Weaker Grip Strength Research Articles

Gender Differences in Determinants of the Components of the Frailty Phenotype among Older Adults in India: Findings from LASI Wave-1.

This study examines the gender-specific determinants of the components of frailty in a community-dwelling setting in India. Using data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave-1, this study employed 30,978 (14,885 male and 16,093 female) older adults (aged 60+) to fulfil the study objective. The modified Fried frailty phenotype criteria defines frailty by the five components: exhaustion, weak grip strength, slow walking speed, unintentional weight loss, and low physical activity. The result showed grip strength (79.1%) as the most discriminant component among males, and physical activity (81.6%) as the most discriminant component among females. The results also indicated that grip strength (male: 98.0%, female: 93.5%) and physical activity (male: 94.8%, female: 96.9%) showed a sensitivity of more than 90%, which appears to be a good indicator of frailty. Combining this dual marker increased the accuracy to 99.97% among male and 99.98% among female samples. The findings suggested adding grip strength and physical activity as a proxy measure of frailty, which can increase the precision of screening without a large additional investment of time, training, or cost.

Fuerza de prensión débil y su asociación con la dependencia funcional y el rendimiento físico alterado en adultos mayores de 80 años

Introduction. Weak grip strength is a well-known associated factor with disability and physical performance, but this association is controversial in older adults aged 80 years or more. Objective. To determine the association between prehensile strength and functional dependence and physical performance among adults older than 80 years. Methods. This research was an analytical, cross-sectional study, conducted in 147 older adults aged 80 years or more, from Naval Peruvian Service. We included assessments about muscle strength, physical performance, disability, anthropometric variables, and nutritional assessment. Results. We found a significant association between weak grip strength and dependence for basic activities of daily living (aOR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.32 to 10.11), as well as altered physical performance (aOR: 4.32, 95% CI: 1.97 to 9.59), these associations were independent of age, number of comorbidities, geriatric syndromes, hemoglobin, ferritin, glucose, total cholesterol, lymphocytes, vitamin B12, triglycerides, serum albumin, MMSE score, calf circumference, brachial circumference, BMI, level of education, marital status, sex, and waist/hip ratio. Conclusions. In persons older than 80 years, having weak grip strength was associated with weak muscle strength and poor physical performance. Our results could be useful for the inclusion of these measures within care protocols for elderly and high comorbidity populations. With this, it seeks to improve the integrity and care of geriatric patients.

A Novel Creatinine Muscle Index Based on Creatinine Filtration: Associations with Frailty and Mortality.

Low muscle mass is related to frailty and increased mortality in older adults. However, muscle mass is not easily assessed in routine clinical practice. This paper describes a novel creatinine muscle index (CMI) on the basis of serum creatinine and cystatin C. CMI was moderately associated with frailty among older adults. A significantly higher proportion of individuals with weak grip strength were in the lowest tertile of CMI. The index was also associated with mortality. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that creatinine filtration may be an index of muscle mass, which may have utility in clinical practice. Low muscle mass is related to frailty and increased mortality in older adults. However, muscle mass is not easily assessed in routine clinical practice. This study describes a novel creatinine muscle index (CMI) on the basis of serum creatinine and cystatin C in a community-based sample of older adults from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Analyses included 4639 participants who attended visit 5 (2011-2013) and 12,786 participants who attended visit 2 (1990-1992). CMI was defined as creatinine filtration (the product of serum creatinine times eGFR on the basis of cystatin C) and was analyzed in sex-specific tertiles. Cross-sectional associations of CMI with a frailty trichotomy, defined by the number (robust [0]/prefrail [1-2]/frail [3-5]) of five frailty components (weight loss, slowness, exhaustion, weakness, and low physical activity), were studied using polychotomous logistic regression and binary logistic regression with each frailty component. Cox regression was used to estimate associations of CMI at visit 5 and visit 2 with mortality. Models were adjusted for demographics, clinical variables, and comorbid conditions. CMI (tertile 1 versus 3) was moderately associated with frailty (visit 5: adjusted odds ratio 4.23 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.02 to 8.87] in men and 2.34 [95% CI, 1.41 to 3.89] in women) and with mortality (visit 5: adjusted hazard ratio 1.45 [95% CI, 1.08 to 1.94] in men and 1.55 [95% CI, 1.13 to 2.12] in women; similar results were seen at visit 2). Lower CMI was associated with frailty and increased mortality, two clinical outcomes known to be associated with decreased muscle mass. Creatinine filtration may be an index of muscle mass and have utility in clinical practice, particularly at low levels.

