Influences of body mass index and waist circumference on physical function in older persons with heart failure.
BACKGROUND
In older persons with heart failure (HF), body composition may influence physical function and treatment effectiveness. There is a lack of research concerning the associations between waist circumference (WC) or body mass index (BMI) and physical function in this population.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether BMI and WC are associated with physical function in older men and women with HF.


METHODS
Seventy-one men and 36 women 65 years of age and older living with HF completed two surveys spaced three months apart. Height, weight, WC, time since diagnosis, edema, comorbidities and physical function were self-reported at baseline and follow-up. Physical function was determined using the physical component score of the Short Form-12 and the physical limitation domain (PLD) of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire. Multivariate linear regression and analysis of covariance were used to evaluate the relationships between WC and BMI, as well as cross-classifications of WC and BMI with physical function, after adjusting for confounders and interactions.


RESULTS
The cross-sectional and short-term follow-up analyses did not detect an association between WC or BMI and physical function, with the exception of changes in the PLD, which were significantly different across WC categories. Persons with a moderate WC experienced the greatest improvement in function. The physical component and PLD scores were lower than those reported by Canadians 75 years of age and older and stable HF patients, respectively. Women reported lower physical function scores than men.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings from the present study indicate that older persons with HF, especially women, have poor physical functioning regardless of their WC or BMI.
Prince
Stephanie A
SA
Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Queen's University, Ontario, Canada.
Janssen
Ian
I
Tranmer
Joan E
JE
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001824:Body Constitution; D002423:Cause of Death; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio