Giola Santoni

Age-Related Variation in Health Status after Age 60

Background Disability, functionality, and morbidity are often used to describe the health of the elderly. Although particularly important when planning health and social services, knowledge about their distribution and aggregation at different ages is limited. We aim to characterize the variation of health status in a 60+ old population using five indicators of health separately and in combination. Methods 3080 adults 60+ living in Sweden between 2001 and 2004 and participating at the SNAC-K population-based cohort study. Health indicators: number of chronic diseases, gait speed, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), disability in instrumental-activities of daily living (I-ADL), and in personal-ADL (P-ADL). Results Probability of multimorbidity and probability of slow gait speed were already above 60% and 20% among sexagenarians. Median MMSE and median I-ADL showed good performance range until age 84; median P-ADL was close to zero up to age 90. Thirty% of sexagenarians and 11% of septuagenarians had no morbidity and no impairment, 92% and 80% of them had no disability. Twenty-eight% of octogenarians had multimorbidity but only 27% had some I-ADL disability. Among nonagenarians, 13% had severe disability and impaired functioning while 12% had multimorbidity and slow gait speed. Conclusions Age 80-85 is a transitional period when major health changes take place. Until age 80, most people do not have functional impairment or disability, despite the presence of chronic disorders. Disability becomes common only after age 90. This implies an increasing need of medical care after age 70, whereas social care, including institutionalization, becomes a necessity only in nonagenarians.

Prudent diet may attenuate the adverse effects of Western diet on cognitive decline

The influence of mixed dietary patterns on cognitive changes is unknown.

Assessing and Measuring Chronic Multimorbidity in the Older Population: A Proposal for Its Operationalization

Abstract Background Although the definition of multimorbidity as “the simultaneous presence of two or more chronic diseases” is well established, its operationalization is not yet agreed. This study aims to provide a clinically driven comprehensive list of chronic conditions to be included when measuring multimorbidity. Methods Based on a consensus definition of chronic disease, all four-digit level codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision (ICD-10) were classified as chronic or not by an international and multidisciplinary team. Chronic ICD-10 codes were subsequently grouped into broader categories according to clinical criteria. Last, we showed proof of concept by applying the classification to older adults from the Swedish National study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) using also inpatient data from the Swedish National Patient Register. Results A disease or condition was considered to be chronic if it had a prolonged duration and either (a) left residual disability or worsening quality of life or (b) required a long period of care, treatment, or rehabilitation. After applying this definition in relation to populations of older adults, 918 chronic ICD-10 codes were identified and grouped into 60 chronic disease categories. In SNAC-K, 88.6% had ≥2 of these 60 disease categories, 73.2% had ≥3, and 55.8% had ≥4. Conclusions This operational measure of multimorbidity, which can be implemented using either or both clinical and administrative data, may facilitate its monitoring and international comparison. Once validated, it may enable the advancement and evolution of conceptual and theoretical aspects of multimorbidity that will eventually lead to better care.

Multidimensional Prognostic Index in Association with Future Mortality and Number of Hospital Days in a Population-Based Sample of Older Adults: Results of the EU Funded MPI_AGE Project.

Background The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) has been found to predict mortality in patients with a variety of clinical conditions. We aimed to assess the association of the MPI with future mortality and number of in-hospital days for the first time in a population-based cohort. Methods The study population consisted of 2472 persons, aged 66–99 years, from the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, Sweden, who underwent the baseline visit 2001–4, and were followed up >10 years for in-hospital days and >12 years for mortality. The MPI was a modified version of the original and aggregated seven domains (personal and instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive function, illness severity and comorbidity, number of medications, co-habitation status, and nutritional status). The MPI score was divided into risk groups: low, medium and high. Number of in-hospital days (within 1, 3 and 10 years) and mortality data were derived from official registries. All analyses were age-stratified (sexagenarians, septuagenarians, octogenarians, nonagenarians). Results During the follow-up 1331 persons (53.8%) died. Laplace regression models, suggested that median survival in medium risk groups varied by age from 2.2–3.6 years earlier than for those in the corresponding low risk groups (p = 0.002-p<0.001), and median survival in high risk groups varied by age from 3.8–9.0 years earlier than for corresponding low risk groups (p<0.001). For nonagenarians, the median age at death was 3.8 years earlier in the high risk group than for the low risk group (p<0.001). The mean number of in-hospital days increased significantly with higher MPI risk score within 1 and 3 years for people of each age group. Conclusion For the first time, the effectiveness of MPI has been verified in a population-based cohort. Higher MPI risk scores associated with more days in hospital and with fewer years of survival, across a broad and stratified age range.

