Body Mass Index and Disability in Chinese Nonagenarians and Centenarians

ObjectivesTo examine the potential association between body mass index (BMI) and activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) disabilities in a population-based sample of Chinese nonagenarians and centenarians.MethodsThis study analyzed data obtained from a survey conducted in 870 elderly Chinese adults aged 90 years or older in Dujiangyan. The participants were divided into 4 groups according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Asia criteria of underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity in BMI (<18.5, 18.5–23.0, 23.0–25.0, ≥25.0 kg/m², respectively) and to BMI quartile (<16.8, 16.8–18.9, 18.9–21.1, ≥21.1 kg/m², respectively). The ADL and IADL disabilities were measured using the physical self-maintenance scale (PSMS) and IADL scale developed by Lawton and Brody, respectively.ResultsThe participants included in the current statistical analyses were 233 men and 505 women. The mean age was 93.5 ± 3.2 years (ranging from 90 to 108 years). Using the WHO Asia criteria, the prevalence of underweight and obesity were 43.9% and 6.6%, respectively. In long-lived women, the prevalence of ADL and IADL disabilities was significantly higher in either the underweight group (39.4% and 72.9%, respectively) or the obesity group (38.1% and 77.7%, respectively) compared with the normal weight group (31.4% and 60.8%, respectively). After adjusting for relevant covariates, the underweight group and obesity group showed significantly increased odds ratios (ORs) for either ADL (1.5 and 1.8, respectively) or IADL disability (1.9 and 1.4, respectively). Similar results were found when using the BMI quartile. However, in long-lived men, no significant difference was found with respect to the prevalence of ADL or IADL disability and adjusted ORs among the different BMI groups.ConclusionsAmong Chinese long-lived adults, the risk of ADL and IADL disability was higher for women with both extremely low and high BMIs, but this pattern was not found in men.     

老年人抑郁症状与慢性病及日常生活活动能力的关联性研究

目的 分析老年人慢性病、抑郁症状及日常生活活动能力三者之间的相互关系,探讨老年人抑郁症状和老年人日常生活活动能力受限的危险因素.方法 采用多阶段整群抽样方法,应用老年抑郁短量表、Katz日常生活活动量表（Katz-ADL）和Lawton工具性日常生活活动量表（Lawton-IADL）,对济宁市部分县区≥65岁的504例老年人进行问卷调查.结果 济宁市部分县区老年人总患病率为74.01％,抑郁症状阳性率为7.14％,ADL、IADL功能受限率分别为19.05％和66.67％,男性老年人抑郁症状阳性率及ADL、IADL功能受限率低于女性（x2分别为18.15、12.31、30.18,P均＜0.05）;老年人现患有慢性病的种类数是抑郁症状和ADL受限的危险因素（OR分别为1.71、1.53）,ADL和IADL受限也是老年人抑郁症状的危险因素（OR分别为3.15、9.36）;控制性别、年龄因素后,患有慢性病种类数对老年人抑郁症状、ADL、IADL的影响以及ADL和IADL受限对老年人抑郁症状的影响均无统计学意义.结论 性别、年龄是老年人抑郁症状、ADL和IADL受限的最根本的危险因素,家庭和社会在对老年人照护时,应积极锻炼提高老年人的日常生活活动能力,提升老年人的正性情绪,减少抑郁症状的发生.     

Lifestyle Risk Factors and Utilization of Preventive Services in Disabled Elderly Adults in the Community

Lifestyle risk factor counseling and preventive health services are important to disabled elderly adults to prevent adverse health outcomes. We aimed to examine the prevalence of lifestyle risk factors and utilization of preventive health services in community-dwelling 2,982 adults, aged 60 years or older, with or without disability, in Southeastern Pennsylvania in 2004. The severity of disability was classified as no [independent activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL)], some (independent ADL, dependent IADL), and severe limitation (dependent ADL). The prevalence of lifestyle risk factors (cigarette smoking, obesity, binge alcohol use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity) and utilization rate of a comprehensive list of preventive health services (risk factor counseling, disease management, vaccination, and cancer screening) were measured, across the disability categories. The prevalence of disability was 14.6% for some limitation and 10.3% for severe limitation. As disability increases, participants with unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and obesity became more prevalent (8.8, 15.7, and 25.2% for no, some, and severe limitation, respectively) and fewer osteoporosis screenings were performed (51.5, 38.8, and 37.8%). Utilization of other services did not vary significantly across the disability categories, but participants with some or severe limitation were less likely than those without to receive needed health services overall (19.3% or 16.2 vs. 24.2%; P for trend = .047). In conclusion, disabled elderly adults have more undesirable lifestyle risk factors, but are less likely to receive needed health services than nondisabled counterparts. More attention is needed to this vulnerable population.     

江西省丰城市儿童少年乙型肝炎表面抗原血清学调查

为了解江西省丰城市推行乙型肝炎（乙肝）疫苗接种10年儿童少年乙肝表面抗原（HBsAg）携带状况，我们于2004年开展了HBsAg血清学调查。随机选择农村和城市7个乡镇（铁路、拖船、河洲、隍城、梅林、焦坑、城区），17岁以下儿童少年19267人，静脉采血2ml，检测HBsAg。用酶联免疫吸附法（ELISA）检测，试剂由上海荣盛生物技术有限公司生产，操作和结果判定严格按说明书进行。     

Regional differences in functional status among the aged

This study investigated regional differences in functional status among aged Medicare beneficiaries in the United States, and the degree to which population risk factors and certain geographic/environmental attributes of communities accounted for the regional differences. Four years of the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (1992-1995) were pooled together yielding 37,150 person-year observations of functional status for a sample of aged Medicare beneficiaries residing in the community or nursing homes. Multinomial logit models, estimated on a four-category functional status scale, produced strong empirical evidence of substantial regional differences in the prevalence of functional independence, functional limitations, IADL limitations, and ADL limitations, that could not be attributed to regional population composition, socio-demographic factors, lifestyle characteristics, and chronic medical conditions. Although such population risk factors accounted for much of the regional variations in functional status among older men, the notably higher prevalence of IADL and ADL limitations among older women residing in the Deep South could not be similarly attributed to such risk factors. Rather, the empirical results suggest that a significant portion of the harmful effects associated with residence in the Deep South among older women may be attributed to a higher prevalence of residence in counties characterized by lower population density and/or higher poverty concentration.     

Clinical features of high-risk older persons identified by predictive modeling.

The objective of this study was to describe the clinical features of older persons identified as high risk by a predictive modeling algorithm and to determine their suitability for clinical interventions like case management or disease management. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken at a community-based general internal medicine practice with 826 older patients enrolled in a Medicare-like health plan for military retirees and their dependents. Administrative claims data provided information about all 826 enrollees' chronic conditions, their use of health services, and the cost of those services during the past year. A survey mailed to 150 identified high-risk enrollees provided information about sociodemographic characteristics, general health, bed disability days, restricted activity days, activities of daily living (ADL) limitations, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations. Compared to the 676 low-risk enrollees, the 150 high-risk enrollees had higher prevalence of eight individual chronic conditions, higher total chronic conditions (2.93 vs. 1.48, p < 0.001), higher annual rates of hospital admission (1.1 vs. 0.1, p < 0.001), more annual hospital days (7.3 vs. 0.5, p < 0.001), and higher total health insurance expenditures ($22,815 vs. $3,726, p < 0.001). The high-risk respondents to the survey (response rate = 80.0%) had suboptimal health (42.8% "fair or poor"), impaired functional ability (36.3% with 1+ ADL limitations, 58.1% with 1+ IADL limitations), and frequent health-related disruptions in their activities during the previous six months (38.7% with 1+ bed disability day, 52.3% with 1+ restricted activity day). A claims-based predictive modeling algorithm identifies older persons whose health, functional ability, and use of health services suggest they are good candidates for clinical interventions such as case management and disease management.     

Impairments in Individual Autonomous Living Tasks and Time to Self-Care Disability in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

ObjectivesImpairments in specific tasks that are necessary for independent living may identify future self-care limitations, and the use of time-varying covariates can better capture the fluidity in functional capacity trajectories over time. The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between individual instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) impairments and time to activities of daily living (ADL) disability for middle-aged and older adults in the United States.DesignLongitudinal panel.SettingDetailed interviews that included physical, biological, and psychosocial measures were completed in person. The core interview was typically completed over the telephone.ParticipantsA nationally representative sample of 15,336 adults aged at least 50 years from the 2006 wave of the Health and Retirement Study was followed for 8 years.MeasuresAbility to perform IADL and ADL were self-reported at each wave. Separate covariate-adjusted Cox models were used to examine the time-varying associations between individual IADL impairments and time to ADL disability.ResultsThe presence of each IADL impairment was associated with a higher hazard ratio for an ADL disability for the following functions: 2.52 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.35, 2.70] for grocery shopping, 1.91 (CI 1.77, 2.06) for preparing hot meals, 1.55 (CI 1.37, 1.76) for taking medications, 1.48 (CI 1.36, 1.61) for managing money, 1.41 (CI 1.27, 1.57) for using a telephone, and 1.38 (CI 1.29, 1.48) for using a map.Conclusions/ImplicationsOur findings provide insights into the disabling process by revealing how impairments in each IADL are differentially associated with time to ADL disability. Interventions aiming to retain function during aging should be informed by fluctuations in IADL performance and how specific IADL impairments may exacerbate functional capacity declines more so than others.     

北京市2002年城乡老年人脑卒中患病情况综合评估

目的对北京地区城乡老年人卒中患病和残疾情况及卒中相关疾病和危险因素进行评估。方法在宣武区、海淀区、通州区各选一个社区，对60岁以上的老年人按20％的比例进行人户调查，调查内容包括卒中患病和恢复情况、健康自评、躯体功能（ADL和IADL）、卒中相关疾病患病和控制情况、不良生活习惯和心脑血管病防治知识水平。结果共调查2487名老年人，其中321例为卒中患者，患病率为12．9％，经CT或MRI检查确诊者占86．6％，有19．9％的患者有过2次及2次以上卒中发作。城区卒中患病率最高（16．9％），其次为城乡结合部（11．0％），农村最低（8．5％），趋势检验P〈0．0l；男性明显高于女性（P〈0．05）；城市人群卒中患病率随年龄上升而增长。对卒中患者的进一步调查发现，仅34．6％卒中患者认为自己已经完全恢复，其余患者仅部分或完全没有恢复。卒中老年人健康自评不良比例、ADL和IADL依赖率、高血压、冠心病和糖尿病患病率明显高于非卒中老年人，虽然卒中患者的高血压知晓率和治疗率都处于较高水平，但控制率较低，特别是农村地区，仅为4．3％。此外，卒中患者的心血管病防治知识水平、吸烟和饮酒率也与非卒中老年人基本持平。结论北京市老年人卒中患病率水平在过去10余年间有大幅度提高，社区卒中患者健康自评不良率、残疾率、高血压等卒中相关疾病患病率和危险因素均处于高水平，表明北京市社区卒中患者的三级预防工作亟待加强。     

A New Functional Classification Based on Frailty and Disability Stratifies the Risk for Mortality Among Older Adults: The FRADEA Study

ObjectivesThe aim of the current study was to investigate whether a new functional classification, based on basic (BADL) and instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living and frailty, is associated with mortality in older adults during 10 years of follow-up.DesignCohort study, with a follow-up of 10 years.Setting and participantsA total of 924 participants aged 70 and older from the Frailty and Dependence in Albacete (FRADEA) study, a population-based sample of Spanish older adults.MeasuresAt baseline, a new functional classification of 8 categories was constructed with limitations in BADL using the Barthel Index, limitations in IADL using the Lawton IADL Index, and the criteria of the frailty phenotype. Associations with 10-year mortality were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models.ResultsThe risk of mortality gradually increased toward the less functionally independent end of the classification. The presence of mild, moderate, or severe BADL impairment was associated with mortality, in models adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity and institutionalization. The analyses also revealed that those who were BADL independent, IADL dependent and prefrail [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.22-4.20], and those who were BADL independent and frail (HR = 3.74, 95% CI = 1.88-7.42) had an increased risk of mortality.Conclusions/implicationsA new functional classification composed of BADL, IADL, and frailty representing the functional continuum is effective in stratifying the risk for mortality in older adults. Frailty is a high-mortality-risk state close to subjects with mild disability in BADL, needing an intensive specialized approach. Prefrailty with any impairment in IADL has an intermediate mortality risk and should be offered primary care interventions.     

Types of stroke-related deficits and their impact on family caregiver’s depressive symptoms,burden, and quality of life

BackgroundStroke caregiving has been associated with higher rates of caregiver burden, depression, and lower quality of life compared to non-caregivers. Little is known about relationships between stroke survivors’ Cognitive/Emotional and Motor/Functional deficits and caregivers’ outcomes.ObjectiveTo determine the relationship between stroke survivors’ Cognitive/Emotional deficits and Motor/Functional deficits and caregivers’ depression, burden, and quality of life.MethodThis is a retrospective secondary data analysis. The sample consisted of 109 caregivers of stroke survivors. Step-wise linear multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine if Cognitive/Emotional deficits and/or Motor/Functional deficits, were predictive of caregivers’ depressive symptoms, burden, physical quality of life, and mental quality of life.ResultsThe Cognitive/Emotional deficits category was a better predictor than the Motor/Functional deficit of caregivers’ depressive symptoms, burden, and mental quality of life. The Cognitive/Emotional deficit score positively predicted both depression (β = .49, p < .001) and burden (β = 0.39, p < .001) and negatively predicted mental quality of life (β = ?0.42, p < .001), though it did not significantly predict physical quality of life (β = ?0.01, p = .90). The motor/functional deficits failed to significantly predict any of the caregiver outcomes (all p-values >.05).ConclusionsThe Cognitive/Emotional deficits appear to impact caregiver well-being more than the Motor/Functional deficits. Understanding the impact of Cognitive/Emotional and Motor/Functional deficits on caregivers can help clinicians identify caregivers at the highest risk for negative outcomes.     

Has the Prevalence of Disability Increased Over the Past Decade (2000–2007) in Elderly People? A Spanish Population-based Survey

ObjectivesThe main objectives of the current study were (1) to describe the prevalence of disability according to sociodemographic features, self-perceived health status, comorbidity, and lifestyle habits; (2) to determine factors associated with disability in men and women; and (3) to study the time trends prevalence of disability in the period 2000 to 2007.MethodsWe analyzed data taken from the Spanish National Health Surveys conducted in 2001 (n = 21,058), 2003 (n = 21,650), and 2006 (n = 29,478). For the current study, we included answers from adults aged 65 years and older. The main variable was disability including basic activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs (IADLs), and mobility disability. We stratified the adjusted models by the main variables. We analyzed sociodemographic characteristics, self-perceived health status, lifestyle habits, and comorbid conditions using multivariate logistic regression models.ResultsThe total number of individuals aged 65 years and older was 18,325 (11,346 women, 6,979 men). Women were significantly older than men in all the surveys (P < .001). Women showed higher prevalence of disability (ADL, IADL, and mobility) as compared with men in all surveys. Time trends in the total disability prevalence and whole age range showed a significant increase from 2000 to 2007 in both men and women (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.1–1.7), particularly in individuals with older age. The variables significantly associated with a higher likelihood of reporting ADL and IADL disability were age older than 84, lower educational level, 2 or more comorbid chronic conditions, obesity (only in women), sleeping more than 8 hours per day, and not practicing physical exercise. Finally, variables that increased the probability of having mobility disability were age older than 84 years, lower educational level, 2 or more comorbid chronic conditions, and not practicing physical exercise. In addition, subjects with disability had a worse self-reported health status.ConclusionsThe current study revealed an increase in disability from 2000 to 2007 in the older Spanish population. We found that age older than 84 years, lower education levels, obesity, not practicing physical activity and sleeping more than 8 hours per day were associated with higher disability. Individuals with disability reported a worse self-perceived health status and a greater number of comorbid conditions.     

