hospital setting (OOHS) after acute hospitalization; however, its effect on mobility and unplanned hospital readmission is unclear. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on this topic.

DATA SOURCES

Medline OVID, Embase OVID, and CINAHL were searched from their inception until February 22, 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

OOHS (ie, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, or community-based at home) randomized trials studying the effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation were selected, including those assessing exercise in older patients (mean age ≥65y) after discharge from hospital after an acute illness.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two reviewers independently selected the studies, performed independent data extraction, and assessed the risk of bias. Outcomes were pooled using fixed- or random-effect models as appropriate. The main outcomes were mobility at and unplanned hospital readmission within 3 months of discharge.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 15 studies (1255 patients) were included in the systematic review and 12 were included in the meta-analysis (7 assessing mobility using the 6-minute walk distance [6MWD] test and 7 assessing unplanned hospital readmission). Based on the 6MWD, patients receiving rehabilitation walked an average of 23 m more than controls (95% confidence interval [CI]=: -1.34 to 48.32; I²: 51%). Rehabilitation did not lower the 3-month risk of unplanned hospital readmission (risk ratio: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.73-1.19; I²: 34%). The risk of bias was present, mainly due to the nonblinded outcome assessment in 3 studies, and 7 studies scored this unclearly.

CONCLUSION

OOHS-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation leads to improved mobility in older patients 3 months after they are discharged from hospital following an acute illness and is not associated with a lower risk of unplanned hospital readmission within 3 months of discharge. However, the wide 95% CIs indicate that the evidence is not robust.

Measuring Sarcopenia Severity in Older Adults and the Value of Effective Interventions

OBJECTIVES

Little is known about the severity and long-term health and economic consequences of sarcopenia. We developed a sarcopenia index to measure severity in older Americans and estimated the long-term societal benefits generated by effective interventions to mitigate severity.

DESIGN

Using a micro-simulation model, we quantified the potential societal value generated in the US in 2010-2040 by reductions in sarcopenia severity in older adults. All analyses were performed in Stata and SAS.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Secondary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (N = 1634) and Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (N = 952) were used to develop a sarcopenia severity index in older adults.

MEASUREMENTS

Multi-trait multi-method and factor analyses were used to validate and calibrate the sarcopenia severity index, which was modeled as a function of gait speed, walking without an assistive device, and moderate physical activity.

RESULTS

In representative elderly populations, reducing sarcopenia severity by improving gait speed by 0.1 m/s in those with gait speed under 0.8 m/s generated a cumulative benefit of $65B by 2040 (2015 dollars). Improving walking ability in those with walking difficulty generated cumulative social benefit of $787B by 2040.

CONCLUSIONS

Reducing sarcopenia severity would generate significant health and economic benefits to society-almost $800B in the most optimistic scenarios.

Multidimensional factors associated with the loss of independence: A population-based longitudinal study

AIM

To clarify the factors associated with loss of independence multidimensionally over a 3-year period among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

The survey was exclusively carried out by the local government for people aged >65 years who were independent at baseline living in H-City, a mid-sized urban city in Japan. The participants completed a self-administered postal questionnaire, and we obtained data regarding their loss of independence from administrative records 3 years later.

RESULTS

A total of 22 328 participants completed the follow up (baseline mean age 71.6 years). At follow up, 998 (4.3%) participants were categorized as dependent, with 606 requiring partial support in toileting, bathing and so on (mild loss of independence), and 392 requiring complete support (severe loss). Factors independently associated with mild loss of independence after 3 years for both men and women were advanced age, low physical function, low nutritional status, low cognitive function and high depression risk. In contrast, factors independently associated with severe loss of independence were advanced age, low physical function and high depression risk in men, and advanced age, and low physical and cognitive function in women.

CONCLUSIONS

We clarified the variety of factors associated with loss of independence according to its severity, and the strength of those independent associations was different in the whole city longitudinal study. The present study's findings have important clinical implications for the development of better preventive medicine to establish a society of healthy longevity. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 448-455.

Evaluating Distinctions in the Assessment of Late-Life Disability

Background

By including categories for accommodations and reduced frequency, to supplement earlier classifications of difficulty and dependence, a new 5-category functional scale has the potential to distinguish finer gradations in disability but the hierarchical nature and advantages of this scale over alternative scales are uncertain.

Methods

Using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 7,609), we conducted a series of: cross-sectional analyses that focused on the hierarchical consistency of responses in the 5-category scale; and longitudinal analyses that focused on predictive accuracy for mortality and functional dependence, comparing the 5-category scale with three simpler scales, having only three or four categories.

