Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study

BackgroundRisk factors for cognitive decline and physical decline have been studied independently, however older adults might experience decline in both areas i.e., dual decline. Risk factors associated with dual decline are largely unknown and have significant implications on health outcomes. The a...

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Main Authors: Elizabeth P. Handing, Kathleen M. Hayden, Xiaoyan Iris Leng, Stephen B. Kritchevsky
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1122421/full
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author Elizabeth P. Handing
Kathleen M. Hayden
Xiaoyan Iris Leng
Stephen B. Kritchevsky
author_facet Elizabeth P. Handing
Kathleen M. Hayden
Xiaoyan Iris Leng
Stephen B. Kritchevsky
author_sort Elizabeth P. Handing
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundRisk factors for cognitive decline and physical decline have been studied independently, however older adults might experience decline in both areas i.e., dual decline. Risk factors associated with dual decline are largely unknown and have significant implications on health outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore risk factors associated with dual decline.MethodsUsing data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study, we examined trajectories of decline based on repeated measures of the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MSE) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) across 6 years (n=1,552). We calculated four mutually exclusive trajectories of decline and explored predictors of decline: cognitive decline (n = 306) = lowest quartile of slope on the 3MSE or 1.5 SD below mean at baseline, physical decline (n = 231) = lowest quartile of slope on the SPPB or 1.5 SD below mean at baseline, dual decline (n = 110) = lowest quartile in both measures or 1.5 SD below mean in both measures at baseline. Individuals who did not meet criteria for one of the decline groups were classified as the reference group. (n= 905).ResultsMultinomial logistic regression tested the association of 17 baseline risk factors with decline. Odds of dual decline where significantly higher for individuals at baseline with depressive symptoms (CES-D >16) (Odds Ratio (OR)=2.49, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.05-6.29), ApoE-ε4 carrier (OR= 2.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.95), or if individuals had lost 5+lbs in past year (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.13-2.84). Odds were significantly lower for individuals with a higher score on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test per standard deviation (OR per SD: 0.47, 95% CI 0.36-0.62) and faster 400-meter gait (OR per SD= 0.49, 95% CI: 0.37-0.64).ConclusionAmong predictors, depressive symptoms at baseline significantly increased the odds of developing dual decline but was not associated with decline in the exclusively cognitive or physical decline groups. APOE-ε4 status increased the odds for cognitive decline and dual decline but not physical decline. More research on dual decline is needed because this group represents a high risk, vulnerable subset of older adults.
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spelling doaj.art-918c12799a69488bb11413472dcdb0082023-02-20T04:53:06ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652023-02-011510.3389/fnagi.2023.11224211122421Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition StudyElizabeth P. Handing0Kathleen M. Hayden1Xiaoyan Iris Leng2Stephen B. Kritchevsky3Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United StatesDivision of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United StatesDepartment of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United StatesDepartment of Internal Medicine, Section on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Sticht Center for Healthy Aging and Alzheimer’s Prevention, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, United StatesBackgroundRisk factors for cognitive decline and physical decline have been studied independently, however older adults might experience decline in both areas i.e., dual decline. Risk factors associated with dual decline are largely unknown and have significant implications on health outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore risk factors associated with dual decline.MethodsUsing data from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study, a longitudinal prospective cohort study, we examined trajectories of decline based on repeated measures of the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3MSE) and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) across 6 years (n=1,552). We calculated four mutually exclusive trajectories of decline and explored predictors of decline: cognitive decline (n = 306) = lowest quartile of slope on the 3MSE or 1.5 SD below mean at baseline, physical decline (n = 231) = lowest quartile of slope on the SPPB or 1.5 SD below mean at baseline, dual decline (n = 110) = lowest quartile in both measures or 1.5 SD below mean in both measures at baseline. Individuals who did not meet criteria for one of the decline groups were classified as the reference group. (n= 905).ResultsMultinomial logistic regression tested the association of 17 baseline risk factors with decline. Odds of dual decline where significantly higher for individuals at baseline with depressive symptoms (CES-D >16) (Odds Ratio (OR)=2.49, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.05-6.29), ApoE-ε4 carrier (OR= 2.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.95), or if individuals had lost 5+lbs in past year (OR=1.79, 95% CI: 1.13-2.84). Odds were significantly lower for individuals with a higher score on the Digit Symbol Substitution Test per standard deviation (OR per SD: 0.47, 95% CI 0.36-0.62) and faster 400-meter gait (OR per SD= 0.49, 95% CI: 0.37-0.64).ConclusionAmong predictors, depressive symptoms at baseline significantly increased the odds of developing dual decline but was not associated with decline in the exclusively cognitive or physical decline groups. APOE-ε4 status increased the odds for cognitive decline and dual decline but not physical decline. More research on dual decline is needed because this group represents a high risk, vulnerable subset of older adults.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1122421/fullcognitive declinephysical declineagingrisk factorsdepressive symptomsdual decline
spellingShingle Elizabeth P. Handing
Kathleen M. Hayden
Xiaoyan Iris Leng
Stephen B. Kritchevsky
Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
cognitive decline
physical decline
aging
risk factors
depressive symptoms
dual decline
title Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
title_full Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
title_fullStr Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
title_full_unstemmed Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
title_short Predictors of cognitive and physical decline: Results from the Health Aging and Body Composition Study
title_sort predictors of cognitive and physical decline results from the health aging and body composition study
topic cognitive decline
physical decline
aging
risk factors
depressive symptoms
dual decline
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2023.1122421/full
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AT kathleenmhayden predictorsofcognitiveandphysicaldeclineresultsfromthehealthagingandbodycompositionstudy
AT xiaoyanirisleng predictorsofcognitiveandphysicaldeclineresultsfromthehealthagingandbodycompositionstudy
AT stephenbkritchevsky predictorsofcognitiveandphysicaldeclineresultsfromthehealthagingandbodycompositionstudy