PS-BPC06-8: FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIAL COGNITIVE FUNCTIONAL CHANGES IN OLDER PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION

Objective: There are many cases of potentially impaired cognitive function in older patients with hypertension. Therefore, we investigated factors associated with one-year changes in cognitive function in older hypertensive patients during outpatient visits. Design and method: We included 223 hypertensive patients (age 76.3 ± 6.3 years, 106 males) aged 65 years or older who attended outpatient hypertension clinics at six specialized institutions nationwide and had no prior diagnosis of dementia. We obtained the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) from all participants. We defined the impaired cognitive function as an MMSE score of 27 or less. At baseline and one year later, the participants were evaluated for comprehensive geriatric assessment, including MMSE, and muscle strength, with the converted group defined as having new cognitive decline at one year and the reverted group as having cognitive improvement one year after the cognitive decline. All participants gave informed consent, and our institutional review board approved the study protocol. Results: At baseline, 81 of 223 elderly hypertensive patients had impaired cognitive function. At one-year follow-up, 40 of 142 patients in the maintained cognitive function group were classified as converted, and 33 of 81 patients in the impaired cognitive function group were classified as converted. The converted group was older than the cognitively intact group (76.8 vs. 73.9 years, p < 0.05), had higher home blood pressure, and had more significant grip strength loss over the year. Multivariate analysis identified age (odds ratio 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.2) and change in grip strength (odds ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.72–0.99) as factors associated with the converted group. The reverted group was younger, had a higher percentage of males, and had weaker grip strength than the group with persistent cognitive decline. In multivariate analysis, grip strength (odds ratio 0.80, 95%CI 0.68–0.94) was extracted as a factor associated with the revert group. Conclusions: Potential cognitive decline was observed in 36% of older patients with hypertension. Furthermore, we examined a high rate of cases of cognitive function change over one year. Age and grip strength decline was considered responsible for cognitive conversion and baseline grip strength for revert, respectively.

PS-C18-9: THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FRAILTY OR SARCOPENIA AND INTRADIALYTIC HYPOTENSION

Objective: Recently, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and frailty have become prognostic issues due to the increasing number and aging population of dialysis patients. Dialysis patients have high bone and muscle fragility due to their unique pathology, and we previously investigated the association between osteoporosis and muscle mass or strength in the cross-sectional study. We found that shorter calf circumference and weaker grip strength were associated with lower bone mineral density and the risk for osteoporosis among hemodialysis patients, independently of the management of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder, nutritional status, and dialysis adequacy. On the other hand, intradialytic hypotension is also one of the most common intradialytic complications, which can affect dialysis adequacy and prognosis. Although sarcopenia and frailty have been reported to cause orthostatic hypotension, the association between sarcopenia or frailty and intradialytic hypotension is not clear. Therefore, in this study, we examined the association between sarcopenia or frailty and intradialytic hypotension using our previous osteoporosis study. Design and method: This was a single-center cross-sectional study. We screened patients aged 20 years or older who underwent hemodialysis three times a week and selected 200 patients with a history of hemodialysis for at least 6 months for the study. Calf circumference, grip strength, and normal walking speed were measured to assess sarcopenia, and frailty was diagnosed based on the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. The behavioral characteristics and clinical history were obtained using a questionnaire and medical records. We analyzed the association between the frequency of intradialytic hypotension and frailty, or physical functions related to sarcopenia. Results: The final analysis included 121 subjects, mean age 66.1 ± 12.6 years, 28 women (23.1%). Mean calf circumference was 35.6 cm ± 3.8 cm, grip strength was 27.8 kg ± 9.6 kg, 26 (21.5%) were frail, 64 (52.9%) were prefrail, and 31 (25.6%) were robust. We are currently collecting and analyzing the data and will present our findings at the conference. Conclusions: We plan to present the relationship between intradialytic hypotension and frailty or physical function at the conference.

