Associations of physical activity with cognitive function and daily physical function among Chinese individuals with heart disease: A cross-sectional study

Independent and combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function in older adults: evidence from a national cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Although there have been studies on the association of handgrip strength or walking speed alone with cognitive abilities, few studies have determined the combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function. Therefore we aimed to explore the independent and combined associations of handgrip strength and walking speed with cognitive function in Chinese older adults using a nationally representative sample.

METHOD

This cross-sectional study included 4,577 adults aged 60 and older. Handgrip strength was measured using a dynamometer and walking speed was assessed using a 2.5-meter walking test. Both handgrip strength and walking speed were organized into low, normal, and high tertiles according to the sample distribution. Cognitive function was measured using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status.

RESULTS

Handgrip strength and walking speed were significantly associated with cognitive function. Participants with low handgrip strength or low walking speed separately had a higher rate of lower cognitive function (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.22 (95% CI: 1.04 - 1.44) for low handgrip strength; 1.54 (95% CI: 1.31 - 1.81) for low walking speed). Those with both low handgrip strength and low walking speed had an additively higher rate of lower cognitive function (adjusted OR: 1.72 (95% CI: 1.32 - 2.24)).

CONCLUSION

Having low handgrip strength or low walking speed is associated with a greater likelihood of lower cognitive function and vice versa. The concurrence of having low handgrip strength and low walking speed has an additive effect on cognitive function in older adults.

The Long-Term Impact of Cardiac Rehabilitation on Cognitive Function in Older Patients With Myocardial Infarction: A Systematic Review

Myocardial Infarction (MI) is an obstruction in the coronary arteries, resulting in restricted blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart, leading to damage to the heart's tissues. Beyond the cardiovascular system, the impact of MI extends to potentially affecting cognitive abilities, especially in elderly populations. To optimize patient recovery and long-term outcomes, timely cardiac interventions and subsequent rehabilitation programs are essential. This systematic review aims to assess the potential benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in enhancing cognitive function among elderly individuals who have experienced an MI. The review adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines and utilizes PubMed, PubMed Central, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect databases. Studies included in the review encompass meta-analyses, controlled trials, systematic/narrative reviews, randomized/nonrandomized trials, observational studies, and research articles published within the past five years. Only accessible, full-text English-language studies meeting the inclusion criteria are selected, while books, documents over five years old, animal studies, and individuals under 65 are excluded. Following a predefined template, the initial search identifies 4,915 studies. From this pool, 27 free full-text articles are then selected for quality appraisal based on relevance. After performing a quality assessment on each survey, 12 high-quality studies are included in this systematic review. The research studies demonstrate notable cognitive improvements among elderly patients who have experienced an MI and participated in CR programs. Additional clinical trial studies are recommended to substantiate these findings further and advance our understanding.

Eight-year trajectories and predictors of cognitive function in community-dwelling Korean older adults with cardiovascular diseases

PURPOSE

This study aims to identify longitudinal patterns and predictors of cognitive function trajectories among Korean older adults with cardiovascular diseases.

DESIGN

This study is a longitudinal panel analysis based on secondary data. Data from the the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) were used for analysis.

METHODS

The KLoSA is a representative panel survey of older Koreans. We analyzed responses from 301 participants aged ≥65 years who completed the same survey more than three times out of five waves between 2012 and 2020.

FINDINGS

Latent class growth modeling identified two trajectories of cognitive function in older people with cardiovascular diseases: "low and declining" (n = 81, 26.9%) and "high and declining" (n = 220, 73.1%). Participants in "the low and declining trajectory group" were more likely to have a low educational level, weak handgrip strength, depression, and low social participation at baseline than those in "the high and declining trajectory group."

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a need to develop community-based tailored interventions for improving handgrip strength, mental health, and social participation in delaying cognitive decline in older people with cardiovascular diseases considering their educational level.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Healthcare providers should be more concerned about older people with a weaker handgrip, depression, and low social activities as a high-risk group for cognitive decline over time in cardiovascular care. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate them early with standardized tools and make subsequent strategies for the older population with cardiovascular diseases.

Separate and combined associations of obesity and handgrip strength with cognitive function in older adults: A national cross-sectional study in China

This study examined the separate and combined associations of obesity and handgrip strength with cognitive function in older adults. In total 4,839 older adults were included in this cross-sectional study, and their body mass index (BMI) and handgrip strength were measured. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. Three individual categories were created for BMI (normal weight: 18.5≤ BMI < 24.0 kg/m2 overweight: 24.0≤ BMI < 28.0 kg/m2 and obesity: BMI ≥ 28.0 kg/m2 and handgrip strength (low, normal, and high tertiles), and then these categories were pooled together. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the individual and combined associations of obesity and handgrip strength with cognitive function. Results indicated that overweight adults had a lower rate of lower cognitive function than normal weight adults. There was an inverse association between handgrip strength and cognitive function. Participants with overweight and high handgrip strength had a lower likelihood of lower cognitive function compared to those with normal weight and normal handgrip strength. The findings suggested that overweight or high handgrip strength was associated with lower odds of cognitive decline. Moreover, the concurrence of overweight and high handgrip strength had an additive effect on cognitive function in older adults.