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Association Between Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Frailty Among Older Adults

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Frailty is a course experienced in advanced aging. Identification of a biological factor associated with frailty is required. Although serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a potential factor related with frailty, consensus has not been reached regarding this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the association between IGF-1 and frailty in older adults.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Cohort study that was part of the “National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology–Study of Geriatric Syndromes.”

Participants

The study participants were 4133 older adults (mean age, 71.8 ± 5.4 years).

Measurements

We assessed serum IGF-1 levels and frailty status and collected demographic variables, including cognitive function, as covariates.

Results

Frailty and pre-frailty were present in 274 subjects (7%) and 1930 subjects (47%), respectively. Subjects were divided into four groups based on quartiles of IGF-1 levels. Multinomial logistic analysis showed that the lowest group had significant odds of pre-frailty (crude model: odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–1.90, p <.001; adjusted model: OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.13–1.68, p =.002) and frailty (crude model: OR 3.42, 95% CI 2.38-4.92, p <.001; adjusted model: OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.02–2.32, p =.039), compared with the highest group.

Conclusion

Lower serum IGF-1 levels were independently related with frailty in older adults.

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Correspondence to Takehiko Doi.

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Doi, T., Makizako, H., Tsutsumimoto, K. et al. Association Between Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Frailty Among Older Adults. J Nutr Health Aging 22, 68–72 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0916-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0916-1

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