Neighborhood environment, social participation, and physical activity in older adults with lower limb osteoarthritis: A mediation analysis.

Older adults with lower limb osteoarthritis (LLOA) are highly dependent on their physical and social environment for being physically active. Longitudinal data from 2286 older adults (Mage = 73.8 years; 50.3% female) in six European countries were analyzed using cross-lagged Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and multi-group SEM. In cross-sectional analyses, neighborhood resources were associated with physical activity (r = 0.26;p < .001) and social participation (r = 0.13;p = .003). Physical activity at follow-up was associated with neighborhood resources, with this relationship mediated by social participation in people with LLOA (ß = 0.018;p = .013). To promote future physical activity, opportunities to socially engage in neighborhoods need to be targeted primarily to people with LLOA.

Factors Associated With Functional Decline in Hand and Hip/Knee Osteoarthritis After One Year: Data From a Population-Based Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors that together with hand or hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) could contribute to functional decline over a year's time in elderly individuals. METHODS: The data of 1,886 individuals between ages 65 and 85 years in a prospective, observational population-based study with 12-18 months of follow-up in the context of the European Project on Osteoarthritis were analyzed. The outcome measures were self-reported hand and hip/knee functional decline, evaluated using a minimum clinically important difference of 4 on the Australian/Canadian Hand OA Index and of 2 on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index hip/knee physical function subscales, both normalized to 0-100. Using regression models adjusted for sex, age, country, and education level, the baseline factors considered were clinical hand or hip/knee OA, pain, analgesic/antiinflammatory medications, comorbidities, social isolation, income, walking time, grip strength, physical activity time, and medical/social care. RESULTS: After a year, 453 participants were identified as having worse hand functionality and 1,389 as not worse. Hand OA, anxiety, walking time, and grip strength were risk factors for hand functional decline; pain was a confounder of the effect of hand OA. Analgesic/antiinflammatory medications mediated the combined effect of hip/knee OA plus pain on functional decline in the 554 individuals classified as having worse hip/knee functionality and the 1,291 persons who were not worse. Peripheral artery disease, obesity, and cognitive impairment were other baseline risk factors. CONCLUSION: Study findings showed that together with emotional status and chronic physical and cognitive conditions, OA affects hand and hip/knee functional decline.

Development of a new comprehensive preoperative risk score for predicting 1-year mortality in patients with hip fracture: the HULP-HF score. Comparison with 3 other risk prediction models.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop a new comprehensive preoperative risk score for predicting mortality during the first year after hip fracture (HF) and its comparison with 3 other risk prediction models. METHODS: All patients admitted consecutively with a fragility HF during 1 year in a co-managed orthogeriatric unit at a university hospital were assessed and followed for 1 year. Factors independently associated with 1-year mortality were used to create the HULP-HF (Hospital Universitario La Paz - Hip Fracture) score. The predictive validity, discrimination and calibration of the HULP-HF score, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scale, the abbreviated Charlson comorbidity index (a-CCI) and the Nottingham Hip Fracture score (NHFS) were compared. Discriminative performance was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC) and calibration by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit-test. RESULTS: 509 patients were included. 1-year mortality was 23.2%. The 8 independent mortality risk factors included in the HULP-HF score were age >85 years, baseline functional and cognitive impairment, low body mass index, heart disease, low hand-grip strength, anaemia on admission, and secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency. The AUC was 0.79 in the HULP-HF score, 0.66 in the NHFS, 0.61 in the abbreviated CCI and 0.59 in the ASA scale. The HULP-HF score, the NHFS and the abbreviated CCI all presented good levels of calibration (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The HULP-HF score has a predictive capacity for 1-year mortality in HF patients slightly superior to that of other previously existing scores.

