Abstract
Despite the growing number of octogenarians, little is known about their vitamin D status and activities of daily living (ADL) relations. The aim of this study was to investigate peculiarities of vitamin D and ADL and to assess their relations in octogenarians. A cross-sectional study was performed at the National Osteoporosis Centre located in Vilnius, Lithuania. Community-dwelling ambulatory persons aged ≥80 years were included. Current users of vitamin D supplements were excluded. Total 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration in serum was measured with Cobas E411. Functional status was assessed by Katz ADL and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scales. Subjects were divided into three groups according to age and into two groups according to vitamin D level. One-way analysis of variance with post hoc test was used to determine between-group comparisons. Associations between vitamin D and ADL score, and IADL score were assessed using Spearman's correlation. The study was performed on 153 octogenarians: 81 (52.9%) women and 72 (47.1%) men. The average age of subjects was 83.9 ± 3.2 years. Mean total 25 hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 11.2 ± 7.0 ng/ml; 137 (89.5%) persons had vitamin D deficiency, 12 (7.8%) had insufficiency, and only 4 (2.6%) persons were vitamin D sufficient. Positive weak correlation between total 25 hydroxyvitamin D and ADL score (r = 0.2, p = 0.01) and very weak correlation between total 25 hydroxyvitamin D and IADL score (r = 0.19, p = 0.02) were found. Total 25 hydroxyvitamin D level was correlated with ADL score in women (r = 0.23, p = 0.04). In the 80-84 years group ADL score correlated with total 25 hydroxyvitamin D level (r = 0.23, p = 0.02). The majority of investigated octogenarians had vitamin D deficiency. The level of vitamin D was associated with the ADL score. There was no association between the vitamin D level and the IADL score, although a weak correlation was found between vitamin D level and category of food preparation.
Highlights
Despite the growing number of octogenarians, little is known about their vitamin D status and activities of daily living (ADL) relations
Octogenarians are at risk of total 25 hydroxyvitamin D deficiency for several reasons: a tendency to avoid the sun; decreased skin capacity to produce vitamin D; and diminished intestinal absorption and/or decreased vitamin D dietary intake [4]
There is growing evidence that total 25 hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is associated with muscle weakness, increased risk of falling, impaired functional status, lower cognitive performance score, frailty, and poorer quality of life in elderly people [5]
Summary
Despite the growing number of octogenarians, little is known about their vitamin D status and activities of daily living (ADL) relations. There were 137 million persons aged 80 years or above (octogenarians) living in the world in 2017, and this number is projected to increase more than threefold in 2050, to 425 million [1]. Vitamin D and ADLs in Octogenarians deficiency or insufficiency worldwide, and this is prevalent among elderly people [3]. There is growing evidence that total 25 hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is associated with muscle weakness, increased risk of falling, impaired functional status, lower cognitive performance score, frailty, and poorer quality of life in elderly people [5]. The association between total 25 hydroxyvitamin D deficiency and mortality is inconclusive, as some studies report a positive relationship while others do not [6, 7]
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