The implication of calf circumference and grip strength in osteoporosis and bone mineral density among hemodialysis patients

BackgroundChronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder (CKD–MBD), nutritional status, and uremia management have been emphasized for bone management in hemodialysis patients. Nevertheless, valuable data on the importance of muscle mass in bone management are limited, including whether conventional management alone can prevent osteoporosis. Thus, the importance of muscle mass and strength, independent of the conventional management in osteoporosis prevention among hemodialysis patients, was evaluated.MethodsPatients with a history of hemodialysis 6 months or longer were selected. We assessed the risk for osteoporosis associated with calf circumference or grip strength using multivariable adjustment for indices of CKD–MBD, nutrition, and dialysis adequacy. Moreover, the associations between bone mineral density (BMD), calf circumference, grip strength, and bone metabolic markers were also evaluated.ResultsA total of 136 patients were included. The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for osteoporosis at the femoral neck were 1.25 (1.04–1.54, P < 0.05) and 1.08 (1.00–1.18, P < 0.05) per 1 cm shorter calf circumference or 1 kg weaker grip strength, respectively. Shorter calf circumference was significantly associated with a lower BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine (P < 0.001). Weaker grip strength was also associated with lower BMD at the femoral neck (P < 0.01). Calf circumference or grip strength was negatively correlated with bone metabolic marker values.ConclusionShorter calf circumference or weaker grip strength was associated with osteoporosis risk and lower BMD among hemodialysis patients, independent of the conventional therapies.

IDENTIFYING THE FRAILTY COMPONENTS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT IN PREDICTING POSTSURGICAL OUTCOMES

Abstract Presurgical frailty among patients is strongly associated with poor postsurgical outcomes. In the prior presentations of this symposium, we assessed the associations between each individual frailty syndromic component and three postsurgical outcomes. However, it remains unclear whether individual relationships remain after accounting for presence of the other components. In regression models that included all frailty components, demographic information, and medical history, results showed that weight loss and slow walking speed were significantly associated with length of stay and 30-day mortality, respectively. Of note, the odds of mortality in patients with slow walking speed was over three times higher than patients with normal walking speed. Lastly, weaker grip strength was strongly associated with discharge to more intensive care (vs. to home). These findings suggest that frailty screening should be universally applied before surgical procedures for better risk stratification.

Sarcopenia and decline in appendicular skeletal muscle mass are associated with hypoperfusion in key hubs of central autonomic network on 3DSRT in older adults with progression of normal cognition to Alzheimer's disease.

Although sarcopenia is common in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), the neural substrates involved remain unclear. We investigated the relationship between sarcopenia, as well as its definition components, and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in older adults with progression of normal cognition to AD. 99m Tc-ethyl-cysteinate-dimer single-photon emission computed tomography was carried out in 95 older adults with progression of normal cognition to AD (40 men and 55 women, mean ± SD age 80.9 ± 6.8 years). The associations of rCBF determined by 3-D stereotactic region of interest template software, with sarcopenia and its definition components, slower gait speed, weaker grip strength, and decline in appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) were analyzed. Logistic regression analysis adjusted by age, sex, mini-mental state examination score and education showed that sarcopenia as well as ASMI less than the cut-off (men 7.0 kg/m2 , women 5.7kg/m2 ) were associated with significantly reduced rCBF in the key hub of the central autonomic network, including the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, subcallosal area, rectal gyrus, hypothalamus, amygdala and caudate head. Sarcopenia and ASMI decline were associated with hypoperfusion in the aforementioned cortical hubs of the central autonomic network in men, but with hypoperfusion of the hypothalamus in women. Linear regression analysis showed significant correlations of ASMI/cut-off with rCBF in the bilateral medial frontal cortex, as well as rCBF in the aforementioned key hubs. Hypoperfusion in key hubs of central autonomic network is implicated in the emergence of sarcopenia, probably through ASMI decline in vulnerable older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 16-24.

Influencing factors of weak grip strength and fall: a study based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS)

BackgroundFall is a major cause of mortality and cause a significant burden on the healthcare system and economic system. Weak grip strength signifies impaired function. Older people with weak grip strength are at a higher risk of death. China has the largest ageing population in the world today. This study aims to analyze the factors contributing to weak grip strength and fall among Chinese.MethodsThis study analyzed data from the 2011 baseline and 2015 follow-up survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). To identify the risk factors of fall and weak grip strength, we used a stepwise multivariable logistic regression model and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model.ResultsIn the LASSO regression model, all the risk factors were not shrunken. In the stepwise logistic regression model, adjusted for gender, age, grip strength, depression, and chronic disease, we found that female (aOR = 1.376, 95% CI = 1.243–1.523; P < 0.001), history of ischemic stroke (aOR = 1.786, 95% CI = 1.263–2.524; P = 0.001), depression (aOR = 1.559, 95% CI = 1.396–1.742; P < 0.001), weak grip strength (aOR = 1.285, 95% CI = 1.105–1.494; P = 0.001), older age (aOR = 1.227, 95% CI = 1.163–1.294; P < 0.001), rheumatoid arthritis (aOR = 1.410, 95% CI = 1.270–1.560; P < 0.001), history of kidney disease (aOR = 1.383, 95% CI = 1.136–1.682; P = 0.001) were factors associated with fall significantly. After further adjusting, we found the risk factors of weak grip strength included symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (aOR = 1.755, 95% CI 1.158–2.661; P = 0.008), living in rural area (aOR = 2.056, 95% CI 1.290–3.277; P = 0.002), depression (aOR = 1.523, 95% CI 1.116–2.078; P = 0.008), older age (aOR = 2.116, 95% CI 1.801–2.486; P < 0.001).ConclusionFrom the study, we found that older age and depression were risk factors of weak grip strength and fall. Weak grip strength was a risk factor of fall. Female, ischemic stroke, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis were risk factors of fall; living in rural area and symptomatic knee osteoarthritis were risk factors of weak grip strength.

Hand Grip Strength Predicts Mortality and Quality of Life in Heart Failure: Insights From the Singapore Cohort of Patients With Advanced Heart Failure

Frailty is prevalent among patients with heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality rates and worse patient-centered outcomes. Hand grip strength (GS) has been proposed as a single-item marker of frailty and a potential screening tool to identify patients most likely to benefit from therapies that target frailty so as to improve quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes. We assessed the association of longitudinal decline in GS with all-cause mortality and QoL. Decline in GS is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality and worse overall and domain-specific (physical, functional, emotional, social) QoL among patients with advanced HF. We used data from a prospective, observational cohort of patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV HF in Singapore. Patients' overall and domain-specific QoL were assessed, and GS was measured every 4 months. We constructed a Kaplan-Meier plot with GS at baseline dichotomized into categories of weak (≤ 5th percentile) and normal (> 5th percentile) based on the GS in a healthy Singapore population of the same sex and age. Missing GS measurements were imputed using chained equations. We jointly modeled longitudinal GS measurements and survival time, adjusting for comorbidities. We used mixed effects models to evaluate the associations between GS and QoL. Among 251 patients (mean age 66.5 ± 12.0 years; 28.3% female), all-cause mortality occurred in 58 (23.1%) patients over a mean follow-up duration of 3.0 ± 1.3 years. Patients with weak GS had decreased survival rates compared to those with normal GS (log-rank P = 0.033). In the joint model of longitudinal GS and survival time, a decrease of 1 unit in GS was associated with a 12% increase in rate of mortality (hazard ratio: 1.12; 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.20; P = < 0.001). Higher GS was associated with higher overall QoL (β (SE) = 0.36 (0.07); P = < 0.001) and higher domain-specific QoL, including physical (β [SE] = 0.13 [0.03]; P = < 0.001), functional (β [SE] = 0.12 [0.03]; P = < 0.001), and emotional QoL (β [SE] = 0.08 [0.02]; P = < 0.001). Higher GS was associated with higher social QoL, but this was not statistically significant (β [SE] = 0.04 [0.03]; P = 0.122). Among patients with advanced HF, longitudinal decline in GS was associated with worse survival rates and QoL. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether incorporating GS into patient selection for HF therapies leads to improved survival rates and patient-centered outcomes.

