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Effects of a one-year physical activity program on serum C-terminal Agrin Fragment (CAF) concentrations among mobility-limited older adults

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

C-terminal Agrin Fragment (CAF) has been proposed as a potential circulating biomarker for predicting changes in physical function among older adults. To determine the effect of a one-year PA intervention on changes in CAF concentrations and to evaluate baseline and longitudinal associations between CAF concentrations and indices of physical function.

Design

Ancillary study to the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P), a multi-site randomized clinical trial designed to evaluate the effects of chronic exercise on the physical function of older adults at risk for mobility disability.

Setting

Four academic research centers within the U.S.

Participants

Three hundred thirty three older adults aged 70 to 89 with mild to moderate impairments in physical function.

Intervention

A 12-month intervention of either structured physical activity (PA) or health education promoting successful aging (SA).

Measurements

Serum CAF concentrations and objectives measures of physical function — i.e. gait speed and performance on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).

Results

The group*time interaction was not significant for serum CAF concentrations (p=0.265), indicating that the PA intervention did not significantly reduce serum CAF levels compared to SA. Baseline gait speed was significantly correlated with baseline CAF level (r = −0.151, p= 0.006), however the association between CAF and SPPB was not significant. Additionally, neither baseline nor the change in CAF concentrations strongly predicted the change in either performance measure following the PA intervention.

Conclusion

In summary, the present study shows that a one-year structured PA program did not reduce serum CAF levels among mobility-limited older adults. However, further study is needed to definitively determine the utility of CAF as a biomarker of physical function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Translational Exercise, Aging, and Muscle Laboratory, Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    I. Bondoc, S. K. Cochrane, M. Pahor & Thomas W. Buford

  2. Pennington Biomedical Research Institute, Baton Rouge, LA, USA

    T. S. Church

  3. Neurotune AG, Schlieren, Zurich, Switzerland

    P. Dahinden & S. Hettwer

  4. Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    F.-C. Hsu

  5. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    R. S. Stafford

Authors
  1. I. Bondoc
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  2. S. K. Cochrane
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  3. T. S. Church
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  4. P. Dahinden
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  5. S. Hettwer
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  6. F.-C. Hsu
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  7. R. S. Stafford
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  8. M. Pahor
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  9. Thomas W. Buford
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Consortia

For the Life Study Investigators

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas W. Buford.

Additional information

LIFE-P Investigators: Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX: Steven N. Blair, P.E.D. — Field Center Principal Investigator,Timothy Church, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. — Field Center Co-Principal Investigator, Jamile A. Ashmore, Ph.D., Judy Dubreuil, M.S., Georita Frierson, Ph.D., Alexander N. Jordan, M.S., Gina Morss, M.A., Ruben Q. Rodarte, M.S., Jason M. Wallace, M.P.H. National Institute on Aging: Jack M. Guralnik, M.D., Ph.D. — Co-Principal Investigator of the Study, Evan C. Hadley, M.D., Sergei Romashkan, M.D., Ph.D. Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA: Abby C. King, Ph.D. — Field Center Principal Investigator, William L. Haskell, Ph.D. — Field Center Co-Principal Investigator, Leslie A. Pruitt, Ph.D., Kari Abbott-Pilolla, M.S., Karen Bolen, M.S., Stephen Fortmann, M.D., Ami Laws, M.D., Carolyn Prosak, R.D., Kristin Wallace, M.P.H. Tufts University: Roger Fielding, Ph.D., Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA: Robert M. Kaplan, Ph.D., M.A. VA San Diego Healthcare System and University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA: Erik J. Groessl, Ph.D. University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Marco Pahor, M.D. — Principal Investigator of the Study, Michael Perri, Ph.D., Connie Caudle, Lauren Crump, M.P.H, Sarah Hayden, Latonia Holmes, Cinzia Maraldi, M.D., Crystal Quirin. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA: Anne B. Newman, M.D., M.P.H. — Field Center Principal Investigator, Stephanie Studenski, M.D., M.P.H. — Field Center Co-Principal Investigator, Bret H. Goodpaster, Ph.D., M.S., Nancy W. Glynn, Ph.D., Erin K. Aiken, B.S., Steve Anthony, M.S., Judith Kadosh, B.S.N., R.N., Piera Kost, B.A., Mark Newman, M.S., Christopher A. Taylor, B.S., Pam Vincent, C.M.A. Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC: Stephen B. Kritchevsky, Ph.D. — Field Center Principal Investigator, Peter Brubaker, Ph.D., Jamehl Demons, M.D., Curt Furberg, M.D., Ph.D., Jeffrey A. Katula, Ph.D., M.A., Anthony Marsh, Ph.D., Barbara J. Nicklas, Ph.D., Jeff D. Williamson, M.D., M.P.H., Rose Fries, L.P.M., Kimberly Kennedy, Karin M. Murphy, B.S., M.T. (ASCP), Shruti Nagaria, M.S., Katie Wickley-Krupel, M.S. Data Management, Analysis and Quality Control Center (DMAQC): Michael E. Miller, Ph.D. — DMAQC Principal Investigator, Mark Espeland, Ph.D. — DMAQC Co-Principal Investigator, Fang-Chi Hsu, Ph.D., Walter J. Rejeski, Ph.D., Don P. Babcock, Jr., P.E., Lorraine Costanza, Lea N. Harvin, Lisa Kaltenbach, M.S., Wei Lang, Ph.D., Wesley A. Roberson, Julia Rushing, M.S., Scott Rushing, Michael P. Walkup, M.S. Yale University: Thomas M. Gill, M.D.

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Bondoc, I., Cochrane, S.K., Church, T.S. et al. Effects of a one-year physical activity program on serum C-terminal Agrin Fragment (CAF) concentrations among mobility-limited older adults. J Nutr Health Aging 19, 922–927 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0474-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-015-0474-3

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