Association Between Osteoarthritis and Social Isolation: Data From the EPOSA Study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between osteoarthritis (OA) and incident social isolation using data from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA) study. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study with 12 to 18 months of follow-up. SETTING: Community dwelling. PARTICIPANTS: Older people living in six European countries. MEASUREMENTS: Social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale and the Maastricht Social Participation Profile. Clinical OA of the hip, knee, and hand was assessed according to American College of Rheumatology criteria. Demographic characteristics, including age, sex, multijoint pain, and medical comorbidities, were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 1967 individuals with complete baseline and follow-up data, 382 (19%) were socially isolated and 1585 were nonsocially isolated at baseline; of these individuals, 222 (13.9%) experienced social isolation during follow-up. Using logistic regression analyses, after adjustment for age, sex, and country, four factors were significantly associated with incident social isolation: clinical OA, cognitive impairment, depression, and worse walking time. Compared to those without OA at any site or with only hand OA, clinical OA of the hip and/or knee, combined or not with hand OA, led to a 1.47 times increased risk of social isolation (95% confidence interval = 1.03-2.09). CONCLUSION: Clinical OA, present in one or two sites of the hip and knee, or in two or three sites of the hip, knee, and hand, increased the risk of social isolation, adjusting for cognitive impairment and depression and worse walking times. Clinicians should be aware that individuals with OA may be at greater risk of social isolation. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:87-95, 2019.

Minimal clinically important decline in physical function over one year: EPOSA study.

BACKGROUND: The Australian/Canadian hand Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities knee and hip Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) are the most commonly used clinical tools to manage and monitor osteoarthritis (OA). Few studies have as yet reported longitudinal changes in the AUSCAN index regarding the hand. While there are published data regarding WOMAC assessments of the hip and the knee, the two sites have always evaluated separately. The current study therefore sought to determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) in decline in the AUSCAN hand and WOMAC hip/knee physical function scores over 1 year using anchor-based and distribution-based methods. METHODS: The study analysed data collected by the European Project on Osteoarthritis, a prospective observational study investigating six adult cohorts with and without OA by evaluating changes in the AUSCAN and WOMAC physical function scores at baseline and 12-18 months later. Pain and stiffness scores, the performance-based grip strength and walking speed and health-related quality of life measures were used as the study's anchors. Receiver operating characteristic curves and distribution-based methods were used to estimate the MCID in the AUSCAN and WOMAC physical function scores; only the data of those participants who possessed paired (baseline and follow up-measures) AUSCAN and WOMAC scores were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Out of the 1866 participants who were evaluated, 1842 had paired AUSCAN scores and 1845 had paired WOMAC scores. The changes in the AUSCAN physical function score correlated significantly with those in the AUSCAN pain score (r = 0.31). Anchor- and distribution-based approaches converged identifying 4 as the MCID for decline in the AUSCAN hand physical function. Changes in the WOMAC hip/knee physical function score were significantly correlated with changes in both the WOMAC pain score (r = 0.47) and the WOMAC stiffness score (r = 0.35). The different approaches converged identifying two as the MCID for decline in the WOMAC hip/knee physical function. CONCLUSIONS: The most reliable MCID estimates of decline over 1 year in the AUSCAN hand and WOMAC hip/knee physical function scores were 4 and 2 points, respectively.

