Introduction: Population aged >60 years compose the age group that grows the most disproportionately. Despite several positive individual and social aspects an increase in the prevalence of chronic non-communicable diseases, including OA is observed. Hypothesis: Whether physical activity (PA) levels and number of chronic diseases are associated with handgrip strength (HGS), chair stand test (CST) results, and difficulties to dressing among older adults presenting with hip pain and diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: We analyzed Wave 5 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We analyzed two age groups of individuals diagnosed with hip OA: 60-79 and 80-100 year groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic models were constructed considering the poor performance cut-offs in the strength, functioning, and mobility tests as the dependent variables, and physical inactivity, number of chronic diseases, body mass index (BMI), gender and education as the exposure variables. Results: We included 2.088 participants (mean age 73.1±8.5 years). The majority (89.3%) reportedly had two or more chronic diseases, the most prevalent being hypertension. The participants were mostly overweight or obese (69.8%); however, two of three (75%) participants reported moderate-to-vigorous daily activity. Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous PA were significantly and independently associated with muscle weakness, dysfunctioning, and poor mobility in both age groups (p<0.05). Having five or more chronic diseases was significantly associated with disability in individuals with hip OA aged ≥60 years (p<0.05). Conclusions: Low PA levels and chronic conditions are significantly associated with reduced functioning in individuals aged ≥60 years with symptomatic hip OA, especially in the 80-100 year subgroup. These findings are important for stakeholders to maintain adequate PA levels in older individuals despite their hip OA diagnoses.

Background: Aging is associated with various chronic conditions, such as cognitive and muscle strength decline. Previous studies have analysed the association between physical factors and cognitive decline however, the magnitude and the direction of the association between handgrip strength (HGS) and cognitive decline are not fully understood. Objectives: To analyse the association between HGS and cognitive decline in numeracy, recall and verbal fluency according to sex in a large multicentric population. Methods: A longitudinal study including people aged 50 and over from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was conducted, involving participants from 28 European countries. Repeated HGS measures from a dynamometer and cognitive scores in numeracy, recall, and verbal fluency were biannually analysed for 4 years. Individuals with Parkinson along the study or dementia diagnosis at baseline were excluded. For the analysis of HGS as a predictor of future cognitive decline, HGS was categorized in quintiles by sex. In men HGS quintiles were Q1 (8-35kg), Q2 (36-41kg), Q3 (42-45kg), Q4 (46-50kg) and Q5 (51-80kg). In women HGS quintiles were Q1 (4-21kg), Q2 (22-25 kg), Q3 (26-28 kg), Q4 (29-32 kg) and Q5 (33-55 kg). First quintile in each sex was used as reference. In the analysis of cognitive performance as a predictor of HGS decline, different cognitive scores were treated in their logarithmical form as a function of HGS continuously. Possible confounding factors were controlled through general estimated equations and adjusted for baseline handgrip strength quintile and time-varying covariates as age, time, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, BMI index, chronical illnesses, Alzheimer disease, depression, functionality scores, and sarcopenia. Results: A total of 8,236 individuals were included, 55.73% were females with a mean age of 67.55 (± 8.4) years, while in males it was of 68.42 (±7.7) years. A significant longitudinal association between HGS and cognitive function in all three domains was found in both sexes, except numeracy in males. The fully adjusted β coefficients CI (95%) for the fifth HGS quintile in numeracy, verbal fluency and recall were 0.041 (0.004-0.082), 0.078 (0.038-0.117) and 0.095 (0.039-0.151) respectively for men and 0.076 (0.039-0.113), 0.094 (0.060-0.0128) and 0.092 (0.047-0.137) respectively for women. On the other hand the greatest cognitive predictor of HGS was verbal fluency in both sexes, β(95%), 0.796 (0.464 to 1.128)kg in men and 0.801 (0.567 to 1.109)kg in women. Conclusion: There is a significant and bidirectional association between HGS and the cognitive performance in men and women over 50 years studied in SHARE.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the major cause of pain and disability in the elderly. Current treatments include rest, which could potentially harness the global health of these individuals. Aim: To test age, sex, number of comorbidities and levels of physical activity (PA) as determinants of functionality in a well stablished elderly population with hip OA. Methods: We analyzed 548 men and 1540 women with self-reported OA and hip pain over 60 years from SHARE. Sex and age groups were created 428 men 60-79 years old (20.5%) ; 1128 women 60-79 years old ( 54%); 120 men 80-100 ( 5.7%) years and 412 women 80-100 years ( 19.7%). PA was measured as moderate and vigorous (reference)or physically inactive . Five or more comorbidities were compared to one (reference) . Functionality measurement were handgrip strength (cutoffs were <27kg for men and <16kg for women); single chair five times ( limited when arms were used or across their chest) to stand up from a sitting position ; daily living activities (ADL) (dressing, including shoes and socks) and number of limitations on ADL. We built logistic regression models having functional measures as dependent variables and gender/age, number of comorbidities and levels of PA as response variables. In order to explore the determinants of the association we used stepwise analysis, including all significant variables in the univariate analysis. Results: Limited handgrip was associated with age in women 80-100 compared to women 60-79 OR (95%) 2.40 (1.74-3.32); to five or more comorbidities OR (95% CI) 3.08 ( 1.70-5.60) and to physical inactivity OR (95% CI) 2.08 (1 .53-2.82). Limited single chair was associated with age , women 80-100 OR (95% CI) 2.01 ( 1.55-2.61) compared to women 60-79; five or more comorbidities OR (95% CI) 2.52 ( 2.49-4.81); physical inactivity OR (95% CI) 5.93 ( 6.26-9.91). ADL limitation was associated with age in women 80-100y compared to women 60-79y OR (95% CI) 1.79 (1.38-2.32); five or more comorbidities OR (95% CI) 2.80 ( 1.91-4.09); and physical inactivity OR (95% CI) 4.69 ( 3.74-5.88). Limitations in dressing shoes or socks were associated with five or more comorbidities OR(95%) 2.49 (1.63-3.80); physical inactivity OR(95%) 4.22 (95% CI 3.34-5.32) . Limitation to get up from the chair was associated with five or more comorbidities OR(95%) 2.84 (2.06-3.92) and physical inactivity OR (95% CI) 2.49 1.95-3.16). All associations were independent from smoke, alcohol consumption BMI and previous illnesses. Conclusion: Functionality decreased significantly across age with a steep decline over 79 y for men and women with OA. The association with the number of comorbidities and levels of physical activity point to timely interventions aiming at global health in this population.