Clinical significance of physical frailty in SCD subjects: A prospective study with amyloid PET data

AbstractBackgroundPhysical frailty is known to be closely associated with cognitive impairment and that it could be an early sign of Alzheimer disease (AD). We aimed to understand the characteristics of physical frailty and define factors associated with physical frailty in SCD subjects with amyloid data.MethodWe prospectively enrolled SCD subjects from of cohort study to identify predictors for the clinical progression to mild cognitive impairment or dementia from subjective cognitive decline (CoSCo) study. They all went through brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Florbetaben brain amyloid‐beta Positron Emission Tomography (PET). For physical frailty, self‐reported exhaustion, hand grip strength and gait speed were measured.ResultOf total 120 SCD subjects, 26 (21.7%) subjects showed positivity in amyloid PET scan. Logistic regression analyses showed that women (OR 3.79, p = 0.002) and amyloid PET positive (OR 3.80, p = 0.008) SCD subjects showed significantly more self‐reported exhaustion. Weak hand grip strength was significantly associated with Amyloid PET positivity (OR 3.22, p = 0.047) and high burden of periventricular WMH (OR 3.34, p = 0.023). The SCD subjects with physical frailty showed lower cognitive performance in neuropsychological test, especially information‐processing speed and executive function.ConclusionThe components of physical frailty are closely related to amyloid and cerebral vascular pathology in SCD subjects and the SCD subjects with physical frailty showed lower cognitive performance in neuro‐psychological test, especially information‐processing speed and executive function.

Relationship between sarcopenia and sleep status in female patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Sleep disorders and sarcopenia could contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which are risk factors that rapidly deteriorate cognitive functions. However, few studies have evaluated the relationship between sarcopenia and sleep disorders in female AD patients, who have a higher prevalence than male patients. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and sleep status in female patients with mild to moderate AD. This cross-sectional study recruited 112 female outpatients aged between 60 and 85 years. Demographic characteristics, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), grip strength, and gait speed were assessed. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) assessed sleep variables. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) assessed cognitive function. Binary logistic regression models explored the relationship between sleep variables and cognitive function and sarcopenia, adjusting for potential cofounders. The outpatients were divided into 36 AD patients with sarcopenia (ADSa) and 76 AD patients without sarcopenia (ADNSa), with a prevalence of 32.1%. ADSa had lower ASMI, weaker grip strength, slower gait speed, a higher incidence of poor sleep quality and poorer cognitive function. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that high total scores of PSQI (odds ratio (OR)=1.13), poor sleep quality (OR=2.73), poor subjective sleep quality (OR=1.83), low MMSE (OR=0.77) and MoCA (OR=0.76) scores were associated with high odds of sarcopenia. Compared to sleep time ≤ 15 min, >60 min (OR=5.01) were associated with sarcopenia. Sleep duration <6h (OR=3.99), 8-9h (OR=4.48) and ≥9h (OR=6.33) were associated with sarcopenia compared to 7-8h. More sleep symptoms and cognitive impairment exist in female patients with sarcopenia. The higher total scores of PSQI, poorer subjective sleep quality, longer sleep latency, excessive and insufficient sleep duration and poorer cognitive function are associated with higher odds of sarcopenia in female patients with mild to moderate AD.

Markers for the Prediction of Probably Sarcopenia in Middle-Aged Individuals.

Sarcopenia is a condition that is characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass, strength, and function, resulting in reduced quality of life. The aim of the study was to analyze the significance of pro-inflammatory markers in the prognostic diagnosis of sarcopenia. The participants were divided into two groups: the main group of 146 people and the control-75 people. The complex of examinations included neuropsychological testing (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), quality-of-life questionnaire for patients with sarcopenia (SarQoL), and short health assessment form (MOS SF-36)), a 6 m walking speed test, manual dynamometry, bioimpedancemetry, and metabolic markers (nitrates, fibroblast growth factor 21, and malondialdehyde). When analyzing metabolic markers in the main group, a twofold increase in nitrates in the main group was recorded in a subsequent analysis adjusted for multiple variables, there was a negative association between the nitrate levels for weak grip strength and appendicular muscle mass. An additional analysis revealed that the complaint of pain in the lower extremities was more frequent in patients of the main group, as well as constipation and the pathology of thyroid gland, and they were more frequently diagnosed with arterial hypertension. At the same time, patients from the main group more frequently took vitamin D. When conducting body composition, the main group recorded a higher weight visceral fat content, as well as a decrease in appendicular and skeletal muscle mass; these changes were accompanied by a decrease in protein and minerals. Among the markers that differed significantly were nitrates, and it was this that was associated with decreased muscle strength and appendicular mass, which may indicate both a possible mechanism and a possible predictive marker. The results of this study can be used to develop a screening method for diagnosing sarcopenia at the outpatient stage.

Association between oral health markers and decline in muscle strength and physical performance in later life: longitudinal analyses of two prospective cohorts from the UK and the USA

Poor oral health could be associated with changes in musculoskeletal health over time. This aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between oral health and decline in physical function in later life. We did a prospective analysis of two cohorts of older adults (aged 70 years or older) including men from the British Regional Heart Study (BRHS; n=612), and men and women from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study (n=1572), followed up for about 8 years. Data were available for clinical or self-reported oral health measures, muscle (grip) strength, and physical performance (chair stand and gait speed). ANCOVA models were used to assess the association between oral health and follow-up physical function scores. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between oral health and decline in physical function over the follow-up period. In the BRHS, changes in oral health and physical function were also assessed. All models were adjusted for relevant sociodemographic, behavioural, and health-related factors. In the BRHS, complete tooth loss and difficulty eating were associated with weaker grip strength at follow-up, and periodontal status was associated with decline in gait speed. In the Health ABC Study, complete tooth loss, poor self-rated oral health, and the presence of one oral health problem were associated with slower gait speed at follow-up. In both studies, dry mouth was associated with declines in physical function. In the BRHS, deterioration of dentition (tooth loss) over the follow-up period was associated with decline in chair stand speed (adjusted odds ratio 2·34 [95% CI 1·20-4·46]), as was deterioration in difficulty eating (2·41 [1·04-5·60]). Oral health problems are associated with poorer physical function and greater decline in physical function in older adults, and could be an indicator of individuals at risk of reduced physical capacity and subsequent frailty and disability in later life. The Dunhill Medical Trust and the US National Institutes of Health-National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

Associations between HIV infection and frailty status and its individual components: Are frailty components disproportionally affected?

We aimed to examine whether HIV infection was independently associated with frailty status and its individual components. This cross-sectional investigation included people living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV-negative individuals from the baseline survey of the Comparative HIV and Aging Research in Taizhou (CHART) cohort, China. Frailty phenotype was based on five components: weight loss, low physical activity, exhaustion, weak grip strength and slow gait speed. Frailty was defined as the presence of at least three components, and prefrailty was defined as one or two components. Logistic regression models were used to analyse the factors associated with frailty and its components. In all, 2475 people living with HIV (age 45.5 ± 14.9 years; 76.2% male) and 4948 HIV-negative individuals (age 45.5 ± 14.8 years; 76.3% male) were included. Among PLWH, median CD4 count was 395 cells/μL and 78% were currently on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Frailty and prefrailty were significantly more prevalent in PLWH (3.2% vs 1.9% and 32.9% vs 27.9%) overall and at ages 18-39 (1.4% vs 0.2% and 22.7% vs 19.0%), 40-59 (2.5% vs 0.9% and 30.9% vs 27.9%) and 60-90 years (8.4% vs 7.4% and 57.1% vs 45.8%). HIV infection was associated with frailty and prefrailty [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-2.08; and aOR=1.18, 95% CI: 1.05-1.33, respectively] after adjusting for confounding variables, but were strengthened with further adjustment for multimorbidity (aOR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.14-2.28; and aOR=1.22, 95% CI: 1.09-1.37), and were no longer significant with further adjustment for depressive symptoms and sleep disorders (aOR=1.02, 95% CI: 0.71-1.46; and aOR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.94-1.20). Among individual components, HIV infection was positively associated with weak grip strength and slow gait speed, but negatively associated with low physical activity and exhaustion in all the adjusted models described. Frailty and prefrailty occur more often and earlier in PLWH. However, grip strength and gait speed are affected to a greater extent, highlighting their potential as screening and intervention targets to prevent or slow frailty among PLWH.

