Heterogeneous Influence of Frailty Phenotypes in Age-Related Hearing Loss and Tinnitus in Chinese Older Adults: An Explorative Study

BackgroundFried physical frailty, with mobility frailty and non-motor frailty phenotypes, is a heterogeneous syndrome. The coexistence of the two phenotypes and cognitive impairment is referred to as cognitive frailty (CF). It remains unknown whether frailty phenotype has a different association with hearing loss (HL) and tinnitus.MethodsOf the 5,328 community-dwelling older adults, 429 participants aged ≥58 years were enrolled in the study. The participants were divided into robust, mobility, and non-mobility frailty, mobility and non-mobility CF (subdivided into reversible and potentially reversible CF, RCF, and PRCF), and cognitive decline [subdivided into mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and pre-MCI] groups. The severity and presentations of HL and/or tinnitus were used as dependent variables in the multivariate logistic or nominal regression analyses with forward elimination adjusted for frailty phenotype stratifications and other covariates.ResultsPatients with physical frailty (mobility frailty) or who are robust were found to have lower probability of developing severe HL and tinnitus, and presented HL and/or tinnitus than those with only cognitive decline, or CF. Patients with RCF and non-mobility RCF had higher probability with less HL and tinnitus, and the presentation of HL and/or tinnitus than those with PRCF and mobility RCF. Other confounders, age, cognitive and social function, cardiovascular disease, depression, and body mass index, independently mediated the severity of HL and tinnitus, and presented HL and/or tinnitus.ConclusionFrailty phenotypes have divergent association with HL and tinnitus. Further research is required to understand the differential mechanisms and the personalized intervention of HL and tinnitus.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT2017K020.

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Cognitive Frailty Predicts Incident Dementia among Community-Dwelling Older People

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm7090250 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. 250 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Hiroyuki Shimada ◽

Takehiko Doi ◽

Sangyoon Lee ◽

Hyuma Makizako ◽

Liang-Kung Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Word List ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Prevalence Rates ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Cognitive Frailty ◽

Primary Screening ◽

Incident Dementia

Cognitive frailty, defined as the presence of both frailty and cognitive impairment, is a risk factor for adverse events in older adults. However, prevalence rates of cognitive frailty are low (1.1–2.5%), so primary screening is unsuitable in community settings. The aim of the study was to examine whether a new definition of cognitive frailty, which was developed for primary screening, is useful to predict incident dementia in community-dwelling older adults. A total of 4570 older adults participated in the study (2326 women; average age, 71.9 ± 5.5 years). We defined physical frailty as the presence of ≥1 of the following symptoms: slow walking speed and muscle weakness. Cognitive impairment was defined as ≥1 symptom of cognitive impairment, indicated by an age- and education-adjusted score that was ≥1.5 standard deviations below the reference threshold in word list memory, attention, executive function, and processing speed tests. Cognitive frailty was defined as comorbid physical frailty and cognitive impairment. The incidence of dementia was determined using data collected by the Japanese Health Insurance System over 36 months. The prevalence rates of physical frailty, cognitive impairment, and cognitive frailty were 17.5%, 15.3%, and 9.8%, respectively. Cognitive impairment (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.06, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.41–3.02) and cognitive frailty (HR: 3.43, 95% CI: 2.37–4.97) were found to be significant risk factors for dementia. However, the association between dementia and physical frailty was not significant (HR: 1.13, 95% CI: 0.76–1.69). Individuals with comorbid physical frailty and cognitive impairment could have a higher risk of dementia than healthy older adults or older adults with either physical frailty or cognitive impairment alone.

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Cognitive Frailty And Risk Of Functional Disability In Older Japanese Adults: A 4-Year Prospective Study

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2989 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 820-821

Author(s):

Sanmei Chen ◽

Takanori Honda ◽

Tao Chen ◽

Hiro Kishimoto ◽

Shuzo Kumagai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cardiovascular Health Study ◽

