@article{ref1,
title="Effect of multimorbidity on gait speed in well-functioning older people: a population-based study in Peru",
journal="Geriatrics and gerontology international",
year="2018",
author="Ortiz, Pedro J. and Tello, Tania and Aliaga, Elizabeth G. and Casas, Paola M. and Peinado, Jesus E. and Miranda, Juan Jaime and Varela, Luis F.",
volume="18",
number="2",
pages="293-300",
abstract="AIM: To determine the association between multimorbidity and gait speed in a population-based sample of older people without functional dependency. <br><br>METHODS: Data were obtained from a previously made cross-sectional population-based study of individuals aged >60 years carried out in San Martin de Porres, the second most populous district in Lima, Peru. We included well-functioning, independent older people. Exclusion criteria emphasized removing conditions that would impair gait. The exposure of interest was non-communicable chronic disease multimorbidity, and the outcome was gait speed determined by the time required for the participant to walk a distance of 8 m out of a total distance of 10 m. Generalized linear models were used to estimate adjusted gait speed by multimorbidity status. <br><br>RESULTS: Data from 265 older adults with a median age of 68 years (IQR 63-75 years) and 54% women were analyzed. The median gait speed was 1.06 m/s (SD 0.27) and the mean number of chronic conditions per adult was 1.1 (SD ±1). The difference in mean gait speed between older adults without a chronic condition and those with ≥3 chronic conditions was 0.24 m/s. In crude models, coefficients decreased by a significant exponential factor for every increase in the number of chronic conditions. Further adjustment attenuated these estimates. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Slower speed gaits are observed across the spectrum of multimorbidity in older adults without functional dependency. The role of gait speed as a simple indicator to evaluate and monitor general health status in older populations is expanded to include older adults without dependency.<br><br>© 2017 Japan Geriatrics Society.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1444-1586",
doi="10.1111/ggi.13182",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ggi.13182"
}