Citation

Li K, Xu W, Hu B, Shan Q, Liu L, Cao J. Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Geriatric Cardiology Department of the Second Medical Center and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China. calvin301@163.com.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s40520-020-01560-w

PMID

32356134

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Healthy Aging Index (HAI) is useful in capturing the health status of multiple organ systems in older adults. Previous studies have mainly focused on the association of HAI with mortality and disability. We constructed a modified HAI (mHAI) to examine its association with mobility limitations and falls in a community-based sampling of older Chinese adults.

METHODS: We investigated 399 community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years or older, and constructed the mHAI with five non-invasive tests (systolic blood pressure, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, glucose concentrations, cystatin C levels, and self-reported respiratory problems).

RESULTS: The mean mHAI score for the participants in our study was 3.6. After multivariate adjustment, per unit increase in mHAI score was associated with self-reported difficulty in stooping, kneeling, or crouching (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00-1.34), and walking 400 m (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.03-1.42). Per unit increase in mHAI score was also associated with poor balance (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.07-1.55), lower extremity strength limitation (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.52), low handgrip strength (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.08-1.46), and slow gait speed (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02-1.42). The association between mHAI and falls was also significant (per unit of mHAI OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.40).

CONCLUSION: The mHAI can be used as a simple assessment tool to determine mobility status in older adults and identify those at high risk for falls.

Language: en

Keywords

Aging; Fall; Index; Mobility limitations