Frailty Related to the Exposure to Particulate Matter and Ozone: The Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study

This study aims to identify the association between the concentration of particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5), <10 μm (PM10), and ozone (O3) and frailty. The Korean Frailty Scale (KFS, 0–6 points) assessing physical, psychological, and social frailty, was applied to 2912 community-dwelling older adults between April 2016 and December 2017. Daily average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, and O3 (2015–2017) were obtained and matched with the residential areas. The frailty risk associated with exposure to PM2.5, PM10, and O3 was evaluated using multiple logistic regression after adjusting for age, sex, BMI, lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and comorbidity. Participants were categorized into robust (0 points, 28.7%), pre-frail (1–2 points, 50.1%), and frail (≥3 points, 21.2%) groups. Each 1 μg/m3 increase of PM2.5 and PM10 increased the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the frail group compared to the robust group: 1.055 (1.002, 1.112) and 1.095 (1.060, 1.131), and the pre-frail group: 1.053 (1.017, 1.090) and 1.062 (1.037, 1.087), respectively. Each 1-ppb increase of O3 increased the OR (95% CI) of the frail group: 1.041 (1.023, 1.059) and the pre-frail group: 1.005 (0.985, 1.025). PM2.5, PM10, and O3 may be associated dose-dependently with the frailty.

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Associations between socioeconomic status and obesity, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling older adults: The Tasmanian Older Adult Cohort Study

Experimental Gerontology ◽

10.1016/j.exger.2021.111627 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 111627

Author(s):

Anoohya Gandham ◽

Ayse Zengin ◽

Maxine P. Bonham ◽

Sharon L. Brennan-Olsen ◽

Dawn Aitken ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Older Adult ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Sarcopenic Obesity ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

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Functional Constipation and Anorexia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS)

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115754 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5754

Author(s):

Eunjin Jeong ◽

Jung A Kim ◽

Byung Sung Kim ◽

Chang Kyun Lee ◽

Miji Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Mmse Score ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Functional Constipation ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Geriatric Syndrome ◽

Female Sex ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Anorexia is a relevant geriatric syndrome because it accounts for most malnutrition in older adults. Constipation has been suggested as a risk factor for anorexia. This study aimed to examine the association between anorexia and functional constipation in community-dwelling older adults. Data on 899 subjects aged 72–86 years were obtained from a follow-up survey of the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study in 2018. Anorexia was assessed using the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), while functional constipation was diagnosed based on Rome IV criteria. Anorexia and functional constipation were present in 30.9% and 19.6% of the participants, respectively. Age, female sex, chewing problems, malnutrition, polypharmacy, low Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) score, depressed mood, low serum albumin, and functional constipation were associated with anorexia in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate logistic regression, functional constipation was associated with anorexia (OR 1.478, 95% CI 1.038–2.104) after adjusting for age, female sex, and MMSE score. However, after further adjusting for depressed mood (OR 2.568) and chewing problems (OR 2.196), the relationship was no longer significant. This study showed that functional constipation is associated with anorexia in community-dwelling older adults, but this association is confounded by depressed mood and chewing problems.

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Prediction of 11-year incidence of psychophysically dependent status or death among community-dwelling younger elderlies: from an age-specified community-based cohort study (the NISSIN project)

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12199-021-00968-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Satoe Okabayashi ◽

Takashi Kawamura ◽

Hisashi Noma ◽

Kenji Wakai ◽

Masahiko Ando ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Prediction Model ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Family Members ◽

Limited Resource ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Regression Analyses

