Prediabetes and Fracture Risk Among Midlife Women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Importance: Whether prediabetes is associated with fracture is uncertain. Objective: To evaluate whether prediabetes before the menopause transition (MT) is associated with incident fracture during and after the MT. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data collected between January 6, 1996, and February 28, 2018, in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation cohort study, an ongoing, US-based, multicenter, longitudinal study of the MT in diverse ambulatory women. The study included 1690 midlife women in premenopause or early perimenopause at study inception (who have since transitioned to postmenopause) who did not have type 2 diabetes before the MT and who did not take bone-beneficial medications before the MT. Start of the MT was defined as the first visit in late perimenopause (or first postmenopausal visit if participants transitioned directly from premenopause or early perimenopause to postmenopause). Mean (SD) follow-up was 12 (6) years. Statistical analysis was conducted from January to May 2022. Exposure: Proportion of visits before the MT that women had prediabetes (fasting glucose, 100-125 mg/dL [to convert to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0555]), with values ranging from 0 (prediabetes at no visits) to 1 (prediabetes at all visits). Main Outcomes and Measures: Time to first fracture after the start of the MT, with censoring at first diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, initiation of bone-beneficial medication, or last follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine the association (before and after adjustment for bone mineral density) of prediabetes before the MT with fracture during the MT and after menopause. Results: This analysis included 1690 women (mean [SD] age, 49.7 [3.1] years; 437 Black women [25.9%], 197 Chinese women [11.7%], 215 Japanese women [12.7%], and 841 White women [49.8%]; mean [SD] body mass index [BMI] at the start of the MT, 27.6 [6.6]). A total of 225 women (13.3%) had prediabetes at 1 or more study visits before the MT, and 1465 women (86.7%) did not have prediabetes before the MT. Of the 225 women with prediabetes, 25 (11.1%) sustained a fracture, while 111 of the 1465 women without prediabetes (7.6%) sustained a fracture. After adjustment for age, BMI, and cigarette use at the start of the MT; fracture before the MT; use of bone-detrimental medications; race and ethnicity; and study site, prediabetes before the MT was associated with more subsequent fractures (hazard ratio for fracture with prediabetes at all vs no pre-MT visits, 2.20 [95% CI, 1.11-4.37]; P = .02). This association was essentially unchanged after controlling for BMD at the start of the MT. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study of midlife women suggests that prediabetes was associated with risk of fracture. Future research should determine whether treating prediabetes reduces fracture risk.

Quantifying physical activity across the midlife: Does consideration of perceived exertion matter?

Many questionnaires ascertain physical activity (PA) frequency, duration, and intensity to benchmark achievement of PA recommendations. However, most scoring algorithms utilize absolute intensity estimates when exertion may be influenced by age or health characteristics. This study quantified PA estimates with and without adjustments for perceived exertion and evaluated if differences were associated with individual-level characteristics. Women (n = 2,711) in the United States from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation who completed ≥ 3 Kaiser Physical Activity Surveys (KPAS) across 8 biennial visits were included (baseline age: 46.4 ± 2.7 years). KPAS responses about activity mode and exertion were converted to metabolic equivalent of a task (METs) using the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities to estimate absolute and perceived intensity-adjusted METs. Repeated measures (linear mixed effects) regression models were used to examine associations of sociodemographic and health-related characteristics with change in the difference between absolute MET estimates and perceived intensity-adjusted MET estimates. Older age (p < 0.001), Chinese (p < 0.001) and Japanese (p = 0.01) ethnicity, and current smoking (p = 0.001) were associated with positive differences between absolute and perceived intensity-adjusted MET estimates, which is suggestive of lower perceived-intensity physical activity. However, for most participants, absolute intensity-based estimates closely approximated perceived intensity-adjusted estimates over time. Traditional PA scoring techniques using absolute intensity estimates only may provide sufficient estimates of PA in longitudinal cohort studies of mid-life and older adult women.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and incident diabetes in midlife women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN).