Early Cognitive Deficits in Type 2 Diabetes : A Population-Based Study

Evidence links type 2 diabetes to dementia risk. However, our knowledge on the initial cognitive deficits in diabetic individuals and the factors that might promote such deficits is still limited. This study aimed to identify the cognitive domains initially impaired by diabetes and the factors that play a role in this first stage. Within the population-based Swedish National Study on Aging and Care–Kungsholmen, 2305 cognitively intact participants aged ≥60 y were identified. Attention/working memory, perceptual speed, category fluency, letter fluency, semantic memory, and episodic memory were assessed. Diabetes (controlled and uncontrolled) and prediabetes were ascertained by clinicians, who also collected information on vascular disorders (hypertension, heart diseases, and stroke) and vascular risk factors (VRFs, including smoking and overweight/obesity). Data were analyzed with linear regression models. Overall, 196 participants (8.5%) had diabetes, of which 144 (73.5%) had elevated glycaemia (uncontrolled diabetes); 571 (24.8%) persons had prediabetes. In addition, diabetes, mainly uncontrolled, was related to lower performance in perceptual speed (β – 1.10 [95% CI – 1.98, – 0.23]), category fluency (β – 1.27 [95% CI – 2.52, – 0.03]), and digit span forward (β – 0.35 [95% CI – 0.54, – 0.17]). Critically, these associations were present only among APOE ɛ4 non–carriers. The associations of diabetes with perceptual speed and category fluency were present only among participants with VRFs or vascular disorders. Diabetes, especially uncontrolled diabetes, is associated with poorer performance in perceptual speed, category fluency, and attention/primary memory. VRFs, vascular disorders, and APOE status play a role in these associations.

Temporal Trends of Functional Dependence and Survival Among Older Adults From 1991 to 2010 in Sweden: Toward a Healthier Aging

BACKGROUND Declines in functional dependence among older adults were observed before the 1990s, but there is uncertainty about subsequent trends. Our study aimed to verify the temporal trends in disability during 1991-2010 in an older Swedish population and to estimate the associated changes in survival. METHODS Functional status in octogenarians and nonagenarians was assessed at seven occasions with intervals of 2-3 years. Sample size varied at each assessment with an average of 646 (range 212-1096). Disability was defined as difficulty in one or more of personal activities of daily living. We compared prevalence and incidence, as well as mortality, and survival associated with disability over the 20-year period. RESULTS Sex-standardized prevalence of disability remained steady over time with a tendency toward a gradual decline, and a statistically significant decrease was present among nonagenarians. Sex-standardized cumulative incidence also remained steady. The proportion of people with prevalent disability who died <3 years remained stable, as did the survival time of people with incident disability. In contrast, among nondisabled persons, 3-year mortality decreased significantly, and for octogenarians median survival time was 1.3 years longer at the more recent assessment than a decade earlier. CONCLUSIONS Both prevalence and incidence of disability remained stable over the last two decades in this urban Swedish population, with a trend toward a slow decline. Mortality remained steady among disabled persons but decreased among persons without disability, suggesting that increased life expectancy during the last two decades may be essentially driven by longer lives of functionally independent people.

Nutritional status and survival among old adults: an 11-year population-based longitudinal study

Background/Objectives:The impact of nutritional status on survival among community-dwelling older adults is unclear. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and association of poor nutritional status, including malnutrition and risk for malnutrition defined by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) with survival, and to explore the role of relevant biomarkers (hemoglobin, albumin and C-reactive protein) in this association.Subjects/Methods:This study included 3041 participants aged ⩾60 in the Swedish National study on Aging and Care-Kungsholmen. On the basis of the total score in MNA-SF, nutritional status for each participant was assessed as normal (score 12–14), risk for malnutrition (8–11) or malnutrition (<8). Over an 11-year follow-up, survival status was observed. Data were analysed using logistic regression, flexible parametric survival and Laplace models.Results:Of all the participants, 51 (1.7%) had malnutrition and 751 (24.7%) were at risk for malnutrition. The multi-adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of mortality was 2.40 (1.56−3.67; P<0.001) for malnutrition and 1.49 (1.29−1.71; P<0.001) for risk for malnutrition. The median ages at death of participants with malnutrition and risk for malnutrition were ~3 and 1.5 years shorter than those with normal nutritional status, respectively, whereas malnutrition or risk for malnutrition together with abnormal biomarker (hemoglobin and albumin) levels was related to 1 year more shortened survival.Conclusions:Malnutrition and risk for malnutrition are highly prevalent and significantly associated with a shorter survival. Poor nutritional status in combination with abnormalities in the biomarkers is associated with even more shortened survival.

Accelerated Progression from Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia Among APOE ε4ε4 Carriers

The impact of APOE ε4 on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and its progression to dementia remain controversial. We aimed to examine the association of APOE ε4 with MCI, and to verify the hypothesis that ε4 accelerates progression from MCI to dementia. In the Kungsholmen project, 756 cognitively healthy participants and 212 people with MCI aged ≥75 years were identified at baseline. Amnestic MCI (aMCI) and other cognitive impairment no dementia (oCIND) as two subtypes of MCI were assessed based on standard definitions. The two cohorts were followed for 9 years to detect incident cases of MCI and dementia following international criteria. APOE genotypes were assessed at baseline. Data were analyzed using Cox models. During the follow-up, in the cognitively healthy cohort, 165 people developed MCI (40 aMCI and 125 oCIND) and 176 developed dementia; in the MCI cohort, 118 persons progressed to dementia. Compared with APOE ε3ε3, the hazard ratios (HRs) (95% CIs) of ε2ε4/ε3ε4 were 2.24 (1.10-4.57) for aMCI and 1.78 (1.15-2.75) for oCIND, while the ε4ε4 was related to dementia with a HR of 4.35 (1.97-9.63) in the cognitively healthy cohort. In the MCI cohort, the ε4ε4 genotype led to a multi-adjusted HR of 2.89 (1.12-7.48) for dementia and accelerated the progression to dementia by 3.36 years. The APOE ε4 heterozygotes are associated with an increased risk of aMCI and oCIND. The ε4 homozygote substantially accelerates progression from MCI to dementia, and anticipate dementia occurrence by more than 3 years in people with MCI.

Coexisting chronic conditions in the older population: Variation by health indicators

BACKGROUND This study analyzes the prevalence and patterns of coexisting chronic conditions in older adults. DESIGN Cross-sectional. PARTICIPANT AND SETTING A sample of 3363 people ≥60years living in Stockholm were examined from March 2001 through August 2004. MEASUREMENTS Chronic conditions were measured with: 1) multimorbidity (≥2 concurrent chronic diseases); 2) the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale, 3) polypharmacy (≥5 prescribed drugs), and 4) complex health problems (chronic diseases and/or symptoms along with cognitive and/or functional limitations). RESULTS A total of 55.6% of 60-74year olds and 13.4% of those ≥85years did not have chronic conditions according to the four indicators. Multimorbidity and polypharmacy were the most prevalent indicators: 38% aged 60-74 and 76% aged ≥85 had multimorbidity; 24.3% aged 60-74 and 59% aged ≥85 had polypharmacy. Prevalence of chronic conditions as indicated by the comorbidity index and complex health problems ranged from 16.5% and 1.5% in the 60-74year olds to 38% and 36% in the 85+ year olds, respectively. Prevalence of participants with 4 indicators was low, varying from 1.6% in those aged 60-74 to 14.9% in those aged ≥85years. Older age was associated with higher odds of each of the 4 indicators; being a woman, with all indicators but multimorbidity; and lower educational level, only with complex health problems. CONCLUSIONS Prevalence of coexisting chronic conditions varies greatly by health indicator used. Variation increases when age, sex, and educational level are taken into account. These findings underscore the need of different indicators to capture health complexity in older adults.

Personality and Survival in Older Age: The Role of Lifestyle Behaviors and Health Status

OBJECTIVE We intended to assess the relationship between personality and survival in an older population and to explore the role of lifestyle behaviors and health status as potential mediators. DESIGN Population-based cohort study. SETTING Swedish National Study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS 2,298 adults aged 60 or more years, without dementia or depression, followed for 11 years. MEASUREMENTS Personality (extraversion, neuroticism, and openness) was assessed with a shortened version of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. We tested whether personality affected mortality and examined the potential mediating effect of health status (body mass index, number of chronic diseases, impairment in instrumental activities of daily living, and C-reactive protein) and lifestyle behaviors (leisure activities, social network, smoking, and alcohol consumption). RESULTS Over 11 years of follow-up, higher levels of extraversion were associated with a 14% reduction in mortality. Examination of different combinations of personality traits showed that independent of levels of neuroticism and openness, high extraversion were associated with up to 65% lower mortality. Decomposing the effect of extraversion on mortality, we found that the majority (44%) of the beneficial effect was mediated by healthy lifestyle behaviors. Health status accounted for 5% of the association. CONCLUSIONS Extroverted people, who are characterized by higher optimism and high self-efficacy, are prone to healthier behaviors and better health, which may result in longer survival. These results highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle in survival.