Biomedical subjects

Taina Rantanen

Publications and source records attributed to Taina Rantanen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Evaluating a Genome-Wide Polygenic Score for Handgrip Strength and Its Interplay with Leisure-Time Physical Activity Across the IGEMS Twin Cohorts.

PURPOSE: Polygenic scores (PGSs) may help assess genetic predisposition to multifactorial traits. We examined whether age, sex, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) modify the association between a PGS for handgrip strength (HGS) and measured HGS in older adults. METHODS: PGS for HGS (PGS hgs) , based on Pan-UK Biobank genome-wide association study data, was calculated for 5103 participants (aged 40-96; 44% women) from eight twin cohorts in Denmark, Sweden, Australia, the United States, and Finland within the IGEMS consortium. Sex-standardized HGS and self-reported LTPA were assessed cross-sectionally. Linear mixed models estimated associations between PGS hgs and HGS, including interactions with age, country, and LTPA, as well as an association between PGS hgs and LTPA. Fixed-effect within-pair models were conducted to assess environmental contributions. RESULTS: Higher PGS hgs was associated with greater HGS (β = 2.14, SE = 0.15, P < 0.001), explaining 4.6% of HGS variance overall, with modest variation across countries. In sex-stratified models, PGS hgs explained 5.2% of the variance in females and 4.3% in males. No statistically significant interaction with age was found. A significant PGS hgs × LTPA interaction (β = -0.034, P = 0.013) indicated that the association between LTPA and HGS was more pronounced among individuals with lower PGS hgs . The within-pair models offered limited support for the independent environmental impact of LTPA. CONCLUSIONS: The PGS hgs was associated with measured HGS in the meta-analysis, highlighting the potential of PGSs to capture individual differences in strength-related traits across populations. The association of PGS hgs with HGS was moderated by LTPA, such that the beneficial impact of LTPA on HGS was greater among individuals with a lower genetic propensity for HGS.

Humans↗

PubMed2007

Underlying factors in the association between depressed mood and mobility limitation in older people.

BACKGROUND: Depressed mood may either precede mobility limitation or follow from mobility limitation. OBJECTIVE: To compare mood status among people with manifest mobility limitation, those with preclinical mobility limitation and those without mobility limitation and investigate factors explaining the association between depressed mood and mobility limitation. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SUBJECTS: 645 community-living 75- to 81-year-old people. METHODS: Depressed mood was assessed using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D, cut-off score 16); difficulty walking 500 m was assessed by self-report. Those reporting difficulty were categorised as having manifest mobility limitation. Those with no difficulty but reporting task modifications, such as reduced frequency of walking, were categorised as having preclinical mobility limitation. The association between depressed mood and mobility limitation was analysed using logistic regression analysis with gender, age, economic situation, the availability of a confidant, chronic conditions, and widespread pain as covariates. RESULTS: Depressed mood was found in 34% of subjects with manifest mobility limitation, in 26% of those with preclinical mobility limitation, and in 13% of those without mobility limitation. The unadjusted odds ratio for depressed mood was 3.43 (95% CI 2.04-5.76) among subjects with manifest mobility limitation and 2.38 (95% CI 1.52-3.73) among those with preclinical mobility limitation, compared to those without mobility limitation. Adjustment for covariates reduced the risks to 2.10 (95% CI 1.15-3.82) and 1.99 (95% CI 1.24-3.20), respectively. Widespread pain explained 28% of the increased risk of depressed mood among those with manifest mobility limitation. CONCLUSION: The dose-response relationship between depressed mood and mobility limitation suggests that both conditions may progress simultaneously and may share aetiology, at least in part. Pain may be an underlying factor in both depressed mood and mobility limitation.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Fall-related injuries among initially 75- and 80-year old people during a 10-year follow-up.

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence, type, scene and seasonal variation of fall related injuries, and the impact of socio-economic factors, mobility limitation, and the most common diseases on the risk of injurious falls over a 10-year follow-up. Elderly residents of Jyväskylä, Finland, aged initially 75 and 80 years, took part in the study in 1989-1990. The health and functional capacity assessments were carried out at the baseline. Injurious falls were monitored over a 10-year period. The rate of injurious falls per thousand person-years was 188 among women and 78 among men. Of all fall-related diagnoses, head injuries comprised 32%, upper limb injuries 27% and hip injuries 19%. Majority of injurious falls took place indoors and no seasonal variation in fall occurrence was observed. Recurring falls were more likely to take place in institutions. Osteoarthritis increased the risk of injurious falls but no effect was observed for coronary heart diseases or mobility limitation. All in all, intrinsic factors, such as chronic diseases and mobility limitation had only minor effect on risk of injurious falls among older people. The current results suggest that preventive interventions for injurious falls among older people should pay attention to the risk factors present indoors.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2006

Mobility limitations and cognitive deficits as predictors of institutionalization among community-dwelling older people.