Intrinsic capacity rather than intervention exposure influences reversal to robustness among prefrail community-dwelling older adults: A non-randomized controlled study of a multidomain exercise and nutrition intervention.

The differential risk profiles associated with prefrailty may be attributable to underlying intrinsic capacity (IC). We examine (i) effect of a multi-domain physical exercise and nutrition intervention on pre-frailty reversal in community-dwelling older adults at 1-year, and (ii) whether IC contributes to pre-frailty reversal. Prefrail participants in this non-randomized study were invited to attend a 4-month exercise and nutritional intervention following a frailty screen in the community. Prefrailty was operationalized as (i) FRAIL score 1-2 or (ii) 0 positive response on FRAIL but with weak grip strength or slow gait speed based on the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia cut-offs. Participants who fulfilled operational criteria for prefrailty but declined enrolment in the intervention programme served as the control group. All participants completed baseline IC assessment: locomotion (Short Physical Performance Battery, 6-minute walk test), vitality (nutritional status, muscle mass), sensory (self-reported hearing and vision), cognition (self-reported memory, age- and education adjusted cognitive performance), psychological (Geriatric Depression Scale-15, self-reported anxiety/ depression). Reversal of prefrailty was defined as achieving a FRAIL score of 0, with unimpaired grip strength and gait speed at 1-year follow-up. Of 81 participants (70.0 ± 6.6 years, 79.0% female), 52 participants (64.2%) were enrolled in the multi-domain intervention, and 29 participants (35.8%) who declined intervention constituted the control group. There was no difference in age, gender and baseline composite IC between groups. Reversal to robustness at 1-year was similar between intervention and control groups (30.8% vs. 44.8% respectively, p = 0.206). Reduced prevalence of depression was observed among participants in the intervention group at 1-year relative to baseline (7.8% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.022). In multiple logistic regression, intervention had no effect on prefrailty reversal, while higher composite IC exhibited reduced likelihood of remaining prefrail at 1-year (OR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.45-1.00, p = 0.049). Focusing only on the locomotion and vitality domains through a combined exercise and nutritional intervention may not adequately address component domain losses to optimize prefrailty reversal. Future studies should examine whether an IC-guided approach to target identified domain declines may be more effective in preventing frailty progression.

Pulmonary and physical function limitations in aging men with and without HIV from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS)

We examined the associations between pulmonary impairments and physical function and whether age, HIV serostatus, or smoking modified these relationships. Using Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study data, we examined associations between pulmonary function (diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide [DLCO], one-second forced expiratory volume [FEV1]) and subsequent physical outcomes (gait speed, grip strength, frailty [non-frail, pre-frail, frail]) using mixed models. Of 1,048 men, 55% were living with HIV, median age was 57(IQR=48,64) and median cumulative pack-years was 1.2(IQR=0,18.1); 33% and 13% had impaired DLCO and FEV1(<80% predicted), respectively. Participants with impaired DLCO had 3.5 kg (95%CI: -4.6, -2.4) weaker grip strength, 0.04 m/sec (95%CI: -0.06, -0.02) slower gait speed and 4.44-fold (95%CI: 1.81, 10.93) greater odds of frailty compared to participants with normal DLCO. Participants with impaired FEV1 had 3.1 kg (95%CI: -4.8, -1.4) weaker grip strength, similar gait speed (-0.001 m/sec [95%CI: -0.04, 0.03]) and 5.72-fold (95%CI: 1.90, 17.19) greater odds of frailty compared to participants with normal FEV1. Age, but not smoking or HIV, significantly modified the DLCO effect on gait speed and grip strength. Pulmonary impairment and decreased physical function were associated. Preserving pulmonary function may help preserve physical function in aging men with and without HIV.

