Stroke-independent association between metabolic syndrome and functional dependence, depression, and low quality of life in elderly community-dwelling Brazilian people.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic syndrome (Met.S) is a risk factor for stroke, dementia, and ischemic heart disease (IHD). It is unclear whether Met.S is an independent risk factor for functional dependence, depression, cognitive impairment, and low health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a population free of clinical stroke. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Two communities in southern Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred twenty people aged 60 and older. MEASUREMENTS: An adapted (body mass index > or =30 kg/m(2) and blood pressure > or =140/90) Adult Treatment Panel III definition was used in diagnosing Met.S. Depression (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Revised) and Mini-Mental State Examination were evaluated along with activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). HRQoL was measured using a visual analogue scale (0-10). All values were adjusted for age, sex, and presence of IHD. RESULTS: Forty (9.5%) subjects had a stroke and were excluded from the final analysis. Met.S was present in 37.4% of the stroke-free population. Met.S was significantly and independently associated with 2.24 times as much ADL dependence, 2.39 times as much IADL dependence, a 2.12 times higher risk of depression, a 2.27 times higher likelihood of cognitive impairment, and a 1.62 times higher chance of low self-perceived HRQoL (all P<0.05). Adjustment for its own components reduced the strength of the above associations but did not eliminate their statistical significance. If Met.S were removed from this population, dependence, depression, cognitive impairment, and low QoL would be reduced 15.0% to 21.4%. CONCLUSION: Met.S was significantly associated with functional dependence, depression, cognitive impairment, and low HRQoL, and its effects were independent of clinical stroke, IHD, and its own individual components.

Cognitive impairment and frontal-subcortical geriatric syndrome are associated with metabolic syndrome in a stroke-free population.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (Met.S) consists of a conglomeration of obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and dislipidemia. Frontal-subcortical geriatric syndrome (FSCS) is caused by ischemic disruption of the frontal-subcortical network. It is unknown if Met.S is associated with FSCS. METHODS: We evaluated 422 community-dwelling elderly (> or =60) in Brazil. FSCS was defined as the presence of at least one frontal release sign (grasping, palmomental, snout, or glabellar) plus coexistence of > or =3 the following criteria: (1) cognitive impairment, (2) late-onset depression, (3) neuromotor dysfunction, and (4) urgency incontinence. All values were adjusted to age and gender. RESULTS: Met.S was present in 39.3% of all subjects. Cases without any of the FSCS components represented 37.2% ('successful neuroaging' group). People with 1-3 of the FSCS components ('borderline pathological neuroaging' group) were majority (52.6%), whereas those with 4-5 of these components (FSCS group) were minority (10.2%). Met.S was significantly associated with FSCS (OR=5.9; CI: 1.5-23.4) and cognitive impairment (OR=2.2; CI: 1.1-4.6) among stroke-free subjects. Number of Met.S components explained 30.7% of the variance on the number of FSCS criteria (P<0.001). If Met.S were theoretically removed from this population, prevalence of FSCS would decline by 31.6% and that of cognitive impairment by 21.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Met.S was significantly associated with a 5.9 and 2.2 times higher chance of FSCS and cognitive impairment, respectively. Met.S might be a major determinant of 'successful' or 'pathological' neuroaging in western societies.

Depression, activities of daily living, and quality of life of community-dwelling elderly in three Asian countries: Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan.

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of screening-based depression and the association of depression with activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) of community-dwelling elderly in the developing and developed countries. A total of 2,695 community-dwelling elderly subjects aged 60 years or older living in five rural Asian towns (Indonesia: 411, Vietnam: 379, Japan: 1,905) participated in this cross-sectional study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using a 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15). ADL, higher daily activities, and medical and social history were assessed by interviews or self-report questionnaires. For the assessment of subjective QOL, a 100mm visual analogue scale was used. Using a cut-point of 5/6 for the GDS-15, 782 participants (29.0%) appeared to have depression (Indonesia: 33.8%, Vietnam: 17.2%, Japan: 30.3%). Subjects with depression had significantly lower scores for both ADL and QOL than those without depression in all the three countries. In all the three countries, 17.2-33.8% of community-dwelling elderly subjects had screening-based depression, which was commonly associated with both lower quantitative ADL and lower QOL.

Depression in Japanese community-dwelling elderly--prevalence and association with ADL and QOL.

This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of screening-based depression and compared the scores of activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life (QOL) between community-dwelling elderly subjects with and without depression in Japan. Elderly subjects aged 65 or older living in four rural towns participated in 2000 or 2001 (n = 5363, female 58.3%, mean (S.D.) age 74.6 (7.0) years). Depressive symptoms were assessed using a 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and ADL, higher functions, and medical and social histories were assessed by self-report questionnaires. For assessing subjective QOL, a 100 mm visual analogue scale was used. One thousand seven hundred ninety-eight participants (33.5%, range, 32.3-34.6%) had suggestive depression using cutoff 5/6 of GDS-15. Subjects with depression revealed significantly lower scores for ADL and QOL than those without depression. Prevalence of screening-based depression was similar in the four different rural Japanese towns. However, the reported prevalence of depression varies enormously in different country. Primary physicians and caregivers should pay more attention to depression in the community-dwelling elderly population, especially below the threshold of major depression as minor depression or dysthymia.