Results

Although there was considerable variability across the seven functional activities, the prevalence of inconsistencies in the hierarchy of the 5-category scale (eg, reports difficulty but no accommodations) was relatively high. In addition, the predictive accuracy of the 5-category scale for mortality and functional dependence was only modestly better than that of the two 3-category scales and was comparable to that of the 4-category scale. Finally, when evaluated as summative disability scores, there was little difference in predictive accuracy between the 5-category scale and three alternative scales.

Conclusions

Despite inconsistencies in its hierarchy, the 5-category scale is more effective in stratifying risk for mortality and functional dependence than the two 3-category scales but not the 4-category scale. When assessing changes over time, however, the addition of questions on accommodations and reduced frequency to those on difficulty and dependence, to form a summative disability score, offers little benefit and increases the burden of the assessment.

The clinical implications of HIV infection and aging

The objectives of this study, presented as part of a plenary session at WW7 in Hyderabad, India were to review (i) the epidemiology and current clinical issues of HIV infection with regard to HIV and older populations and (ii) models for increased morbidity and mortality in older HIV-positive individuals with implications for clinical care. HIV infection for those in treatment has become a complex chronic disease in which end-organ injury and resulting morbidity, functional decline, and mortality do not have a single etiology but reflect cumulative loss of organ system reserve from multiple interacting sources leading to functional decline, organ system failure, and death. Emerging guidelines and recommendations suggest a need for increased awareness and treatment of the multifaceted needs of the aging HIV-infected patient.

Determinants of each domain of the Short Physical Performance Battery in COPD

BACKGROUND

The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is an assessment tool with good prognostic value in COPD. It includes the following: standing balance, 4 m gait speed test (4MGS), and the timed five-repetition sit-to-stand test (5STS). The specific differences in determinants between these three tasks have not been adequately characterized in COPD patients. We aimed to identify health-related, functional, and psychological determinants of each SPPB test.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 137 patients with stable COPD. Patients performed the SPPB, quadriceps muscle strength (QMS), exercise tolerance test (6-min walk test [6MWT]), and pulmonary function; and health-related and psychological factors, physical activity, the COPD assessment test (CAT), body mass index, age, and depression were assessed.

RESULTS

Separate multivariable regression models predicting the 4MGS, 5STS, and balance test results described 31%, 39.1%, and 12.1% of the variance for each test, respectively. QMS was negatively associated with all three tests. The 6MWT was negatively associated with the 4MGS and 5STS. Depression and age were positively associated with 4MGS scores, whereas CAT and age were positively associated with 5STS scores.

CONCLUSION

The three SPPB tests did not provide equivalent information regarding a COPD patient's status. The 5STS was associated with health status factors, while the 4MGS was associated with psychological factors.

Omega-3 fatty acid levels in red blood cell membranes and physical decline over 3 years: longitudinal data from the MAPT study

Studies have shown that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are associated with brain, cardiovascular, and immune function, as well as physical performance and bone health in older adults. So far, few studies have investigated the associations between PUFA status and performance-based tests of physical function. The objective of this study was to investigate the associations between the omega-3 PUFA levels (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) in red blood cell (RBC) membranes and physical performance, in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. This is a longitudinal observational study using data from the Multidomain Alzheimer's Disease Trial (MAPT), a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Four hundred participants from MAPT placebo group with available PUFA data were included. Omega-3 PUFA levels in RBC membranes were measured at baseline, and their percentage of total RBC membrane fatty acid content was calculated. We dichotomized the standardized omega-3 PUFA levels in RBC membranes as low (lowest quartile) vs. high (three upper quartiles). Gait speed (in m/s) and short physical performance battery (SPPB) score (range from 0 to 12, higher is better) were used to assess physical performance at baseline and after 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. Participants were 75.2 (± 4.3) years old and 68% were female. Bivariate analyses found that the characteristic of the participants in the lowest quartile of omega-3 PUFA levels (Q1) and those in the three upper quartiles (Q2-Q4) was not different at baseline; only those in Q1 were slightly older. In an unadjusted model, the difference in gait speed after 3 years of follow-up was significant (- 0.09 ± 0.03 m/s; p = 0.008) between participants in Q1 and those in Q2-Q4. In a model adjusted for age, gender, educational level, cognitive function, depressive status, body mass index, physical activity, grip strength, and their time interaction, this difference remained clinically relevant (- 0.07 ± 0.04 m/s; p = 0.075). No difference between the two groups was found for the SPPB score development over 3 years. Older adults with subjective memory complaints and in the lower quartile of omega-3 have a faster decline on gait speed compared to people in the three upper quartiles. Other longitudinal studies are needed to explore this association and to examine mechanisms.

