Elderly Brazilians Research Articles

Inflammation, Oxidation, Caloric Expenditure and Cognitive Impairment in Brazilian Elderly Assisted at Primary Care.

Cognitive impairment (CI) has a multifactorial etiology. Some studies have suggested that inflammatory, oxidative and antioxidant status and physical activity are associated with CI. However, the evidence on this subject is still controversial. The goal of this study was to verify the association of caloric expenditure by physical activity, oxidative, antioxidant power and inflammatory biomarkers with CI in older adults. We performed a cross-sectional study of 424 elderly (224 with normal cognitive function and 200 with CI) patients from the Family Health Strategy in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The variables investigated were sociodemographic, biochemical, inflammatory (hs-CRP, IL-6), oxidative (TBARS, AOPP), antioxidant power (FRAP) biomarkers, energy expenditure, and cognitive function. The instruments used were the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire + Compendium of Physical Activities, classification of energy costs of human physical activities (for physical activity evaluation and measurement of energy expenditure in METs), and a battery of neuropsychiatric instruments (for cognitive ability assessment). We found statistically significant differences only with respect to HDL-c and age (higher averages in the CI group; P<0.05). We observed no differences between the groups with respect to biochemical, inflammatory, oxidative and FRAP biomarkers or caloric expenditure. Logistic regression showed that HDL-c (OR=1.02 [IC=95%; 1.01-1.04]; P=0.011), and age (OR=1.05 [IC=95%; 1.02-1.08]; P=0.004) are independent factors associated with CI. Our results suggest that the biochemical (except HDL-c), inflammatory, oxidative, and FRAP biomarkers investigated and caloric expenditure are not associated with CI in the elderly assisted at primary care.

Facial trauma as physical violence markers against elderly Brazilians: A comparative analysis between genders

The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of elderly Brazilians with injuries resulting from physical violence and identify victimization differences. A descriptive and exploratory study was conducted involving the analysis of medico-legal and social records of 259 elderly victims of physical violence treated at an Institute of Forensic Medicine and Dentistry over four years (from January 2008 to December 2011). The forensic service database was evaluated by researchers properly trained and calibrated to perform this function between January and March 2013. Socio-demographic variables of victims, aggression characteristics, aggressor’s profile and types of lesions were evaluated. Descriptive and multivariate statistics using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) were performed. The prevalence of facial trauma was 42.9%. Based on the MCA results, two groups with different victimization profiles were identified: married men aged 70–79 years, victims of community violence at night, suffering facial injuries; and single, widowed or separated women aged 60–69 years, victims of domestic violence during the day, suffering trauma in other areas of the body. The results suggest that there is a high prevalence of facial injuries among elderly Brazilians victims of physical violence and there are important differences related to victimization characteristics according to gender.

Contextual and Individual Factors Influencing Periodontal Treatment Needs by Elderly Brazilians: A Multilevel Analysis.

ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between periodontal treatment needs by elderly Brazilians and contextual as well as individual variables.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the need for clinical periodontal treatment, based on National Oral Health Survey (SB Brasil 2010) data on the presence of dental calculus, shallow (3–5 mm) and deep (≥ 6 mm) periodontal pockets, and gingival bleeding in elderly people (n = 7,619). The contextual variables included the Municipal Human Development Index (MHDI), income inequality (Gini Index) and coverage of the municipal population by the Family Health Strategy (FHS) program oral health teams.<0} The individual variables were sex, income, education level and self-reported skin color. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI95%) between periodontal treatment needs and the contextual as well as individual variables.ResultsGingival bleeding was found in 20.7% of the elderly analyzed (n = 1,577), dental calculus in 34% (n = 2,590), shallow periodontal pockets in 15.6% (n = 1,189), and deep periodontal pockets in 4.2% (n = 320). Individual factors were correlated with all the outcomes assessed. Sex was a protective factor in regard to gingival bleeding (OR = 0.87; CI95% 0.76–1.00), dental calculus (OR = 0.86; CI95% 0.75–0.99), shallow periodontal pockets (OR = 0.69; CI95% 0.60–0.80) and deep periodontal pockets (OR = 0.58; CI95% 0.45–0.74). It was found that fewer women needed treatment. Elderly people who self-reported having nonwhite skin had higher chances of needing periodontal treatment. Skin color was a risk factor for gingival bleeding (OR = 1.32; CI95% 1.14–1.53), dental calculus (OR = 1.32; CI95%1.14–1.54) and shallow periodontal pockets (OR = 1.27; CI95% 1.09–1.49). Education level was associated with the presence of dental calculus (OR = 0.77; CI95% 0.66–0.89), shallow periodontal pockets (OR = 0.86; CI95% 0.73–1.00) and deep periodontal pockets (OR = 0.74; CI95% 0.57–0.97), thus acting as a risk factor for undereducated elderly people. There was a correlation between population coverage by the Family Health Strategy (FHS) program oral health teams and the presence of gingival bleeding (OR = 0.67; CI95% 0.52–0.88), shallow periodontal pockets (OR = 0.76; CI95% 0.58–0.98) and deep periodontal pockets (OR = 0.62; CI95% 0.44–0.89), making these teams act as a protective factor.ConclusionsThis study showed evidence of the sociocontextual as well as individual sociodemographic characteristics influencing periodontal treatment needed by elderly Brazilians, based on the clinical features of periodontal disease. The results suggest the existence of inequality related to periodontal treatment needs among elderly Brazilians, especially in regard to sex and ethnicity, in addition to a potentially positive impact from the expansion of the Family Health Strategy (FHS) program oral health teams.

