@article {1094, title = {Body weight dynamics and their association with physical function and mortality in older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study.}, journal = {J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci}, volume = {65}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Jan}, pages = {63-70}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: To estimate the associations of weight dynamics with physical functioning and mortality in older adults.

METHODS: Longitudinal cohort study using prospectively collected data on weight, physical function, and health status in four U.S. Communities in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Included were 3,278 participants (2,013 women and 541 African Americans), aged 65 or older at enrollment, who had at least five weight measurements. Weight was measured at annual clinic visits between 1992 and 1999, and summary measures of mean weight, coefficient of variation, average annual weight change, and episodes of loss and gain (cycling) were calculated. Participants were followed from 1999 to 2006 for activities of daily living (ADL) difficulty, incident mobility limitations, and mortality.

RESULTS: Higher mean weight, weight variability, and weight cycling increased the risk of new onset of ADL difficulties and mobility limitations. After adjustment for risk factors, the hazard ratio (95\% confidence interval) for weight cycling for incident ADL impairment was 1.28 (1.12, 1.47), similar to that for several comorbidities in our model, including cancer and diabetes. Lower weight, weight loss, higher variability, and weight cycling were all risk factors for mortality, after adjustment for demographic risk factors, height, self-report health status, and comorbidities.

CONCLUSIONS: Variations in weight are important indicators of future physical limitations and mortality in the elderly and may reflect difficulties in maintaining homeostasis throughout older ages. Monitoring the weight of an older person for fluctuations or episodes of both loss and gain is an important aspect of geriatric care.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Aged, 80 and over, Body Weight, Cardiovascular Diseases, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Status, Humans, Longevity, Male, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Survival Rate, United States}, issn = {1758-535X}, doi = {10.1093/gerona/glp050}, author = {Arnold, Alice M and Newman, Anne B and Cushman, Mary and Ding, Jingzhong and Kritchevsky, Stephen} } @article {1259, title = {Gait speed and survival in older adults.}, journal = {JAMA}, volume = {305}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Jan 05}, pages = {50-8}, abstract = {

CONTEXT: Survival estimates help individualize goals of care for geriatric patients, but life tables fail to account for the great variability in survival. Physical performance measures, such as gait speed, might help account for variability, allowing clinicians to make more individualized estimates.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between gait speed and survival.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Pooled analysis of 9 cohort studies (collected between 1986 and 2000), using individual data from 34,485 community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years or older with baseline gait speed data, followed up for 6 to 21 years. Participants were a mean (SD) age of 73.5 (5.9) years; 59.6\%, women; and 79.8\%, white; and had a mean (SD) gait speed of 0.92 (0.27) m/s.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survival rates and life expectancy.

RESULTS: There were 17,528 deaths; the overall 5-year survival rate was 84.8\% (confidence interval [CI], 79.6\%-88.8\%) and 10-year survival rate was 59.7\% (95\% CI, 46.5\%-70.6\%). Gait speed was associated with survival in all studies (pooled hazard ratio per 0.1 m/s, 0.88; 95\% CI, 0.87-0.90; P < .001). Survival increased across the full range of gait speeds, with significant increments per 0.1 m/s. At age 75, predicted 10-year survival across the range of gait speeds ranged from 19\% to 87\% in men and from 35\% to 91\% in women. Predicted survival based on age, sex, and gait speed was as accurate as predicted based on age, sex, use of mobility aids, and self-reported function or as age, sex, chronic conditions, smoking history, blood pressure, body mass index, and hospitalization.

CONCLUSION: In this pooled analysis of individual data from 9 selected cohorts, gait speed was associated with survival in older adults.

}, keywords = {Aged, Cohort Studies, Female, Gait, Geriatric Assessment, Humans, Life Expectancy, Male, Survival Analysis, United States}, issn = {1538-3598}, doi = {10.1001/jama.2010.1923}, author = {Studenski, Stephanie and Perera, Subashan and Patel, Kushang and Rosano, Caterina and Faulkner, Kimberly and Inzitari, Marco and Brach, Jennifer and Chandler, Julie and Cawthon, Peggy and Connor, Elizabeth Barrett and Nevitt, Michael and Visser, Marjolein and Kritchevsky, Stephen and Badinelli, Stefania and Harris, Tamara and Newman, Anne B and Cauley, Jane and Ferrucci, Luigi and Guralnik, Jack} }