TY - JOUR
T1 - Multisystem physiologic impairments and changes in gait speed of older adults
AU - Rosso, Andrea L.
AU - Sanders, Jason L.
AU - Arnold, Alice M.
AU - Boudreau, Robert M.
AU - Hirsch, Calvin H.
AU - Carlson, Michelle C.
AU - Rosano, Caterina
AU - Kritchevsky, Stephen B.
AU - Newman, Anne B.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author 2014.
PY - 2015/3
Y1 - 2015/3
N2 - Background: Slowed gait is an important health indicator in older adults but a single identifiable cause is often lacking. We assessed whether a summary index measuring impairments across multiple physiologic systems was associated with slowed gait in older individuals. Methods: Data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (n = 3,010) were used to assess associations between baseline physiologic index (measuring vasculature, brain, kidneys, lungs, and glucose metabolism; range 0-10 with 0-2 points/system and lower score indicating higher function) and annual gait speed (m/s) over 6 years. Participants with complete data on the physiologic index and at least two gait speed measures were included. Mean gait speed and 95% confidence intervals (CI) by category of index were calculated using mixed effects models. Results: Those with scores of three or higher on the index had significantly slower gait speed at baseline compared to those with scores of 0-2 (7-10: mean speed = 0.83 m/s, 95% CI: 0.80, 0.84; 0-2: mean speed = 1.01 m/s, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.03). Those with higher indices also had faster decline in gait speed compared to those with lower scores after adjustment for demographic and health characteristics (7-10: change in speed = -0.020 m/s/year, 95% CI: -0.024, -0.016; 0-2: change in speed= -0.010 m/s/year, 95% CI: -0.014, -0.006). Conclusions: Greater impairment across five organ systems was associated with slower gait speed and greater declines in gait speed over 6 years. Impairments accumulated over multiple physiologic systems may make older adults more vulnerable to slow gait speed.
AB - Background: Slowed gait is an important health indicator in older adults but a single identifiable cause is often lacking. We assessed whether a summary index measuring impairments across multiple physiologic systems was associated with slowed gait in older individuals. Methods: Data from the Cardiovascular Health Study (n = 3,010) were used to assess associations between baseline physiologic index (measuring vasculature, brain, kidneys, lungs, and glucose metabolism; range 0-10 with 0-2 points/system and lower score indicating higher function) and annual gait speed (m/s) over 6 years. Participants with complete data on the physiologic index and at least two gait speed measures were included. Mean gait speed and 95% confidence intervals (CI) by category of index were calculated using mixed effects models. Results: Those with scores of three or higher on the index had significantly slower gait speed at baseline compared to those with scores of 0-2 (7-10: mean speed = 0.83 m/s, 95% CI: 0.80, 0.84; 0-2: mean speed = 1.01 m/s, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.03). Those with higher indices also had faster decline in gait speed compared to those with lower scores after adjustment for demographic and health characteristics (7-10: change in speed = -0.020 m/s/year, 95% CI: -0.024, -0.016; 0-2: change in speed= -0.010 m/s/year, 95% CI: -0.014, -0.006). Conclusions: Greater impairment across five organ systems was associated with slower gait speed and greater declines in gait speed over 6 years. Impairments accumulated over multiple physiologic systems may make older adults more vulnerable to slow gait speed.
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Gait
KW - Physical function
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U2 - 10.1093/gerona/glu176
DO - 10.1093/gerona/glu176
M3 - Article
C2 - 25380599
AN - SCOPUS:84940173024
SN - 1079-5006
VL - 70
SP - 319
EP - 324
JO - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
JF - Journals of Gerontology - Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
IS - 3
ER -