title: Risk factors for onset of disability among older persons newly diagnosed with heart failure: the Cardiovascular Health Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the heart failure population continues to age, disability is becoming an increasingly important issue. Our objective was to identify risk factors for the onset of disability in activities of daily living among older persons with heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population included participants with newly diagnosed heart failure from the Cardiovascular Health Study, a longitudinal study of community-living, older persons. Data were collected through annual examinations. Cox regression modeling was used to examine associations between time-dependent predictors and onset of disability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 461 participants newly diagnosed with heart failure (mean age 78.7 [SD 5.89]), 23% subsequently developed disability. The first year after heart failure diagnosis was the period of greatest risk for onset of disability (chi-square P value <.001). Factors that were independently associated with disability included: impaired gait speed (HR 2.29, 95% CI 1.34-3.90); impaired cognition (HR 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.05); and depressive symptoms (HR 1.72, 95% CI 1.04-2.83).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Onset of disability is a common occurrence among older persons newly diagnosed with heart failure. Risk factors for onset of disability in this population are potentially modifiable, and should be routinely assessed in an effort to reduce disability in this growing population.
authors.affiliation: Section of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8093, USA. sarwat.chaudhry@yale.edu
authors.forename: Sarwat I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McAvay
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Heather G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Allore
authors.forename: Anne B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors