The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Apr 2013
Using timed up-and-go to identify frail members of the older population.
Fried's definition of frailty is widely used but its measurement is problematic. Timed up-and-go (TUG) is a simple measure of mobility that may be a useful proxy for frailty. Here, we describe the distribution of frailty and TUG in the older population of Ireland and discuss the extent to which TUG identifies the frail and prefrail populations. ⋯ TUG is a sensitive and specific measure of frailty that offers advantages in its measurement where the full application or interpretation of Fried's criteria is impracticable; however, TUG cannot be used to reliably identify prefrail individuals.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Mar 2013
Aggregate health burden and the risk of hospitalization in older persons post hip replacement surgery.
We sought to understand the association between aggregate health burden-chronic conditions, functionally limiting health problems and mental well-being-and the likelihood of hospitalization among older persons post hip replacement surgery. ⋯ Several health domains predict hospitalization, beyond and including medical comorbidity. Efforts aimed at delaying/minimizing hospitalizations in this population should consider an array of domains for potentially targeted intervention. These findings can serve as a baseline against which future research can assess the impact of changes to the health care system.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Mar 2013
Twenty-four-hour mobility during acute hospitalization in older medical patients.
Inactivity during hospitalization in older medical patients may lead to functional decline. This study quantified 24-hour mobility, validated the accelerometers used, and assessed the daily level of basic mobility in acutely admitted older medical patients during their hospitalization. ⋯ Older acutely hospitalized medical patients with walking ability spent 17h/d of their in-hospital time in bed, and the level of in-hospital mobility seemed to depend on the patients' level of basic mobility. The accelerometers were valid in assessing mobility in older medical patients.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Feb 2013
Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D predicts the onset of mobility limitation and disability in community-dwelling older adults: the Health ABC Study.
Although low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is prevalent among older adults and is associated with poor physical function, longitudinal studies examining vitamin D status and physical function are lacking. We examined the association between 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and the onset of mobility limitation and disability over 6 years of follow-up in community-dwelling, initially well-functioning older adults participating in the Health, Aging and Body Composition study (n = 2,099). ⋯ Low 25(OH)D was associated with an increased risk of mobility limitation and disability in community-dwelling, initially well-functioning black and white older adults. Prevention or treatment of low 25(OH)D may provide a pathway for reducing the burden of mobility disability in older adults.
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J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. · Jan 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialFat mass loss predicts gain in physical function with intentional weight loss in older adults.
Clinical recommendation of weight loss (WL) in older adults remains controversial, partially due to concerns regarding lean mass loss and potential loss of physical function. The purpose of this study is to determine the independent associations between changes in fat and lean mass and changes in physical function in older, overweight, and obese adults undergoing intentional WL. ⋯ Results from this study demonstrate that loss of body weight, following intentional WL, is associated with significant improvement in self-reported mobility disability and walking speed in overweight and obese older adults. Importantly, fat mass loss was found to be a more significant predictor of change in physical function than lean mass loss.