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Marco Pahor

Publications and source records attributed to Marco Pahor.

80 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Obese, older adults with knee osteoarthritis: weight loss, exercise, and quality of life.

This study examined the effects of dietary weight loss and exercise on the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of overweight and obese, older adults with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 316 older men and women with documented evidence of knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 18-month interventions: dietary weight loss, exercise, dietary weight loss and exercise, or healthy lifestyle control. Measures included the SF-36 Health Survey and satisfaction with body function and appearance. Results revealed that the combined diet and exercise intervention had the most consistent, positive effect on HRQL compared with the control group; however, findings were restricted to measures of physical health or psychological outcomes that are related to the physical self.

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PubMed2002

Physical performance and longevity in aged rats.

In humans, physical performance declines with increasing age, and in nondisabled older persons, scores on standardized performance measures, such as walking speed, repeated chair stands, and a balance test, predict the incidence of disability and reduced longevity. Here we show in aged rats (24-month-old Brown Norway x Fischer 344 male rats; n = 48) that conceptually similar performance measures, such as swimming speed and an inclined plane procedure, can be assessed longitudinally, and that over 6 months of follow-up from the age of 24 to 30 months, performance declines progressively with increasing age. High baseline performance scores predict long-term longevity, a relationship that is also found in humans. The application of standardized physical performance measures to a variety of animal models of aging may help to define similarities between species in the underlying mechanisms of the age-related decline in performance, disability, and longevity.

Aging↗
PubMed2002

Change in physical performance over time in older women: the Women's Health and Aging Study.

BACKGROUND: Although lower and upper extremity performance measures are widely used and represent validated physical function measures in older adults, there is limited information regarding the magnitude of changes in these measures over time. This study (i) assesses prospective changes in physical performance measures, (ii) defines a summary score that demonstrates a significant amount of change over time, and (iii) examines rates of decline according to age and baseline performance levels. METHODS: Data from the Women's Health and Aging Study (WHAS) were analyzed to assess change in the one third most disabled older women living in the community. Lower extremity function was assessed using walking speed, balance, and chair stands tests. The putting-on-blouse test, the lock and key test, the Purdue Pegboard test, and grip strength were used to gauge upper extremity function. Continuous and categorical summary performance scores were calculated using continuous and categorical data of lower and upper performance measures. RESULTS: After 3 years, lower extremity performance measures declined by 16%-27%, while upper extremity performance measures declined less (7%-24%). For lower extremity function, the continuous summary performance score showed a slightly greater 3-year decline from baseline (decline vs baseline mean: 23%; decline vs SD of the baseline mean: 59%) than the categorical score (22% and 41%, respectively). Older age and intermediate level of baseline performance were associated with the greatest decline, especially for lower extremity function. CONCLUSIONS: In moderately to severely disabled women aged 65 or older, lower extremity measures show more change over 3 years than upper extremity measures. Among the lower extremity summary scores, the continuous score changes more over time than the categorical score with respect to the baseline SD. The lower extremity continuous summary performance score may be a useful outcome measure for clinical studies of physical performance in older women.

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PubMed2002

Relationship of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha with muscle mass and muscle strength in elderly men and women: the Health ABC Study.

BACKGROUND: A decline in muscle mass and muscle strength characterizes normal aging. As clinical and animal studies show a relationship between higher cytokine levels and low muscle mass, the aim of this study was to investigate whether markers of inflammation are associated with muscle mass and strength in well-functioning elderly persons. METHODS: We used baseline data (1997-1998) of the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study on 3075 black and white men and women aged 70-79 years. Midthigh muscle cross-sectional area (computed tomography), appendicular muscle mass (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), isokinetic knee extensor strength (KinCom), and isometric grip strength were measured. Plasma levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Higher cytokine levels were generally associated with lower muscle mass and lower muscle strength. The most consistent relationship across the gender and race groups was observed for IL-6 and grip strength: per SD increase in IL-6, grip strength was 1.1 to 2.4 kg lower (p <.05) after adjustment for age, clinic site, health status, medications, physical activity, smoking, height, and body fat. An overall measure of elevated cytokine level was created by combining the levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha. With the exception of white men, elderly persons having high levels of IL-6 (>1.80 pg/ml) as well as high levels of TNF-alpha (>3.20 pg/ml) had a smaller muscle area, less appendicular muscle mass, a lower knee extensor strength, and a lower grip strength compared to those with low levels of both cytokines. CONCLUSIONS: Higher plasma concentrations of IL-6 and TNF-alpha are associated with lower muscle mass and lower muscle strength in well-functioning older men and women. Higher cytokine levels, as often observed in healthy older persons, may contribute to the loss of muscle mass and strength that accompanies aging.

