Abstract
BackgroundWhile there is evidence about stablished risk factors (e.g., raised blood pressure) and higher mortality risk in older population, less has been explored about other functional parameters like the Timed Up and Go test and the Gait Speed in older people at low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to study these mobility tests as predictors of mortality in a population of older people in Peru.MethodsPopulation-based prospective cohort study (2013–2020). Random sampling of people aged 60+ years in a community of Lima, Peru. Geriatricians conducted all clinical evaluations and laboratory tests were conducted in the local hospital. Participants were sought in the national vital registration system, and we collated cause (ICD-10) and date of death. We conducted a nested forward multivariate Cox proportional hazard model to identify all potential predictors of all-cause, communicable and non-communicable diseases mortality.ResultsAt baseline, there were 501 older people (mean age 70.6 and 62.8% were women), complete follow-up information was available from 427 people. Mean follow-up time was 46.5 months (SD = 25.3). In multivariate models, the Timed Up and Go test was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.02–1.09). For cause-specific mortality, history of heart disease (HR = 2.25; 95% CI: 1.07–4.76) and age in years (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01–1.09) were predictors of non-communicable diseases mortality.ConclusionsIn addition to established risk factors for mortality in older population, the Timed Up and Go test, a functional parameter, raised as a relevant predictor of all-cause mortality.
Highlights
Aging of the population is a phenomenon fast occurring in most countries
To provide evidence to strengthen the recommendation of including mobility tests as part of the regular geriatric consultation in low- and middle-income countries those in Latin America, we aimed to determine if mobility tests, such as Timed Up and Go test and Gait Speed, are independent predictors of mortality, in a population-based cohort of community-dwelling older adults in Lima, Peru
The fully adjusted model revealed that the Timed Up and Go test increased the risk of all-cause mortality by 0.05 per one-unit change in seconds (1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.09; Table 2)
Summary
Aging of the population is a phenomenon fast occurring in most countries. This has sparked interest in finding risk factors for death as a result of deviations of homeostatic equilibrium, deteriorations of health and multimorbidity, while considering the complexity and heterogeneity of older adults [1]. Mobility problems in older people can be detected with tests such as the Timed Up and Go test [6] and Gait Speed [7] These are useful to predict falls [8] and to determine frailty older people [9]. These tests are independently associated with a higher risk of mortality [7, 10,11,12], including mortality due to NonCommunicable Diseases (NCD) both in the presence of comorbidities and in the absence of known cardiovascular risk factors [11, 12].
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