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Association of arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency with physical disability in Mexican older adults: findings from the Mexican Health and Aging Study

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Abstract

Arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency are prevalent in older adults and are risk factors for disability. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of co-occurring arthritis and vitamin D deficiency on upper–lower extremity functional limitations and disability in older adults. We examined 1533 participants aged ≥50 years from a subsample of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Measures included sociodemographics, body mass index, comorbid conditions, falls, physical activity, physical function tests, functional limitations, activities of daily living (ADL), and vitamin D. Participants were categorized into four groups according to arthritis and vitamin D status: no vitamin D insufficiency and no arthritis (58.80%), vitamin D insufficiency only (27.49%), arthritis only (8.47%), and arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency (5.24%). Fourteen percent reported arthritis, and 31.2% had vitamin D insufficiency. The arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency group was associated with upper–lower extremity functional limitations [odds ratio (OR) 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–3.15, and OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.00–3.62, respectively] and ADL disability (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.63–5.51) when compared with the no vitamin D insufficiency and no arthritis group (reference group). The arthritis only group was three times more likely to report upper–lower extremity functional limitations and ADL disability. The vitamin D insufficiency only group was not significantly associated with functional limitations nor ADL disability. Arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency increased the risk of ADL disability in this population. However, the effect of arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency on upper–lower extremity functional limitations was not higher than the effect of arthritis only, but higher than the effect on vitamin D insufficiency alone.

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Acknowledgements

The study sponsors had no role in the study design, analysis, or interpretation of the data. Study sponsors did not have any role in the writing of the article or the submission to a journal.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (R01-AG018016, R.W. [PI]) and by the UTMB Sealy Center on Aging. Dr. Valderrama-Hinds is a visiting scholar in the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center on Aging and Health at UTMB during this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sealy Center on Aging, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555-0177, USA

    Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds, Soham Al Snih & Rebeca Wong

  2. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitario de Caracas, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

    Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds & Martin A. Rodriguez

  3. Centro Nacional de Enfermedades Reumáticas, Hospital Universitario de Caracas, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela

    Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds & Martin A. Rodriguez

  4. Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX, 77555-0177, USA

    Soham Al Snih

  5. Division of Geriatrics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Soham Al Snih

  6. Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Rebeca Wong

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  1. Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds
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Correspondence to Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds or Soham Al Snih.

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Valderrama-Hinds, Luis M declares that he has no conflict of interest. Al Snih, Soham declares that she has no conflict of interest. Rodriguez, Martin A declares that he has no conflict of interest. Wong, Rebeca declares that she has no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Valderrama-Hinds, L.M., Al Snih, S., Rodriguez, M.A. et al. Association of arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency with physical disability in Mexican older adults: findings from the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Rheumatol Int 37, 607–616 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-016-3622-0

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