Sensorimotor Peripheral Nerve Function and the Longitudinal Relationship With Endurance Walking in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether lower extremity sensorimotor peripheral nerve deficits are associated with reduced walking endurance in older adults.


METHODS
Prospective cohort study with 6 years of follow-up.


METHODS
Two university research clinics.


METHODS
Community-dwelling older adults enrolled in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study from the 2000-2001 annual clinical examination (N=2393; mean age ± SD, 76.5±2.9y; 48.2% men; 38.2% black) and a subset with longitudinal data (n=1178).


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
Participants underwent peripheral nerve function examination in 2000-2001, including peroneal motor nerve conduction amplitude and velocity, vibration perception threshold, and monofilament testing. Symptoms of lower extremity peripheral neuropathy included numbness or tingling and sudden stabbing, burning, pain, or aches in the feet or legs. The Long Distance Corridor Walk (LDCW) (400 m) was administered in 2000-2001 and every 2 years afterward for 6 years to assess endurance walking performance over time.


RESULTS
In separate, fully adjusted linear mixed models, poor vibration threshold (>130 μm), 10-g and 1.4-g monofilament insensitivity were each associated with a slower 400-m walk completion time (16.0 s, 14.4s, and 6.9 s slower, respectively; P<.05 for each). Poor motor amplitude (<1 mV), poor vibration perception threshold, and 10-g monofilament insensitivity were related to greater slowing per year (4.7, 4.2, and 3.8 additional seconds per year, respectively; P<.05), although poor motor amplitude was not associated with initial completion time.


CONCLUSIONS
Poorer sensorimotor peripheral nerve function is related to slower endurance walking and greater slowing longitudinally. Interventions to reduce the burden of sensorimotor peripheral nerve function impairments should be considered to help older adults maintain walking endurance-a critical component for remaining independent in the community.
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Brittney S
BS
Lange-Maia
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Anne B
AB
Newman
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Jane A
JA
Cauley
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Robert M
RM
Boudreau
Department of Health and Physical Activity, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
John M
JM
Jakicic
Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
Paolo
P
Caserotti
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
Nancy W
NW
Glynn
Intramural Research Program, Laboratory of Epidemiology and Population Sciences, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Tamara B
TB
Harris
Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC.
Stephen B
SB
Kritchevsky
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.
Ann V
AV
Schwartz
Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
Suzanne
S
Satterfield
Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD.
Eleanor M
EM
Simonsick
Department of Neurobiology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA.
Aaron I
AI
Vinik
Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA.
Sasa
S
Zivkovic
Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: StrotmeyerE@edc.pitt.edu.
Elsa S
ES
Strotmeyer
D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010807:Physical Endurance / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D014732:Vibration; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D044465:White People
Aged; Motor neurons; Peripheral nerves; Physical endurance; Rehabilitation; Sensation; Walking