Validity of the German Version of the Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance 10 Test

Background

The Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance 10 Test (CS-PFP 10) quantitatively assesses physical functional performance in older adults who have a broad range of physical functional ability. This study assessed the validity and reliability of the CS-PFP 10 German version.

Methods

Forward-translations and backtranslations as well as cultural adaptions of the test were conducted. Participants were German-speaking Swiss community-dwelling adults aged 64 and older. Concurrent validity was assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients between CS-PFP 10 and gait velocity, Timed Up and Go Test, hand grip strength, SF-36 physical function domain, and Freiburger Physical Activity Questionnaire. Internal consistency was calculated by Cronbach's alpha.

Results

Backtranslation and cultural adaptions were accepted by the CS-PFP 10 developer. CS-PFP 10 total score and subscores (upper body strength, upper body flexibility, lower body strength, balance and coordination, and endurance) correlated significantly with all measures of physical function tested. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha 0.95–0.98).

Conclusion

The CS-PFP 10 German version is valid and reliable for measuring physical functional performance in German-speaking Swiss community-dwelling older adults. Quantifying physical function is essential for clinical practice and research and provides meaningful insight into physical functional performance of older adults. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01539200.

Snow and Rain Modify Neighbourhood Walkability for Older Adults

The literature has documented a positive relationship between walkable built environments and outdoor mobility in older adults. Yet, surprisingly absent is any consideration of how weather conditions modify the impact of neighbourhood walkability. Using archived weather data linked to survey data collected from a sample of older adults in Vancouver, Canada, we found that car-dependent neighbourhoods (featuring longer block lengths, fewer intersections, and greater distance to amenities) became inaccessible in snow. Even older adults who lived in very walkable neighbourhoods walked to 25 per cent fewer destinations in snow. It is crucial to consider the impact of weather in the relationship between neighbourhood walkability and older adult mobility.

Predictive validity of the functional independence and difficulty scale in community-dwelling Japanese older adults

[Purpose] The newly developed Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale is a tool for assessing the performance of basic activities of daily living in terms of both independence and difficulty. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive validity of the scale for decline of instrumental activities of daily living ability and multiple falls during a 24-month follow-up period. [Subjects and Methods] One-hundred forty older adults (median age 74.0, 60% women) completed baseline data collection and a follow-up postal survey. At baseline, background variables, the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale, and instrumental activities of daily living ability assessed by the five sub-items of Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence were recorded. At follow-up, data on instrumental activities of daily living ability and falls in the previous 12 months were obtained. [Results] Of the 140 participants, 15 (10.7%) declined in instrumental activities of daily living ability and 14 (10.0%) experienced multiple falls. The Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale at baseline independently predicted decline of instrumental activities of daily living ability and multiple falls. [Conclusion] The Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale predicts subsequent decline of instrumental activities of daily living ability and multiple falls.

Comparison of the measurement properties of the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale with the Barthel Index in community-dwelling elderly people in Japan

BACKGROUND

The new Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale (FIDS) is a tool for assessing the performance of basic activities of daily living (BADL). Because many BADL measures already exist, it is important to know whether FIDS can offer added benefit over the existing measures.

AIMS

This study compared measurement properties between the FIDS and a representative BADL assessment tool, the Barthel Index (BI).

METHODS

Recruitment of the participants was done on the basis of convenience sampling. Participants were community-dwelling elderly Japanese subjects (n = 314; age ≥65 years) divided into a healthy elderly group [n = 225; subjects not using long-term care insurance (LTCI) services] and frail elderly group (n = 89; subjects using LTCI services). For each group, ceiling effect (percent participation with the maximum score) was calculated, and it was compared between the two scales. Associations between the FIDS, BI and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 8 Health Survey (SF-8) were evaluated by Spearman correlation coefficient and partial correlations. Partial correlations coefficients to SF-8 were compared between the two scales.

RESULTS

FIDS showed a relatively small ceiling effect compared to the BI. Compared to the BI, FIDS showed a significant positive partial correlation with the broader aspect of the SF-8 subscales, but the strength of correlation between FIDS and SF-8 was weak to negligible.

CONCLUSIONS

The FIDS might be less affected by ceiling effect than the BI. Additional studies using a sufficient number of probability samples are needed to clarify whether FIDS has any benefit over BI in terms of correlations with the SF-8.

Minimal Important Change and Minimal Detectable Change in Activities of Daily Living in Community-Living Older People

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the minimal important change (MIC) and the minimal detectable change (MDC) of the Katz-activities of daily living (ADL) index score and the Lawton instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scale.

DESIGN

Data from a cluster-randomized clinical trial and a cohort study.

SETTING

General practices in the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

3184 trial participants and 51 participants of the cohort study with a mean age of 80.1 (SD 6.4) years.

MEASUREMENTS

At baseline and after 6 months, the Katz-ADL index score (0-6 points), the Lawton IADL scale (0-7 points), and self-perceived decline in (I)ADL were assessed using a self-reporting questionnaire. MIC was assessed using anchor-based methods: the (relative) mean change score; and using distributional methods: the effect size (ES), the standard error of measurement (SEM), and 0.5 SD. The MDC was estimated using SEM, based on a test-retest study (2-week interval) and on the anchor-based method.

RESULTS

Anchor-based MICs of the Katz-ADL index score were 0.47 points, while distributional MICs ranged from 0.18 to 0.47 points. Similarly, anchor-based MICs of the Lawton IADL scale were between 0.31 and 0.54 points and distributional MICs ranged from 0.31 to 0.77 points. The MDC varies by sample size. For the MIC to exceed the MDC at least 482 patients are needed.

CONCLUSION

The MIC of both the Katz-ADL index and the Lawton IADL scale lie around half a point. The certainty of this conclusion is reduced by the variation across calculational methods.

Comparison of self-reported and performance-based measures of functional ability in elderly patients in an emergency department: implications for selection of clinical outcome measures

Background

Assessment of functional ability in elderly patients is often based on self-reported rather than performance-based measures. This study aims to compare self-reported and performance-based measures of functional ability in a population of elderly patients at an emergency department (ED).

Methods

Participants were 61 patients aged 65 years and above admitted to an ED. The self-reported measure used was the Barthel-20; the performance-based measures were Timed Up and Go (TUG); 30s-Chair Stand Test (30s-CST) and Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) with the two scales; motor and process. Correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between the self-reported and performance-based measures of functional ability.

Results

The correlation between the Barthel-20 and the TUG was moderate (r = −0.64). The correlation between the Barthel-20 and the AMPS motor was also moderate (r = 0.53). The correlation between the Barthel-20 and the 30s-CST was fair (r = 0.45). The correlation between Barthel-20 and the AMPS process was non-significant. The results were affected by high ceiling effect (Barthel-20).

Conclusion

Self-reported and performance-based measures seem to assess different aspects of functional ability. Thus, the two methods provide different information, and this highlight the importance of supplementing self-reported measures with performance-based measures when assessing functional ability in elderly patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0376-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The relative and absolute reliability of the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale in community-dwelling frail elderly Japanese people using long-term care insurance services

BACKGROUND

The newly developed Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale is a tool for assessing the performance of basic activities of daily living in terms of both independence and difficulty. The reliability of this new scale has not been assessed.

AIMS

The aim of this study was to examine the relative reliability and absolute reliability of the newly developed scale in community-dwelling frail elderly people in Japan.

METHODS

Participants were 47 community-dwelling elderly subjects (22 for assessing test-retest reliability and 25 for assessing inter-rater reliability). As relative reliability indices, intra-class correlation coefficients were used. From an absolute reliability perspective, we conducted Bland-Altman analysis and calculated the limit of agreement or minimal detectable change to determine the acceptable range of error.

RESULTS

Intra-class correlation coefficients for test-retest and inter-rater reliability were 0.90 (P < 0.001) and 0.97 (P < 0.001), respectively. The limit of agreement for test-retest reliability was -5.2 to 1.8, representing an increase of over six points for improvement and a decrease of over two points for decline of basic activities of daily living ability. The minimal detectable change for inter-rater reliability was 3.7, indicating that a three-point difference might be existed between difference raters. The results of this study demonstrated that the FIDS appeared to be a reliable instrument for use in Japanese community-dwelling frail elderly people.

CONCLUSIONS

While further research using a large and more diverse sample of participants is needed, our findings support the use of FIDS in clinical practice or clinical research targeting frail elderly Japanese people.

Instrumental and Non-Instrumental Evaluation of 4-Meter Walking Speed in Older Individuals

Background

Manual measurement of 4-meter gait speed by a stopwatch is the gold standard test for functional assessment in older adults. However, the accuracy of this technique may be biased by several factors, including intra- and inter-operator variability. Instrumental techniques of measurement using accelerometers may have a higher accuracy. Studies addressing the concordance between these two techniques are missing. The aim of the present community-based observational study was to compare manual and instrumental measurements of 4-meter gait speed in older individuals and to assess their relationship with other indicators of physical performance.

Methods

One-hundred seventy-two (69 men, 103 women) non-disabled community-dwellers aged ≥65 years were enrolled. They underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment including physical function by Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), hand grip strength, and 6-minute walking test (6MWT). Timed usual walking speed on a 4-meter course was assessed by using both a stopwatch (4-meter manual measurement, 4-MM) and a tri-axial accelerometer (4-meter automatic measurement, 4-MA). Correlations between these performance measures were evaluated separately in men and women by partial correlation coefficients.

Results

In both genders, 4-MA was associated with 4-MM (men r = 0.62, p<0.001; women r = 0.73, p<0.001), handgrip strength (men r = 0.40, p = 0.005; women r = 0.29, p = 0.001) and 6MWT (men r = 0.50, p = 0.0004; women r = 0.22, p = 0.048). 4-MM was associated with handgrip strength and 6MWT in both men and women. Considering gait speed <0.6 m/s as diagnostic of dismobility syndrome, the two methods of assessment disagreed, with a different categorization of subjects, in 19% of men and 23% of women. The use of accelerometer resulted in 29 (13 M, 16 F) additional diagnoses of dismobility, compared with the 4-MM.

Conclusions

In an older population, the concordance of gait speeds manually or instrumentally assessed is not optimal. The results suggest that manual measures might lead to misclassification of a substantial number of subjects. However, longitudinal studies using standardized and validated procedures aimed at the comparison of different techniques are needed before recommending the use of accelerometers in comprehensive geriatric assessment.

RISK FACTORS FOR SLOW GAIT SPEED: A NESTED CASE-CONTROL SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF THE MEXICAN HEALTH AND AGING STUDY

BACKGROUND

Physical performance tests play a major role in the geriatric assessment. In particular, gait speed has shown to be useful for predicting adverse outcomes. However, risk factors for slow gait speed (slowness) are not clearly described.

OBJECTIVES

To determine risk factors associated with slowness in Mexican older adults.

DESIGN

A two-step process was adopted for exploring the antecedent risk factors of slow gait speed. First, the cut-off values for gait speed were determined in a representative sample of Mexican older adults. Then, antecedent risk factors of slow gait speed (defined using the identified cut-points) were explored in a nested, cohort case-control study.

SETTING PARTICIPANTS

One representative sample of a cross-sectional survey for the first step and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (a cohort characterized by a 10-year follow-up).

MEASUREMENTS

A 4-meter usual gait speed test was conducted. Lowest gender and height-stratified groups were considered as defining slow gait speed. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, psychological and health-care related variables were explored to find those associated with the subsequent development of slow gait speed. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were performed.

RESULTS

In the final model, age, diabetes, hypertension, and history of fractures were associated with the development of slow gait speed.

CONCLUSIONS

Early identification of subjects at risk of developing slow gait speed may halt the path to disability due to the robust association of this physical performance test with functional decline.

Relationship of regional brain β-amyloid to gait speed

OBJECTIVE

To investigate in vivo the relationship of regional brain β-amyloid (Aβ) to gait speed in a group of elderly individuals at high risk for dementia.

METHODS

Cross-sectional associations between brain Aβ as measured with [18F]florbetapir PET and gait speed were examined in 128 elderly participants. Subjects ranged from healthy to mildly cognitively impaired enrolled in the control arm of the multidomain intervention in the Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT). Nearly all participants presented spontaneous memory complaints. Regional [18F]florbetapir (AV45) standardized uptake volume ratios were obtained via semiautomated quantitative analysis using the cerebellum as reference region. Gait speed was measured by timing participants while they walked 4 meters. Associations were explored with linear regression, correcting for age, sex, education, body mass index (BMI), and APOE genotype.

RESULTS

We found a significant association between Aβ in the posterior and anterior putamen, occipital cortex, precuneus, and anterior cingulate and slow gait speed (all corrected p < 0.05). A multivariate model emphasized the locations of the posterior putamen and the precuneus. Aβ burden explained up to 9% of the variance in gait speed, and significantly improved regression models already containing demographic variables, BMI, and APOE status.

CONCLUSIONS

The present PET study confirms, in vivo, previous postmortem evidence showing an association between Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology and gait speed, and provides additional evidence on potential regional effects of brain Aβ on motor function. More research is needed to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying these regional associations, which may involve motor and sensorimotor circuits hitherto largely neglected in the pathophysiology of AD.