Associations of Serum GDF-15 Levels with Physical Performance, Mobility Disability, Cognition, Cardiovascular Disease, and Mortality in Older Adults.

Background: Growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) is a member of the TGFβ superfamily secreted by many cell types and found at higher blood concentrations as chronological age increases (1). Given the emergence of GDF-15 as a key protein associated with aging, it is important to understand the multitude of conditions with which circulating GDF-15 is associated.

Methods: We pooled data from 1,174 randomly selected Health ABC Study (Health ABC) participants and 1,503 Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) participants to evaluate the risk of various conditions and age-related outcomes across levels of GDF-15.

Replacing sedentary time for physical activity: Does intensity matter for body composition in oldest-old adults?

To assess the independent and combined relationships among objectively measured sedentary time (ST), light intensity PA (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) with muscle mass and fat mass (FM) and how theoretical displacement of these inter-dependent behaviours relates to body composition in oldest-old men. A total of 1046 men participating in the year 14 visit of the prospective Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort study with complete data for accelerometry, dual x-ray absorptiometry, and deuterated creatine dilution (D3Cr) muscle mass were included in the analysis (84.0 ± 3.

Body Weight, BMI, Percent Fat and Associations with Mortality and Incident Mobility Limitation in Older Men.

How different measures of adiposity are similarly or differentially related to mobility limitation and mortality is not clear. In total, 5849 community-dwelling men aged ≥65 years (mean age: 72 years) were followed mortality over 10 years and self-reported mobility limitations (any difficulty walking 2-3 blocks or with climbing 10 steps) at six contacts over 14 years. Baseline measures of adiposity included weight, BMI and percent fat by DXA.

Predicting incident dementia and mild cognitive impairment in older women with nonparametric analysis of circadian activity rhythms in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures.

Study Objectives: Disrupted daily rhythms are associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. The specific nature of how rhythms and cognition are related, however, is unknown. We hypothesized characteristics from a nonparametric estimate of circadian rest-activity rhythm patterns would be associated to the development of MCI or dementia.

Characteristics Associated With Functional Changes During Systemic Cancer Treatments: A Systematic Review Focused on Older Adults.

Background: Maintaining functional status is important to older adults with cancer, but data are limited on how systemic treatments affect functional status. We systematically reviewed changes in functional status during systemic cancer treatments and identified characteristics associated with functional decline and improvement.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials for articles examining characteristics associated with functional changes in older adults during systemic cancer treatment published in English between database inception and January 11, 2019 (PROSPERO CRD42019123125).