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Diabetogenic effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been suggested. However, evidence based on prospective cohort studies is limited. We examined the association between serum PFAS concentrations and incident diabetes in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Multi-Pollutant Study (SWAN-MPS). METHODS: We included 1237 diabetes-free women aged 45-56 years at baseline (1999-2000) who were followed up to 2017. At each follow-up visit, women with incident diabetes were identified by the presence of one or more of the following conditions: (1) use of a glucose-lowering medication at any visit; (2) fasting glucose ≥7 mmol/l on two consecutive visits while not on steroids; and (3) any two visits with self-reported diabetes and at least one visit with fasting blood glucose ≥7 mmol/l. Serum concentrations of 11 PFAS were quantified by online solid-phase extraction-HPLC-isotope dilution-tandem MS. Seven PFAS with high detection rates (>96%) (n-perfluorooctanoic acid [n-PFOA], perfluorononanoic acid [PFNA], perfluorohexane sulfonic acid [PFHxS], n-perfluorooctane sulfonic acid [n-PFOS], sum of perfluoromethylheptane sulfonic acid isomers [Sm-PFOS], 2-[N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido] acetic acid [MeFOSAA] and 2-[N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido] acetic acid) were included in data analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute HRs and 95% CIs. Quantile-based g-computation was used to evaluate the joint effects of PFAS mixtures. RESULTS: After adjustment for race/ethnicity, site, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, total energy intake, physical activity, menopausal status and BMI, the HR (95% CI) comparing the lowest with the highest tertile was 1.67 (1.21, 2.31) for n-PFOA (ptrend = 0.001), 1.58 (1.13, 2.21) for PFHxS (ptrend = 0.003), 1.36 (0.97, 1.90) for Sm-PFOS (ptrend = 0.05), 1.85 (1.28, 2.67) for MeFOSAA (ptrend = 0.0004) and 1.64 (1.17, 2.31) for the sum of four common PFAS (n-PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and total PFOS) (ptrend = 0.002). Exposure to seven PFAS as mixtures was associated with an HR of 2.62 (95% CI 1.12, 6.20), comparing the top with the bottom tertiles for all seven PFAS. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: This study suggests that PFAS may increase diabetes risk in midlife women. Reduced exposure to these 'forever and everywhere chemicals' may be an important preventative approach to lowering population-wide diabetes risk.

Longitudinal association of midlife vision impairment and depressive symptoms: the study of Women's Health Across the Nation, Michigan site.

OBJECTIVE: Poor vision affects physical health but the relationship with depressive symptoms among midlife adults (40-65 y), who often present with early stage vision impairment (VI), is not well understood. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of vision on depressive symptoms during midlife. METHODS: The Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation conducted assessments of distance visual acuity at six consecutive, near-annual follow-up visits. At each visit, depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale) were assessed. VI was defined as mild (20/30-20/60) or moderate-severe (20/70 or worse). Multivariable logistic regression models using generalized estimating equations were used to assess the association of VI and reporting of depressive symptoms at the subsequent visit. RESULTS: At analytic baseline, the mean age of participants (N = 226) was 50.0 years (standard deviation = 2.6). More than half (53.5%) of women had mild VI and 8.0% had moderate-severe VI. Adjusting for age, preexisting depressive symptoms, race, education, economic strain, body mass index, and smoking, participants with mild and moderate-severe VI had 68% (95% C (0.97-2.90)) and 2.55-fold (95% CI 1.13-5.75) higher odds of reporting depressive symptoms at their subsequent study visit as compared with women without VI. Further adjustment for diabetes, hypertension, and osteoarthritis attenuated the estimates and the associations were no longer statistically significant. CONCLUSION: VI was associated with increased odds of future depressive symptoms among mid-life women. Timely detection and appropriate correction of VI may be important to consider in maintaining the mental health status of midlife women.

Associations of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS mixtures with adipokines in midlife women.