Prevalence of Hospital-Associated Disability in Older Adults: A Meta-analysis

ObjectivesHospital-associated disability (HAD), defined as loss of independence in activities of daily living (ADL) following acute hospitalization, is observed among older adults. The study objective is to determine overall prevalence of HAD among older adults hospitalized in acute care, and to assess the impact of study initiation year in moderation of prevalence.DesignMeta-analysis of data collected from randomized trials, quasi-experimental, and prospective cohort studies. English-language searches to identify included studies were completed February 2018 and updated May 2018 of electronic databases and reference lists of studies and reviews. Included studies were human subjects investigations that measured ADL ≥2 time points before or during and after hospitalization and reported prevalence of ADL decline among older adults.SettingAcute care hospital units.ParticipantsAdults aged ≥65 years hospitalized in medical-surgical acute care; total sample size across all included studies was 7375.MethodsIndependence in ADL was assessed using the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living and Barthel Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living.ResultsRandom effects meta-analysis across included studies identified combined prevalence of HAD as 30% (95% CI 24%, 33%; P < .001). The effect of study initiation year on the prevalence rate was minimal. A large amount of heterogeneity was observed between studies, which may be due in part to nonstandardized measurement of ADL impairment or other methodological differences.Conclusions and implicationsHospitalization in acute care poses a significant risk to functional independence of older adults, and this risk is unchanged despite shorter lengths of stay. The evidence supports the continued need for hospital-based programs that provide assessment of functional ability and identification of at-risk older adults in order to better treat and prevent HAD.     

Disparities in self-reported activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living disability among Asian American subgroups in the United States: results from the National Health Interview Survey 2001-2003

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare disability and functional limitations among elderly Asian American subgroups using datasets from the National Health Interview Survey 2001−2003.MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed whether activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) disabilities were different among Asian American subgroups in the United States using data retrieved from the 2001−2003 National Health Interview Survey. For comparing all Asian American subgroups, χ² analysis was applied for the bivariate comparisons.ResultsRates of 7.1% and 12.2% for ADL and IADL disability, respectively, within Asian American group were found. The elder Chinese subgroup accounted for the highest ADL and IADL disability (11.6% and 17.3%, respectively, p < .05). Being female, not married, and older was associated with higher ADL and IADL disability (p < .05).ConclusionsThe findings of the study highlight the intergroup variability among the elder Asian American subpopulations.     

Prevalence of disability among adolescents and adults in rural China

BackgroundDisability affects health status and quality of life; however, insufficient research has been done in developing countries using internationally accepted measurements.ObjectiveWe investigated disabilities, sociodemographics, health indicators, and health behaviors using a sample of rural residents in northern China. We reported disability prevalence by age for our study sample and for a sample of rural residents who participated in the 1999-2002 Colorado Disability Survey.MethodsFace-to-face interviews were conducted in 2008, and complete questionnaires were obtained from 2199 individuals 15 years old or older. The definition of disability was conceptually based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.ResultsOf those who completed the survey, 154 (7.0%) reported having disabilities. The prevalence was 2.3% for limitations in activities of daily living (ADL) and 3.1% for limitations in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Significant differences in the disability prevalence were found across the categories of education, age, and marital status. Among individuals with disabilities, 54.6% rated their health status as poor or very poor compared to 13.4% of people without a disability. A strong association was seen between disability status and injury. A large proportion (79.9%) of persons with disabilities, as well as 82.2% of persons without disabilities, reported paying for their medical expenses out-of-pocket. The age pattern of disabilities (ADL and IADL) was similar to that seen in a rural Colorado population.ConclusionsMany rural Chinese individuals with disabilities report poor general health and may face further limitations in their daily activities and social participation without accessible and affordable health care.     

