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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
06:52
Assessment of Dependence in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Patients in an Acute Care Unit
Published on: September 30, 2020
Cognitive dysfunction and physical disability are associated with mortality in extremely elderly patients
Satoshi Hoshide1, Joji Ishikawa, Kazuo Eguchi
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke 329-0498, Japan. hoshide@jichi.ac.jp
Summary
Cognitive and physical dysfunction predict mortality in individuals over 80. These functions are independent risk factors for total and cardiovascular deaths in the very elderly.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiology
- Neurology
Background:
- Cognitive or physical dysfunction is linked to increased mortality in the very elderly (over 80).
- Simple clinical tests can assess these dysfunctions and their impact on mortality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of cognitive and physical dysfunction on future total and cardiovascular deaths.
- To identify independent risk factors for mortality in the extremely elderly population.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter prospective study of 523 outpatients aged 80 years or older.
- Cognitive function assessed via visual working memory test; physical function via get-up-and-go test.
- Cox regression analysis controlled for age, sex, BMI, diastolic BP, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease history.
Main Results:
- Cognitive dysfunction independently predicted total death (p < 0.001).
- Cognitive dysfunction (p < 0.001) and physical dysfunction (p = 0.05) independently predicted cardiovascular death.
- Lower diastolic blood pressure was associated with cognitive dysfunction.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive and physical functions are independent predictors of total and cardiovascular mortality in individuals aged 80 and above.
- These findings highlight the importance of assessing cognitive and physical status in the very elderly for risk stratification.
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