Advanced Activities of Daily Living (AADLs) and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly persons: Data from the FIBRA Study - UNICAMP

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between participation in advanced activities of daily living (AADLs) and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly persons. Method The data presented is drawn from the population-based study entitled Frailty Profile of Elderly Brazilians (FIBRA-Unicamp). The sample comprised 2,549 older adults without cognitive impairments suggestive of dementia. Data was collected relating to socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, years of education and family income), health status (number of diseases and depressive symptoms), cognitive performance (Mini-Mental State Examination - MMSE) and self-reported social, physical and intellectual AADLs. Results Mean MMSE scores were significantly higher among men, younger individuals and those with more years of education, higher income, fewer diseases and fewer depressive symptoms. Multivariate linear regression analysis and hierarchical regression analysis showed that years of education, family income and participation in intellectual AADLs were positively associated with cognitive performance. Conclusion The findings suggest that these factors may have a protective role in cognitive aging and that participation in intellectual AADLs can represent a feasible strategy for the promotion of mental health among older adults.

Prevalence of Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Overlap Syndrome in Brazilian Elderly Patients

Prevalence of Asthma-Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Overlap Syndrome in Brazilian Elderly Patients

Relationship between Sense of Coherence and oral health in adults and elderly Brazilians.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between Sense of Coherence (SOC) and oral health clinical variables (number of teeth present and absence of need for dental prostheses). The sample consisted of 720 adults and elderly Brazilians. The data were collected at home using the SOC-13 scale - a form of clinical examination for the evaluation of oral conditions - and a questionnaire evaluating socioeconomic aspects and the use of dental services. Statistical analysis, both univariate and multivariate, was performed by Poisson regression with robust variance adjustment. The average age of the participants was 60.2 years, and they were predominantly female (57.8%). Among the participants who had a strong SOC, the absence of the need for dental prostheses was 34% higher than among those with a weak SOC, demonstrating a significant difference between the groups (PR = 1.34, 95%CI = 1.06-1.70; p = 0.015). Individuals who had a strong SOC had a 5% higher prevalence of 14 or more existing teeth than those with a weak SOC, which was statistically significant after adjustment for co-factors (PR = 1.05, 95%CI = 1.01-1.11, p = 0.033). A strong personal Sense of Coherence has a beneficial influence on the oral health of adults and older people in Brazil.

DIETARY HABITS AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATION OF OLDER BRAZILIAN ADULTS: EVIDENCE FROM THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY (2013)

Objective: To compare the consumption of selected healthy and unhealthy food groups among elderly Brazilians with daily living activity limitations relative to those with no limitations. Design: Cross-sectional analyses of a nationally representative survey. Setting: The Brazilian National Health Survey, conducted in 2013. Subjects: 11,177 Brazilians aged 60 and over. Results: The prevalence of daily living limitations was 29% (95% CI 27.6,30.5). The consumption of daily meat, beans on a regular basis, and recommended fruit and vegetables intake were 67.1% (95% CI 66.5,68.7), 71.3% (95% CI 69.9,72.8) and 37.3% (95% CI 35.6,39.9), respectively. Compared to those without functional limitation, the consumption of these three food groups was significantly lower among those older adults with functional limitation (Prevalence Ratio = 0.89, 95% CI 0.80,0.98; 0.90, 95% CI 0.82,0.99 and PR 0.86, 95% CI, 0.76,0.96, respectively), independently of age, sex, marital status, living arrangements and education. Level of education showed a strong positive association with fruit and vegetable consumption, and a negative association with bean consumption, a staple diet in Brazil. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for public health policies to increase consumption healthy food consumption among those older adults with functional limitations, especially fruit and vegetable intake among those who have low education levels.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DURATION OF NAPS AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING ELDERLY: DATA FROM THE MULTICENTER STUDY FIBRA

This study aimed to analyze the association between the duration of the nap and the variables gender, age, education, family income, frailty levels and frailty criteria of community-dwelling elderly. This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study, an excerpt from the multicenter project Frailty in Elderly Brazilians. A total of 3,075 older adults were evaluated, aged 65 and over, using a sociodemographic questionnaire, question about nap (Minnesota Leisure Activity Questionnaire), phenotype of frailty proposed by Fried and screening test for cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination). Descriptive analysis, Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p&lt;0.05) and multiple linear regression were applied. Ethical principles were respected. Most of the elderly participants napped (61.7%), with an average of 53.4±42.7 min/day. There was an association between duration of naps and variables gender (p=0.002), frailty (p=0.022) and frailty criterion "hand grip strength" (p=0.008). It was observed that the length of the naps is greater for male and frail elderly.

The Virological and Immunological Characteristics of the HIV-1-Infected Population in Brazil: From Initial Diagnosis to Impact of Antiretroviral Use.

BackgroundImmunological and virological status of HIV-infected individuals entering the Brazilian public system over time was analyzed. We evaluated the impact of ART on virological, immunological and antiretroviral resistance over time.MethodsCD4+ T cell counts, viral loads and genotypes from patients over 13 years old from 2001–2011 were analyzed according to demographic data. We compared groups using parametric t-tests and linear regression analysis in the R statistical software language.ResultsMean baseline CD4+ T cell counts varied from 348 (2003) to 389 (2009) and was higher among women (p = 1.1 x 10−8), lower in older patients (p< 1 x 10−8) and lower in less developed regions (p = 1.864 x 10−5). Percentage of treated patients with undetectable viral loads increased linearly from 46% (2001) to 77% (2011), was lower among women (p = 2.851 x 10−6), younger ages (p = 1 x 10−3), and in less developed regions (p = 1.782 x 10−4). NRTI acquired resistance was 86% in 2001–3 and decreased over time. NNRTI resistance increased from 2001-3(50%) to 2006–9 (60%), PI resistance decreased from 2001–3 (60%) to 2009 (40%), and 3-class resistance was stable over time around 25%. Subtype prevalence comprised B (75.3%), B/F recombinants (12.2%), C (5.7%), F (5.3%) and B/C recombinants (1.5%), with regional variations. Three-class resistance was 26.5% among Bs, 22.4% among Fs and 17.2% among Cs.ConclusionsHIV diagnosis occurs late, especially among elderly Brazilians. Younger individuals need special attention due to poor virological response to treatment. Antiretroviral Resistance profile is subtype related.

Consumption profile and factors associated with the ingestion of beer and distilled beverages among elderly Brazilians: Gender differences.

To estimate the prevalence of the consumption of beer and distilled beverages and associated factors among Brazilian older adults residing in a highly populated city in Brazil, highlighting the factors associated with frequent consumption and differences in consumption between men and women. It was a cross-sectional, analytic study carried out by means of probability samples of conglomerates of older adults (aged 65-74 years). Descriptive analysis, univariate analysis and estimates of multivariate models through logistic regression (OR, 95% CI) were realized. 500 of the 736 evaluated seniors were included in the present analysis. 128 (27.3%), 103 (21.3%) and 167 (34.9%) of the seniors indicate past or current use of beer, distilled beverages and frequent use of alcohol, respectively. The consumption of beer was associated with use of tobacco between women; and with marital status and schooling between men. The consumption of distilled beverages was associated with schooling and use of tobacco between women; and age and use of tobacco in men. Daily or weekly use was associated with schooling and use of tobacco between women; age and the use of tobacco between men. In the elderly population studied, a noteworthy prevalence of the consumption of beer and distilled beverages was identified, and this use was associated with personal and behavioral determinants. Similar associations related to frequent (daily or weekly) consumption were also identified. Significant differences in the profile of consumption were identified between men and women, with more abusive use among men. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 810-820.