Gendered work-family life courses and late-life physical functioning: A comparative analysis from 28 European countries.

Combining work and family roles can have beneficial consequences on health but could also result in chronic stress and adverse health outcomes at older ages. This study aimed to examine combined employment, parenthood, and partnership histories of men and women during the childbearing period (ages 15-49), and to investigate the links of these work and family roles with physical functioning later in life. We used data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with retrospective information on employment, parenthood, and partnership histories for 18,057 men and 20,072 women (n = 38,129) living in 28 different countries belonging to six European welfare clusters. We applied multichannel sequence analysis (MCSQA) and hierarchical clustering to group work-family trajectories into 12 clusters for men and 15 clusters for women. We assessed the association between work-family life courses and grip strength by estimating multivariable linear regression models. Delayed work and family transitions, unstable employment, and the absence of combinations of work and family roles between age 15 and 49 were associated with weaker grip strength in later life for both men and women. Results differed by gender and were framed by the welfare context in which gendered work and family responsibilities unfold across individual life courses. The findings make an important contribution to the domain of gender and health in later life and stress the need to engage more with issues related to the mechanisms linking work and family trajectories to poor health in later life.

Frailty and Associated Factors among the Elderly in Vietnam: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Frailty syndrome is common among older people and can lead to various adverse consequences such as falls, cognitive decline, disability, dependent living, increased mortality, excessive drug use, and prolonged hospital stays. Objectives: This research determined the prevalence of frailty and associated factors among older adults in Vietnam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 584 older adults across five Ho Chi Minh City wards from November 2020 to January 2021. Based on the modified Fried frailty scale, the participants were divided into three categories: robust, pre-frail, and frail. A chi-square test (or Fisher’s test) examined the relationship between frailty categories and other variables. Multivariable logistic regression used variates with a cut-off of p ≤ 0.05 in the univariate analysis. Results: The prevalence rates of frailty and pre-frailty were 19% and 64%, respectively. The most common frailty component was weak grip strength (63.9%), followed by slowness (36.1%), weight loss (21.6%), low physical activity (19.5%), and exhaustion (18.5%). In addition, the prevalence of frailty was significantly associated with age, BMI levels, living alone, and sarcopenia. Conclusion: The community’s prevalence of frailty among older adults is high. Frailty can lead to many adverse consequences for the elderly. As there were some modifiable factors associated with frailty, it should be assessed in older people through community-based healthcare programs for early diagnosis and management.

Bidirectional association between visual impairment and frailty among community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal study

BackgroundVision impairment is common among older adults, and it may be related to frailty. However, the longitudinal relationship between visual impairment and frailty is still unclear.MethodsWe used data from Round 1 to Round 5 from the National Health and Aging Trend Study. Two samples were community-dwelling older adults, sample 1 (without visual impairment) was classified according to whether they have pre-frailty/frailty at R1 (N = 3013) and sample 2 (without pre-frailty/frailty) was classified according to whether they have visual impairment at R1 (N = 1422), respectively. Frailty was measured using five criteria: experiencing exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, low physical activity, slow gait, and weak grip strength. Visual impairment was assessed by asking participants if they had any visual impairment. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the concurrent and lagged association between visual impairment and frailty.ResultsThe participants were on average 76 ± 7 years old, female (59%), non-Hispanic white (74%) with less than bachelor educated (73%), and 44% were pre-frail/frail in the older adults without visual impairment. Approximately 5% of participants had visual impairment at R1, and they tended to be female and non-Hispanic White in the older adults without frailty. The concurrent (OR, 95% CI = 1.55, 1.17-2.02) and lagged (OR, 95% CI = 1.79, 1.25-2.59) associations between frailty and visual impairment were significantly after controlling the covariates. Similarly, the concurrent (OR, 95% CI = 1.63, 1.32-2.04) and lagged (OR, 95% CI = 1.49, 1.20-1.87) associations between visual impairment and frailty were also significant.ConclusionsOverall, this study provides evidence for a longitudinal, bidirectional association between self-reported visual impairment and frailty. Future intervention programs to delay frailty progression should include strategies that may reduce the incidence of visual impairment.