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PubMed2002

Exercise and depressive symptoms: a comparison of aerobic and resistance exercise effects on emotional and physical function in older persons with high and low depressive symptomatology.

This study examines and compares the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on emotional and physical function among older persons with initially high or low depressive symptomatology. Data are from the Fitness, Arthritis and Seniors Trial, a trial among 439 persons 60 years or older with knee osteoarthritis randomized to health education (control), resistance exercise, or aerobic exercise groups. Depressive symptoms (assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies--Depression scale) and physical function (disability, walking speed, and pain) were assessed at baseline and after 3, 9, and 18 months. Compared with results for the control group, aerobic exercise significantly lowered depressive symptoms over time. No such effect was observed for resistance exercise. The reduction in depressive symptoms with aerobic exercise was found both among the 98 participants with initially high depressive symptomatology and among the 340 participants with initially low depressive symptomatology and was the strongest for the most compliant persons. Aerobic and resistance exercise significantly reduced disability and pain and increased walking speed both, and to an equal extent, in persons with high depressive symptomatology and persons with low depressive symptomatology.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Blood pressure and decline in kidney function: findings from the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP).

The association between BP and decline in kidney function in older persons and the BP component most responsible for kidney disease are unknown. This study investigated the relationship between baseline BP and an incident decline in kidney function among 2181 men and women enrolled in the placebo arm of the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP). A decline in kidney function was defined as an increase in serum creatinine equal to or greater than 0.4 mg/dl over 5 yr of follow-up. The incidence and relative risk of a decline in kidney function increased at higher levels of BP for all BP components, independent of age, gender, ethnicity, smoking, diabetes, and history of cardiovascular disease. Systolic BP imparted the highest risk of decline in kidney function. The adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval) associated with the highest compared with the lowest quartile of BP was 2.44 (1.67 to 3.56) for systolic; 1.29 (0.87 to 1.91) for diastolic; 1.80 (1.21 to 2.66) for pulse; and 2.03 (1.39 to 2.94) for mean arterial pressure. The risk associated with systolic BP remained strong in models containing other BP components, while diastolic, pulse, and mean arterial pressure had no significant association with a decline in kidney function in models containing systolic BP. Therefore, systolic BP is a strong, independent predictor of a decline in kidney function among older persons with isolated systolic hypertension.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Oxidative damage and platelet activation as new predictors of mobility disability and mortality in elders.

Mobility disability is an early phase of the disablement process in older adults, and represents a major risk factor for physical disability and mortality. Pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for the onset of mobility limitation are still largely unknown. Oxidative damage, responsible for the disruption of the equilibrium of biological systems by damaging major constituent molecules, might play an important role in the pathway leading to major health-related events. It has been suggested the existence of a vicious cycle involving oxidative damage, platelet activation, and inflammation as promoter of pathophysiological changes occurring with aging. This hypothesis is based on the following observations: (a) oxidative damage is associated with diseases and clinical conditions potentially leading to disability and mortality; (b) oxidative damage is associated with platelet activation, and a vicious cycle involving oxidative damage, platelet activation, and inflammation has been demonstrated in several metabolic disorders potentially leading to mobility disability; (c) the age-related physical decline may be associated to the oxidative damage due to the excess of free radicals; (d) antioxidant defense and behavioral factors (e.g., physical activity, dietary restriction, smoking cessation) play an important role in the reduction of oxidative damage levels and are associated with improved physical performance and muscle strength.

Aging↗