Cerebral microbleeds are associated with physical frailty: a community-based study.
The present study aimed to evaluate whether cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), as a presentation of cerebral small vessel diseases (CSVDs), are associated with physical frailty. This is a cross-sectional evaluation in participants from a community-based study, the I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study. The physical frail status was evaluated using the Cardiovascular Health Study score, which includes components of weakness, low physical activity, slowness, exhaustion, and weight loss. The CMBs were assessed with magnetic resonance imaging using susceptibility-weighted imaging. Of the 962 subjects (62.5 [8.6] years, 44.2% men) included, 33.2% had physical prefrail and 3.3% had frail status. Compared with the robust subjects, prefrail and/or frail subjects presented with more overall CMB numbers and a higher number and/or incidence of CMB in the deep and/or infratentorial regions. Multivariate analysis with adjustment for age, sex, and vascular risk factors revealed that the CMB numbers were significantly associated with physical frailty. The brainstem was the only CMB location significantly associated with physical frailty (odds ratio, 95% CI, 13.50, 1.23-147.79) and the weakness component (5.04, 1.47-17.2), independent of age, sex, vascular risk factors, and the other presentations of CSVDs. Our results suggest that CSVD is involved in the pathophysiology of physical frailty.
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chih-Ping
CP
Chung
Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Kun-Hsien
KH
Chou
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wei-Ta
WT
Chen
Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Geriatric and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Li-Kuo
LK
Liu
Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital Yuanshan Branch, Yi-Lan, Taiwan.
Wei-Ju
WJ
Lee
Institute of Brain Science, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Center for Geriatric and Gerontology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Liang-Kung
LK
Chen
Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Ching-Po
CP
Lin
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Neurology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan; Aging and Health Research Center, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: pnwang@vghtpe.gov.tw.
Pei-Ning
PN
Wang
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001933:Brain Stem; D002543:Cerebral Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D059345:Cerebral Small Vessel Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D059906:Neuroimaging; D012307:Risk Factors
Aging; Brainstem; Cerebral microbleeds; Physical frailty