Minor Trauma ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Term Care ◽

Cognitive Frailty ◽

Increased Risk

Abstract Background Cognitive frailty is a newly proposed clinical entity, referring to concurrent cognitive impairment and physical frailty in the absence of dementia. The clinical significance of cognitive frailty remains poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the association between cognitive frailty and functional disability in older adults. Methods A total of 1,644 non-demented older adults aged ≥65 years (mean age: 73 ± 6 years; men: 41.8%) and without functional disability at baseline were followed-up for 4 years. Cognitive frailty was defined as the presence of both physical frailty (based on the modified Cardiovascular Health Study criteria) and cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination score of <24 points). Functional disability was identified using the database of Japan’s Long-term Care Insurance System. Association between cognitive frailty and functional disability was assessed by using the Cox proportional hazard models. Results During the follow-up, 152 participants were identified as being functionally disabled. There was a significant interaction between physical frailty and cognitive impairment on the development of functional disability (P <0.1). Compared with being robust both physically and cognitively, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of functional disability was 8.40 (4.05-17.42) for cognitively frailty, after adjustment for age, sex, education, living alone, smoking, drinking, number of comorbidities (hypertension, stroke, chronic heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, poor hearing, poor vision, osteoarthritis or rheumatism, minor trauma fracture, or cancer). Conclusion Cognitive frailty was associated with an increased risk of functional disability in community-dwelling older adults. Cognitive frailty could be an underrecognized risk factor for functional disability.

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Do Communication Patterns Affect the Association between Cognitive Impairment and Hearing Loss among Older Adults in Vietnam?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1603

Author(s):

Tran Dai Tri Han ◽

Keiko Nakamura ◽

Kaoruko Seino ◽

Vo Nu Hong Duc ◽

Thang Van Vo

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ordinal Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Communication Devices ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older adults in central Vietnam and the roles of communication (with or without communication devices) in the association between cognitive impairment and hearing loss. This cross-sectional study was performed on 725 randomly selected community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years from Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Participants attended a face-to-face survey. Sociodemographic characteristics, social interaction with or without communication devices, health status and cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination were reported. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to quantify the association between hearing loss and cognitive function by frequency of communication with and without devices. Mild and severe cognitive impairment had prevalence rates of 23.6% and 19.3%, respectively. Cognitive impairment was more prevalent among older adults with hearing-loss, vision loss and difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment was not significant when older adults had frequent communication with others using devices. This study presented the relatively high prevalence of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults in Vietnam. Frequent communication using devices attenuated the association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment.

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Frailty, with or without Cognitive Impairment, is a Strong Predictor of Recurrent Falls in a US Population-Representative Sample of Older Adults

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glab083 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mei-Ling Ge ◽

Eleanor M Simonsick ◽

Bi-Rong Dong ◽

Judith D Kasper ◽

Qian-Li Xue

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Word Recall ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Frailty Phenotype ◽

Clock Drawing Test ◽

Recurrent Falls ◽

Health Aging ◽

Marginal Means

Abstract Background Physical frailty and cognitive impairment have been separately associated with falls. The purpose of the study is to examine the associations of physical frailty and cognitive impairment separately and jointly with incident recurrent falls among older adults. Methods The analysis included 6000 older adults in community or non-nursing home residential care settings who were ≥65 years and participated in the National Health Aging Trends Study (NHATS). Frailty was assessed using the physical frailty phenotype; cognitive impairment was defined by bottom quintile of clock drawing test or immediate and delayed 10-word recall, or self/proxy-report of diagnosis of dementia, or AD8 score≥ 2. The marginal means/rates models were used to analyze the associations of frailty (by the physical frailty phenotype) and cognitive impairment with recurrent falls over 6 years follow-up (2012-2017). Results Of the 6000 older adults, 1,787 (29.8%) had cognitive impairment only, 334 (5.6%) had frailty only, 615 (10.3%) had both, and 3,264 (54.4%) had neither. After adjusting for age, sex, race, education, living alone, obesity, disease burden, and mobility disability, those with frailty (with or without cognitive impairment) at baseline had higher rates of recurrent falls than those without cognitive impairment and frailty (frailty only: Rate ratio (RR)=1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.18-1.44; both: RR=1.28, 95% CI=1.17-1.40). The association was marginally significant for those with cognitive impairment only (RR=1.07, 95% CI=1.00-1.13). Conclusions Frailty and cognitive impairment were independently associated with recurrent falls in non-institutionalized older adults. There was a lack of synergistic effect between frailty and cognitive impairment.

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Dairy Product Intake and Long-Term Risk for Frailty among French Elderly Community Dwellers

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13072151 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 2151

Author(s):

Berna Rahi ◽

Hermine Pellay ◽

Virginie Chuy ◽

Catherine Helmer ◽

Cecilia Samieri ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dairy Product ◽

Food Group ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Frailty Phenotype ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Dairy products (DP) are part of a food group that may contribute to the prevention of physical frailty. We aimed to investigate DP exposure, including total DP, milk, fresh DP and cheese, and their cross-sectional and prospective associations with physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults. The cross-sectional analysis was carried out on 1490 participants from the Three-City Bordeaux cohort. The 10-year frailty risk was examined in 823 initially non-frail participants. A food frequency questionnaire was used to assess DP exposure. Physical frailty was defined as the presence of at least 3 out of 5 criteria of the frailty phenotype: weight loss, exhaustion, slowness, weakness, and low physical activity. Among others, diet quality and protein intake were considered as confounders. The baseline mean age of participants was 74.1 y and 61% were females. Frailty prevalence and incidence were 4.2% and 18.2%, respectively. No significant associations were observed between consumption of total DP or DP sub-types and frailty prevalence or incidence (OR = 1.40, 95%CI 0.65–3.01 and OR = 1.75, 95%CI 0.42–1.32, for a total DP consumption >4 times/d, respectively). Despite the absence of beneficial associations of higher DP consumption on frailty, older adults are encouraged to follow the national recommendations regarding DP.

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A Preliminary Analysis of Hearing Loss and Its Association With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1461 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 451-452

Author(s):

Mary Caroline Yuk ◽

Rebecca Allen ◽

Marcia Hay-McCutcheon ◽

Dana Carroll ◽

Anne Halli-Tierney

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Medical Center ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Well Being ◽

Hearing Screening ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Age Related

Abstract Age related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is a global condition that is increasing in its prevalence. Despite being one of the most common chronic conditions among the older population, there is much more to understand about its association with other aspects of physical and emotional health and well-being. Current research is suggesting that hearing loss is more prevalent in those with cognitive impairment compared to those without cognitive impairment. This study analyzed the incidence of hearing loss and its linkage to mild cognitive impairment in a community-dwelling geriatric population. With the increasing prevalence of this condition in both rural and urban communities of Alabama, it becomes a more pressing matter to understand comorbidities and risk factors for future decline in functioning. This study was conducted in an interdisciplinary geriatrics primary care outpatient clinic in a Family, Internal, and Rural Medicine department affiliated with a university medical center in the Deep South. Ninety-one participants completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and a hearing screening. Hearing screenings were conducted in quiet rooms in the medical center using Phonak hearing screening cards. Detection of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz tones was assessed. Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated an association between hearing loss mild cognitive impairment. Poorer hearing was significantly associated with lower scores on the MoCA. Conducting behavioral health screenings like this in other primary geriatrics clinics and community settings could improve care and identification of patient needs by integrating important data regarding comorbidities and independent living.

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The Brief Odor Detection Test (B-ODT) for Very Early Diagnosis of Cognitive Decline: A Preliminary Study

Brain Impairment ◽

10.1017/brimp.2017.7 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 197-210

Author(s):

Dimitra Savvoulidou ◽

Efthymia Totikidou ◽

Chariklia Varvesiotou ◽

Magda Iakovidou ◽

Ourania Sfakianaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Adult Population ◽

Detection Threshold ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Odor Detection ◽

Olfactory Impairment ◽

Older Adult Population ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Olfactory impairment in older adults is associated with cognitive decline. This study describes the development of a Brief Odor Detection Test (B-ODT), and its pilot administration in community-dwelling older adults. The study aimed at examining whether the test could differentiate older adults with very mild cognitive impairment from their cognitively healthy counterparts. The sample consisted of 34 older adults (22 women), aged from 65 to 87 years. Participants were divided into two groups according to their general cognitive functioning. Odor detection was measured via vanillin solutions at the following concentrations: 150 mg/L, 30 mg/L, 15 mg/L, 3 mg/L, and .03 mg/L. The first condition of the test involved a scale administration of vanillin solutions. The second condition examined the change in air odour and it required vanillin solution of 30 mg/L and a metric ruler of 30 cm. The examiner had to place the solution at a specific distance point from each nostril. Odour identification sensitivity was secondarily measured. The results showed statistically significant differences in odour detection threshold between the two groups. In the unirhinal testing, left nostril differences of the two groups were definite. Hence, the B-ODT seems a promising instrument for very early cognitive impairment screening in older adult population.

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FRAILTY AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE: ANTICIPATING THE FUTURE, EXPANDING THE FRAMEWORK

Journal of Frailty & Aging ◽

10.14283/jfa.2017.46 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 1-3

Author(s):

D.M. LYRESKOG

Keyword(s):

Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽

Cognitive Decline ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Point Of Care ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Cognitive Frailty ◽

