standard hydraulic handgrip dynamometer and one-leg standing time (s) for the
participant’s preferred leg until balance was lost (or a maximum of 60 s). At baseline,
57.0% of the participants were women, average (SD) age was 71.6 (5.4) years, and
average number of years of education was 9.5 (2.7); 46.4% had no chronic diseases.
Average handgrip strength was 25.6 (8.8) kg, and one-leg standing time was 36.5
(23.5) s.
The trajectory patterns of physical performance measures were classified as high,
middle, and low (Fig. 1). The posterior probability of allocating each participant into
the three groups was 0.84–0.97, indicating a good fit of the model of group
trajectories to individual trajectories. Compared to participants in the high trajectory
group during follow-up, those in the middle and low trajectory groups for handgrip
strength had hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–3.80)
and 2.43 (1.21–4.88), respectively, for all-cause mortality, after controlling for sex,
age, and baseline year. For one-leg standing time, the corresponding HRs were 1.66
(0.71–3.86) and 2.46 (1.24–4.91).
This prospective study using repeated measures analysis of data from
community-dwelling older Japanese is the first to show that physical performance
trajectory patterns and potential physical performance trajectory pattern are independent predictors of all-cause mortality after adjustment for important confounders.
Individuals in the low physical performance trajectory groups had a higher mortality
risk, which highlights the importance of interventions that maintain or improve
physical performance, even among older adults with low physical performance.
Moreover, adults younger than 65 years with higher physical performance may
have the chance of a high trajectory aging pattern in later life and reduce their
all-cause mortality risks.
3 Trajectories of Aging in Gait Function (Taniguchi et al.,
2017a)
Among physical performance measures, gait function, for example, gait speed, was
reported to be an independent predictor of incident dementia (Verghese, Wang,
Lipton, Holtzer, & Xue, 2007; Wang, Larson, Bowen, & van Belle, 2006). In
addition to gait speed, step length is a good predictor of future cognitive decline
(Taniguchi et al., 2012), and initial gait function is an independent risk factor for
dementia and cognitive decline, which suggests that gait speed and step length
trajectory patterns, as determined by repeated measures analysis of longitudinal
data, might be good predictors of incident dementia. However, no study has investigated these associations. The present study attempted to identify potential gait
speed and step length trajectories at usual and maximum paces and determine
whether potential gait speed and step length trajectories were associated with
incident disabling dementia after adjustment for important confounders among
community-dwelling Japanese elders.
62
Y. Taniguchi and H. Matsushita
participant’s preferred leg until balance was lost (or a maximum of 60 s). At baseline,
57.0% of the participants were women, average (SD) age was 71.6 (5.4) years, and
average number of years of education was 9.5 (2.7); 46.4% had no chronic diseases.
Average handgrip strength was 25.6 (8.8) kg, and one-leg standing time was 36.5
(23.5) s.
The trajectory patterns of physical performance measures were classified as high,
middle, and low (Fig. 1). The posterior probability of allocating each participant into
the three groups was 0.84–0.97, indicating a good fit of the model of group
trajectories to individual trajectories. Compared to participants in the high trajectory
group during follow-up, those in the middle and low trajectory groups for handgrip
strength had hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–3.80)
and 2.43 (1.21–4.88), respectively, for all-cause mortality, after controlling for sex,
age, and baseline year. For one-leg standing time, the corresponding HRs were 1.66
(0.71–3.86) and 2.46 (1.24–4.91).
This prospective study using repeated measures analysis of data from
community-dwelling older Japanese is the first to show that physical performance
trajectory patterns and potential physical performance trajectory pattern are independent predictors of all-cause mortality after adjustment for important confounders.
Individuals in the low physical performance trajectory groups had a higher mortality
risk, which highlights the importance of interventions that maintain or improve
physical performance, even among older adults with low physical performance.
Moreover, adults younger than 65 years with higher physical performance may
have the chance of a high trajectory aging pattern in later life and reduce their
all-cause mortality risks.
3 Trajectories of Aging in Gait Function (Taniguchi et al.,
2017a)
Among physical performance measures, gait function, for example, gait speed, was
reported to be an independent predictor of incident dementia (Verghese, Wang,
Lipton, Holtzer, & Xue, 2007; Wang, Larson, Bowen, & van Belle, 2006). In
addition to gait speed, step length is a good predictor of future cognitive decline
(Taniguchi et al., 2012), and initial gait function is an independent risk factor for
dementia and cognitive decline, which suggests that gait speed and step length
trajectory patterns, as determined by repeated measures analysis of longitudinal
data, might be good predictors of incident dementia. However, no study has investigated these associations. The present study attempted to identify potential gait
speed and step length trajectories at usual and maximum paces and determine
whether potential gait speed and step length trajectories were associated with
incident disabling dementia after adjustment for important confounders among
community-dwelling Japanese elders.
62
Y. Taniguchi and H. Matsushita