Citation

Nakakubo S, Doi T, Shimada H, Ono R, Makizako H, Tsutsumimoto K, Hotta R, Suzuki T. J. Aging Health 2016; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

J.F. Oberlin University, Tokyo, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0898264316673253

PMID

28553784

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and gait characteristics (e.g., speed, variability) in community-dwelling older adults.

METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 3,901 individuals aged ≥65 years. Participants answered questions about EDS, sleep duration, and other sleep-related symptoms. Gait speed, stride length, and the variability in stride length were assessed by using a stopwatch and a WalkWay device.

RESULTS: EDS was significantly associated with slower gait speed among younger subjects (<75 years, p =.021) and with both slower gait speed ( p =.045) and greater variability in stride length among older subjects (≥75 years, p =.048) in a multivariate analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, medication, number of comorbidities, and education.

DISCUSSION: EDS associates with gait ability, particularly in older old adults. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the causal association between gait ability and sleep disturbances, including EDS.

Language: en

Keywords

excessive daytime sleepiness; gait ability; older adults; sleep disturbances