Within-person pain variability and physical activity in older adults with osteoarthritis from six European countries.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the association of both pain severity and within-person pain variability with physical activity (PA) in older adults with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Data from the European Project on OSteoArthritis were used. At baseline, clinical classification criteria of the American College of Rheumatology were used to diagnose OA in older adults (65-85 years). At baseline and 12-18 months follow-up, frequency and duration of participation in the activities walking, cycling, gardening, light and heavy household tasks, and sports activities were assessed with the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam Physical Activity Questionnaire. Physical activity was calculated in kcal/day, based on frequency, duration, body weight and the metabolic equivalent of each activity performed. At baseline and 12-18 months follow-up, pain severity was assessed using the pain subscales of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index and the Australian/Canadian Hand OA Index. Within-person pain variability was assessed using two-week pain calendars that were completed at baseline, 6 months follow-up and 12-18 months follow-up. RESULTS: Of all 669 participants, 70.0% were women. Sex-stratified multiple linear regression analyses showed that greater pain severity at baseline was cross-sectionally associated with less PA in women (Ratio = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.90-0.99), but not in men (Ratio = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.85-1.15). The longitudinal analyses showed a statistically significant inverse association between pain severity at baseline and PA at follow-up in women (Ratio = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.89-0.99), but not in men (Ratio = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.87-1.11). Greater pain variability over 12-18 months was associated with more PA at follow-up in men (Ratio = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.01-1.38), but not in women (Ratio = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.86-1.03). CONCLUSIONS: Greater pain severity and less pain variability are associated with less PA in older adults with OA. These associations are different for men and women. The observed sex differences in the various associations should be studied in more detail and need replication in future research.

Baseline and pre-operative 1-year mortality risk factors in a cohort of 509 hip fracture patients consecutively admitted to a co-managed orthogeriatric unit (FONDA Cohort).

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to determine the patient characteristics that predict 1-year mortality after a hip fracture (HF). METHODS: All patients admitted consecutively with fragility HF during 1 year in a co-managed orthogeriatric unit of a university hospital (FONDA cohort) were assesed. Baseline and admission demographic, clinical, functional, analytical and body-composition variables were collected in the first 72 h after admission. A protocol designed to minimize the consequences of the HF was applied. One year after the fracture patients or their carers were contacted by telephone to ascertain their vital status. RESULTS: A total of 509 patients with a mean age of 85.6 years were included. One-year mortality was 23.2%. The final multivariate model included 8 independent mortality risk factors: age >85 years, baseline functional impairment in basic activities of daily living, low body mass index, cognitive impairment, heart disease, low hand-grip strength, anaemia at admission, and secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency. The association of several of these factors greatly increased mortality risk, with an OR (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 5.372 (3.227-8.806) in patients with 4 to 5 factors, and an OR (95% CI) of 11.097 (6.432-19.144) in those with 6 or more factors. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to previously known factors (such as age, impairment in basic activities of daily living, cognitive impairment, malnutrition and anaemia at admission), other factors, such as muscle strength and hyperparathyroidism associated with vitamin D deficiency, are associated with greater 1-year mortality after a HF.

Financial fraud and health: the case of Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether financial fraud is associated with poor health sleeping problems and poor quality of life. METHODS: Pilot study (n=188) conducted in 2015-2016 in Madrid and León (Spain) by recruiting subjects affected by two types of fraud (preferred shares and foreign currency mortgages) using venue-based sampling. Information on the monetary value of each case of fraud; the dates when subjects became aware of being swindled, lodged legal claim and received financial compensation were collected. Inter-group comparisons of the prevalence of poor physical and mental health, sleep and quality of life were carried according to type of fraud and the 2011-2012 National Health Survey. RESULTS: In this conventional sample, victims of financial fraud had poorer health, more mental health and sleeping problems, and poorer quality of life than comparable populations of a similar age. Those who had received financial compensation for preferred share losses had better health and quality of life than those who had not been compensated and those who had taken out foreign currency mortgages. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that financial fraud is detrimental to health. Further research should examine the mechanisms through which financial fraud impacts health. If our results are confirmed psychological and medical care should be provided, in addition to financial compensation.