PURPOSE: Mobility limitations and cognitive disorders have often been observed as risks for institutionalization. However, their combined effects on risk of institutionalization among initially community-dwelling older people have been less well reported. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study with 10-year surveillance on institutionalization. SUBJECTS: Study population (n = 476) consisted of 75- and 80-year-old people who were community-dwelling, had not been diagnosed with dementia, and participated in tests on walking speed and cognitive capacity at a research centre. MEASURES: Cognitive capacity was measured with three validated psychometric tests that were from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Wechsler Memory Scale and Schaie-Thurstone Adult Mental Abilities Test. Mobility was measured with walking speed over a 10-m distance. Exclusive distribution based study groups were formed with cut-offs at the lowest third as follows: no limitation, solely mobility limitation, solely cognitive deficits, and combined mobility limitation and cognitive deficits. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the relative risks of institutionalization for the study groups. RESULTS: Eleven percent of the participants were institutionalized during the 10-year surveillance. The risk for institutionalization was 4.9 times greater (95% confidence interval: 2.1-11.2) for those who had co-existing mobility limitations and cognitive deficits than for those with no limitations. CONCLUSIONS: The findings show that the accumulation of limitations in physical and cognitive performance substantially decreases the possibility for a person remaining at home. This might be due to a decreased reserve capacity and ineffective compensatory strategies. Therefore, interventions targeted to improve even one limitation, or prevent accumulation of these risk factors, could significantly reduce the risk of institutionalization.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Genetic and environmental contribution to postural balance of older women in single and dual task situations.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of a second task on postural balance and to determine the role of genetic influences on postural balance when dual tasking among 206 monozygotic and 227 dizygotic female twins, aged 63-76 years. Balance was measured as medio-lateral and antero-posterior velocity of the centre of pressure (COP) (mm/s) and velocity moment (mm(2)/s) while standing on a force platform. Doing an arithmetic task increased movement of the COP while the hand motor task had no effect on movement of the COP. The genetic contribution to balance in the single task situation was minor (14%, 95% confidence interval, CI: 11-35%) whereas in the dual task situation it was moderate (28%, 95% CI: 0.02-42%). The finding can be explained in the light of the underlying phenotypes of dual tasking, such as cognitive processing that is found to be under considerable genetically controlled even in old age. Moreover, the present study supports previous studies suggesting that, especially among older people, when simultaneously maintaining balance and performing another cognitively demanding task, additional central processing is recruited.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Effects of a group-based exercise program on functional abilities in frail older women after hospital discharge.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: An acute illness may place older frail people at increased risk of losing independence in functional abilities. Physical exercise may reduce the risk by improving muscle strength and balance. However, the effects of physical training on functional abilities have not been studied among frail, very old people recovering from an acute illness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a group-based exercise program on their ability to carry out self-care (ADL) and instrumental activities (IADL) relevant to daily life after discharge from hospital. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial examined 68 community-dwelling women aged 75 years or older (mean age 83.0, SD 3.9) who were hospitalized due to an acute illness, and were mobility-impaired at admission. Participants were recruited from the geriatric ward of a primary-care health-center hospital, and were randomized into group-based strength training (n=34) and control (n=34) groups. The 10-week group-based intervention included strength training and functional exercises. The control group received instructions for a home exercise training program, including functional exercises but no further encouragement to exercise. The level of independence in ADL and IADL was evaluated, using a 13-item scale with stepwise grading from fully independent to fully dependent. Measurements took place immediately before and after the intervention, and three and nine months later. RESULTS: The intervention did not have any significant main effect (p = 0.407), nor was there any significant interaction between follow-up time and intervention (p = 0.854). CONCLUSIONS: The multicomponent outpatient strength training program did not improve autonomy in expert-evaluated ADL/IADL functions.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2006

