@article {6285, title = {Bidirectional relationship between cognitive function and pneumonia.}, journal = {Am J Respir Crit Care Med}, volume = {188}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 Sep 01}, pages = {586-92}, abstract = {

RATIONALE: Relationships between chronic health conditions and acute infections remain poorly understood. Preclinical studies suggest crosstalk between nervous and immune systems.

OBJECTIVES: To determine bidirectional relationships between cognition and pneumonia.

METHODS: We conducted longitudinal analyses of a population-based cohort over 10 years. We determined whether changes in cognition increase risk of pneumonia hospitalization by trajectory analyses and joint modeling. We then determined whether pneumonia hospitalization increased risk of subsequent dementia using a Cox model with pneumonia as a time-varying covariate.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 5,888 participants, 639 (10.9\%) were hospitalized with pneumonia at least once. Most participants had normal cognition before pneumonia. Three cognition trajectories were identified: no, minimal, and severe rapid decline. A greater proportion of participants hospitalized with pneumonia were on trajectories of minimal or severe decline before occurrence of pneumonia compared with those never hospitalized with pneumonia (proportion with no, minimal, and severe decline were 67.1\%, 22.8\%, and 10.0\% vs. 76.0\%, 19.3\%, and 4.6\% for participants with and without pneumonia, respectively; P < 0.001). Small subclinical changes in cognition increased risk of pneumonia, even in those with normal cognition and physical function before pneumonia (β = -0.02; P < 0.001). Participants with pneumonia were subsequently at an increased risk of dementia (hazard ratio, 2.24 [95\% confidence interval, 1.62-3.11]; P = 0.01). Associations were independent of demographics, health behaviors, other chronic conditions, and physical function. Bidirectional relationship did not vary based on severity of disease, and similar associations were noted for those with severe sepsis and other infections.

CONCLUSIONS: A bidirectional relationship exists between pneumonia and cognition and may explain how a single episode of infection in well-appearing older individuals accelerates decline in chronic health conditions and loss of functional independence.

}, keywords = {Aged, Cognition Disorders, Dementia, Female, Hospitalization, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Pneumonia, Proportional Hazards Models, Risk Factors}, issn = {1535-4970}, doi = {10.1164/rccm.201212-2154OC}, author = {Shah, Faraaz Ali and Pike, Francis and Alvarez, Karina and Angus, Derek and Newman, Anne B and Lopez, Oscar and Tate, Judith and Kapur, Vishesh and Wilsdon, Anthony and Krishnan, Jerry A and Hansel, Nadia and Au, David and Avdalovic, Mark and Fan, Vincent S and Barr, R Graham and Yende, Sachin} } @article {1411, title = {Obesity is associated with a lower resting oxygen saturation in the ambulatory elderly: results from the cardiovascular health study.}, journal = {Respir Care}, volume = {58}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 May}, pages = {831-7}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The contribution of obesity to hypoxemia has not been reported in a community-based study. Our hypothesis was that increasing obesity would be independently associated with lower SpO2 in an ambulatory elderly population.

METHODS: The Cardiovascular Health Study ascertained resting SpO2 in 2,252 subjects over age 64. We used multiple linear regression to estimate the association of body mass index (BMI) with SpO2 and to adjust for potentially confounding factors. Covariates including age, sex, race, smoking, airway obstruction (based on spirometry), self reported diagnosis of emphysema, asthma, heart failure, and left ventricular function (by echocardiography) were evaluated.

RESULTS: Among 2,252 subjects the mean and median SpO2 were 97.6\% and 98.0\% respectively; 5\% of subjects had SpO2 values below 95\%. BMI was negatively correlated with SpO2 (Spearman R = -0.27, P < .001). The mean difference in SpO2 between the lowest and highest BMI categories (< 25 kg/m(2) and >= 35 kg/m(2)) was 1.33\% (95\% CI 0.89-1.78\%). In multivariable linear regression analysis, SpO2 was significantly inversely associated with BMI (1.4\% per 10 units of BMI, 95\% CI 1.2-1.6, for whites/others, and 0.87\% per 10 units of BMI, 95\% CI 0.47-1.27, for African Americans).

CONCLUSIONS: We found a narrow distribution of SpO2 values in a community-based sample of ambulatory elderly. Obesity was a strong independent contributor to a low SpO2, with effects comparable to or greater than other factors clinically associated with lower SpO2.

}, keywords = {African Americans, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Body Mass Index, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Humans, Male, Obesity, Oximetry, Oxygen, Smoking, Waist Circumference}, issn = {1943-3654}, doi = {10.4187/respcare.02008}, author = {Kapur, Vishesh K and Wilsdon, Anthony G and Au, David and Avdalovic, Mark and Enright, Paul and Fan, Vincent S and Hansel, Nadia N and Heckbert, Susan R and Jiang, Rui and Krishnan, Jerry A and Mukamal, Kenneth and Yende, Sachin and Barr, R Graham} } @article {6560, title = {Disability and recovery of independent function in obstructive lung disease: the cardiovascular health study.}, journal = {Respiration}, volume = {88}, year = {2014}, month = {2014}, pages = {329-38}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive lung disease frequently leads to disability. Older patients may experience transitions between states of disability and independence over time.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with transition between states of disability and independent function in obstructive lung disease.

METHODS: We analyzed data on 4,394 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study who completed prebronchodilator spirometry. We calculated the 1-year probability of developing and resolving impairment in >=1 instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) or >=1 activity of daily living (ADL) using transition probability analysis. We identified factors associated with resolving disability using relative risk (RR) regression.

RESULTS: The prevalence of IADL impairment was higher with moderate (23.9\%) and severe (36.9\%) airflow obstruction compared to normal spirometry (22.5\%; p < 0.001). Among participants with severe airflow obstruction, 23.5\% recovered independence in IADLs and 40.5\% recovered independence in ADLs. In the adjusted analyses, airflow obstruction predicted the development of IADL, but not ADL impairment. Participants with severe airflow obstruction were less likely to resolve IADL impairment [RR 0.67 and 95\% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.94]. Compared to the most active individuals (i.e. who walked >=28 blocks per week), walking less was associated with a decreased likelihood of resolving IADL impairment (7-27 blocks: RR 0.81 and 95\% CI 0.69-0.86 and <7 blocks: RR 0.73 and 95\% CI 0.61-0.86). Increased strength (RR 1.16 and 95\% CI 1.05-1.29) was associated with resolving IADL impairment.

CONCLUSIONS: Disability is common in older people, especially in those with severe airflow obstruction. Increased physical activity and muscle strength are associated with recovery. Research is needed on interventions to improve these factors among patients with obstructive lung disease and disability.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Cardiovascular Diseases, Disability Evaluation, Exercise Test, Female, Humans, Independent Living, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Motor Activity, Muscle Strength, Outcome Assessment (Health Care), Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Recovery of Function, Risk Assessment, Severity of Illness Index, Spirometry, United States}, issn = {1423-0356}, doi = {10.1159/000363772}, author = {Fan, Vincent S and Locke, Emily R and Diehr, Paula and Wilsdon, Anthony and Enright, Paul and Yende, Sachin and Avdalovic, Mark and Barr, Graham and Kapur, Vishesh K and Thomas, Rachel and Krishnan, Jerry A and Lovasi, Gina and Thielke, Stephen} }