How Hand Osteoarthritis, Comorbidity, and Pain Interact to Determine Functional Limitation in Older People: Observations From the European Project on OSteoArthritis Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the role of comorbidity and pain in the associations of hand osteoarthritis (OA) with self-reported and performance-based physical function in a general population of elderly persons. METHODS: We studied data from 2,942 participants ages 65-85 years in the European Project on OSteoArthritis, a collaborative observational study of 6 European cohorts (from Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Outcome measures included self-reported physical function of the hands measured by the AUStralian/CANadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) for hand OA physical function subscale and performance-based grip strength measured using a strain gauge dynamometer. RESULTS: Comorbidity was not a confounder in the association of hand OA with self-reported and performance-based functional limitations, while the role of pain as a mediator was confirmed. Anxiety, depression, stroke, and osteoporosis were associated with AUSCAN scores reflecting more impairment. Depression and osteoporosis were associated with less grip strength. CONCLUSION: Although comorbidity was decidedly and independently associated with hand functional limitation, it had no effect on the relationship of hand OA with physical function. Hand OA was found to be associated with both self-reported and performance-based physical function impairment; the association was found to be partially mediated by pain, which reduced its impact.

Physical Activity Patterns Among Older Adults With and Without Knee Osteoarthritis in Six European Countries.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate patterns of physical activity in older adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to older adults without knee OA across 6 European countries. We expect country-specific differences in the physical activity levels between persons with knee OA compared to persons without knee OA. A varying degree of physical activity levels across countries would express a facilitating or impeding influence of the social, environmental, and other contextual factors on a physically active lifestyle. METHODS: Baseline cross-sectional data from the European Project on Osteoarthritis were analyzed. In total, 2,551 participants from 6 European countries (Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK) were included. RESULTS: Participants with knee OA were less likely to follow physical activity recommendations and had poorer overall physical activity profiles than those without knee OA (mean 62.9 versus 81.5 minutes/day, respectively; P = 0.015). The magnitude of this difference varied across countries. Detailed analysis showed that low physical activity levels in persons with knee OA could be attributed to less everyday walking time (odds ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval 1.07-1.62). CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the fact that having knee OA is associated with a varying degree of physical activity patterns in different countries. This national variation implies that low levels of physical activity among persons with knee OA cannot be explained exclusively by individual or disease-specific factors, but that social, environmental, and other contextual factors should also be taken into account.

Role of Osteoarthritis, Comorbidity, and Pain in Determining Functional Limitations in Older Populations: European Project on Osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of comorbidity and pain in the association between hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) with self-reported as well as performance-based functional limitations in a general elderly population. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 2,942 individuals, ages between 65 and 85 years, who participated in the European Project on Osteoarthritis, which was made up of 6 European cohorts (from Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Outcomes included self-reported physical function measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the participants' performance-based physical function was evaluated using the walking test. RESULTS: While comorbidity did not affect the significant association between hip/knee OA and physical function limitations found in the participants, pain reduced the effect of OA on self-reported physical function, and it cancelled the effect of OA on the walking test. Obesity, anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular diseases were associated with the worst WOMAC scores. Obesity, cognitive impairment, depression, peripheral artery disease, and stroke were associated with the worst walking times. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that while comorbidity is strongly and independently associated with functional limitations, it does not affect the OA-physical function association. Hip/knee OA is associated with self-reported impairment in physical function, which was only partially mediated by pain. Its association with physical function, as evaluated by the walking test, was instead completely mediated by pain.

Prevalence of sarcopenia in acute hip fracture patients and its influence on short-term clinical outcome.

AIM: Current international criteria provide standardized procedures to diagnose sarcopenia in older people. However, to date few data exist on patients with acute disease. The present study was carried out to determine the frequency of sarcopenia in acute hip fracture patients, and its association with their baseline characteristics and prognosis during hospitalization. METHODS: Data were collected from 509 consecutive patients hospitalized for hip fracture. The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People Criteria for sarcopenia were applied in the first 72 h. Muscle mass was measured by electrical bioimpedance and grip strength by hydraulic dynamometer. Clinical, functional and cognitive characteristics were assessed at baseline and hospital discharge, and their association with the presence of sarcopenia was studied. RESULTS: A total of 479 patients (94%) met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 85.3 (SD 6.8 years). The frequency of sarcopenia was 17.1% (12.4% in men, 18.3% in women). Sarcopenia was associated with residence in nursing homes (30.5% vs 19.6%, P = 0.030), older age (86.8, SD 6.2 vs 85.1, SD 6.9 years, P = 0.038), and lower body mass index (23.1, SD 3.6 vs 25.6, SD 4.23, P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, only low body mass index was predictive of sarcopenia (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.80-0.91). Sarcopenia was associated with worse functional prognosis at discharge in the crude analysis (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.15-3.07), but not in the multivariate analysis (OR 1.68, 95% CI 0.99-2.84). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia was detected in almost one of five acute hip fracture patients and was associated with lower body mass index, but an association with worse prognosis at discharge could not be confirmed. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1021-1027.

[Consumption of drugs in over 65 in Porto (Portugal) and risk of potentially inappropriate medication prescribing]. / Consumo de medicamentos en mayores de 65 años en Oporto (Portugal) y riesgo de prescripción de medicamentos potencialmente inapropiados.

OBJECTIVE: To determine medication consumption in the older people from a central area of Oporto; determine the prevalence of prescription of Potentially Inappropriate Medication and to analyse the polypharmacy and other important connected factors. DESIGN, SETTING AND PATIENTS: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 747 patients older than 64 years, who were attended in a Primary care health centre: USF Rainha D. Amélia, Oporto, Portugal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: identification of all medication prescribed from electronic registers. Polypharmacy was considered more than 5 medication prescribed and Potential Inappropriate Medication was identified by Beers criteria 2012. The socio-demographic factors, diagnosis and health care services use were registered too. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between co-variables. RESULTS: There were 89.2% (95%CI: 87.6-92.0) of the studied population with at least one prescription. The polypharmacy was present at 59.2% (95%CI: 55.7-62.7) of people. The Potential Inappropriate Medication was present in 37.0% (95%CI: 33.5-40.5) of the cases. The Potential Inappropriate Medication was related with increasing age [OR=1.02 (95%CI: 1.00-1.05)], polypharmacy [OR=4.45 (95%CI: 3.12-6.36)], and be diagnosed with depression/anxiety [OR=2.18 (95%CI: 1.36-3.51)] and/or arthrosis [OR=1.64 (95%CI: 1.11-2.42)]. CONCLUSION: The rate of medication prescription, polypharmacy and the prescription of Potentially Inappropriate Medication are very high in Portuguese population studied. The polypharmacy is the most important factor related with this potential inappropriate medication. The physician need to have carefully with prescription of the anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory pain drugs.

Osteoarthritis and frailty in elderly individuals across six European countries: results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA).

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in the elderly. Clinical frailty is associated with high mortality, but few studies have explored the relationship between OA and frailty. The objective of this study was to consider the association between OA and frailty/pre-frailty in an elderly population comprised of six European cohorts participating in the EPOSA project. METHODS: Longitudinal study using baseline data and first follow-up waves, from EPOSA; 2,455 individuals aged 65-85 years were recruited from pre-existing population-based cohorts in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Data were collected on clinical OA at any site (hand, knee or hip), based on the clinical classification criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Frailty was defined according to Fried's criteria. The covariates considered were age, gender, educational level, obesity and country. We used multinomial logistic regression to analyse the associations between OA, frailty/pre-frailty and other covariates. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of clinical OA at any site was 30.4 % (95 % CI:28.6-32.2); frailty was present in 10.2 % (95 % CI:9.0-11.4) and pre-frailty in 51.0 % (95 % CI:49.0-53.0). The odds of frailty was 2.96 (95 % CI:2.11-4.16) and pre-frailty 1.54 (95 % CI:1.24-1.91) as high among OA individuals than those without OA. The association remained when Knee OA, hip OA or hand OA were considered separately, and was stronger in those with increasing number of joints. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical OA is associated with frailty and pre-frailty in older adults in European countries. This association might be considered when designing appropriate intervention strategies for OA management.

