Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Atherosclerosis and physical functioning in older men, a longitudinal study

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objective

Functional decline is a major threat to independency, progressing into functional limitations and eventually leading to disability. Chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, are important determinants of functional limitations and disability. Vascular damage exits long before it is clinically manifest and can have adverse effects on health, physical and cognitive functioning. The objective was to investigate the association between non-invasive atherosclerosis measures and physical functioning in older men.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

The study was conducted in the general community.

Participants

195 independently living older men.

Measurements

Atherosclerosis was measured by intima media thickness (CIMT) of the common carotid artery using ultrasonography and assessment for presence of atherosclerotic plaques. Physical functioning was measured by isometric handgrip strength and leg extensor strength using a hand held dynamometer, lower extremity function using the physical performance score and ability to perform activities of daily life using the modified Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire. Linear regression analysis was performed to estimate the associations between CIMT or plaques and physical functioning.

Results

After adjustment for confounders, higher baseline CIMT was associated with lower isometric handgrip strength at follow up (βCIMT =−7.21, 95% CI[−13.64;−0.77]). No other associations were found between CIMT and physical functioning. In addition, no associations were found for the presence of plaques and physical functioning either at baseline, or at follow-up.

Conclusion

Atherosclerosis, as measured by higher CIMT, is related to a lower isometric handgrip strength at follow-up, but no further associations with physical functioning were found in this longitudinal study among independently living older men.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kattainen A, Koskinen S, Reunanen A, Martelin T, Knekt P, Aromaa A. Impact of cardiovascular diseases on activity limitations and need for help among older persons. J Clin Epidemiol 2004 Jan;57(l):82–88.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Wang L, van BG, Kukull WB, Larson EB. Predictors of functional change: a longitudinal study of nondemented people aged 65 and older. J Am Geriatr Soc 2002 Sep;50(9):1525–1534.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fried LP, Guralnik JM. Disability in older adults: evidence regarding significance, etiology, and risk. J Am Geriatr Soc 1997 Jan;45(l):92–100.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Verbrugge LM, Jette AM. The disablement process. Soc Sci Med 1994 Jan;38(l):l–14.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Jagger C, Matthews R, Matthews F, Robinson T, Robine JM, Brayne C. The burden of diseases on disability-free life expectancy in later life. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2007 Apr;62(4):408–414.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gommer AM, Hoeymans N, Poos MJJC. Welke verschillen zijn er tussen leeftijdsgroepen? Nationaal Kompas Volksgezondheid 2010 Mar 22.

  7. Melse JM, Essink-Bot ML, Kramers PG, Hoeymans N. A national burden of disease calculation: Dutch disability-adjusted life-years. Dutch Burden of Disease Group. Am J Public Health 2000 Aug;90(8):1241–1247.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Abate M, Di IA, Di RD, Paganelli R, Saggini R, Abate G. Frailty in the elderly: the physical dimension. Eura Medicophys 2007 Sep;43(3):407–415.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Oren A, Vos LE, Uiterwaal CS, Grobbee DE, Bots ML. Cardiovascular risk factors and increased carotid intima-media thickness in healthy young adults: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Young Adults (ARYA) Study. Arch Intern Med 2003 Aug ll;163(15):1787–1792.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Oyama N, Gona P, Salton CJ, et al. Differential impact of age, sex, and hypertension on aortic atherosclerosis: the Framingham Heart Study. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2008 Jan;28(l):155–159.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Simon A, Levenson J. May subclinical arterial disease help to better detect and treat high-risk asymptomatic individuals? J Hypertens 2005 Nov;23(l l):1939–1945.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Newman AB, Arnold AM, Naydeck BL, et al. “Successful aging”: effect of subclinical cardiovascular disease. Arch Intern Med 2003 Oct 27;163(19):2315–2322.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hurst RT, Ng DW, Kendall C, Khandheria B. Clinical use of carotid intima-media thickness: review of the literature. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2007 Jul;20(7):907–914.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Stork S, van den Beld AW, von SC, et al. Carotid artery plaque burden, stiffness, and mortality risk in elderly men: a prospective, population-based cohort study. Circulation 2004 Jul 20;110(3):344–348.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Rantanen T. Muscle strength, disability and mortality. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2003 Feb;13(l):3–8.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Guralnik JM, Ferrucci L, Pieper CF, et al. Lower extremity function and subsequent disability: consistency across studies, predictive models, and value of gait speed alone compared with the short physical performance battery. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2000 Apr;55(4):M221–M231.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Rantanen T, Guralnik JM, Foley D, et al. Midlife hand grip strength as a predictor of old age disability. JAMA 1999 Feb 10;281(6):558–560.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Guralnik JM, Simonsick EM, Ferrucci L, et al. A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing home admission. J Gerontol 1994 Mar;49(2):M85–M94.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. van den Beld AW, Blum WF, Pols HA, Grobbee DE, Lamberts SW. Serum insulinlike growth factor binding protein-2 levels as an indicator of functional ability in elderly men. Eur J Endocrinol 2003 Jun;148(6):627–634.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. van den Beld AW, Bots ML, Janssen JA, Pols HA, Lamberts SW, Grobbee DE. Endogenous hormones and carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men. Am J Epidemiol 2003 Jan 1;157(1):25–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Muller M, van den Beld AW, Bots ML, Grobbee DE, Lamberts SW, van der Schouw YT. Endogenous sex hormones and progression of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly men. Circulation 2004 May 4;109(17):2074–2079.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bruce B, Fries JF. The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire: a review of its history, issues, progress, and documentation. J Rheumatol 2003 Jan;30(l):167–178.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. den Ouden ME, Schuurmans MJ, Arts IE, van der Schouw YT. Physical performance characteristics related to disability in older persons: a systematic review. Maturitas 2011 Jul;69(3):208–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lorenz MW, von KS, Steinmetz H, Markus HS, Sitzer M. Carotid intima-media thickening indicates a higher vascular risk across a wide age range: prospective data from the Carotid Atherosclerosis Progression Study (CAPS). Stroke 2006 Jan;37(l):87–92.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Stein JH, Korcarz CE, Hurst RT, et al. Use of carotid ultrasound to identify subclinical vascular disease and evaluate cardiovascular disease risk: a consensus statement from the American Society of Echocardiography Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Task Force. Endorsed by the Society for Vascular Medicine. J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2008 Feb;21(2):93–111.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bots ML, Evans GW, Riley WA, Grobbee DE. Carotid intima-media thickness measurements in intervention studies: design options, progression rates, and sample size considerations: a point of view. Stroke 2003 Dec;34(12):2985–2994.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Bohannon RW. Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults. J Geriatr Phys Ther 2008;31(1):3–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Cooper R, Kuh D, Hardy R. Objectively measured physical capability levels and mortality: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2010;341:c4467.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Elbaz A, Ripert M, Tavernier B, et al. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness, carotid plaques, and walking speed. Stroke 2005 Oct;36(10):2198–2202.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Brach JS, Solomon C, Naydeck BL, et al. Incident physical disability in people with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease: the role of cardiovascular disease. J Am Geriatr Soc 2008 Jun;56(6):1037–1044.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Brach JS, FitzGerald S, Newman AB, et al. Physical activity and functional status in community-dwelling older women: a 14-year prospective study. Arch Intern Med 2003 Nov 24;163(21):2565–2571.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Newman AB, Gottdiener JS, Mcburnie MA, et al. Associations of subclinical cardiovascular disease with frailty. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2001 Mar;56(3):M158–M166.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Arts IE, Schuurmans MJ, Grobbee DE, van der Schouw YT. Vascular status and physical functioning: the association between vascular status and physical functioning in middle-aged and elderly men: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil 2010 Apr;17(2):211–216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Touboul PJ, Hennerici MG, Meairs S, et al. Mannheim carotid intima-media thickness consensus (2004–2006). An update on behalf of the Advisory Board of the 3rd and 4th Watching the Risk Symposium, 13th and 15th European Stroke Conferences, Mannheim, Germany, 2004, and Brussels, Belgium, 2006. Cerebrovasc Dis2007;23(l):75–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. E. M. Den Ouden, E. M. A. Arts, D. E. Grobbee, M. L. Bots & Y. T. Van Der Schouw

  2. Faculty Chair Care for the Chronically Ill and Elderly, University of applied sciences Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. J. Schuurmans & E. M. A. Arts

  3. Department of Rehabilitation, Nursing Science and Sports, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. J. Schuurmans

  4. Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    S. W. J. Lamberts

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Groene Hart Ziekenhuis, Gouda, The Netherlands

    A. W. Van Den Beld

  6. Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, STR 6.131, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    M. E. M. Den Ouden

Authors
  1. M. E. M. Den Ouden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. J. Schuurmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. M. A. Arts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. E. Grobbee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. L. Bots
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. W. Van Den Beld
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. S. W. J. Lamberts
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Y. T. Van Der Schouw
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. E. M. Den Ouden.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Den Ouden, M.E.M., Schuurmans, M.J., Arts, E.M.A. et al. Atherosclerosis and physical functioning in older men, a longitudinal study. J Nutr Health Aging 17, 97–104 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-012-0424-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-012-0424-2

Key words

Search

Navigation