An assessment of neurocognitive speed in relation to frailty.

Journal article

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the relationship between neurocognitive speed (NCS) and frailty; to consider how this relationship is affected by how frailty is operationalised. DESIGN: secondary analysis of the baseline cohort of the Oxford Project To Investigate Memory and Aging (OPTIMA), a longitudinal observational cohort. SUBJECTS: of 388 participants who underwent a comprehensive intake assessment followed by an annual follow-up for at least 3 years, data on all measures were available on 164 people. MEASUREMENTS: NCS was defined as a combined score of <18 on the pattern comparison test (<11 is abnormal) and letter comparison test (<7 is abnormal). Frailty was defined from a modified Phenotype model, the Edmonton Frailty Scales (EFS) and a frailty index (FI); the latter two were adapted here to exclude cognitive measures. RESULTS: in multivariate logistic (NCS as < or ≥18) and linear regression (NCS as continuous variable), only the FI (OR = 0.87) was significant (P < 0.05). When all frailty measures were included in the multivariate analysis only, FI (OR = 0.88) was significant (P < 0.05). Mini-mental Status Examination remained significantly related to NCS throughout all analysis. CONCLUSION: NCS slows with increasing frailty as shown with the FI.

Authors: Rolfson, D; Wilcock, G; Mitnitski, A; King, E; de Jager, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Age and ageing
• Volume: 42
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 191-196
• Publication date: 2013-03-01
• DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afs185
• EISSN: 1468-2834
• ISSN: 0002-0729
• Language: English
• Keywords: Logistic Models; Longitudinal Studies; Humans; Cognition; Linear Models; Aged; Aging; Female; Multivariate Analysis; Male; Odds Ratio; Frail Elderly; Neuropsychological Tests; Geriatric Assessment; England; Time Factors; Aged, 80 and over; Age Factors