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Reversible states of physical and/or cognitive dysfunction: A 9-year longitudinal study

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

To determine 1) age-adjusted transition probabilities to worsening physical/cognitive function states, reversal to normal cognition/physical function, or maintenance of normal state; 2) whether these transitions are modulated by sex, BMI, education, hypertension (HTN), health status, or APOE4; 3) whether worsening gait speed preceded cognition change, or vice versa.

Design

Analysis of 9-year prospective cohort data from the New Mexico Aging Process Study. Setting: Healthy independent-living adults. Participants: 60+ years of age (n= 598).

Measurements

Gait speed, cognitive function (3MSE score), APOE4, HTN, BMI, education, health status.

Results

Over 9 years, 2129 one-year transitions were observed. 32.6% stayed in the same state, while gait speed and cognitive function (3MSE scores) improved for 38% and 43% of participants per year, respectively. Transitions to improved function decreased with age (P<0.001), APOE4 status (P=0.02), BMI (P=0.009), and health status (P=0.009). Transitions to worse function were significantly increased for the same factors (all P<0.05). Times to lower gait speed and cognitive function did not precede each other (P=0.91).

Conclusions

Transitions in gait speed and cognition were mutable with substantial likelihood of transition to improvement in physical and cognitive function even in oldest-old, which may have clinical implications for treatment interventions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics & Statistics and School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    Clifford Qualls

  2. Biomedical Research Institute of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87108, USA

    Clifford Qualls

  3. University of Otago, Department of Medicine and School of Physiotherapy, Dunedin, New Zealand, 9054

    D. L. Waters

  4. Department of Internal and Geriatrics Medicine, Gerontopole, CHU de Toulouse, UMR 1027 INSERM, University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France

    B. Vellas

  5. Center for Translational Research in Inflammatory Diseases (CTRID), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX, USA

    D. T. Villareal

  6. Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    D. T. Villareal

  7. University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA

    P. J. Garry

  8. Department of Epidemiology, CHU de Toulouse, UMR 1027 INSERM, Toulouse, France

    A. Gallini

  9. CHU de Toulouse, UMR 1027 INSERM, University Toulouse III, Toulouse, France

    S. Andrieu

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  1. Clifford Qualls
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  2. D. L. Waters
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  3. B. Vellas
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  4. D. T. Villareal
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Correspondence to Clifford Qualls.

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Qualls, C., Waters, D.L., Vellas, B. et al. Reversible states of physical and/or cognitive dysfunction: A 9-year longitudinal study. J Nutr Health Aging 21, 271–275 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0878-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0878-3

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