BACKGROUND: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure have been associated with obesity and related comorbidities, possibly through disrupting signaling pathways of adipokines. Both leptin and adiponectin can modulate metabolic processes. However, the effects of PFAS on adipokines are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We determined if serum PFAS concentrations were associated with adipokine profiles in midlife women. METHODS: We examined 1245 women aged 45-56 years from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Concentrations of 11 PFAS were quantified in baseline serum samples collected in 1999-2000. Linear and branched perfluorooctane sulfonic acid isomers (n-PFOS and Sm-PFOS) and their sum (PFOS), linear perfluorooctanoic acid (n-PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (MeFOSAA), and 2-(N-ethyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamido) acetic acid (EtFOSAA) with detection frequencies >60% were included in the analysis. Adipokines including leptin, soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R), free leptin index (FLI, the ratio of leptin to sOB-R), total and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin were assessed in 2002-2003. We utilized multivariable linear regressions and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to assess individual and overall joint effects of PFAS on adipokines with adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, study site, education, smoking status, physical activity, menopausal status, and waist circumference. RESULTS: A doubling of PFAS concentrations was associated with 7.8% (95% CI: 2.5%, 13.4%) higher FLI for PFOS, 9.4% (95% CI: 3.7%, 15.3%) for n-PFOA, 5.5% (95% CI: 2.2%, 9.0%) for EtFOSAA and 7.4% (95% CI: 2.8%, 12.2%) for MeFOSAA. Similar associations were found for leptin. Only EtFOSAA was associated with lower sOB-R concentrations (-1.4%, 95% CI: -2.7%, -0.1%). Results remained in women with overweight or obesity but not those with normal weight or underweight. No statistically significant associations were observed with total or HMW adiponectin, except for PFNA with total and HMW adiponectin observed in women with normal weight or underweight. In BKMR analysis, women with PFAS concentrations at the median and the 90th percentile had 30.9% (95% CI: 15.6%, 48.3%) and 52.1% (95% CI: 27.9%, 81.0%) higher FLI, respectively, compared with those with concentrations fixed at the 10th percentile. CONCLUSION: Some PFAS may alter circulating levels of leptin. Understanding associations between PFAS and adipokines may help elucidate whether PFAS can influence obesity and metabolic disease.

Markers of Low-Iron Status Are Associated with Female Athlete Triad Risk Factors.

PURPOSE: The Female Athlete Triad (Triad) is common in female athletes. The Triad is caused by low-energy availability (EA), which is often difficult to measure and has been postulated to be associated with low-iron status. Here, we explore whether markers of low-iron status may be associated with indicators of low EA including Triad risk factors. METHODS: A total of 239 female National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletes completed preparticipation examinations that included Triad risk factors, medication/supplement use, diagnosis of anemia, and elected to complete dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan to measure bone mineral density. The association of markers of low iron (defined as self-report of iron supplementation and/or history of anemia) with each component of the Triad risk assessment score was assessed by stratifying low-iron status across different levels of Triad risk category. Differences across iron status groups were assessed using Fisher exact testing. RESULTS: Every component of the Triad risk assessment score excluding delayed menarche was associated with low-iron status. The proportion of women who reported low iron was 11.5% in the low-risk EA group compared with 50% in the moderate-risk and 66.7% in the high-risk EA groups (P = 0.02); respectively. These numbers were 11.6%, 25.0%, and 66.7% (P = 0.02) for body mass index; 9.7%, 16.7%, and 25.0% (P < 0.05) for oligomenorrhea; 10.3%, 45.5%, and 50.0% (P < 0.01) for bone mineral density; and 10.4%, 20.8%, and 30.8% (P = 0.03) for history of stress reaction or fracture. Lean/endurance athletes were more likely to have low-iron status than other athletes (15.5% vs 3.4%, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Markers for low-iron status were associated with Triad risk factors. Our study suggests that female athletes with a history of anemia or iron supplementation may require further screening for low EA.