Relationships between physical performance and knee and hip osteoarthritis: findings from the European Project on Osteoarthritis (EPOSA).

BACKGROUND: poor physical performance (PP) is known to be associated with disability, lower quality of life and higher mortality rates. Knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA) might be expected to contribute to poor PP, through joint pain and restricted range of movement. Both clinical and self-reported OA are often used for large-scale community and epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVE: to examine the relationships between hip and knee OA and PP in a large data set comprising cohorts from six European countries. METHODS: a total of 2,942 men and women aged 65-85 years from the Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the UK were recruited. Assessment included an interview and clinical assessment for OA. PP was determined from walking speed, chair rises and balance (range 0-12); low PP was defined as a score of ≤9. RESULTS: the mean (SD) age was 74.2 (5.1) years. Rates of self-reported OA were much higher than clinical OA. Advanced age, female gender, lower educational attainment, abstinence from alcohol and higher body mass index were independently associated with low PP. Clinical knee OA, hip OA or both were associated with a higher risk of low PP; OR (95% CI) 2.93 (2.36, 3.64), 3.79 (2.49, 5.76) and 7.22 (3.63, 14.38), respectively, with relationships robust to adjustment for the confounders above as well as pain. CONCLUSION: lower limb OA at the hip and knee is associated with low PP, and for clinical diagnosis relationships are robust to adjustment for pain. Those at highest risk have clinical OA at both sites.

Diabetes in older people: Prevalence, incidence and its association with medium- and long-term mortality from all causes.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and incidence of self-reported diabetes and to study its association with medium- and long-term mortality from all causes in persons ≥ 65 years. DESIGN: A population-based cohort study begun in 1993. SETTING: "Envejecer en Leganés" cohort (Madrid). PARTICIPANTS: A random sample of persons ≥ 65 years (n=1277 in the 1993 baseline sample). METHODS: Participants were classified as having diabetes if they so reported and had consulted a physician for this reason within the last year. Diabetes history was categorized in <10 and ≥ 10 years in 1993. Incidence density was calculated in 2-year periods in non-diabetic individuals (1965 persons/2 years). Vital status was recorded on 31 December 2011. The association between diabetes history ≥ 10 years and mortality at 6 and 18 years follow-up was studied by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses after adjusting for age, sex, heart disease and comorbidity. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported diabetes rose from 10.3% in 1993 to 16.1% in 1999 (p ≤ 0.001) and was higher in women than men (p ≤ 0.05). Total incidence density was 2.6 cases/100 persons/2 years (95% CI: 2.0-3.3). Medium- and long-term mortality was higher in persons with diabetes history ≥ 10 years than in non-diabetic individuals (HR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.2-3.3 and HR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1-2.5, respectively). In diabetics with history <10 years the HR was 1.3 (95% CI: 0.9-1.9) and HR: 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.9, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although diabetes is clearly associated with increased risk of mortality, it is significant only for patients with ≥ 10 years' history of diabetes.

Self-perceived weather sensitivity and joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis in six European countries: results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA).

BACKGROUND: People with osteoarthritis (OA) frequently report that their joint pain is influenced by weather conditions. This study aimed to examine whether there are differences in perceived joint pain between older people with OA who reported to be weather-sensitive versus those who did not in six European countries with different climates and to identify characteristics of older persons with OA that are most predictive of perceived weather sensitivity. METHODS: Baseline data from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA) were used. ACR classification criteria were used to determine OA. Participants with OA were asked about their perception of weather as influencing their pain. Using a two-week follow-up pain calendar, average self-reported joint pain was assessed (range: 0 (no pain)-10 (greatest pain intensity)). Linear regression analyses, logistic regression analyses and an independent t-test were used. Analyses were adjusted for several confounders. RESULTS: The majority of participants with OA (67.2%) perceived the weather as affecting their pain. Weather-sensitive participants reported more pain than non-weather-sensitive participants (M = 4.1, SD = 2.4 versus M = 3.1, SD = 2.4; p < 0.001). After adjusting for several confounding factors, the association between self-perceived weather sensitivity and joint pain remained present (B = 0.37, p = 0.03). Logistic regression analyses revealed that women and more anxious people were more likely to report weather sensitivity. Older people with OA from Southern Europe were more likely to indicate themselves as weather-sensitive persons than those from Northern Europe. CONCLUSIONS: Weather (in)stability may have a greater impact on joint structures and pain perception in people from Southern Europe. The results emphasize the importance of considering weather sensitivity in daily life of older people with OA and may help to identify weather-sensitive older people with OA.

