Changes In Instrumental Activities Of Daily Living Research Articles

Association of intrinsic capacity with functional decline and mortality in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

Together with environmental factors, intrinsic capacity (the composite of all the physical and mental capacities of an individual) has been proposed as a marker of healthy ageing. However, whether intrinsic capacity predicts major clinical outcomes is unclear. We aimed to explore the association of intrinsic capacity with functional decline and mortality in older adults. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we conducted a systematic search in MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Web of Science from database inception to Feb 14, 2024, of observational longitudinal studies conducted in older adults (age ≥60 years) assessing the association of intrinsic capacity with impairment in basic activities of daily living (BADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) or risk of mortality. Estimates were extracted by two reviewers (JLS-S and W-HL) and were pooled using three-level meta-analytic models. The quality of each study was independently assessed by two authors (JLS-S and PLV) using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for longitudinal studies. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 indicator at two levels: within-study (level 2) and between-study (level 3) variation. For associations between intrinsic capacity and IADL and BADL, we transformed data (standardised β coefficients and odds ratios [ORs]) into Pearson product moment correlation coefficients (r) using Pearson and Digby formulas to allow comparability across studies. For associations between intrinsic capacity and risk of mortality, hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs were extracted from survival analyses. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42023460482. We included 37 studies (206 693 participants; average age range 65·3-85·9 years) in the systematic review, of which 31 were included in the meta-analysis on the association between intrinsic capacity and outcomes; three studies (2935 participants) were included in the meta-analysis on the association between intrinsic capacity trajectories and longitudinal changes in BADL or IADL. Intrinsic capacity was inversely associated with longitudinal impairments in BADL (Pearson's r -0·12 [95% CI -0·19 to -0·04]) and IADL (-0·24 [-0·35 to -0·13]), as well as with mortality risk (hazard ratio 0·57 [95% CI 0·51 to 0·63]). An association was also found between intrinsic capacity trajectories and impairment in IADL (but not in BADL), with maintained or improved intrinsic capacity over time associated with a lower impairment in IADL (odds ratio 0·37 [95% CI 0·19 to 0·71]). There was no evidence of publication bias (Egger's test p>0·05) and there was low between-study heterogeneity (I2=18·4%), though within-study (I2=63·2%) heterogeneity was substantial. Intrinsic capacity is inversely associated with functional decline and mortality risk in older adults. These findings could support the use of intrinsic capacity as a marker of healthy ageing, although further research is needed to refine the structure and operationalisation of this construct across settings and populations. None. For the Spanish and French translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Relationship between instrumental activities of daily living decline during hospitalization and one-year mortality in elderly patients with heart failure: A multi-center prospective cohort study

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) decline during hospitalization is related to mortality rates. This study examined the relationship between IADL decline during hospitalization and the one-year mortality rate in elderly heart failure (HF) patients. MethodsFive hundred seventy-six consecutive patients who were hospitalized for acute decompensated HF and underwent rehabilitation were divided into groups based on changes in IADL during hospitalization: IADL maintained and IADL decline. IADL was assessed by the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology-Activities of Daily Living Scale (NCGG-ADL). IADL decline was defined as Δ NCGG-ADL ≤ −1 point. The primary outcome was one-year all-cause mortality rate after discharge. Outcomes were examined using the Kaplan–Meier method with the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards models using the existing prognostic risk factors for HF. ResultsOf 576 patients, 20% (n = 113) had IADL decline during hospitalization, and 9.2% (n = 35) and 6.0% (n = 18) died of all-cause and cardiovascular disease within one year after discharge, respectively. The IADL-decline group had significantly higher one-year all-cause mortality rates after adjusting for risk factors (hazard ratio: 1.923, 95% confidence interval 1.085–3.409; P = 0.023). Among the IADL subcategories, outdoor activity items such as “go out by oneself,” “take a bus or train,” and “shop for necessities” were more likely to change from independent to dependent during hospitalization. ConclusionIADL decline during hospitalization was associated with an increased all-cause mortality rate at one-year after discharge in elderly HF patients.

Determining the Minimal Important Change of Everyday Functioning in Dementia: Pursuing Clinical Meaningfulness.

Background and ObjectivesDecline in everyday functioning is a key clinical change in Alzheimer disease and related disorders (ADRD). An important challenge remains the determination of what constitutes a clinically meaningful change in everyday functioning. We aimed to investigate this by establishing the minimal important change (MIC): the smallest amount of change that has a meaningful effect on patients' lives. We retrospectively investigated meaningful change in a memory clinic cohort.MethodsIn the first, qualitative part of the study, community-recruited informal caregivers of patients with ADRD and memory clinic clinicians completed a survey in which they judged various situations representing changes in everyday functioning. Their judgments of meaningful change were used to determine thresholds for MIC, both for decline and improvement, on the Amsterdam Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Questionnaire. In the second, quantitative part, we applied these values in an independent longitudinal cohort study of unselected memory clinic patients.ResultsMIC thresholds were established at the average threshold of caregivers (N = 1,629; 62.4 ± 9.5 years; 77% female) and clinicians (N = 13): −2.2 points for clinically meaningful decline and +5.0 points for clinically meaningful improvement. Memory clinic patients (N = 230; 64.3 ± 7.7 years; 39% female; 60% dementia diagnosis) were followed for 1 year, 102 (45%) of whom showed a decline larger than the MIC, after a mean of 6.7 ± 3.5 months. Patients with a dementia diagnosis and more atrophy of the medial temporal lobe had larger odds (odds ratio [OR] = 3.4, 95% CI [1.5–7.8] and OR = 5.0, 95% CI [1.2–20.0], respectively) for passing the MIC threshold for decline than those with subjective cognitive complaints and no atrophy.DiscussionWe were able to operationalize clinically meaningful decline in IADL by determining the MIC. The usefulness of the MIC was supported by our findings from the clinical sample that nearly half of a sample of unselected memory clinic patients showed a meaningful decline in less than a year. Disease stage and medial temporal atrophy were predictors of functional decline greater than the MIC. Our findings provide guidance in interpreting changes in IADL and may help evaluate treatment effects and monitor disease progression.

Effects of a 12-month home-based exercise program on functioning after hip fracture - Secondary analyses of an RCT.

Long-term functional limitations are common after hip fractures. Exercise may alleviate these negative consequences but there is no consensus on an optimal training program. The objective was to study the effects of a 12-month home-based supervised, progressive exercise program on functioning, physical performance, and physical activity. Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial targeting patients with surgical repair of a hip fracture, aged ≥60 years, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of ≥12. The participants were randomized into Exercise (n= 61) or Usual care (n= 60). Assessments at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months included Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), handgrip strength, and self-reported frequency of sessions of leisure-time physical activity. Analyzed using mixed-effects models. Participants' (n=121) mean age was 81 years (SD 7), and 75% were women. The mean IADL score at baseline was 17.1 (SD 4.5) in the exercise group, and 17.4 (5.1) in the usual care group. The mean SPPB scores were 3.9 (1.6) and 4.2 (1.8), and handgrip strength was 17.7 (8.9) kg and 20.8 (8.0) kg, respectively. The age- and sex-adjusted mean changes in IADL over 12 months were 3.7 (95% CI 2.8-4.7) in the exercise and 2.0 (1.0-3.0) in the usual care group (between-group difference, p=0.016); changes in SPPB 4.3 (3.6-4.9) and 2.1 (1.5-2.7) (p < 0.001); and changes in handgrip strength 1.2 kg (0.3-2.0) and 1.0 kg (-1.9 to -0.2) (p < 0.001), respectively. We found no between-group differences in changes in the frequency of leisure-time activity sessions. A 12-month home-based supervised, progressive exercise program improved functioning and physical performance more than usual care among patients with hip fractures. However, the training did not increase leisure-time physical activity.

The Role of Social Connection/engagement Predicts Changes in Depressive Symptoms and IADL in Stroke

Social connections/engagement have been found to be potentially protective against depression and declines in physical functioning. We examined whether social connection/engagement was protective against depression and functional decline after stroke. Participants were 898 individuals with incident stroke from the Health and Retirement Study between 1998-2012. Multilevel modeling was used to examine how social connection/engagement were associated with trajectories of depressive symptoms and limitations with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Models controlled for age, gender, education, and race. In addition, analyses with depressive symptoms as outcome controlled for functional limitations with ADLs. Participants who were lonely and did not have friends in their neighborhood pre-stroke had more depressive symptoms at the time of stroke. Participants with close children pre-stroke showed less increase in depressive symptoms over time. Within-person increase in loneliness and within-person decline in providing help were related to more depressive symptoms post-stroke. Participants who felt lonely and did not provide help pre-stroke had more IADL limitations at the time of stroke. Smaller pre-stroke household size and pre-stroke volunteering were associated with less increase in IADL limitations with stroke. Within-person increase in having friends and providing help after stroke were associated with fewer IADL limitations post-stroke. Taken together, these findings suggest that social connection/engagement may buffer the negative psychological and physical outcomes of a stressful event such as stroke.

Impact of Knee Pain on Fear of Falling, Changes in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, and Falls Among Malaysians Age 55 Years and Above.

Objectives: To determine the temporal relationship between the presence of knee pain and knee pain severity identified at baseline with fall risk, fear of falling and changes in instrumental activity of daily living at 12-months follow-up.Methods: This was a prospective study from the Malaysian Elders Longitudinal Research (MELoR) study involving community dwelling older persons aged 55 years and older. The presence of one fall in the preceding 12 months, knee pain, and functional capacity were determined at baseline (2013–2015) and follow-up (2015–2016). Function was determined as loss of at least one of seven instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Physical performance was evaluated at baseline using the timed-up-and-go (TUG) test. Fear of falling (FoF) was determined using the single question “Are you afraid of falling?”Results: Data were available for 605 participants, mean (SD) age = 69.10 (7.24) years. Knee pain was present in 30.2% at baseline. Neither the presence of knee pain nor knee pain severity at baseline were associated with falls at 1-year follow-up. Knee pain was significantly associated with FoF at follow-up [aRR (95%CI) = 1.76 (1.02–3.04)] but not changes in IADL. Among individuals with no falls at baseline, the presence of knee pain was protective of falls at follow-up after adjustment for baseline physical performance [adjusted rate ratio, aRR (95% confidence interval, CI) = 0.35 (0.13–0.97)].Conclusion: Knee pain is associated with increased FoF at 1.5 years' follow-up within a multi-ethnic population aged 55 years, residing in an urban location in a middle-income South East Asian nation. Interestingly, after differences in muscle strength was accounted for, knee pain was protective against falls at follow-up. Our findings challenge previous assumptions on joint pain and falls and highlights the importance of large prospective studies and further mechanistic research incorporating psychological factors in this area of increasing prominence.

Measuring instrumental activities of daily living in non-demented elderly: a comparison of the new performance-based Harvard Automated Phone Task with other functional assessments

BackgroundImpairment in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) may occur in the earliest stages of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there are few reliable measures of IADL in MCI or that have a sufficient range of scores in clinically normal (CN) elderly. The objective of this pilot study was to examine the convergent validity of a phone performance-based IADL instrument, the Harvard Automated Phone Task (APT), designed to measure the earliest IADL changes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with other sensitive performance-based and subjective measures of everyday functional capacity among CN and MCI participants.MethodsTwenty-nine CN and 17 MCI participants were administered the Harvard APT, the computer performance-based Czaja Functional Assessment Battery (CFAB), and the AD Cooperative Study ADL prevention instrument (ADCS ADL-PI) participant and study partner versions; in addition, 52 different CN and 7 MCI participants were administered the Harvard APT and the Subjective Study Partner and Participant-reported (SSPP) IADL scale. The Harvard APT was compared with the three other IADL assessments.ResultsIn both CN and MCI, better performance on the Harvard APT was associated with better performance on the CFAB. In CN, better performance on the Harvard APT was associated with better ADCS ADL-PI participant-reported IADL, while in MCI better performance on the Harvard APT was associated with better ADCS ADL-PI study partner-reported IADL. Furthermore, in CN better performance on the Harvard APT was associated with better SSPP-IADL participant and study partner-reported IADL.ConclusionsIn this small pilot study, the Harvard APT, a brief, self-administered, objective measure of IADL performance, appears to correlate well with other sensitive measures of everyday functioning, providing good preliminary convergent validity for this new measure. Moreover, it appears to perform well across both CN and MCI participants, which suggests that it is a promising measure of early, clinically meaningful functional change. This may not be the case as suggested in our small sample for subjective IADL scales that may perform differentially depending on the reporter (self vs. study partner) across the clinical spectrum possibly due to diminishing awareness of IADL difficulties in individuals who become cognitively impaired. Secondary prevention trials in AD have a great need for such ecologically valid and reliable measures of early IADL changes.

Development and Evaluation of a Community based Multifaceted Cognitive Training Program for the Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the effects of a multifaceted cognitive training program on cognitive function, depression, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in community dwelling elders with mild cognitive impairment. Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The subjects were recruited from a community health center in D metropolitan city and were assigned to the experimental or control group. Weekly 50-minute session intervention was delivered to the experimental group over 12 weeks. 8 weeks and 12weeks after intervention, the changes in cognitive function, depression, and IADL in the groups were measured and compared. Data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, and post-hoc test with Bonferroni correction using SPSS/WIN 23.0. Results: When compared with their counterparts (n=15), the elders in the experimental group (n=12) showed significant improvement in cognitive function and depression at week 12. The mean scores of IADL at week 12 were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: The results indicate that this multifaceted cognitive training program is effective in improving cognitive function, depression, and avoiding deterioration of IADL among elders with mild cognitive impairment.

Cohort Trends in the Gender Distribution of Household Tasks in the United States and the Implications for Understanding Disability.

Objectives: Measures of disability depend on health and social roles in a given environment. Yet, social roles can change over time as they have by gender. We document how engagement in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) is shifting by gender and birth cohort among older adults, and the challenges these shifts can create for population-level estimates of disability. Method: We used the Health and Retirement Study (N = 25,047) and multinomial logistic regression models with an interaction term between gender and birth cohort to predict limitation and nonperformance relative to no difficulty conducting IADLs. Results: Nonperformance of IADLs have significantly decreased among younger cohorts. Women in younger cohorts were more likely to use a map, whereas men in younger cohorts were more likely to prepare meals and shop. Discussion: Failing to account for gender and cohort changes in IADL, performance may lead to systematic bias in estimates of population-level disability.

Biomarkers and Functional Decline inProdromal Alzheimer's Disease.

Little is known of possible associations between Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) change over time. The present study seeks to identify relationships between baseline imaging and fluid biomarker profiles, and decline in IADL utilizing data collated from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. Generalized estimating equations analysis, adjusted for cognitive deterioration, was applied to a cohort of 509 individuals from all stages of ADNI, including 156 healthy controls, 189 early mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients and 164 MCI patients. A significant correlation was found between baseline biomarkers, specifically CSF Aβ and FDG PET, and IADL change over a 3-year period in individuals with MCI. Importantly, comparable correlations between presence of pathological biomarker levels and temporal decline in both functional and cognitive performance were also noted. We show that distinct baseline biomarkers may predict latent changes in IADL. Our results necessitate a revision of the commonly held view upholding cognitive changes as the predominant endpoint measure associated with presence of abnormal baseline biomarkers.

Functional Activities Questionnaire Items that Best Discriminate and Predict Progression from Clinically Normal to Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Impairment in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) emerges in the transition from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia. Some IADL scales are sensitive to early deficits in MCI, but none have been validated for detecting subtle functional changes in clinically normal (CN) elderly at risk for AD. Data from 624 subjects participating in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and 524 subjects participating in the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, which are two large cohorts including CN elderly and MCI subjects, were used to determine which Functional Activities Questionnaire items best discriminate between and predict progression from CN to MCI. We found that "Remembering appointments" and "assembling tax records" best discriminated between CN and MCI subjects, while worse performance on "paying attention and understanding a TV program", "paying bills/balancing checkbook", and "heating water and turning off the stove" predicted greater hazard of progressing from a diagnosis of CN to MCI. These results demonstrate that certain questions are especially sensitive in detecting the earliest functional changes in CN elderly at risk for AD. As the field moves toward earlier intervention in preclinical AD, it is important to determine which IADL changes can be detected at that stage and track decline over time.

Longitudinal Declines in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Stable and Progressive Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: Previous cross-sectional studies suggest that assessments of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) may be useful for operationalizing the differences in functional deficits seen in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, their utility for longitudinal changes in IADLs in the transition between MCI and dementia remains unclear. Methods: We analyzed longitudinal IADL data with the Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ) in stable (MCI-S; n = 1,318) or progressive (MCI-P; n = 1,108) MCI patients. Results: Larger increases in FAQ scores were seen in the MCI-P group across a 14.5-month interval, but overlapping distributions in the two groups yielded poorer discriminatory power than prior cross-sectional reports. Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the difficulties in operationalizing the criterion of ‘essentially intact' IADLs in MCI, which may complicate the interpretation of disease progression in MCI treatment trials. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

The Disability Burden Associated With Stroke Emerges Before Stroke Onset and Differentially Affects Blacks: Results From the Health and Retirement Study Cohort

Few longitudinal studies compare changes in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) among stroke-free adults to prospectively document IADL changes among adults who experience stroke. We contrast annual declines in IADL independence for older individuals who remain stroke free to those for individuals who experienced stroke. We also assess whether these patterns differ by sex, race, or Southern birthplace. Health and Retirement Study participants who were stroke free in 1998 (n = 17,741) were followed through 2010 (average follow-up = 8.9 years) for self- or proxy-reported stroke. We used logistic regressions to compare annual changes in odds of self-reported independence in six IADLs among those who remained stroke free throughout follow-up (n = 15,888), those who survived a stroke (n = 1,412), and those who had a stroke and did not survive to participate in another interview (n = 442). We present models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic covariates and also stratified on sex, race, and Southern birthplace. Compared with similar cohort members who remained stroke free, participants who developed stroke had faster declines in IADL independence and lower probability of IADL independence prior to stroke. After stroke, independence declined at an annual rate similar to those who did not have stroke. The black-white disparity in IADL independence narrowed poststroke. Racial differences in IADL independence are apparent long before stroke onset. Poststroke differences in IADL independence largely reflect prestroke disparities.

An examination of instrumental activities of daily living assessment in older adults and mild cognitive impairment

Basic activities of daily living (ADL) are self-maintenance abilities such as dressing or bathing. Instrumental ADL (IADL) are more complex everyday tasks, such as preparing a meal or managing finances (Lawton & Brody, 1969). IADL questionnaires play an important role in assessing the functional abilities of older adults and evaluating the impact of cognitive impairment on routine activities. This paper examined the cognitive processes that underlie IADL performance and concluded that the accurate and reliable execution of IADL likely draws upon the integrity of a wide range of cognitive processes. This review examined IADL in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) because of the controversial nature of distinguishing a significant decline in functional abilities in those with MCI versus dementia or MCI versus cognitively normal aging. The challenges of investigating IADL empirically were explored, as well as some of the reasons for the inconsistent findings in the literature. A review of questionnaire-based assessments of IADL indicated that: MCI can be distinguished statistically from healthy older adults and dementia, individuals with multiple domain MCI are more impaired on IADL than those with single domain MCI, mild IADL changes can be predictive of future cognitive decline, and the ability to manage finances may be among the earliest IADL changes in MCI and a strong predictor of conversion to dementia. This paper concluded with recommendations for more sensitive and reliable IADL questionnaires.

Five-Year Changes in Self-rated Health and Associated Factors for People Aging With Versus Without Spinal Cord Injury

Longitudinal analyses were used to identify predictors of change in self-rated health (SRH) across an average of 5.2 years for 26 people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and compared to 38 people without disabilities who were matched for chronological age to the SCI sample. Potential predictors of SRH were changes in number of current health conditions, pain, fatigue, functional impairment of activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), depression, satisfaction with leisure activities, age, and duration for SCI. Predictors for people with SCI were changes in fatigue, depression, and IADLs. Predictors for the nondisability comparison sample were changes in leisure activities and number of current health conditions. Subsequent analyses were performed with the passage of time between baseline and follow-up measure points (aging) and were added to potential predictors of change in SRH. For people without disabilities, the addition of aging made no difference in the identified predictors of change in SRH. For those with SCI, the passage of time superseded and replaced changes in fatigue and IADLs as predictors of change in SRH, leaving only change in depression as the major predictor of change in SRH. Changes in SRH are predicted by changes in different factors for those aging with SCI versus those without disabilities. Change in depression is a strong predictor for change in SRH in persons with SCI. Although chronological age and duration do not stand out as influencing change in SRH for those with SCI, aging over a 5-year period did influence SRH changes for those with SCI.

Five-Year Changes in Self-rated Health and Associated Factors for People Aging With Versus Without Spinal Cord Injury

Longitudinal analyses were used to identify predictors of change in self-rated health (SRH) across an average of 5.2 years for 26 people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and compared to 38 people without disabilities who were matched for chronological age to the SCI sample. Potential predictors of SRH were changes in number of current health conditions, pain, fatigue, functional impairment of activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), depression, satisfaction with leisure activities, age, and duration for SCI. Predictors for people with SCI were changes in fatigue, depression, and IADLs. Predictors for the nondisability comparison sample were changes in leisure activities and number of current health conditions. Subsequent analyses were performed with the passage of time between baseline and follow-up measure points (aging) and were added to potential predictors of change in SRH. For people without disabilities, the addition of aging made no difference in the identified predictors of change in SRH. For those with SCI, the passage of time superseded and replaced changes in fatigue and IADLs as predictors of change in SRH, leaving only change in depression as the major predictor of change in SRH. Changes in SRH are predicted by changes in different factors for those aging with SCI versus those without disabilities. Change in depression is a strong predictor for change in SRH in persons with SCI. Although chronological age and duration do not stand out as influencing change in SRH for those with SCI, aging over a 5-year period did influence SRH changes for those with SCI.

