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Aim: To examine the association between public transportation use and loneliness in urban elderly who stop driving. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 31 community-dwelling older adults who had stopped driving. Public transportation use was assessed by using frequency and divided into two groups. The users group was participants who used public transportation more than once a week and the nonusers group was participants who used public transportation less than once a week. Loneliness was measured using the Japanese version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale version 3 (UCLA.LS.ver3), with a higher score indicating greater loneliness. The independent t test was used to compare the UCLA.LS.ver3 scores between users and nonusers group. A multiple linear regression model was used with the UCLA.LS.ver3 score as the objective variable and public transportation use as the explanatory variable. Results: The UCLA.LS.ver3 score was significantly higher in the nonusers group than in the users group (nonusers group: 12.7 ± 1.9; users group: 10.1 ± 2.9, p = .017). After adjustments, public transportation use was significantly associated with lower loneliness (β = −2.55, p = .029). Conclusion: Public transportation use might have important role to prevent loneliness in older adults who stop driving.

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) in Japanese children aged 9 to 12 years. Methods: A total of 210 children aged between 9 and 12 years participated. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were evaluated using Cronbach alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Validity was evaluated using athletic competence (AC), self-efficacy (SE), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), cardiovascular fitness (CVF), and World Health Organization Health Behavior in School-aged Children (WHO HBSC) physical activity questionnaire. Results: Internal consistency was acceptable (alpha = 0.80) and test-retest reliability showed excellent agreement (ICC = 0.83). The PAQ-C score was significantly correlated with AC ( r = 0.41), SE ( r = 0.65), %BF ( r = 0.19), and CVF ( r = −0.32). The PAQ-C score of the active group classified by the WHO HBSC physical activity questionnaire (mean score ± standard deviation [SD] = 3.03 ± 0.57) was significantly higher than that of the inactive group (mean score ± SD = 2.27 ± 0.63, P Conclusions: The PAQ-C had acceptable reliability and validity. The PAQ-C is a useful instrument to evaluate physical activity for Japanese children aged 9 to 12 years.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of preoperative cachexia on postoperative length of stay (LOS) in elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Methods This prospective cohort study enrolled 98 patients (≥60 y of age) with gastric or colorectal cancer who were scheduled to undergo curative surgery and were categorized as either having cachexia or as being in a non-cachexia group. The definition of cachexia was patients with >5% loss of stable body weight over the previous 6 mo, a body mass index (BMI) 2%, or sarcopenia and ongoing weight loss >2%. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was performed with postoperative LOS as the dependent variable and the presence of cachexia as the independent variable, and age, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, education, cancer type, clinical stage, surgical approach, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index as confounding variables. Results Twenty-two patients (22.4%) were diagnosed with cachexia. Postoperative LOS was 17.1 ± 8.7 d in the non-cachexia group and 20.6 ± 10.8 d in the cachexia group. Multivariable Poisson analysis showed that preoperative cachexia was significantly associated with prolonged postoperative LOS after adjustment (2.41 d; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 4.55; P = 0.027). Conclusions Our results suggested that preoperative cachexia prolongs postoperative LOS in elderly patients with gastrointestinal cancer, implying that cachexia should be assessed and treated before surgery.

Objectives Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome. However, typical frailty scales used in oncology clinics assess physical impairment and/or malnutrition but do not consider the social domain. Our study aimed to clarify the relationship between preoperative social frailty and overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Design This was a prospective cohort study. Setting and Participants This single-center study recruited 195 patients with gastrointestinal cancer scheduled for curative surgery and aged >60 years. Methods The outcomes considered were the OS and CSS of surgery. Primary associated factors included frailty defined as a Geriatric 8 score ≤14; social frailty defined as 2 or more of the following—going out less frequently, rarely visiting friends, feeling unhelpful to friends or family, living alone, and not talking with someone daily, and combinations therein [no frailty without social frailty (−/−), frailty without social frailty (+/−), no frailty with social frailty (−/+), and frailty with social frailty (+/+)]. We used the Cox proportional hazards model and the Fine and Gray proportional subdistribution hazard model adjusting for confounding factors. Results Of the 195 patients, 181 (mean age, 72.0 years) were included for analysis. The median follow-up time was 994 days. Social frailty (hazard ratio 3.10) and their combinations [6.35; frailty with social frailty (+/+) vs no frailty without social frailty (−/−)] were significant predictors of OS. Social frailty (subdistribution hazard ratio 3.23) and their combinations (7.57) were significant predictors of CSS. Conclusions and Implications Preoperative social frailty is a predictor of OS and CSS in older patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Screening for social frailty, frailty, and their combinations in older patients with cancer is important.

To examine the association of physical activity (PA) with bone health among patients with breast cancer receiving adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. In this single-center observational study, we enrolled postmenopausal women with primary hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who were receiving adjuvant AI treatment. We assessed patient bone health [bone mineral density (BMD) and biomarkers of bone turnover] as main outcomes. PA was assessed using Baecke physical activity questionnaires (BPAQ) and an accelerometer. Multiple regression analysis was performed after adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking history and duration of AI treatment. For missing data, multiple imputation analysis was adapted. The mean age of the 53 enrolled patients was 67.4 ± 8.4 years. The mean duration of AI administration was 25.7 ± 18.9 months. The most frequently administered AI was anastrozole (73.6%). Although not related to BMD, PA was related to bone turnover. Serum collagen type I amino-terminal propeptide, a bone formation marker, was associated with only light PA (t = − 2.55, p = 0.015), while tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b, a bone absorption marker, was associated with work index in the BPAQ subscale and light PA (t = − 2.28, p = 0.028, t = − 2.26, p = 0.031, respectively). The results for all patients were similar to those observed in the multiple imputation analysis. PA was significantly associated with bone turnover among cancer patients receiving AI treatment. Light PA and PA in the work domain were the most important factors among various PA intensities and PA domains.

OBJECTIVE Physical inactivity is recognized as a pandemic health problem. The association of pain with physical activity, particularly when measured objectively, in older adults is unclear. This study investigates the association of number of chronic musculoskeletal pain sites and pain severity with objectively measured physical activity in community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN Observational study. SETTING Community. SUBJECTS We analyzed 267 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 75.3 years, 67.0% women). METHODS Number of chronic musculoskeletal pain sites and pain severity were measured using a self-reported questionnaire. Mean steps per day and mean minutes of light physical activity per day and moderate to vigorous physical activity per day were measured using an accelerometer. Linear regression models were applied to analyze the association of number of chronic musculoskeletal pain sites and pain severity with physical activity. RESULTS The results suggest that a higher number of chronic musculoskeletal pain sites is associated with lower step count (beta = -333.5, 95% confidence interval = -655.9 to -11.0, P

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the reciprocal relationship between pain severity and executive function in community-dwelling older adults. Method: In this prospective cohort study, 64 Japanese community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older (mean age 72.8 years; women, 68.8%) were analyzed. Pain severity was assessed by self-reported questionnaire while executive function was assessed by the Trail Making Test at baseline and at 1-year follow-up assessment. A mixed effect model was conducted to analyze the effect of baseline executive function on change in pain severity and effect of baseline pain severity on change in executive function. Results: The effect of baseline Trail Making Test on change in pain severity was not significant. On the contrary, the effect of high baseline pain severity on the decline in set shifting (Trail Making Test Part B) was significant even after adjustment with age, sex, years of education, depressive symptoms, and analgesic drug use. Conclusion: Higher baseline pain severity was associated with greater executive function decline in community-dwelling older adults. Executive function decline due to severe pain should be considered as well as pain itself.