Association of Arterial Stiffness with Functional Disability and Mobility Limitation: The Rugao Longitudinal Ageing...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Cardiovascular Health
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Arterial stiffness is a key indicator of vascular aging and a potential predictor of age-related health issues.
• Functional disability and mobility limitations significantly impact the quality of life for older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between arterial stiffness and the risk of developing functional disability and mobility limitations in an elderly population.
• To explore the nature of the relationship between arterial stiffness and these functional declines.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving 1699 older adults from the Rugao Longitudinal Ageing Study.
• Arterial stiffness assessed using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV); functional disability and mobility limitations measured by activities of daily living and the Timed Up and Go test.
• Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline analyses were employed to examine associations and potential nonlinear relationships.

Main Results:

• Over a 3.5-year follow-up, new-onset functional disability and mobility limitations were observed in 10.00% and 31.11% of participants, respectively.
• Elevated baPWV was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident functional disability (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06-1.31) and mobility limitation (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.16), even after adjusting for confounders.
• A nearly linear association was found between baPWV and the risk of both outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Arterial stiffness, quantified by baPWV, is a significant risk factor for functional disability and mobility limitation in community-dwelling older adults.
• The identified associations are robust and demonstrate a nearly linear relationship, highlighting the importance of monitoring vascular health in aging populations.