Contribution of common chronic conditions to midlife physical function decline: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

BACKGROUND: Chronic conditions are associated with worse physical function and commonly develop during midlife. We tested whether the presence of 8 chronic conditions, or the development of these conditions, is associated with declines in physical function among midlife women as they transition into early late life. METHODS: Participants (N = 2283) were from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Physical function was assessed at 8 visits starting at the study's fourth clinic visit in 2000/2001 through follow-up visit 15 (2015/2017) using the Short Form-36 Physical Function subscale. Chronic conditions included diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, stroke, heart disease, cancer, and depressive symptoms. Repeated-measures Poisson regression modeled associations between 1) prevalent chronic conditions at analytic baseline (visit 4) and longitudinal physical function, and 2) change in physical function associated with developing a new condition. Models were adjusted with the total number of other chronic conditions at visit 4. RESULTS: In separate fully-adjusted longitudinal models, prevalent heart disease and osteoporosis were associated with 18% (IRR = 0.815, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.755-0.876) and 12% (IRR = 0.876, 95% CI: 0.825-0.927) worse initial physical function, respectively. Prevalent osteoarthritis was associated with approximately 6% (IRR = 0.936, 95% CI: 0.913-0.958) worse initial physical function, and a slight additional worsening over time (IRR = 0.995, 95% CI: 0.994-0.996). A 12% (IRR = 0.878, 95% CI: 0.813-0.950) decrease in physical function concurrent with stroke development was evident, as was accelerated decline in physical function concurrent with heart disease development (IRR = 0.991, 95% CI: 0.988-0.995). CONCLUSIONS: Initial prevalent conditions related to the musculoskeletal system were associated with worse initial physical function, with some evidence of accelerated decline in physical function with osteoarthritis. Stroke and heart disease are less common than osteoarthritis in this age group, but the severe effects of these conditions on physical function shows the need for a greater focus on cardiovascular health during midlife. Women who develop chronic conditions during midlife may be at particular risk for poor physical function as they age, warranting disability prevention efforts focused on this population.

The impact of breast cancer on physical activity from midlife to early older adulthood and predictors of change post-diagnosis.

PURPOSE: To examine physical activity (PA) patterns from pre- to post-diagnosis, and compare these changes to women without breast cancer. To determine pre-diagnosis predictors of PA change, post-diagnosis, in breast cancer survivors (BCS). METHODS: Data were from 2314 Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) participants, average age of 46.4 ± 2.7 years at baseline (1996-1997). In Pink SWAN, 151 women who reported an incident breast cancer diagnosis over 20 years were classified as BCS; the remaining 2163 women were controls. LOESS plots and linear mixed models were used to illustrate and compare PA changes (sports/exercise [primary measure] and total PA) from pre- to post-diagnosis (or corresponding period) in BCS versus controls. Adjusted linear regression models were used to determine pre-diagnosis predictors of at-risk post-diagnosis PA change patterns (consistently low and decreased PA). RESULTS: No differences in pre- to post-diagnosis PA (or corresponding period) were observed in BCS versus controls. Among BCS, the odds of at-risk post-diagnosis PA change patterns was 2.50 (95% CI 0.96-6.48) times higher for those who reported sleep problems at ≥ 50% (compared to 0%) of pre-diagnosis visits and 3.49 (95% CI 1.26-9.65) times higher for those who were overweight or obese at all (compared to no) pre-diagnosis visits. No other statistically significant predictors were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Age-related declines in PA were not amplified by a breast cancer diagnosis. Given the beneficial role of PA across the cancer control continuum, efforts to increase or maintain adequate PA, post-diagnosis, should be continued. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: While age-related physical activity declines were not amplified breast cancer diagnosis, efforts to identify breast cancer survivors at increased risk for post-diagnosis physical activity declines (or maintenance of low activity) may be a high-yield strategy to improve prognosis and quality of life.

Impact of Chronic Medical Condition Development on Longitudinal Physical Function from Mid- to Early Late-Life: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

