Longitudinal trajectories of disability among Chinese adults: the role of cardiometabolic multimorbidity

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CM) is linked to increased mortality and functional decline.
• Longitudinal data on CM and disability in China, particularly concerning smoking, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between CM and disability trajectories in a Chinese cohort.
• To investigate if smoking status modifies the CM-disability relationship.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 16,754 participants in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) (2011-2018).
• Defined CM as having ≥2 conditions (diabetes, stroke, heart disease) at baseline.
• Employed linear mixed-effects models to analyze disability progression (ADL/IADL) and smoking interactions.

Main Results:

• CM at baseline predicted faster disability progression (β=0.13).
• Current smokers with CM showed accelerated disability compared to non-smokers (P_interaction=0.011).
• Significant CM-disability association found in current smokers (β=0.34), but not in non-smokers (β=0.08).

Conclusions:

• CM is a significant risk factor for accelerated disability progression.
• Current smoking status exacerbates the negative impact of CM on disability, highlighting a vulnerable subgroup.