A Measure to Assess Elderly Brazilians’ Involvement in Pleasant Activities: Initial Evidence of Internal and External Validity

The sense of pleasure that arises from engagement in activities is of fundamental importance for the well-being of older adults. In this study, we initiate the investigation of the psychometric properties of a Brazilian version of the California Older Person’s Pleasant Events Schedule (COPPES; the Brazilian version is the OPPES-BR), which measures the frequency of older people’s involvement in pleasant activities. The sample consisted of 337 community-dwelling older Brazilians, who completed the Beck Depression Inventory and OPPES-BR. Internal consistency of the “Frequency,” “Pleasure,” and “Obtained Pleasure” scales was excellent, indicating evidence of internal validity. Frequency and Obtained Pleasure were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, indicating evidence of external validity. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that responses of the Brazilians do not form the same domains, compared to the original sample of Californians. Further studies to continue evaluating the psychometric properties of the OPPES-BR, such as exploring the domains that are pertinent to older Brazilians, are needed.

Oral impacts on the daily performance of Brazilians assessed using a sociodental approach: analyses of national data.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between oral diseases and their impact on the daily performance of adult and elderly Brazilians, verify the association of oral diseases with socioeconomic and demographic features, and compare the standard estimate of need with the sociodental assessment of these same needs. The authors evaluated data from 17,398 Brazilians aged between 35-44 years and 65-74 years, taken from the cross-sectional Brazilian Oral Health Survey (Saúde Bucal Brasil - SBBrasil). Regression models were applied to assess associations among impacts on daily performance and income, schooling, gender, region, use of dental services, health perception and dental disease status. McNemar's test was applied to compare standard versus impact-related estimates of need. The prevalence ratio of these impacts was associated with the sociodemographic versus health perceptions (p < 0.001) of adults and the elderly. Adults also had impacts associated with loss of periodontal attachment (p < 0.001). The prevalence of normative needs was 95.39% for adults and 99.76% for the elderly, whereas the impact-related estimate of need was 50.92% and 43.71%, respectively. The impacted-related approach had a statistically significant association with the normative estimate of need (p < 0.001). This study showed a relationship between oral impact on daily performance of adults and educational level. Sociodemographic features were also related to the impacts on both adults and the elderly, and to health perception. The impacts among the adults were related to the loss of periodontal attachment. In addition, the authors found a sizable difference between the standard versus the sociodental approach, in that the sociodental assessment needs were lower than the needs identified by the standard estimate of need.

Phonemic and semantic verbal fluency tasks: normative data for elderly Brazilians

This study aims to investigate the influence of sociodemographic characteristics on the performance of older people on two tasks of verbal fluency and provide normative data for a Brazilian population of healthy elderly individuals with different educational levels. The initial sample included 521 individuals aged from 60 years, participating in the Program Family Health Strategy. Participants who had scores suggestive of cognitive decline on the Mini-Mental State Examination, depressive symptoms in Geriatric Depression Scale and self-reported neurological or psychiatric disorders were excluded. The final sample consisted of 218 participants in phonemic verbal fluency task (letters F, A and S) and 265 participants for semantic verbal fluency task (animals). The performance in both tests was associated with age and education, but not with sex. Still, the education variable was shown to have a greater impact on scores in phonemic and semantic tests than age in both forms of evocation. The results of this study suggest the importance of providing normative data for elderly Brazilians appropriate to age and education on verbal fluency tasks.