BACKGROUND: Chronic medical conditions (CMCs) often emerge and accumulate during the transition from mid- to late-life, and the resulting multimorbidity can greatly impact physical function. We assessed the association of CMC presence and incidence on trajectories of physical function from mid- to early late-life in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. METHODS: Physical function was assessed at eight clinic visits (average 14 years follow-up) using the physical function subscale of the Short Form-36. CMCs included osteoarthritis, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and depressive symptomatology, and were considered cumulatively. Repeated-measures Poisson models estimated longitudinal change (expressed as percent difference) in physical function by chronic CMCs. Change-points assessed physical function change coincident with the development of a new condition. RESULTS: Women (N = 2,283) followed from age 50.0 ± 2.7 to 64.0 ± 3.7 years; 7.3% had zero CMCs through follow-up, 22.5% (N = 513) had no baseline CMCs but developed ≥1, 22.7% women had ≥1 baseline CMC but never developed another, and 47.6% had ≥1 baseline CMC and developed ≥1 more. Each additional baseline CMC was associated with 4.0% worse baseline physical function and annual decline of 0.20%/year. Women with more baseline CMCs had greater decline in physical function with a new CMC (-1.90% per condition); and annual decline when developing a new condition accelerated by -0.33%/year per condition. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported physical function changes are evident from mid- to early late-life with the development of CMCs. Preventing or delaying CMCs may delay declines in physical function, and these potential pathways to disability warrant further research.

The association between perceived discrimination in midlife and peripheral neuropathy in a population-based cohort of women: the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

PURPOSE: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a highly prevalent condition with serious sequelae. Many studies of the condition have been restricted to populations with diabetes, limiting evidence of potential contributing risk factors including salient psychosocial risk factors such as discrimination. METHODS: The longitudinal Study of Women's Health Across the Nation was used to assess the relationship between perceived discrimination and prevalent PN in 1718 ethnically diverse midlife women. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine the association between perceived discrimination (Detroit Area Study Everyday Discrimination Scale) and PN (symptom questionnaire and monofilament testing) and conducted an assessment of the mediating effects of body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: The prevalence of PN was 26.1% in the total sample and 40.9% among women with diabetes. Women who reported perceived discrimination had 29% higher odds of PN compared with women who did not report perceived discrimination (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.66). Approximately 30% of the total effect of discrimination on PN was mediated indirectly by BMI. CONCLUSIONS: More research is needed to determine the contributing factors to nondiabetic PN. Our findings reaffirm the impact of financial strain, BMI, and diabetes as significant correlates of PN and highlight discrimination as an important risk factor.

Serum Sex Hormones and the Risk of Fracture Across the Menopausal Transition: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

CONTEXT: Sex steroid hormones have been linked to fractures in older women. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that hormones measured over the menopausal transition predict fractures. SETTING: Seven US clinical centers. SUBJECTS AND MEASUREMENTS: Two thousand nine hundred sixty women (average age, 46.4 ± 2.7 years) who had at least two repeat hormone measures and prospective information on fractures. Fasting serum was collected annually for hormone assays. Estradiol (E2) was measured with a modified direct immunoassay. FSH and SHBG were measured with two-site chemiluminescence immunoassays. Hormones were lagged (visit year -1) and transformed using log base 2. Incident fractures were ascertained at each annual visit. All medications including hormone therapy were time varying covariates. Discrete survival methods were used. RESULTS: Five hundred eight (17.2%) women experienced an incident fracture over an average follow up of 8.8 ± 4.4 years. Women who experienced an incident fracture were more likely to be white, report high alcohol intake and diabetes, and less likely to report premenopausal status at baseline. A woman whose log E2 was twice that of another had a 10% lower risk of fracture independent of covariates, relative risk (95% CI) = 0.90 (0.82, 0.98). Neither FSH nor SHBG were associated with fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Serum E2 levels may help to identify women at higher risk of fractures over the menopausal transition. However, hormone assays must be standardized across laboratories for clinical implementation and further work is needed to define E2 thresholds.

Age at Onset of Metabolic Syndrome Among Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-Like Status.

CONTEXT: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), but whether they develop MetS earlier than women without PCOS is unknown. Understanding the impact of PCOS on the timing of MetS onset is important for screening and clinical care in this population. DESIGN: Women with PCOS-like status (PCOSp) were identified from participants of the Michigan Bone Health and Metabolism Study based upon history of irregular menstrual cycles, high free-androgen index, and high levels of antimüllerian hormone. MetS was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Age at MetS onset was compared between women with and without PCOSp using an accelerated failure time model adjusted for baseline education, lifestyle factors, and midlife body weight. RESULTS: Among the 496 women in the analysis, 11.7% (n = 58) were determined to have PCOSp. Over a mean follow-up of 11 years, 20 women with PCOSp and 136 women without PCOSp developed MetS. After adjusting for smoking, education, and physical activity, women with PCOSp developed MetS at an age 14.4% (95% CI -22.7, -5.2) younger than women without PCOSp. The magnitude of the association was attenuated to 5.4% in models additionally adjusted for body mass index (95% CI -12.4, 2.1). Because a typical study participant without PCOSp developed MetS at 51.5 years old, 5.4% translates to almost 3 years earlier onset of MetS for a comparable woman with PCOSp. CONCLUSIONS: Women with PCOSp develop MetS at a younger age. Earlier screening for MetS in women with PCOS may be warranted.

Healthy Lifestyle During the Midlife Is Prospectively Associated With Less Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Background Measures of subclinical atherosclerosis are predictors of future cardiovascular outcomes as well as of physical and cognitive functioning. The menopausal transition is associated with accelerated progression of atherosclerosis in women. The prospective association between a healthy lifestyle during the midlife and subclinical atherosclerosis is unclear. Methods and Results Self-reported data on smoking, diet, and physical activity from 1143 women in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation were used to construct a 10-year average Healthy Lifestyle Score ( HLS ) during the midlife. Markers of subclinical atherosclerosis were measured 14 years after baseline and included common carotid artery intima-media thickness ( CCA - IMT ), adventitial diameter ( CCA - AD ), and carotid plaque. The associations of average HLS with CCA - IMT and CCA - AD were estimated using linear models; the association of average HLS with carotid plaque was estimated using cumulative logit models. Average HLS was associated with smaller CCA - IMT and CCA - AD in the fully adjusted models ( P=0.0031 and <0.001, respectively). Compared with participants in the lowest HLS level, those in the highest level had 0.024 mm smaller CCA - IMT (95% confidence interval: -0.048, 0.000), which equals 17% of the SD of CCA - IMT , and 0.16 mm smaller CCA - AD (95% confidence interval: -0.27, -0.04), which equals 24% of the SD of CCA - AD . Among the 3 components of the HLS , abstinence from smoking had the strongest association with subclinical atherosclerosis. Conclusions Healthy lifestyle during the menopausal transition is associated with less subclinical atherosclerosis, highlighting the growing recognition that the midlife is a critical window for cardiovascular prevention in women.

Low grip strength predicts incident diabetes among mid-life women: the Michigan Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Background: skeletal muscle is the primary site of glucose uptake, yet the impact of age-related changes in muscle strength on diabetes risk is unknown. Methods: four hundred and twenty-four participants (60% Black, 40% White) from the Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation contributed annual grip strength measures and were followed from 1996 to 2012 to identify incident cases of diabetes. Diabetes was defined as self-reported physician-diagnosed diabetes, use of anti-diabetic medications or measured fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dl or haemoglobin A1c > 6.5%. Results: the 16-year diabetes incidence was 37%. The average baseline weight-normalised grip strength (NGS, kg per kg body weight) was 0.41 ± 0.12 and a mean of 0.29 ± 0.14 kg of absolute grip strength was lost per year. Each 0.1 higher NGS was associated with a 19% lower hazard of incident diabetes (P = 0.006) after adjustment for age, race/ethnicity, economic strain, smoking, menopause status, hormone use, physical activity and waist-hip ratio. In race/ethnic-stratified models, each 0.10 increase in NGS was associated with a 54% lower hazard of incident diabetes (P < 0.0001) among White women but the association among Black women was not statistically significant. In models without adjustment for waist-hip ratio or restricted to women <48 years of age at baseline, there was a statistically significant association between baseline NGS and incident diabetes among Black women. The rate of change in grip strength was not associated with diabetes incidence. Conclusion: the mid-life is an important risk period for diabetes onset. Improving muscle strength. during mid-life may contribute to preventing diabetes among women.

Effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics Program in the Trinity Health System.