Abstract Background Predicting adverse health events and implementing preventative measures are a necessary challenge. It is important for healthcare planners and policymakers to allocate the limited resource to high-risk persons. Prediction is also important for older individuals, their family members, and clinicians to prepare mentally and financially. The aim of this study is to develop a prediction model for within 11-year dependent status requiring long-term nursing care or death in older adults for each sex. Methods We carried out age-specified cohort study of community dwellers in Nisshin City, Japan. The older adults aged 64 years who underwent medical check-up between 1996 and 2005 were included in the study. The primary outcome was the incidence of the psychophysically dependent status or death or by the end of the year of age 75 years. Univariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations between candidate predictors and the outcome. Using the variables with p-values less than 0.1, multivariable logistic regression analyses were then performed with backward stepwise elimination to determine the final predictors for the model. Results Of the 1525 female participants at baseline, 105 had an incidence of the study outcome. The final prediction model consisted of 15 variables, and the c-statistics for predicting the outcome was 0.763 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.714–0.813). Of the 1548 male participants at baseline, 211 had incidence of the study outcome. The final prediction model consisted of 16 variables, and the c-statistics for predicting the outcome was 0.735 (95% CI 0.699–0.771). Conclusions We developed a prediction model for older adults to forecast 11-year incidence of dependent status requiring nursing care or death in each sex. The predictability was fair, but we could not evaluate the external validity of this model. It could be of some help for healthcare planners, policy makers, clinicians, older individuals, and their family members to weigh the priority of support.

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Relationship between Oral Hypofunction and Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Otassha Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6666

Author(s):

Yoshihiro Kugimiya ◽

Masanori Iwasaki ◽

Yuki Ohara ◽

Keiko Motokawa ◽

Ayako Edahiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Albumin Level ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Tongue Pressure ◽

Swallowing Function ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽

The Relationship

Oral hypofunction, resulting from a combined decrease in multiple oral functions, may affect systemic-condition deterioration; however, few studies have examined the association between oral hypofunction and general health among older adults. In this cross-sectional study, we examined the relationship between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. We included 878 adults (268 men and 610 women, mean age 76.5 ± 8.3 years). Tongue coating index, oral moisture, occlusal force, oral diadochokinesis (/pa/,/ta/,/ka/), tongue pressure, mas-ticatory function, and swallowing function were evaluated as indicators of oral hypofunction. Grip strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle mass index were measured as diagnostic sarcopenia parameters. The association between oral hypofunction and sarcopenia was examined via logistic regression using sarcopenia as the dependent variable. Oral hypofunction prevalence was 50.5% overall, 40.3% in men, and 54.9% in women. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 18.6% overall, 9.7% in men, and 22.5% in women. A logistic regression showed oral hypofunction, age, body mass index, higher-level functional capacity, and serum albumin level were significantly associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia occurred at an increased frequency in patients diagnosed with oral hypofunction (odds ratio: 1.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–2.47); accordingly, oral hypofunction appears to be significantly associated with sarcopenia.

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Prospective Associations of Physical Frailty With Future Falls and Fear of Falling: A 48-Month Cohort Study

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/pzab059 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

K Makino ◽

S Lee ◽

S Bae ◽

I Chiba ◽

K Harada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Fear Of Falling ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Cardiovascular Health Study ◽

Physical Frailty ◽

Frailty Status ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objective The present study aimed to examine the prospective associations of physical frailty with future falls and fear of falling (FOF) among community-dwelling older adults. Methods A prospective cohort study with a 48-month follow-up was conducted in a Japanese community. Participants were 2469 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older who completed baseline and follow-up assessments at intervals of 48±2 months. Primary outcomes were recent falls (defined as at least one fall within the past year) and FOF (determined by response to “Are you afraid of falling?”) at follow-up survey. Physical frailty, operationalized by the frailty phenotype (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, weight loss, and low activity) based on the criteria of the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study (J-CHS), was also assessed as a predictor of future falls and FOF. Results Multivariate logistic regression showed that pre-frailty or frailty increase the risk of not only future falls (OR: 1.57; 95%CI = 1.20-2.05) but also FOF (OR: 1.33; 95%CI = 1.05-1.69). In addition, the relationship between baseline frailty status and future falls remained significant after adjusting for baseline FOF (OR: 1.55; 95%CI = 1.19-2.02), and the relationship between baseline frailty status and future FOF also remained significant after adjusting for baseline falls (OR: 1.32; 95%CI = 1.04-1.68). Conclusions Frailty status may predict future falls and FOF among community-dwelling older adults. Strategies to prevent frailty may be beneficial to prevent not only future falls but also future FOF in a community setting. Impact Falls and FOF have a close relationship but a different clinical meaning. Older adults with physical frailty may require monitoring as high-risk not only for falls but also for FOF.

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