Motor speed and lower extremity strength as predictors of fall-related bone fractures in elderly individuals.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The purpose of this prospective population-based study was to examine the combined effects of motor speed and knee extension strength on risk of fall-related bone fractures in elderly individuals over a 10-year period. METHODS: Participants were 307 men and women aged 75 or 80 years at baseline, who visited the research laboratory at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Multi-choice motor speed tests and maximal isometric knee extension strength tests were carried out at baseline. Information on fractures was collected from hospital and health center records. The presence of impairment was defined as a score in the lowest tertile of sex- and age-stratified distribution of results in each test. RESULTS: During the 10-year period, 93 participants had at least one fracture. In Cox proportional hazards models for motor speed and knee extension strength, the risk of fracture was almost double in the lowest vs the highest tertile of each test score. For those in the poorest speed and strength tertiles compared with the best speed and strength tertiles, the relative risk of fracture adjusted for age, sex and bone mineral density was 4.69 (95% confidence interval 1.72-12.81). CONCLUSIONS: Increased risk of fracture was observed for those with either slow motor speed or poor lower extremity strength; however, a combination of these impairments increased the fracture risk significantly when compared with those with no impairments. A co-impairment approach may prove useful in gaining better understanding of the risk of fall-related bone fractures and the development of effective interventions.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2006

Absent pedal pulse and impaired balance in older people: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between abnormal pedal pulse status and postural balance in older people. METHODS: Prospective, population-based cohort study of older residents in the city of Jyväskylä, Finland. A total of 419 individuals aged 75 or 80 at baseline, with known lower extremity pulse status and balance tests performed on a force platform, were eligible for analysis. RESULTS: Cross-sectionally, persons with both dorsal pedal artery pulses absent were found to sway more (p=0.047 anteroposterior velocity, normal standing eyes-open position). The risk of being unable to do the full tandem stance was twofold (OR=2.20, 95% CI 1.29-3.78) for persons without palpable dorsal pedal arteries compared with those with normal pulse status. Balance deterioration was observed at five years (p<0.001 for time) but without group-by-time interaction. At ten years, however, the interaction term became significant for the normal standing eyes-closed position (p=0.025 for anteroposterior velocity and p=0.026 for mediolateral velocity), indicating greater balance deterioration among those with both dorsal pedal artery pulses absent. CONCLUSIONS: According to our study, the absence of both dorsal pedal artery pulses is associated with impaired balance in older people. The association was observed both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. In addition, as diminished pedal pulses are frequently associated with impaired lower extremity circulation, our results have also produced information on the possible pathophysiological mechanisms of balance deterioration in older people, which warrant further study.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Endogenous hormones, muscle strength, and risk of fall-related fractures in older women.

BACKGROUND: Among older people, fracture-causing fall often leads to health deterioration. The role of endogenous hormone status and muscle strength on fall-related fracture risk is unclear. This study investigates if, after adjustment for bone density, endogenous hormones and muscle strength would predict fall-related limb fracture incidence in older community-dwelling women followed-up over 10 years. METHODS: As a part of a prospective population-based study, 187 75-year-old women were investigated. Serum estradiol, testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations were analyzed, and isometric muscle strength and bone mineral density were assessed. Fall-related limb fractures were gathered from patient records. RESULTS: Serum estradiol concentration was a significant predictor of fall-related limb fractures. Women with serum estradiol concentrations less than 0.022 nmol/L had a 3-fold risk (relative risk 3.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-7.36), and women with estradiol concentrations between 0.022 and 0.066 nmol/L doubled the risk (relative risk 2.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.97-5.19) of fall-related limb fracture compared to the women with estradiol concentrations ()above 0.066 nmol/L. Adjustment for muscle strength and bone mineral density did not materially change the risk estimates. High muscle strength was associated with a low incidence of fall-related limb fractures. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that in 75-year-old women higher serum estradiol concentration and greater muscle strength were independently associated with a low incidence of fall-related limb fractures even after adjustment for bone density. Our results suggest that hormonal status and muscle strength have their own separate mechanisms protecting from fall-related fractures. This finding is of importance in developing preventive strategies, but calls for further study.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2006