Impact of mental health on daily living activities of Japanese elderly

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the impact of mental health on the decline in higher activities of daily living (ADL) defined in terms of social role performance (SR, the highest ADL), intellectual activity (IA), and instrumental ADL (IADL), as well as the onset of basic ADL disability. METHODS: Six hundred older adults were randomly selected from Yamanashi prefecture, Japan. An interview survey collected baseline information from 581 people (97%) in 2003. Of those, 93% were followed for 25 months by mail. Cox's proportional hazard model was used. RESULTS: Among people aged 75+ years, those with severe depressive symptoms had a relative risk (95% confidence intervals) of 3.22 (1.35-7.71), 3.11 (1.38-6.98), and 2.41 (1.07-5.40) for subsequent decline in SR, IA, and IADL, respectively, compared to those without depressive symptoms. The excess risk of IADL decline among people aged 65-74 years was also statistically significant. Social inactivity partly explained the excess risk. CONCLUSIONS: Severe depressive symptoms in older adults may accelerate the progression of higher ADL decline. The adverse effect of depressive symptoms is more pronounced in senior elderly. By screening depressive symptoms and higher ADL, and promoting social activities of people at high risk, their risk for basic ADL disability could be reduced.     

Disability Associated With Obesity,Dynapenia and Dynapenic-Obesity in Chinese Older Adults

ObjectivesWhether the combination of obesity and low muscle strength (dynapenic-obesity) would cause greater impairment of the activities of daily living (ADL)/instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) than obesity alone and low muscle strength alone (dynapenia) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to reveal the possible independent and additive effects of dynapenia and obesity on ADL/IADL disability in an older Chinese population.MethodsA cross-sectional study, including 616 community-dwelling older adults, was conducted in China from 2010 to 2012. Based on the World Health Organization Asian Criteria of Obesity and handgrip strength tertiles, 4 independent groups were identified as follows: nondynapenia/nonobesity, dynapenia alone, obesity alone, and dynapenic-obesity. The Katz Index of Independence in ADL was used to assess ADL disability, whereas 6 IADL items of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire were used to assess IADL disability.ResultsThe prevalence of ADL and IADL disability was 21.1% and 28.9% in the dynapenic-obesity group, 15.5% and 22.6% in the dynapenia alone group, 13.1% and 19.6% in the obesity alone group, and 11.9% and 12.9% in the nondynapenia/nonobesity group, respectively. After adjusting for the covariates, in comparison with the dynapenic-obesity group, the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for ADL disability were 0.36 (0.13–0.73) in the nondynapenia/nonobesity group, 0.51 (0.20–0.78) in the dynapenia-alone group, and 0.40 (0.11–0.61) in the obesity-alone group. The corresponding data for IADL disability were 0.55 (0.20–0.93), 0.82 (0.39–0.98), and 0.61 (0.30–0.91), respectively.ConclusionDynapenia, obesity, and dynapenic-obesity were associated with an increased risk of ADL/IADL disability. Dynapenic-obesity was associated with a greater risk of ADL/IADL disability in comparison with dynapenia or obesity alone.     

Handgrip Weakness and Asymmetry Independently Predict the Development of New Activity Limitations: Results from Analyses of Longitudinal Data from the US Health and Retirement Study