INTRODUCTION: This study determined the effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics intervention. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: This was a pragmatic, quasi-experimental study conducted from 2010 to 2013 and analyzed from 2014 to 2015 in five Michigan community hospitals; three received the Tobacco Tactics intervention, and two received usual care. Smokers (N=1,528) were identified during hospitalization, and sent surveys and cotinine tests after 6 months. Changes in pre- to post-intervention quit rates in the intervention sites were compared with usual care control sites. INTERVENTION: The toolkit for nurses included: (1) 1 continuing education unit contact hour for training; (2) a PowerPoint presentation on behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions; (3) a pocket card entitled "Helping Smokers Quit: A Guide for Clinicians"; (4) behavioral and pharmaceutical protocols; and (5) a computerized template for documentation. The toolkit for patients included: (1) a brochure; (2) a cessation DVD; (3) the Tobacco Tactics manual; (4) a 1-800-QUIT-NOW card; (5) nurse behavioral counseling and pharmaceuticals; (6) physician reminders to offer brief advice to quit coupled with medication sign-off; and (7) follow-up phone calls by trained hospital volunteers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The effectiveness of the intervention was measured by 6-month 30-day point prevalence; self-reported quit rates with NicAlert(®) urinary biochemical verification (48-hour detection period); and the use of electronic medical record data among non-responders. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in pre- to post-intervention self-reported quit rates (5.7% vs 16.5%, p<0.001) and cotinine-verified quit rates (4.3% vs 8.0%, p<0.05) in the intervention sites compared with no change in the control sites. Propensity-adjusted multivariable analyses showed a significant improvement in self-reported 6-month quit rates from the pre- to post-intervention time periods in the intervention sites compared to the control sites (p=0.044) and a non-statistically significant improvement in the cotinine-verified 6-month quit rate. CONCLUSIONS: The Tobacco Tactics intervention, which meets the Joint Commission standards for inpatient smoking, has the potential to significantly decrease smoking among inpatient smokers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrial.gov NCT01309217.

Higher Leptin and Adiponectin Concentrations Predict Poorer Performance-based Physical Functioning in Midlife Women: the Michigan Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

BACKGROUND: Excess fat mass is a greater contributor to functional limitations than is reduced lean mass or the presence of obesity-related conditions. The impact of fat mass on physical functioning may be due to adipokines, adipose-derived proteins that have pro- or anti-inflammatory properties. METHODS: Serum samples from 1996 to 2003 that were assayed for leptin, adiponectin, and resistin were provided by 511 participants from the Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Physical functioning performance was assessed annually during study visits from 1996 to 2003. RESULTS: Among this population of Black and White women (mean baseline age = 45.6 years, SD = 2.7 years), all of whom were premenopausal at baseline, higher baseline leptin concentrations predicted longer stair climb, sit-to-rise, and 2-pound lift times and shorter forward reach distance (all p < .01). This relationship persisted after adjustment for age, BMI, percent skeletal muscle mass, race/ethnicity, economic strain, bodily pain, diabetes, knee osteoarthritis, and C-reactive protein. Baseline total adiponectin concentrations did not predict any mobility measures but did predict quadriceps strength; a 1 µg/mL higher adiponectin concentration was associated with 0.64 Nm lower quadriceps strength (p = .02). Resistin was not associated with any of the physical functioning performance measures. Change in the adipokines was not associated with physical functioning. CONCLUSION: In this population of middle-aged women, higher baseline leptin concentrations predicted poorer mobility-based functioning, whereas higher adiponectin concentrations predicted reduced quadriceps strength. These findings suggest that the relationship between the adipokines and physical functioning performance is independent of other known correlates of poor functioning.

Childhood Socioeconomic Circumstances, Inflammation, and Hemostasis Among Midlife Women: Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

