Association of arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency with physical disability in Mexican older adults: findings from the Mexican Health and Aging Study

Abstract

Objective Arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency are prevalent in older adults and are risk factors for disability. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of co-ocurring arthritis and vitamin D defficiency on upper-lower extremity functional limitations and disability in older adults. Methods We examined 1,533 participants aged ≥50 years from a subsample of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Measures included sociodemographics, body mass index, comorbid conditions, falls, physical activity, physical function tests, functional limitations, activities of daily living (ADL), and vitamin D. Participants were categorized into four groups according to arthritis and vitamin D status: no vitamin D insufficiency and no arthritis (58.80%), vitamin D insufficiency only (27.49%), arthritis only (8.47%), and arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency (5.24%). Results Fourteen percent reported arthritis and 31.2% had vitamin D insufficiency. The arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency group was associated with upper-lower extremity functional limitations (odds ratio [OR] =1.82, 95% Confidence Interval[CI]=1.06-3.15, and OR=1.90, 95%CI=1.00-3.62, respectively) and ADL disability (OR=3.00, 95%CI=1.63-5.51) when compared with the no vitamin D insufficiency and no arthritis group (reference group). The arthritis only group was three times more likely to report upper-lower extremity functional limitations and ADL disability. The vitamin D insufficiency only group was not significantly associated with functional limitations nor ADL disability. Conclusion Arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency increased the risk of ADL disability in this population. However, the effect of arthritis and vitamin D insufficiency on upper- lower extremity functional limitations was not higher than the effect of arthritis only, but higher than the effect on vitamin D insufficiency alone.

Falls in Mexican older adults aged 60 years and older

“…Any ADL disability was dichotomized as having difficulty in or not performing one or more of the six ADLs. These questions have been used in previous studies [25,26]. …”

Biochemical changes associated with temporomandibular disorders

“…5 Not surprisingly, studies have shown an association between low vitamin D status and musculoskeletal disorders. [6][7][8] The objective of the present study was to assess serum levels of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium in patients with TMDs versus patients without TMDs. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the present report is the first published investigation of vitamin D levels and associated parameters in patients with TMDs.…”

The Association between 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration and Disability Trajectories in Very Old Adults: The Newcastle 85+ Study

“…The lack of an association between 25(OH)D concentration and disability trajectories in our study is inconsistent with the findings of prospective cohort studies that investigate the association between vitamin D status and disability in those age 65 years and over. For example, two studies found that a 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L increased the risk of disability in arthritis and multiple sclerosis patients, respectively [11,12]. Likewise, Semba, et al [13] found that a 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L was associated with a higher possibility of disability in women aged over 65 years and living in the community.…”

“…Maintaining adequate concentrations of 25(OH)D may protect against disability in terms of both musculoskeletal and cognitive function; the few studies that have assessed this association have found inverse associations between 25(OH)D concentration and risk of disability [8,[11][12][13]. However, these studies have several limitations including: use of different definitions of low 25(OH)D concentration; being cross-sectional rather than longitudinal; recruited those aged 65 and over with few studies of the very old; being unrepresentative because they recruited women only [8,13], targeted at a specific ethnic group [12] or involved patients with a specific disease [11]. Consequently there is a need for longitudinal studies of associations between 25(OH)D concentration and disability trajectory and which focus on very-old adults, including those living in institutions.…”