Ethical Assessment ◽

Age Related ◽

Older Populations ◽

Age Related Cognitive Decline

The terminology surrounding frailty has grown increasingly popular for health care professionals and developers of technology over the last decades. Its concepts are useful in medical care, R&D, as well as in ethical assessment, and identify and define stages of age-related physical decline (1-5). Simultaneously, the phenomena of age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases continue to pose a threat to older populations (6-8). Recognizing that physical frailty often co-occurs with cognitive decline, the concept of cognitive frailty is currently being developed (9-13). The terminology surrounding cognitive frailty is facilitating to bridge the gap between physical frailty and cognitive decline. However, it fails to capture important aspects of age-related neural decline and disease, that need to be addressed and included in a nuanced frailty-terminology. This matter is becoming increasingly urgent, as a growing number of promising technologies for neurodegenerative diseases are currently being developed. Nanotheranostics and Lab-on-a-chip devices, able to cross the blood-brain-barrier and analyze sample sizes as small as picolitres, may be able to detect neural decline at pre-symptomatic stages (14-16). This would facilitate early intervention, which is particularly important for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, the possibility of providing chip-based point-of-care devices for GPs would improve the accessibility to diagnosis for the general population (17). Additionally, neural bioprinting, optogenetics, and other innovative approaches to regenerative therapeutic neuromodulation raises hope that neural damage caused by decline and disease may be repaired (18-19).

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The Relationship Between Hearing Loss and Cognitive Impairment in a Chinese Elderly Population: The Baseline Analysis

Frontiers in Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnins.2021.749273 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Xinxing Fu ◽

Bo Liu ◽

Shuo Wang ◽

Robert H. Eikelboom ◽

Dona M. P. Jayakody

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽

Paired Associates ◽

Multiple Stepwise Regression Analysis ◽

Age Related ◽

Age Related Hearing Loss

Objectives: The objective of the study was to investigate the association between untreated age-related hearing loss and cognitive impairment in Mandarin-speaking older adults living in China.Methods: Older adults (293; 111 males, M = 70.33 ± 4.90 years; 182 females, M = 69.02 ± 4.08 years) were recruited. All participants completed a pure tone audiometric hearing assessment, Hearing Impairment-Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (HI-MoCA), and a computerized neuropsychology test battery (CANTAB). The Mandarin version of the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale was used to measure the loneliness, and the Mandarin version of the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to measure the current severity of a range of symptoms common to depression, stress, and anxiety of the participants.Results: A multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the average of four mid-frequency thresholds in the better ear was related to CANTAB Paired Associates Learning (β = 0.20, p = 0.002), and the global cognitive function score (HI-MoCA) (β = −0.25, p < 0.001). The average of three high frequencies in the better ear was significantly associated with CANTAB Delayed Matching to Sample (β = −0.16, p = 0.008), and Spatial Working Memory (β = 0.17, p = 0.003).Conclusion: The results revealed a significant relationship between age-related hearing loss and cognitive impairment in Mandarin-speaking older adults. These research outcomes have clinical implications specifically for hearing health care professionals in China and other populations that speak a tonal language, especially when providing hearing rehabilitation.

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CONCURRENCE OF FRAILTY AND PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Journal of Frailty & Aging ◽

10.14283/jfa.2012.20 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 1-5

Author(s):

K.P. ROLAND ◽

K.M.D. CORNETT ◽

O. THEOU ◽

J.M. JAKOBI ◽

G.R. JONES

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Health Study ◽

Cardiovascular Health Study ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Levodopa Dose ◽

Frailty Phenotype ◽

Age Related

Background: Females with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are at greater risk of frailty than males. Little is known about how age and disease-related characteristics influence frailty in females with PD because frailty studies often exclude persons with underlying neurological pathologies. Objective: To determine age and diseaserelated characteristics that best explain physical frailty in community-dwelling females with and without PD. Design & Measurement: Correlation coefficients described relationships between PD-related characteristics and physical frailty phenotype criteria (Cardiovascular Health Study). Regression analysis identified associations between disease-related characteristics and frailty in non-PD and PD females. Setting: Community-dwelling. Participants: Females with mild to moderate PD (n = 17, mean age = 66 ± 8.5 years) and non-PD (n = 18, mean age = 72 ± 13.2 years) participated. Results: Daily carbidopa-levodopa dose best explained frailty in PD females (β = 0.5), whereas in non-PD females, age (β = 0.7) and comorbidity (β = 0.5) were most associated with frailty. Conclusions: Dopaminergic medication explained frailty in PD and not measures of disease progression (i.e. severity, duration). In females without PD age-related accumulation of comorbidities resulted in greater risk of frailty. This indicates dopaminergic management of PD symptoms may better reflect frailty in females with PD than disease severity or duration. These data suggest the influence of underlying frailty should be considered when managing neurological conditions. Understanding how frailty concurrently exists with PD and how these conditions progress within the aging female will facilitate future care management.

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