Long-Term Aspirin Use and Self-Reported Walking Speed in Older Men: The Physicians' Health Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Disease Research
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Mobility limitation is a key aspect of frailty and is bidirectionally linked with cardiovascular disease (CVD).
• Limited data exist on the preventive role of CVD therapies, like aspirin, in relation to frailty and mobility.
• This study investigates the potential of aspirin in preserving mobility in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between long-term aspirin use and walking speed in a large cohort of men.
• To determine if regular aspirin intake correlates with better mobility outcomes in later life.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Physicians' Health Study I, a prospective cohort of 14,315 men with extended follow-up after a randomized controlled trial of aspirin.
• Assessed aspirin use (≤60 days/year vs. >60 days/year) and self-reported walking pace (not walking, <2 mph, 2-2.9 mph, ≥3 mph).
• Employed propensity scoring and multinomial logistic regression to analyze the association between aspirin use and walking speed categories.

Main Results:

• Mean participant age was 70 years, with a mean of 11 years of aspirin use.
• Regular aspirin use (>60 days/year) was associated with a higher likelihood of faster walking speeds (brisk/very brisk ≥3 mph).
• Propensity score-adjusted analysis showed increased odds for faster walking speeds with regular aspirin use (p-trend<0.001).

Conclusions:

• Long-term aspirin use in older men is associated with a greater probability of maintaining faster walking speed.
• Aspirin, a common CVD prevention therapy, may play a role in preserving mobility and potentially mitigating frailty.
• Findings suggest a potential benefit of aspirin for mobility in aging populations.