Obesity Influences Transitional States of Disability in Older Adults With Knee Pain

Rejeski WJ, Ip EH, Marsh AP, Zhang Q, Miller ME. Obesity influences transitional states of disability in older adults with knee pain. Objectives This study employed relatively new statistical methods to understand how many states are needed to describe disability in older adults with knee pain, describe the relative probability of transitioning between states over time, and examine whether obesity influences the probability of transitioning between states. Design Prospective epidemiologic study of older adults with knee pain. Setting Community. Participants The participants, 245 women and 235 men, were 65 years or older, had chronic knee pain on most days, and had difficulty with at least 1 mobility-related activity caused by knee pain. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure The primary instrument, the Pepper Assessment Tool for Disability, evaluated self-reported difficulty with mobility, basic activities of daily living (ADLs), and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Results The Hidden Markov Model yielded 6 states reflecting changes in mobility, ADLs, and IADLs. There is evidence that loss in more demanding mobility-related activities such as stair climbing is an early sign for the onset of disability and that functional deficits in the lower extremities are critical to the early loss of ADLs. Overall the trend is for older adults to experience greater progression than regression and for obesity to be important in understanding severe states of disability. Conclusions These data provide a strong rationale for characterizing disability on a continuum and underscore the fluid nature of disability in older adults. As expected, lower-extremity function plays a key role in the disablement process; obesity is also particularly relevant to understanding severe states of disability.

Influence of comorbidity and cognitive status on instrumental activities of daily living in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: results from the ReGAl project

To investigate whether amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is characterised by restriction in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Further, to examine the role of comorbidity and cognitive performance on IADL changes in aMCI subjects. The study included 132 subjects with aMCI and 249 subjects with no cognitive impairment (NCI), consecutively enrolled as outpatients in a multicentric Italian clinical-based study, the ReGAl Project. All subjects underwent a comprehensive evaluation including clinical examination, laboratory screening, neuroimaging and cognitive and behavioral assessments. Functional status was evaluated by the Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale. Comorbidity was evaluated by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Cognitive evaluation included tests assessing episodic memory, language, attention/executive functioning and praxis, as well as the the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as a measure of global cognition. Subjects with aMCI had higher IADL changes than NCI. Among IADL items, aMCI subjects showed a significant impairment in shopping, taking drugs, and handling economy; however also NCI had minor IADL changes regarding cooking, washing and cleaning. IADL restriction in aMCI subjects was significantly associated with cognitive performance, mainly related to executive functioning, but not with comorbidity. On the contrary, in NCI sensory impairment accounts for slight IADL changes. In aMCI subjects a mild degree of cognitive deterioration has a stronger impact on IADL than somatic comorbidity. Current diagnostic criteria for MCI should include a mild impairment in IADL.

Transition from Cognitively Impaired Not Demented to Alzheimer’s Disease: An Analysis of Changes in Functional Abilities in a Dementia Clinic Cohort

Background: Patients with cognitive impairment no dementia (CIND) are at an increased risk of progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Whether subtle impairments in functional or social abilities at the CIND stage can predict progression to AD is not yet fully determined. We evaluated whether impairments on the Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) and Functional Rating Scale (FRS) can predict progression to AD. Methods: We examined 70 patients with CIND from the ACCORD cohort having complete DAD and FRS baseline and 2-year follow-up data. MANCOVA adjusted for age, sex, education and baseline MMSE score compared the baseline and 2-year change in DAD and FRS scores in CIND patients who progressed to AD versus non-progressors. Results: There were no significant differences between CIND progressors and non-progressors in baseline total DAD or FRS scores. FRS domain analysis revealed that greater impairment in social/occupational functioning significantly predicted progression, while there were no predictive DAD domains. In progressors, both DAD and FRS scores significantly declined over time with the largest changes in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Conclusion: While changes in IADL characterize the progression from CIND to AD, impairment in complex social-cognitive competency significantly predicts risk of progression and may mark early AD.