Objective: This study aimed to compare the biomarker profile of pre-frail and frail adults in the UK Biobank cohort by sex. Methods: In total, 202,537 participants (67.8% women, aged 37 to 73 years) were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Further, 31 biomarkers were investigated in this study. Frailty was defined using a modified version of the Frailty Phenotype. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to explore the biomarker profile of pre-frail and frail individuals categorized by sex. Results: Lower concentrations of apoA1, total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol, albumin, eGFRcys, vitamin D, total bilirubin, apoB, and testosterone (differences ranged from −0.30 to −0.02 per 1-SD change), as well as higher concentrations of triglycerides, GGT, cystatin C, CRP, ALP, and phosphate (differences ranged from 0.01 to 0.53 per 1-SD change), were identified both in pre-frail and frail men and women. However, some of the associations differed by sex. For instance, higher rheumatoid factor and urate concentrations were identified in pre-frail and frail women, while lower calcium, total protein, and IGF-1 concentrations were identified in pre-frail women and frail women and men. When the analyses were further adjusted for CRP, similar results were found. Conclusions: Several biomarkers were linked to pre-frailty and frailty. Nonetheless, some of the associations differed by sex. Our findings contribute to a broader understanding of the pathophysiology of frailty as currently defined.

No abstract

Introduction Although stroke is an emerging cause of disability and mortality globally, associations between physical capability markers and mortality in stroke survivors are elusive. This study investigated the individual and combined associations of walking pace and grip strength with all‐cause and stroke mortality in stroke survivors. Methods Individual and combined associations of walking pace and grip strength with stroke deaths and all‐cause mortality were investigated using Cox proportional‐hazard models adjusted for sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health‐related variables. Results Seven thousand four hundred eighty‐six stroke survivors from the UK Biobank study (aged 40–70 years; 42.4% women) were included in this prospective study. Over a median follow‐up of 12.6 (IQR: 11.9–13.3) years, 1490 (19.9%) participants died, of whom 222 (3.0%) died from stroke. After adjusting for confounding factors, and compared to individuals in the average/brisk walking pace category, those who reported a slow walking pace had 2.00 (95% CI: 1.50–2.68) and 1.99 (95% CI: 1.78–2.23) times higher risk of stroke mortality and all‐cause mortality, respectively. Similar associations were identified for participants with low grip strength compared with those with normal levels. For combined associations, those with both slow walking pace and low grip strength showed the highest risk of stroke mortality (hazard ratio: 2.86 [95% CI: 1.93–4.22]). Similar results were found for all‐cause mortality. Conclusions Low grip strength and slow walking pace were associated with a higher risk of stroke and all‐cause mortality in stroke survivors. If these associations are causal, improving physical capability among stroke survivors might potentially prolong survival.

No abstract

No abstract