1. Physical inactivity is a strong risk factor for stroke in the oldest old: Findings from a multi-ethnic population (the Northern Manhattan Study).
- Author
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Willey JZ, Moon YP, Sacco RL, Greenlee H, Diaz KM, Wright CB, Elkind MS, and Cheung YK
- Subjects
- Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Comorbidity, Exercise, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Incidence, Leisure Activities, New York City, Proportional Hazards Models, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Risk Reduction Behavior, Self Report, Stroke prevention & control, Sedentary Behavior, Stroke epidemiology
- Abstract
Background The fastest growing segment of the population is those age ≥80 who have the highest stroke incidence. Risk factor management is complicated by polypharmacy-related adverse events. Aims To characterize the impact of physical inactivity for stroke by age in a multi-ethnic prospective cohort study (NOMAS, n = 3298). Methods Leisure time physical activity was assessed by a validated questionnaire and our primary exposure was physical inactivity (PI). Participants were followed annually for incident stroke. We fit Cox-proportional hazard models to calculate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (HR 95% CI) for the association of PI and other risk factors with risk of stroke including two-way interaction terms between the primary exposures and age (<80 vs. ≥80). Results The mean age was 69 ± 10.3 years and 562 (17%) were ≥80 at enrolment. PI was common in the cohort (40.8%). Over a median of 14 years, we found 391 strokes. We found a significant interaction of age ≥80 on the risk of stroke with PI ( p = 0.03). In stratified models, PI versus any activity (adjusted HR 1.60, 95%CI 1.05-2.42) was associated with an increased risk of stroke among those ≥80. Conclusion Physical inactivity is a treatable risk factor for stroke among those older than age 80. Improving activity may reduce the risk of stroke in this segment of the population.
- Published
- 2017
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