Associations among self-reported diabetes, nutritional status, and socio-demographic variables in community-dwelling older adults

Objective:The aim of this study was to describe relationships between self-reported diabetes mellitus and its treatment, according to demographic and socioeconomic data, as well as indicators of nutritional status in community-dwelling older adults.Methods:This is a population-based and a cross-sectional study derived from the multicentric survey "Frailty in Brazilian Elderly". The random sample consisted of 881 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older from the city of Campinas. The self-reported variables were: age, gender, family income (minimum salaries), education (years of education); and absolute data (yes versusno) regarding unintentional weight loss and weight gain, diabetes, and its treatment. Anthropometric variables were collected by trained examiners following classic protocols. Body mass index was classified as: underweight &lt;23; normal weight ≥23 and &lt;28; overweight ≥28 and &lt;30; and obesity ≥30. Waist-to-hip ratio, indicator of abdominal adiposity, was classified according the metabolic risk, for male and female, respectively: low 0.90-0.95 and 0.80-0.85; moderate 0.96-1.00 and 0.86-0.90; and high &gt;1.00 and &gt;0.90.Results:The variables most associated with diabetes were obesity (OR=2.19), abdominal adiposity (OR=2.97), and unintentional weight loss (OR=3.38). The lack of diabetes treatment was associated with advanced age (p=0.027), lower educational level (p=0.005), and low metabolic risk (p=0.004).Conclusion: Self-reported diabetes was associated with obesity but mostly with abdominal adiposity and unintentional weight loss. Not being treated for diabetes mellituswas associated with advanced age, lower levels of education, and lower abdominal adiposity.

Abstract 16445: Reference Echocardiographic Measurements in Free-Living Adults: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

Background: Current normal reference values for echocardiography are derived from North American or European populations, and it is not known if these are applicable to the multiethnic constitution of Brazilian and South American populations. Objective: We aimed to describe reference values for echocardiographic measurements in a contemporary cohort of middle-aged and elderly free-living Brazilians. Methods: Echocardiographic studies from 3234 participants (33% of those for whom echocardiography was available) were read in the ELSA Echocardiography Reading Center. Their demographic characteristics did not differ substantially from remaining participants of similar age in the ELSA-Brasil cohort - a study of Brazilian public servants aged 35 to 74 years. Among these, we identified a reference normal sample of 950 (29%) participants (56±10 years; 40% men) after excluding those with prevalent hypertension (51%), diabetes (27%), metabolic syndrome (45%), self-reported cardiovascular disease (13%), or echocardiographically determined myocardiopathy or significant valvular disease (13%). Results: The Table describes sex-specific mean±SD values from the reference normal sample. Mean values for structural measurements were larger for men, but systolic function and mitral annular tissue Doppler measurements were similar. The majority of measurements were within the normal range of other populations. Conclusion: Although results in this sample, which we believe to be the largest drawn to date from an apparently normal Latin American population, are mostly similar to those of other international reference samples, particularities exist that may relate to its multi-ethnic nature or to other regional characteristics. We believe that these results are suitable for use as regional normative values and for international comparisons.

Nutritional status of institutionalized elderly Brazilians: a study with the Mini Nutritional Assessment.

To assess the nutritional status of elderly living in nursing homes in the city of Salvador, Brazil and associated factors. Cross-sectional study performed with 359 individuals of both sexes, ages equal or over 60 years old, located in Nursing Homes in the urban area of the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Regarding nutritional status according to Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), 66.3% of the evaluated elderly were malnourished and at risk of malnutrition. When comparing sexes, it has been observed that among men the prevalence of this condition (76.6%) was higher than in women (62.4%). It has been observed, as a result of the multivariate analysis, that only the variable functional capacity for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) was statistically significant. There was moderate correlation between MNA and Mini-Mental State Examination (r=0.454; p<0.0001), as well as between MNA and the ADL scale (r=0.569; p<0.0001). There was weak negative correlation between MNA total score and age (r=0.159; p=0.002). Malnutrition and malnutrition risk were conditions of remarkable importance, with almost two-thirds of the elderly in this situation. ADL functional capacity must be monitored given their close relationship with the nutritional status of the elderly. An interdisciplinary approach in the context of institutionalization is needed due to the association between nutritional status and variables of different dimensions.

Understanding of pictograms from the United States Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information (USP-DI) among elderly Brazilians.

ObjectiveTo assess the understanding and cultural acceptability of the United States Pharmacopeia Dispensing Information (USP-DI) in a group of elderly Brazilians.MethodsThe study participants were individuals between 60 and 90 years old, of both sexes, with different levels of education and income. Fifteen of 81 pictograms from the USP-DI were presented to the elderly subjects, individually, without subtitles and in random order, so that the participants’ understanding of the pictograms could be evaluated.ResultsThe study included 116 participants. Only one of the selected pictograms reached the comprehension criterion established by the International Organization for Standardization 3864. With regard to the relationship between understanding and sociodemographic characteristics, age, wage income, and level of education were all found to be significantly associated with participants’ understanding of some of the pictograms.ConclusionMost of the USP-DI pictograms evaluated were not well understood by the elderly Brazilians. This finding indicates that such pictograms need to be culturally adapted for the Brazilian context if they are to serve their purpose effectively in this country.

