Muscle power predicts frailty status over four years: A retrospective cohort study of the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Abstract

Objectives: Muscle power is a critical measure of physical capacity in older adults, however the association between muscle power and frailty is not well explored. The purpose of this study is to estimate the association between muscle power and frailty in community-dwelling older adults in the National Health and Aging Trends Study from 2011-2015. Methods: Cross-sectional and prospective analyses were performed on 4,803 community-dwelling older adults. Mean muscle power was calculated using the five-time sit-to-stand test, height, weight, and chair height and dichotomized into high-watt and low-watt groups. Frailty was defined using the five Fried criteria. Results: The low watt-group had higher odds of pre-frailty and frailty at baseline year 2011. In prospective analyses, the low-watt group that was pre-frail at baseline had increased hazards of frailty (AHR 1.62, 95% CI 1.31, 1.99) and decreased hazards of non-frailty (AHR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59, 0.86). The low-watt group that was non-frail at baseline had increased hazards of pre-frailty (1.24, 95% CI 1.04, 1.47) and frailty (1.70, 1.07, 2.70). Conclusions: Lower muscle power is associated with higher odds of pre-frailty and frailty and increased hazards of becoming frail or pre-frail over four years in those who are pre-frail or non-frail at baseline.

Implementation and Core Components of a Multimodal Program including Exercise and Nutrition in Prevention and Treatment of Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Narrative Review

“…In older adults with a history of falls (at least one) within the last 12 months, frailty itself is considered as a criterion of high risk of fall, whereas pre-frail or non-frail older adults who exhibited impaired gait speed (≤0.8 m.s) or dynamic balance (TUG > 15 s) have an intermediate risk of fall [75]. Additionally, lower limb muscle power measurement seems to be relevant as it was associated with increased hazards of developing pre-frailty or frailty over four years [126]. Derived equations of the 5-STS and 30 s-STS performances can easily provide clinicians with a validated procedure to determine lower limb muscle power [119,127].…”

Sit-to-Stand Power Is a Stronger Predictor of Gait Speed than Knee Extension Strength

“…Of the equations developed, the equation from Alcazar and colleagues [ 33 ] is the strongest predictor of frailty and functional limitations in those 65+ years of age [ 32 ]. Furthermore, STS muscle power, estimated from this equation, is associated with physical independence, cognitive function, frailty, and health-related quality of life in aging populations [ 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Given that both the isometric KES and STS power tests are neither resource- nor time-intensive assessments, they could conceivably be implemented in primary care settings for the routine assessment of age-related functional decline.…”