Search results for "physical functioning"

Does telomere length predict decline in physical functioning in older twin sisters during an 11-year follow-up?

2016

Background: Leucocyte telomere length (LTL) is known to be associated with mortality, but its association with age-related decline in physical functioning and the development of disability is less clear. This study examined the associations between LTL and physical functioning, and investigated whether LTL predicts level of physical functioning over an 11- year follow-up. Methods: Older mono- (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin sisters (n=386) participated in the study. Relative LTL was measured by qPCR at baseline. Physical functioning was measured by 6-min walking distance and level of physical activity (PA). Walking distance was measured at baseline and at 3-year follow-up. PA was assessed by q…

Barber-Say Syndrome and Ablepharon-Macrostomia Syndrome: A Patient's View

2017

Barber-Say syndrome (BSS) and ablepharon-macrostomia syndrome (AMS) are infrequently reported congenital malformation disorders caused by mutations in the <i>TWIST2</i> gene. Both are characterized by abnormalities in ectoderm-derived structures and cause a very unusual morphology of mainly the face in individuals with otherwise normal cognition and normal physical functioning. We studied the impact that the presence of BSS and AMS has on psychosocial functioning of affected individuals and their families, using their point of view to start with. We tabulated frequently asked questions from affected individuals and families, and a parent of an affected child and an affected adul…

Maternal body mass index in pregnancy and offspring physical and psychosocial functioning in older age: findings from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study…

2016

Maternal obesity is associated with several adverse long-term health outcomes in the offspring. In this study, we examined the association between maternal body mass index (BMI) and offspring physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.The study included 1759 men and women born during 1934-1944 and belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Data on maternal weight and height in late pregnancy and on offspring birth weight were retrieved from hospital birth records. Physical and psychosocial functioning was assessed using the Short Form 36 scale.Maternal BMI was positively associated with poorer physical and psychosocial functioning among men, but not among women. This associa…

"Baseline physical functioning status of metastatic colorectal cancer patients predicts the overall survival but not the activity of a front-line oxa…

2010

BACKGROUND: No differences in response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL) were seen in patients randomly treated with biweekly oxaliplatin plus either fluorouracil/folinic acid or capecitabine. METHODS: We investigated the independent effect of baseline clinical characteristics and physical functioning (PF) domain on RR, PFS, and OS in 310 patients who completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Multivariate analyses stratified by treatment were performed. An exploratory analysis was done by grouping patients with a PF score superior or equal to the highest quartile (n = 111), included between the highest and the lowest quartiles (n = …

Constant Hierarchic Patterns of Physical Functioning Across Seven Populations in Five Countries

1998

This research was aimed at identifying critical steps in the decline in physical function that often parallels aging. Six basic and nine instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs) were classified into four domains of disability characterized by specific underlying physical impairment. The hierarchical order of this classification was verified in two random samples representative of the older home-dwelling population. The concordance level of disability and results of performance-based measures of physical function were also tested. Finally, the cross-cultural reliability of the model was verified in seven population-based samples of older persons living in five European countries. In ol…

Effects of Exercise on Patellar Cartilage in Women with Mild Knee Osteoarthritis

2015

AB Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of exercise on patellar cartilage using T2 relaxation time mapping of magnetic resonance imaging in postmenopausal women with mild patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Eighty postmenopausal women (mean age, 58 (SD, 4.2) yr) with mild knee OA were randomized to either a supervised progressive impact exercise program three times a week for 12 months (n = 40) or a nonintervention control group (n = 40). Biochemical properties of cartilage were estimated using T2 relaxation time mapping, a parameter sensitive to collagen integrity, collagen orientation, and tissue hydration. Leg muscle strength and power, aerobic capacity, and…

2020

Background: Physical activity (PA) of higher intensity and longer duration mainly accumulates from older adults' out-of-home activities. Outdoor PA is influenced by environmental features; however, the day-to-day variability of PA and its associations with environmental features have not been widely studied. This study focused on the associations of environmental features with accelerometer-measured PA in older people on weekdays and weekend days. Methods: The study population comprised 167 community-dwelling older people aged 75-90 years. Accelerometers were worn on 7 consecutive days and a structured interview on physical functioning, health, and socioeconomic factors was administered. A …

The Association Between Epigenetic Clocks and Physical Functioning in Older Women: A 3-Year Follow-up

2021

Abstract Background Epigenetic clocks are composite markers developed to predict chronological age or mortality risk from DNA methylation (DNAm) data. The present study investigated the associations between 4 epigenetic clocks (Horvath’s and Hannum’s DNAmAge and DNAm GrimAge and PhenoAge) and physical functioning during a 3-year follow-up. Method We studied 63- to 76-year-old women (N = 413) from the Finnish Twin Study on Aging. DNAm was measured from blood samples at baseline. Age acceleration (AgeAccel), that is, discrepancy between chronological age and DNAm age, was determined as residuals from linear model. Physical functioning was assessed under standardized laboratory conditions at b…

Mid-career work patterns and physical and mental functioning at age 60-64: evidence from the 1946 British birth cohort.

2016

Background: Previous studies of the associations between unemployment and health have primarily focused on mental health and long-term associations have not often been explored. This study investigated if discontinuous employment in mid-career was related to self-reported physical and mental functioning at age 60–64 years. Methods: Data come from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, a British cohort that has been followed-up since birth in 1946. A total of 2061 study members had data available on mid-career employment patterns and physical and mental functioning assessed using the Short Form 36 questionnaire at age 60–64. Employment patterns in mid-career …

The outdoor mobility and leisure activities of older people in five European countries

2007

ABSTRACTMany gerontological studies have dealt with the leisure activities of older people and they have generated many important theories. Although outdoor activities and mobility promote good health in old age, both decrease with increasing age as people lose physical and mental functions. This paper examines the outdoor and indoor leisure activities of 3,950 older adults and their variations by personal and environmental characteristics in Germany, Finland, Hungary, The Netherlands and Italy. The main dimensions of activity were established by factor analysis, and in all countries four factors were found: home activities, hobbies, social activities, and sports activities. Both similar an…