The association between skin color/race and health indicators in elderly Brazilians: a study based on the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey (2008).

This study analyzed racial inequalities in health in 18,684 elderly Brazilians 65 years or older, interviewed in the National Household Sample Survey in 2008 (PNAD 2008), and who reported their color/race as white, brown, or black. Associations were estimated between self-rated health status, functional incapacity, and number of chronic conditions according to crude and adjusted regression analyses (α = 0.01). The majority of the elderly were white (56.2%). In the adjusted analysis, brown color/races was associated with worse self-rated health status (OR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.03-1.18) and black color/race was associated with more chronic diseases (PR = 1.07; 95%CI: 1.02-1.13). Brown color/race appeared as a protective factor against functional incapacity. When brown and black elderly were combined in one category ("black"), "black" elderly continued to show worse self-rated health status (OR = 1.09; 95%CI: 1.02-1.16) and lower odds of functional incapacity (OR = 0.83; 95%CI: 0.76-0.92). "Black" color/race lost the association with number of chronic diseases. Color/race explained part of the health inequalities in elderly Brazilians, but other socioeconomic variables had a more striking effect.

Relations between memory complaints, depressive symptoms and cognitive performance among community dwelling elderly

Background Memory complaints are quite common among the elderly; yet, the clinical relevance of these complaints to diagnose cognitive decline is debatable, since several different factors could be associated with them. Objective The present paper examined the correlations between memory complaints, depressive symptoms and cognitive performance in a group of 301 elderly individuals who lived in the district of Ermelino Matarazzo, São Paulo, and who participated in the population-based survey entitled Profiles of Frailty in Elderly Brazilians by the FIBRA Network. Methods Cognitive performance was assessed with the memorization test involving 10 common pictures, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Verbal Fluency (VF) test, and the Clock Drawing Test, which comprise the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery (BCSB). Memory complaints were assessed with the Memory Complaint Questionnaire (MAC-Q), and depressive symptoms with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Results Female participants had higher rates of memory complaints when compared to male participants (p = 0.013). Subjects with less years of schooling had more severe memory complaints and poorer cognitive performance than those with more years of schooling (p < 0.003). The presence of depressive symptoms was associated with poorer memory assessment scores (r = 0.39, p < 0.001). Discussion Memory complaints were correlated with sex, schooling and depressive symptoms among elderly individuals residing in the community. No correlation was found between complaints and cognitive performance.

“Chair Stand” Test as Predictor of Brazilian Elderly Men Fallers.

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between fall and performance in the chair stand test; and evaluate this test as a predictor of community-dwelling Brazilian elderly men fallers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a study based on secondary data derived from a population-based epidemiological study involving 143 elderly men. The association between fall and performance in the chair stand test was tested with the Poisson regression technique (robust model adjusted by age). The discriminatory power of the chair stand test was determined by the ROC curve. In all analyses the level of significance adopted was 5% (α = 0.05). The data were analyzed in the IBM SPSS and MedCalc. The participants' age ranged from 60 to 105 years (73.4 ± 9.4 years). The time for performing the test ranged from 6 s to 31 s (13.2 ± 5.0 s) and 17.7% (n = 25) reported having suffered at least one fall in the last 12 months. RESULTS: The Poisson multiple regression model (adjusted by age) showed that the spent time to perform the chair stand test was positively associated (PR = 1.08; CI95% = 1.02 - 1.14; P = 0.009) with the occurrence of fall in the last 12 months. The power of the chair stand test to discriminating the elderly who suffered fall may be visualized by means of the ROC curve parameters. The value of AUC indicates that the chair stand test was able to discriminate individuals who suffered and those who did not suffered fall. The cut-off point of 12 s was the one that best discriminated the occurrence of fall, presenting sensitivity = 68.4% and specificity = 60.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that the chair stand test was associated with fall and presented predictive potential for elderly men fallers.