TY - JOUR
T1 - Subtle neurological abnormalities as risk factors for cognitive and functional decline, cerebrovascular events, and mortality in older community-dwelling adults
AU - Inzitari, Marco
AU - Pozzi, Claudia
AU - Ferrucci, Luigi
AU - Chiarantini, Daniela
AU - Rinaldi, Lucio A.
AU - Baccini, Marco
AU - Pini, Riccardo
AU - Masotti, Giulio
AU - Marchionni, Niccolò
AU - Di Bari, Mauro
PY - 2008/6/23
Y1 - 2008/6/23
N2 - Background: Subtle, but clinically detectable, neurological abnormalities (SNAs) are associated with impaired physical performance in elderly persons without overt neurological diseases. We investigated whether SNAs were prospectively associated with cognitive and functional status, death, and cerebrovascular events (CVEs) in older community-dwelling individuals. Methods: In participants without history of stroke, parkinsonism and dementia, or cognitive impairment, a score (NSNA) was obtained by summing SNAs detected with a simple neurological examination. Cognitive status and disability were reassessed 4 years later, and deaths and CVEs were documented over 8 years. Results: Of 506 participants free of neurological diseases (mean [SEM] age, 71.9[0.3] years; 42% were men), 59% had an NSNA of 1 or more (mean [SEM], 1.1[0.06]; range, 0-8). At baseline, the NSNA increased with age and with declining cognitive and physical performance, depressive symptoms, and disability, after adjusting for several covariates, but did not increase with falls and urinary incontinence. The NSNA prospectively predicted worsening cognitive status and disability, adjusting for demographics and for baseline comorbidity and cognitive and physical performance. The mortality rates were 22.6, 23.3, 23.9, 58.6, and 91.9 per 1000 person-years in participants with an NSNA of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 or higher, respectively. Compared with an NSNA of less than 3, having an NSNA of 3 or higher was associated with an increased adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-2.74) and of CVE (hazard ratio, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.07-3.54) over 8 years. Conclusion: In this sample of older communitydwelling persons without overt neurological diseases, multiple SNAs were associated with cognitive and functional decline and independently predicted mortality and CVEs.
AB - Background: Subtle, but clinically detectable, neurological abnormalities (SNAs) are associated with impaired physical performance in elderly persons without overt neurological diseases. We investigated whether SNAs were prospectively associated with cognitive and functional status, death, and cerebrovascular events (CVEs) in older community-dwelling individuals. Methods: In participants without history of stroke, parkinsonism and dementia, or cognitive impairment, a score (NSNA) was obtained by summing SNAs detected with a simple neurological examination. Cognitive status and disability were reassessed 4 years later, and deaths and CVEs were documented over 8 years. Results: Of 506 participants free of neurological diseases (mean [SEM] age, 71.9[0.3] years; 42% were men), 59% had an NSNA of 1 or more (mean [SEM], 1.1[0.06]; range, 0-8). At baseline, the NSNA increased with age and with declining cognitive and physical performance, depressive symptoms, and disability, after adjusting for several covariates, but did not increase with falls and urinary incontinence. The NSNA prospectively predicted worsening cognitive status and disability, adjusting for demographics and for baseline comorbidity and cognitive and physical performance. The mortality rates were 22.6, 23.3, 23.9, 58.6, and 91.9 per 1000 person-years in participants with an NSNA of 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 or higher, respectively. Compared with an NSNA of less than 3, having an NSNA of 3 or higher was associated with an increased adjusted risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25-2.74) and of CVE (hazard ratio, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.07-3.54) over 8 years. Conclusion: In this sample of older communitydwelling persons without overt neurological diseases, multiple SNAs were associated with cognitive and functional decline and independently predicted mortality and CVEs.
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U2 - 10.1001/archinte.168.12.1270
DO - 10.1001/archinte.168.12.1270
M3 - Article
C2 - 18574083
AN - SCOPUS:46449114086
VL - 168
SP - 1270
EP - 1276
JO - JAMA Internal Medicine
JF - JAMA Internal Medicine
SN - 2168-6106
IS - 12
ER -