A twin study on the heritability of walking ability among older women.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the role of genetic and environmental factors explaining individual differences in women's walking ability in old age. METHODS: A maximal walking speed test over 10 meters and a 6-minute walking endurance test were done under standard conditions among 92 monozygotic and 105 dizygotic pairs of twin sisters reared together, aged 63-75 years. RESULTS: The mean maximum walking speed was 1.73 +/- 0.32 m/s and the mean distance covered in the 6-minute walking test was 525.6 +/- 77.3 m. Multivariate genetic modeling showed that a minor part of the variances in walking speed (16%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0%-54%) and endurance (20%, 95% CI: 0%-56%) were accounted for by genetic influences, and that the genetic influences were common to both traits. The corresponding proportions for common environmental factors were 37% (95% CI: 4%-58%) and 26% (95% CI: 0%-52%), and for individual environmental factors 46% (95% CI: 35%-59%) and 54% (95% CI 42%-68%), respectively. The environmental effects were partially common to both traits. CONCLUSIONS: Among relatively healthy older women, a modest portion of the variances of walking speed and endurance were accounted for by genetic factors, whereas shared and individual environmental factors explained most of the variance in both traits.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Tiredness and subsequent disability in older adults: The role of walking limitations.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of the present study are to analyze whether tiredness in daily activities is associated with subsequent disability among nondisabled older adults and whether this association is mediated by walking limitations. METHODS: The investigation is based on baseline and follow-up data on 419 nondisabled 75-year-old persons in Jyväskylä, Finland, and Glostrup, Denmark. Onset of disability was measured by a validated scale based on seven items: combing hair, washing upper body, washing lower body, using the toilet, dressing upper body, dressing lower body, and cutting fingernails. Tiredness was measured by a validated scale based on the following items: using the toilet, washing and dressing lower body, and cutting toenails. Maximal walking speed was assessed by a 10-meter test. RESULTS: Tiredness in daily activities was significantly associated with subsequent disability when adjusted for walking limitations. CONCLUSION: The present findings indicate that it is important to take it seriously when older persons complain about tiredness, as these people are at higher risk of onset of disability.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2006

Satisfaction with present life predicts survival in octogenarians.

We examined the effect of life satisfaction on survival over 10 years among 80-year-old and older same-sex twins of whom 320 individuals responded to the Life Satisfaction Index Z questionnaire in connection with the OCTO-Twin study. We treated participants as individuals in semiparametric Cox regression mixed-effects models (frailty) by adjusting the similarity of mortality risk within twin pairs by modeling it as a random variable. An exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors: Zest and Mood represented satisfaction with present life and Congruence represented satisfaction with past life. Those in the lowest quartile of factors of satisfaction with present life had an almost twofold risk for mortality compared with those in the highest quartile, even after adjustment for multiple confounders. Satisfaction with past life satisfaction showed no association with mortality.

Aged, 80 and over↗

PubMed2006

Genetic factors and susceptibility to falls in older women.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether genetic influences account for individual differences in susceptibility to falls in older women. DESIGN: Prospective twin cohort study. SETTING: Research laboratory and residential environment. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-nine monozygotic (MZ) and 114 dizygotic (DZ) female twin pairs aged 63 to 76 from the Finnish Twin Cohort study. MEASUREMENTS: The participants recorded their falls on a calendar for an average+/-standard deviation of 344+/-41 days. Reported falls were verified via telephone interview, and circumstances, causes, and consequences of the fall were asked about. RESULTS: The total number of falls was 434, of which 188 were injurious; 91 participants had two or more falls. Casewise concordance was 0.61 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.49-0.72) for MZ twins and 0.49 (95% CI=0.37-0.62) for DZ twins for at least one fall, 0.38 (95% CI=0.23-0.53) for MZ and 0.33 (95% CI=0.17-0.50) for DZ twins for at least one injurious fall, and 0.43 (95% CI=0.26-0.60) for MZ and 0.36 (95% CI=0.17-0.55) for DZ twins for recurrent falls. On average, the proportion of familial influences accounting for the individual differences in susceptibility to at least one fall was 30% and to recurrent falls was 40%; nongenetic familial and nonfamilial factors alone accounted for susceptibility to at least one injurious fall. CONCLUSION: In community-dwelling older women, familial factors underlie the risk of falling but not the risk of injurious falls.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2006

[Not Available].

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Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Perceived age as a predictor of old age mortality: a 13-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether in older people perceived age is associated with risk of total mortality independent of chronological age. DESIGN: Prospective population-based study (Evergreen project) with mortality surveillance for 13 years after the baseline. SETTING: Face-to-face interview among community-dwelling residents of the city of Jyväskylä, Finland. SUBJECTS: 395 men and 770 women aged 65-84 years at baseline. MEASURES: Perceived physical age and perceived mental age were rated either as younger, the same or older in comparison with subject's chronological age. Death dates were received from the official register of the province of Central Finland. Confounders used were chronological age, education in years, number of long-term illnesses, self-rated health, depression score (Beck's 13-item depression scale), and cognitive status. RESULTS: Mortality rates per 1,000 person-years from the older to younger perceived physical age category were 99, 65 and 59 in men, and 81, 54 and 36 in women. In the perceived mental age categories, correspondingly, mortality rates were 139, 63 and 64 in men, and 82, 55 and 44 in women. The fully adjusted relative risk (RR) of death over 13 years with the perceived younger physical age category as referent was 1.42 (95% CI 1.00-2.02) in the older category and 1.28 (1.03-1.60) in the same age category (P=0.049). The crude RR of mortality for perceived mental age categories was 1.56 (1.09-2.23) in the older and 1.10 (0.92-1.31) in the same age as compared with the younger category (P=0.046). Adding cognitive status into the model diminished the predictive value of the model (P=0.545). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived age predicted worsening of health as described as mortality. Perceived age may indicate general well-being and faith in the future, potentially reflecting changes in health.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2005

