P13 Vascular and Muscle Deterioration in Older Outpatients

Abstract

Background

Vascular and muscle deterioration are age-related processes, which both have a major impact on health and might share common predisposing factors and mechanisms. We investigated the possible association between aortic stiffness and physical performance in older outpatients.

Methods

Aortic stiffness was non-invasively measured as aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) by the Mobil-o-Graph. Physical performance was assessed by the (a) hand grip strength and (b) usual gait speed on 5-meter course. Low grip strength was <20 kg for women and <30 kg for men. Slow gait speed was defined as ≤0.8 m/s. Mean values of aPWV were investigated in patients according to their physical performance.

Results

We included 240 consecutive outpatients. Mean age was 77.6 (±7.1) years, mean aPWV was 12.0 (±1.7)m/s. Low hand grip strength was found in 43.3%, slow gait speed in 37.1%. Compared to the normal physical performance group, patients with low grip strength were 5.3 years older (p < 0.001) and patients with slow gait speed were 2.9 years older (p = 0.002). Patients with normal grip strength had lower aPWV than patients with low grip strength (11.58 vs 12.6, p < 0.001). Patients with normal gait speed had lower aPWV than patients with slow gait speed (11.81 vs 12.3, p = 0.042). After adjustments for age, sex and mean arterial pressure, no differences were found in aPWV between patients with a normal and low physical performance.

Conclusion

Higher aortic stiffness is associated with lower physical performance in older outpatients. However, age plays a crucial role in this relationship.