Abstract
Background and aims
The Healthy Aging Index (HAI) is useful in capturing the health status of multiple organ systems in older adults. Previous studies have mainly focused on the association of HAI with mortality and disability. We constructed a modified HAI (mHAI) to examine its association with mobility limitations and falls in a community-based sampling of older Chinese adults.
Methods
We investigated 399 community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years or older, and constructed the mHAI with five non-invasive tests (systolic blood pressure, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment test, glucose concentrations, cystatin C levels, and self-reported respiratory problems).
Results
The mean mHAI score for the participants in our study was 3.6. After multivariate adjustment, per unit increase in mHAI score was associated with self-reported difficulty in stooping, kneeling, or crouching (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.34), and walking 400 m (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.03–1.42). Per unit increase in mHAI score was also associated with poor balance (OR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.55), lower extremity strength limitation (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.10–1.52), low handgrip strength (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.08–1.46), and slow gait speed (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.02–1.42). The association between mHAI and falls was also significant (per unit of mHAI OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.04–1.40).
Conclusion
The mHAI can be used as a simple assessment tool to determine mobility status in older adults and identify those at high risk for falls.
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Acknowledgments
We acknowledge all participants involved in the present study.
Funding
Opening Foundation of National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases (NCRCG-PLAGH-2018008, NCRCG-PLAGH-2018010). Military Healthcare Fund (19BJZ34) and Military medicine fund for youth scholars of the Chinese PLA General Hospital (QNC19054).
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The ethics committee of the Chinese PLA General Hospital approved this study, which complies with the current laws of China (Ethic number: S2018-102-01).
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Written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
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Li, K., Xu, W., Hu, B. et al. The modified Healthy Aging Index is associated with mobility limitations and falls in a community-based sample of oldest old. Aging Clin Exp Res 33, 555–562 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01560-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01560-w