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Higher levels of fatigue are associated with poorer functional status in healthy community dwelling older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2015

J. Jones ,
G. Baer  and
HIM. Davidson
J. Jones
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU
G. Baer
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU
HIM. Davidson
Affiliation:
School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh EH21 6UU
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 74 , Issue OCE2: Winter Meeting, 9–10 December 2014, Nutrition and age-related muscle loss, sarcopenia and cachexia , 2015 , E162
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Copyright © The Authors 2015 

It is well established that higher levels of activity increase muscle mass and attenuate the progression of sarcopenia in older adults( Reference Park, Park and Shepherd 1 ). However there are many barriers to older people engaging in increased activity levels and in particular insufficient activity levels have been associated with fatigue in both men and women( Reference Resnick, Carter and Aloia 2 ). Whilst fatigue is commonly reported in older adults( Reference Moreh, Jacobs and Stessman 3 ) the relationship with functional status in healthy older adults is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of levels of fatigue with functional status in healthy older adults.

Healthy older adults (aged 65 years and over) were recruited from a variety of social settings across central Scotland. Participants were screened for sarcopenia using the European consensus statements criteria( Reference Cruz-Jentoft, Baeyens and Bauer 4 ) and in those participants without sarcopenia, functional status was measured by handgrip dynamometry (HGD) in the non-dominant arm, the sit to stand five (STS5) test, the six minute walk (6MW) test and gait speed calculated from distance of the 6MW test were measured. Levels of fatigue were measured using the Multi-dimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI)( Reference Smets, Garssen and Bonke 5 ) (Smets et al. 1995). The MFI measures fatigue across five domains with a maximum score of 20 in each domain indicating the highest level of fatigue. Spearmans Rho correlation analysis was used to identify associations between variables.

Forty three non-sarcopenic older adults (23 females, 20 males) with a mean (sd) age of 72·6 (5·4) years and a mean (sd) BMI of 26·7 (2·8) kg/m2. years were recruited. Results of tests for functional status and measures of fatigue are shown in table 1.

p values – Mann Whitney U males vs females

No statistically significant associations were found between HGD and any measure of fatigue or between mental fatigue and any measure of functional status. However significant positive associations were evident with indices of fatigue and STS5 (general fatigue r = ·396, p = ·009, physical fatigue r = ·345, p = ·024, reduced activity, r = ·320, p = ·036, reduced motivation r = ·395, p = ·009) and significant negative associations were evident with 6MW and indices of fatigue (general fatigue r = −·424, p = ·005, physical fatigue r = −424, p = ·005, reduced activity, r = −·376, p = ·013, reduced motivation r = −·378, p = ·012).

Higher levels of fatigue were associated with poorer functional ability even in non sarcopenic healthy older adults. Fatigue may therefore be an important factor to address when considering appropriate physical activity interventions to prevent the onset or delay in progress of sarcopenia in older adults.

References

1. Park, H., Park, S., Shepherd, R. et al. (2010). Yearlong physical activity and sarcopenia in older adults: the Nakanojo study. Eur J Appl Physiol. 109, 953–961.Google Scholar
2. Resnick, H., Carter, E., Aloia, M. et al. (2006). Cross-sectional relationship of reported fatigue to obesity, diet, and physical activity: results from the third national health and nutrition examination survey. J Clin Sleep Med., 15, 163–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Moreh, E., Jacobs, J.M. and Stessman, J., (2010). Fatigue, Function, and Mortality in Older Adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 65A, 887–895.Google Scholar
4. Cruz-Jentoft, A.J., Baeyens, J.P., Bauer, J.M., et al. (2010). Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: report of the European working group on sarcopenia in older people. Age and Ageing., 39, 412–423.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5. Smets, E., Garssen, B., Bonke, B. et al. (1995). The multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI) psychometric qualities of an instrument to assess fatigue. J Psychosom Res., 39, 315–325.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed