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This study aimed to describe the level of physical activity and its relation to fatigue and frailty during the COVID-19 pandemic in community-dwelling older adults aged 80 years and over. Three hundred and ninety-one older adults (aged 86.5 ± 3.00) completed a survey including physical activity, the Mobility Tiredness scale, and the FRAIL scale. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess whether the variables age, sex, and physical activity (independent factors) were significantly related to fatigue and frailty. Respectively, 30.5% and 24.7% of the participants reported a decrease in walking and in energy-intensive activities; 25.4% reported increased sedentary behavior. A lower level of physical activity was associated with higher levels of fatigue and increased frailty risk (p <.05), independently from psychological symptoms. These results are important because participants with lower levels of physical activity and more sedentary behavior are more likely to feel fatigued and have higher risk to be frail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the association of respiratory muscle strength with sarcopenia and its indicators in the oldest old. Methods: Maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and sarcopenia-related factors (handgrip strength and appendicular lean mass) were evaluated in a cohort of n = 286 (45.5% female) non-frail, community-dwelling persons aged 83.6 ± 3.0 years (age range 80–97 years). Results: The sample presented a sarcopenia prevalence of 32.2%. Sarcopenic subjects showed comparable MIP and MEP as non-sarcopenic ones (female: MIP 43.9 ± 18.9 vs. 50.3 ± 19.5, p = 0.053; MEP 63.0 ± 23.0 vs. 69.2 ± 19.1, p = 0.067; male: MIP, 65.1 ± 24.4 vs. 64.4 ± 23.9, p = 0.433; MEP 87.7 ± 33.3 vs. 93.8 ± 30.9, p = 0.124). Statistically significant but very low associations were found between grip strength and MIP (r = 0.193 for male, p <0.05 and r = 0.257 for female participants, p <0.01) and MEP (r = 0.200 for male, p <0.01 and r = 0.191 for female participants, p <0.05). Lean mass was significantly correlated to MIP and MEP in female (r = 0.253, p <0.01 and r = 0.343, p <0.01, respectively), whereas this association was not found in male participants. Grip strength was the only statistically significant predictor of MEP (r2 = 0.212, p <0.001), while MIP was independently predicted by age, male sex, and grip strength (r2 = 0.177, p <0.001). Conclusions: Peripheral muscle strength is a statistically significant, albeit weak predictor for respiratory muscle strength in well-functioning, community-dwelling persons aged 80+. When confronted to a low grip strength, one should be aware of concomitant respiratory muscle weakness, as this is a known risk factor for atelectasis and pneumonia. Given the relatively low association with handgrip strength, respiratory muscle strength testing might be indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fatigue might influence the losses in activities of daily living (ADL). When fatigue parameters are present before the experience of losses in ADL and gait speed they can be used as early warning signals. This study aimed to explore the predictive value of muscle endurance and fatigue on changes in ADL and gait speed in community-dwelling older adults aged 80 and over.Methods: 324 community-dwelling older adults aged 80 and older of the BUTTERFLY study were assessed after one year for muscle endurance, self-perceived fatigue, Activities of Daily Living and gait speed. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to explore, whether there is an underlying arrangement of the fatigue parameters. Mediating logistic regression analyses were used to investigate whether muscle endurance mediated by self-perceived fatigue predicts decline in gait speed and ADL after one year follow-up.Results: Exploratory factor analysis indicated a 2-factor model (muscle endurance factor and self-perceived fatigue factor) and had a moderate fit (X 2: 374.81, df: 2, CFI; 0.710, TLI: 0.961, RSMEA(90%): 0.048 (0.00-0.90)). Muscle endurance mediated by self-perceived fatigue had an indirect effect on the prediction of decline in Basal- (-0.27), Instrumental-ADL (-0.25) and gait speed (-0.28) after one year follow-up.Conclusion: This study showed that low muscle endurance combined with high self-perceived fatigue can predict changes in ADL after one-year follow-up. These parameters might be very suitable for use in evaluating intrinsic capacity and can help to reduce the limitations in clinical usage of the vitality domain in the framework of intrinsic capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on quality of life (QoL), meaningful daily activities, and (pre)frailty in community-dwelling octogenarians. Cross-sectional design with bivariate and multiple linear regression modeling using a stepwise approach examining the level of QoL during the COVID-19 lockdown in a group of 215 community-dwelling octogenarians (Mage = 86.49 ± 3.02). A comprehensive set of biopsychosocial variables (FRAIL scale, general health, engagement in meaningful activities survey, questions on loneliness, and feelings) were used as explaining variables. Particularly, a decrease in daily activities, social activities, and an increase in free times activities were observed, but the decrease in QoL could be explained by the meaningfulness in activities, together with experiencing emptiness in life, taking ≥ 4 medications a day and feeling down or depressed. We tried to understand which components contribute to and might affect a person's QoL caused by restrictions imposed by the governance and its influence on the lives of the community-dwelling octogenarians. As such, this output could be a baseline for the development of minimally impacting countermeasures during future lockdowns. Studying lifestyle changes and thus also variables related to QoL during a pandemic, may support policymakers and practitioners to develop relevant interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]