BACKGROUND: Childhood socioeconomic status (SES) is related to risk for cardiovascular disease in adulthood, perhaps, in part, due to associations with inflammatory and hemostasis processes. We tested the hypotheses that childhood SES is related to C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, factor VIIc, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in midlife women and that the associations are mediated by adult SES and/or adult body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Using data from the prospective Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, we classified 1067 black and white women into 3 multidimensional childhood SES groups based on latent class analysis. Biological measures were assessed across 7 years along with covariates and mediators and analyzed by mixed regression models, followed by tests for mediation. RESULTS: Compared with women raised in high SES families, those from the lowest SES families had higher levels of CRP (b [standard error] = 0.37 [0.11]), PAI-1 (b = 0.23 [0.07]) factor VIIc (b = 0.05 [0.02]), and fibrinogen (b = 11.06 [4.89]), after adjustment for ethnicity, site, age, ratings of health between ages 11 and 18 years, visit, smoking status, menopausal status, stroke or heart attack, medications, and hormone use. Introduction of adult SES and BMI into the models reduced the childhood SES associations to nonsignificance for all four measures. Indirect mediation was apparent for adult education and BMI for CRP, and BMI for PAI-1. CONCLUSIONS: Women raised in lower SES families had elevated markers of inflammation and hemostasis, in part, due to elevated BMI and education in adulthood.

Effectiveness of the tobacco tactics program for psychiatric inpatient veterans: an implementation study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the inpatient, nurse-administered Tobacco Tactics program for patients admitted for psychiatric conditions in two Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals compared to a control hospital. METHODS: This is a subgroup analysis of data from the inpatient tobacco tactics effectiveness trial, which was a longitudinal, pre- post-nonrandomized comparison design with 6-month follow-up in the three large Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISN) 11 hospitals. RESULTS: Six-month self-reported quit rates for patients admitted for psychiatric conditions increased from 3.5% pre-intervention to 10.2% post-intervention compared to a decrease in self-reported quit rates in the control hospital (12% pre-intervention to 1.6% post-intervention). There was significant improvement in self-reported quit rates for the pre- versus post-intervention time periods in the Detroit and Ann Arbor intervention sites compared to the Indianapolis control site (P=0.01) and cotinine results were in the same direction. CONCLUSION: The implementation of the Tobacco Tactics intervention has the potential to significantly decrease smoking and smoking-related morbidity and mortality among smokers admitted to VA hospitals for psychiatric disorders.

Differences in risk perception and quit rates among hospitalized veteran pipe smokers, cigarette smokers, and dual users.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined differences in perception of risk, hospitalization quit rates, and 6-month quit rates between pipe smokers, cigarettes smokers, and those who smoke both in the Department of Veterans Affairs. METHODS: Before implementing the Tobacco Tactics intervention (among 811 smokers), smoking quit rates were determined (among N = 465 patients with 6-month follow-up data available) in three Midwestern hospitals during 2006-2010. RESULTS: Pipe smokers were less likely to believe that they needed to quit tobacco, that quitting would be difficult, and that quitting tobacco was important to their health. Eighty-five percent of pipe smokers remained tobacco free throughout their hospital stay compared with 59% of dual smokers and 60% of cigarette smokers (p < .10). Twenty-three percent of pipe smokers remained tobacco free at 6 months compared with 19% of dual users and 7% of cigarette smokers (p < .10). CONCLUSION: Although pipe smokers had higher spontaneous quit rates than dual smokers and cigarette smokers, the perception of the risk of smoking was less among pipe smokers suggesting a need to expel the myths surrounding pipe smoking and increase cessation efforts.

Effectiveness of the tobacco tactics program in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to determine the effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics program in three Veterans Affairs hospitals. METHODS: In this effectiveness trial, inpatient nurses were educated to provide the Tobacco Tactics intervention in Ann Arbor and Detroit, while Indianapolis was the control site (N = 1,070). Smokers were surveyed and given cotinine tests. The components of the intervention included nurse counseling, brochure, DVD, manual, pharmaceuticals, 1-800-QUIT-NOW card, and post-discharge telephone calls. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in 6-month quit rates in the pre- to post-intervention time periods in Ann Arbor (p = 0.004) and Detroit (p < 0.001) compared to Indianapolis. Pre- versus post-intervention quit rates were 4 % compared to 13 % in Detroit, were similar (6 %) pre- and post-intervention in Ann Arbor, and dropped from 26 % to 12 % in Indianapolis. CONCLUSION: The Tobacco Tactics program, which meets the Joint Commission standards that apply to all inpatient smokers, has the potential to significantly decrease smoking among Veterans.