Trajectories of the Framingham general cardiovascular risk profile in midlife and poor motor function later in life: the Whitehall II study.
BACKGROUND
Vascular risk factors are associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, but their association with motor function, another key feature of aging, has received little research attention. We examined the association between trajectories of the Framingham general cardiovascular disease risk score (FRS) over midlife and motor function later in life.


METHODS
A total of 5376 participants of the Whitehall II cohort study (29% women) who had up to four repeat measures of FRS between 1991-1993 (mean age=48.6 years) and 2007-2009 (mean age=65.4 years) and without history of stroke or coronary heart disease in 2007-2009 were included. Motor function was assessed in 2007-2009 through objective tests (walking speed, chair rises, balance, finger tapping, grip strength). We used age- and sex-adjusted linear mixed models.


RESULTS
Participants with poorer performances for walking speed, chair rises, and balance in 2007-2009 had higher FRS concurrently and also in 1991-1993, on average 16 years earlier. These associations were robust to adjustment for cognition, socio-economic status, height, and BMI, and not explained by incident mobility limitation prior to motor assessment. No association was found with finger tapping and grip strength.


CONCLUSIONS
Cardiovascular risk early in midlife is associated with poor motor performances later in life. Vascular risk factors play an important and under-recognized role in motor function, independently of their impact on cognition, and suggest that better control of vascular risk factors in midlife may prevent physical impairment and disability in the elderly.
INSERM, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, U1018, Social and Occupational Determinants of Health, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK; Univ Versailles St-Quentin, UMRS 1018, F-94807, Villejuif, France. Electronic address: alexis.elbaz@inserm.fr.
Alexis
A
Elbaz
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK.
Martin J
MJ
Shipley
INSERM, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, U1018, Social and Occupational Determinants of Health, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK; Univ Versailles St-Quentin, UMRS 1018, F-94807, Villejuif, France.
Hermann
H
Nabi
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK.
Eric J
EJ
Brunner
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK.
Mika
M
Kivimaki
INSERM, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, U1018, Social and Occupational Determinants of Health, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, UK; Univ Versailles St-Quentin, UMRS 1018, F-94807, Villejuif, France; Centre de Gérontologie, Hôpital Ste Périne, AP-HP, France.
Archana
A
Singh-Manoux
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009048:Motor Skills; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control
Aging; Cardiovascular risk score; Cohort study; Motor function; Stroke