Frailty prevalence and slow walking speed in persons age 65 and older: implications for primary care.

BACKGROUND: Frailty in the elderly increases their vulnerability and leads to a greater risk of adverse events. According to various studies, the prevalence of the frailty syndrome in persons age 65 and over ranges between 3% and 37%, depending on age and sex. Walking speed in itself is considered a simple indicator of health status and of survival in older persons. Detecting frailty in primary care consultations can help improve care of the elderly, and walking speed may be an indicator that could facilitate the early diagnosis of frailty in primary care. The objective of this work was to estimate frailty-syndrome prevalence and walking speed in an urban population aged 65 years and over, and to analyze the relationship between the two indicators from the perspective of early diagnosis of frailty in the primary care setting. METHODS: Population cohort of persons age 65 and over from two urban neighborhoods in northern Madrid (Spain). Cross-sectional analysis. Bivariate and multivariate analysis with binary logistic regression to study the variables associated with frailty. Different cut-off points between 0.4 and 1.4 m/s were used to study walking speed in this population. The relationship between frailty and walking speed was analyzed using likelihood ratios. RESULTS: The study sample comprised 1,327 individuals age 65 and older with mean age 75.41 ± 7.41 years; 53.4% were women. Estimated frailty in the study population was 10.5% [95% CI: 8.9-12.3]. Frailty increased with age (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.10-1.19) and was associated with poor self-rated health (OR = 2.52; 95% CI: 1.43-4.44), number of drugs prescribed (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.08-1.26) and disability (OR = 6.58; 95% CI: 3.92-11.05). Walking speed less than 0.8 m/s was found in 42.6% of cases and in 56.4% of persons age 75 and over. Walking speed greater than 0.9 m/s ruled out frailty in the study sample. Persons age 75 and older with walking speed <0.8 m/s are at particularly high risk of frailty (32.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty-syndrome prevalence is high in persons aged 75 and over. Detection of walking speed <0.8 m/s is a simple approach to the diagnosis of frailty in the primary care setting.

European project on osteoarthritis: design of a six-cohort study on the personal and societal burden of osteoarthritis in an older European population.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is a major contributor to functional impairment and loss of independence in older persons. The European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA) is a collaborative study involving six European cohort studies on ageing. This project focuses on the personal and societal burden and its determinants of osteoarthritis. This paper describes the design of the project, and presents some descriptive analyses on selected variables across countries. METHODS/DESIGN: EPOSA is an observational study including pre-harmonized data from European cohort studies (Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) on older community-dwelling persons aged 65 to 85 years. In total, 2942 persons were included in the baseline study with a mean age of 74.2 years (SD 5.1), just over half were women (51,9%). The baseline assessment was conducted by a face-to-face interview followed by a clinical examination. Measures included physical, cognitive, psychological and social functioning, lifestyle behaviour, physical environment, wellbeing and care utilisation. The clinical examination included anthropometry, muscle strength, physical performance and OA exam. A follow-up assessment was performed 12-18 months after baseline. DISCUSSION: The EPOSA study is the first population-based study including a clinical examination of OA, using pre-harmonized data across European countries. The EPOSA study provides a unique opportunity to study the determinants and consequences of OA in general populations of older persons, including both care-seeking and non care-seeking persons.