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08:50
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Published on: June 16, 2014
Vascular risk factor burden, atherosclerosis, and functional dependence in old age: a population-based study
Anna-Karin Welmer1, Yajun Liang, Sara Angleman
1Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Gävlegatan 16, SE-113 30, Stockholm, Sweden, anna-karin.welmer@ki.se.
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
|September 24, 2013
Summary
Multiple vascular risk factors (VRFs) increase functional dependence in older adults. Carotid and peripheral artery atherosclerosis partially mediate this link, independent of cardiovascular diseases.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Vascular risk factors (VRFs) like hypertension and obesity are linked to physical limitations in older adults.
- Understanding the relationship between VRFs and functional dependence is crucial for aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between individual and aggregated VRFs and functional dependence in community-living older adults.
- To determine the mediating role of carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) and peripheral artery disease (PAD) in the VRF-functional dependence relationship.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 1,451 Chinese adults aged 60+.
- Data collected via interviews, clinical exams, and lab tests for VRFs, CAS, PAD, and functional dependence.
- Logistic regression and mediation models analyzed associations, controlling for confounders.
Main Results:
- 15.3% of participants exhibited functional dependence.
- A linear increase in functional dependence was observed with a higher number of VRFs (hypertension, high cholesterol, abdominal obesity, inactivity).
- CAS and PAD mediated up to 11% of the association between aggregated VRFs and functional dependence, independent of cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusions:
- The aggregation of multiple VRFs is significantly associated with increased functional dependence in Chinese older adults.
- Carotid and peripheral artery atherosclerosis partially mediate this association, highlighting their role beyond traditional cardiovascular diseases.
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