ObjectivesExamining strength asymmetries in assessments of muscle function may improve screenings for limitations in independent living tasks such as instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). We sought to determine the associations between handgrip strength (HGS) asymmetry and future IADL limitations in aging Americans.DesignLongitudinal panel.Setting and ParticipantsSecondary analyses of data from participants aged at least 50 years from the 2006-2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. The analytic sample included 18,235 Americans who identified hand dominance and had measures of HGS for both hands in a single wave.MethodsHand dominance was self-reported, and a handgrip dynamometer measured HGS on each hand. The highest HGS values on each hand were used to calculate the HGS asymmetry ratio: (nondominant HGS/dominant HGS). Individuals with HGS asymmetry ratio <0.80 or >1.20 had HGS asymmetry. Persons with HGS asymmetry ratio <0.80 had dominant HGS asymmetry, whereas participants with HGS asymmetry ratio >1.20 had nondominant HGS asymmetry. Persons with HGS asymmetry ratio <1.0 also had their ratio inversed to make all HGS asymmetry ratios ≥1.0. IADL were self-reported. Covariate-adjusted generalized estimating equations were used for the analyses.ResultsParticipants with HGS asymmetry had 1.12 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.20] greater odds for future IADL limitations. Each HGS asymmetry dominance group also had greater odds for future IADL limitations: 1.09 (CI: 1.01-1.18) for individuals with dominant HGS asymmetry and 1.29 (CI: 1.09-1.52) for persons with nondominant HGS asymmetry. Every 0.10 increase in inverted HGS asymmetry ratio was associated with 1.30 (CI: 1.07-1.57) greater odds for future IADL limitations.Conclusions and ImplicationsAssessing HGS asymmetry, as another potential biomarker of impaired muscle function, may provide novel insights for predicting IADL limitations. Future research should continue examining how strength asymmetries, and other aspects of muscle function beyond maximal strength, factor into the disabling cascade.     

Three-dose versus four-dose primary schedules for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine FSME-immun for those aged 50 years or older: A single-centre,open-label,randomized controlled trial

BackgroundTBE vaccination failures among those past middle age have raised concern about immune response declining with age. We investigated immunogenicity of the TBE-vaccine FSME-Immun among those aged 50+ years using the standard three-dose primary series and alternative four-dose schedules.MethodsIn this single-centre, open-label, randomized controlled trial, 200 TBE-naive Swedish adults were given primary TBE vaccination with FSME-Immun. Those aged 50+ years (n = 150) were randomized to receive the standard three-dose (days 0–30–360) or one of two four-dose series (0–7–21–360; 0–30–90–360). For participants < 50 years (n = 50) the standard three-dose schedule was used. Titres of neutralizing antibodies were determined on days 0, 60, 120, 360, and 400. The main outcome was the log titre of TBE virus-specific neutralizing antibodies on day 400.ResultsThe three-dose schedule yielded lower antibody titres among those aged 50+ years than the younger participants on day 400 (geometric mean titre 41 versus 74, p < 0.05). The older group showed higher titres for the four-dose 0–7–21–360 than the standard three-dose schedule both on day 400 (103 versus 41, p < 0.01; primary end point) and at the other testing points (days 60, 120, 360). Using the other four-dose schedule (0–30–90–360), no such difference was observed on day 400 (63 versus 41, NS).ConclusionImmune response to the TBE vaccine declined with age. A four-dose schedule (0–7–21–360) may benefit those aged 50 years or older. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01361776.     

Disability in the individual ADL,IADL, and mobility among older adults: A prospective cohort study

Objectives

To examine the risk of disability in 15 individual ADL, IADL, and mobility in older adults by age; and to assess the association of multimorbidity, gender, and education with disability.

Design & Setting

A prospective cohort study. The sample included 805 community-dwelling older people aged 60+ living in the Netherlands.

Measurements

Disability was assessed using the Katz-15 Index of Independence in Basic Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and one mobility item. Disability in any of these activities was defined as the inability to perform the activity without assistance. The risk of disability by age for each individual ADL, IADL, and for mobility was assessed using Generalized mixed models.

Results

Disability in activities as household tasks, traveling, shopping, and continence had the highest risk and increased rapidly with age. The risk traveling disability among people aged 65 with two comorbidities increase from 9% to 37% at age 85. Disability in using the telephone, managing medications, finances, transferring, and toileting, had a very low risk and hardly increased with age. Compared to those without chronic conditions, those with ≥ 3 chronic conditions had a 3 to 5 times higher risk of developing disability. Males had a higher risk of disability in managing medication (P=0.005), and preparing meals (P=0.019), whereas females had a higher risk of disability with traveling (P=0.001). No association between education and disability on the individual ADL, IADL, and mobility was observed.

Conclusions

Older adults were mostly disabled in physical related activities, whereas disability in more cognitive related activities was less often experienced. The impact of multimorbidity on disability in each activity was substantial, while education was not.