Leg extension power asymmetry and mobility limitation in healthy older women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of asymmetry in leg extension power (LEP) with walking and standing balance. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Healthy female twins (N=419), ages 63 to 75 years. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The LEP difference between the stronger and the weaker leg, measured with the Nottingham power rig, was calculated. Ten-meter maximal walking velocity was assessed in a laboratory corridor on a wide (170 cm) and narrow (35 cm) track, and the ability to maintain tandem stance for 20 seconds was recorded. RESULTS: The mean LEP difference +/- standard deviation between the legs was 15%+/-9% (P<.001). Those with large LEP difference had lower walking velocity and poorer standing balance than those with small LEP difference, in particular when the LEP of the stronger leg was below the median. CONCLUSIONS: Even in healthy older women, substantial LEP asymmetry between the lower limbs was present, encumbering walking and standing balance. Lower-limb muscle power asymmetry warrants further study in order to develop well-targeted strategies for preventing mobility limitation in older people.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2005

Contribution of genetic and environmental factors to individual differences in maximal walking speed with and without second task in older women.

BACKGROUND: Among older people, distraction while walking may increase the risk of falls. Factors underlying individual differences in dual tasking are not fully understood. Our aim was to study the effect of a second task on maximal walking speed and to examine whether individual differences in walking speed measured with and without a second task are accounted for by genetic and environmental influences shared across tasks or specific to each task. METHODS: The data were collected from the 101 monozygotic and 116 dizygotic twin pairs aged 63-76 years recruited from the Finnish Twin Cohort. Maximal walking speed (MWS) over 10 m was measured on a laboratory corridor and timed with photocells. The test was repeated while subjects performed, first, a manual task (MWSmanual) and, second, a verbal task (MWSverbal). RESULTS: Mean walking speed without a simultaneous task was 1.72 m/s (standard deviation [SD] 0.33), with a manual task it was 1.52 m/s (SD 0.26), and with a verbal task it was 1.36 m/s (SD 0.27). Multivariate genetic analysis showed that an additive genetic factor in common accounted for 17% of individual differences in MWS, 19% in MWSmanual, and 12% in MWSverbal. In addition, MWSverbal had a genetic factor specific to it accounting for 10% of the variance. Shared environmental influences, common to all three traits, accounted for 39%, 27%, and 21% of the individual differences, respectively. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the individual differences in walking with or without another task were accounted for by genetic and nongenetic familial effects in common, and the rest of the variation was accounted for by unique environmental factors in common and factors specific to walking tests.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Genetic influences underlying self-rated health in older female twins.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the genetic and environmental sources of variation in self-rated health (SRH) in older female twins and to explore the roles of morbidity, functional limitation, and psychological well-being as mediators of genetic and environmental effects on SRH. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of twin data. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred two monozygotic and 115 dizygotic female twin pairs aged 63 to 76. MEASUREMENTS: SRH was categorized as good, average, or poor. Morbidity was described using a physician-assessed disease-severity scale together with information about the presence of diabetes mellitus and cancer. Maximal walking speed measured over 10 m was used to assess physical functional limitation; the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were used to characterize psychological well-being. The contributions of genetic and environmental (defined as familial (shared by siblings) or nonshared (unique to each sibling)) effects were assessed using univariate and multivariate structural equation modeling of twin data. RESULTS: SRH did not have its own specific genetic effect but shared a genetic component in common with the genetic components underlying liability to disease severity, maximal walking speed, and depressive symptoms. It accounted for 64% of the variation in SRH, with environmental effects accounting for the remaining variation. CONCLUSION: The current results suggest that there are no specific genetic effects on SRH but rather that genetic influences on SRH are mediated through genetic influences affecting chronic diseases, functional limitation, and mood.

Activities of Daily Living↗