Fractures in older people - incidence, predictors and consequences

In older populations, fractures are common and the consequences of fractures may be serious both for an individual and for society. However, information is scarce about the incidence, predictors and consequences of fractures in population-based unselected cohorts including both men and women and a long follow-up. The objective of this study was to analyse the incidence and predictors of fractures as well as functional decline and excess mortality due to fractures, among 482 men and 695 women aged 65 or older in the municipality of Lieto, Finland from 1991 until 2002. In analyses, Poisson’s, Cox proportional Hazards and Cumulative Logistic regression models were used for the control of several confounding variables. During the 12-year follow-up with a total of 10 040 person-years (PY), 307 (26%) persons sustained altogether 425 fractures of which 77% were sustained by women. The total incidence of fractures was 53.4 per 1000 PY (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 47.9 - 59.5) in women and 24.9 per 1000 PY (95% CI: 20.4 - 30.4) in men. The incidence rates of fractures at any sites and hip fractures were associated with increasing age. No significant changes in the ageadjusted incidence rates of fractures were found in either gender during the 12-year follow-up. The predictors of fractures varied by gender. In multivariate analyses, reduced handgrip strength and body mass index (BMI) lower than 30 in women and a large number of depressive symptoms in men were independent predictors of fractures. A compression fracture in one or more thoracic or upper lumbar vertebras on chest radiography at baseline was associated with subsequent fractures in both genders. Lower body fractures independently predicted both short- (0-2 years) and long-term (up to 8 years) functional decline in mobility and activities of daily living (ADL) performance during the 8-year follow-up. Upper body fractures predicted decline in ADL performance during longterm follow-up. In the 12-year follow-up, hip fractures in men (Hazard Ratio [HR] 8.1, 95% CI: 4.4-14.9) and in women (HR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.9-4.9), and fractures at the proximal humerus in men (HR 5.4, 95% CI: 1.6-17.7) were independently associated with excess mortality. In addition, leisure time inactivity in physical exercise predicted independently both functional decline and excess mortality. Fractures are common among older people posing serious individual consequences. Further studies about the effectiveness of preventing falls and fractures as well as improving care and rehabilitation after fractures are needed.Ikääntyvien ja iäkkäiden henkilöiden murtumat - ilmaantuvuus, ennustavat tekijät ja seuraukset Murtumat ovat iäkkäillä henkilöillä yleisiä ja niiden seuraukset voivat olla sekä yksilölle että yhteiskunnalle vakavia. Murtumien ilmaantuvuudesta, vaaratekijöistä ja seurauksista on kuitenkin olemassa vain vähän edustaviin väestöaineistoihin perustuvia kohorttitutkimuksia, joissa sekä miehiä että naisia on seurattu pitkään. Liedon Iäkkäät - tutkimuksen tavoitteina oli analysoida murtumien ilmaantuvuutta, vaaratekijöitä sekä murtumien yhteyttä ennenaikaisen toimintakyvyn heikkenemisen ja kuoleman vaaraan 65 vuotta täyttäneillä henkilöillä. Kahdentoista vuoden seurantatutkimukseen (1991–2002) osallistui 482 lietolaista miestä ja 695 naista (n=1177), ja heistä 616 henkilöä kuului toimintakyvyn muutosta kuvaavaan kahdeksan vuoden (1991-1999) seurantaan. Tutkimuksen analysoinneissa käytettiin Poissonin, Coxin ja kumulatiivisia logistisia regressiomalleja. Luunmurtumien ilmaantuvuus, vaaratekijät ja yhteys ennenaikaisen kuoleman vaaraan analysoitiin erikseen miehillä ja naisilla. Seuranta-aikana (10 040 henkilövuotta [HV]), 307 (26 %) henkilöä sai yhteensä 425 murtumaa. Murtumista 77 % sattui naisille. Minkä tahansa murtuman ilmaantuvuus oli naisilla 53.4 / 1000 HV (95 %:n luottamusväli [95 % CI]: 47.9 – 59.5) ja miehillä 24.9 / 1000 HV (95 % CI: 20.4 – 30.4). Kaikkien murtumien ja lonkkamurtumien ilmaantuvuus kasvoi iän myötä, mutta rannemurtumien ilmaantuvuus ei ollut yhteydessä ikään. Kahdentoista seurantavuoden aikana ei havaittu tilastollisesti merkitsevää muutosta murtumien ikävakioidussa vuosittaisessa ilmaantuvuudessa. Murtumien vaaratekijät liittyvät kaatumisiin sekä luun haurastumiseen liittyviin tekijöihin, ja niissä oli eroja miesten ja naisten välillä: naisilla käden heikko puristusvoima ja normaali tai alhainen kehon painoindeksi (BMI) sekä miehillä depressiivisten oireiden suuri määrä. Kompressiomurtuma yhdessä tai useammassa rintarangan tai ylemmän lannerangan nikamassa ennusti itsenäisesti tulevia luunmurtumia sekä miehillä että naisilla. Kahdeksan vuoden seuranta-aikana alakehon murtumat lisäsivät ongelmia liikkumiskyvyssä ja päivittäisistä toiminnoista selviytymisessä (ADL) sekä lyhyen (0-2 vuotta) että pitkän (2-8 vuotta) seurannan aikana. Yläkehon murtumat ennustivat ongelmia päivittäisistä perustoiminnoista selviytymisessä pitkän seurannan aikana. Miesten (Hazard Ratio [HR] 8.1, 95 % CI: 4.4-14.9) ja naisten (HR 3.0, 95 % CI: 1.9-4.9) lonkkamurtumat sekä miesten olkavarren yläosan murtumat (HR 5.4 95 % CI: 1.6-17.7) lisäsivät ennenaikaisen kuoleman vaaraa. Vapaa-ajan fyysisessä harjoittelun vähäisyys ennusti itsenäisesti sekä ennenaikaista toimintakyvyn heikkenemistä että kuolemaa. Murtumat ovat iäkkäillä henkilöillä yleisiä ja niillä on vakavia seurauksia. Tarvitaan lisää tutkittua tietoa tehokkaista kaatumisten ja murtumien ehkäisymenetelmistä. Myös murtumapotilaiden hoitoa ja kuntoutusta tulee kehittää.Siirretty Doriast

A Study of Sedentary Behaviour in the Older Finnish Twin Cohort : A Cross Sectional Analysis

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Association between long-term smoking and leisure-time physical inactivity : a cohort study among Finnish twins with a 35-year follow-up

To investigate longitudinal associations of smoking and a change in smoking status with leisure-time physical inactivity. In addition, to control whether familial confounding (genetics and shared environment) influences the associations. Data were based on the population-based Finnish Adult Twin Cohort of 5254 twin individuals born in 1945-1957 (41% men) and who participated in all four surveys over a 35-year follow-up (1975-2011). Logistic and conditional logistic regression models with multiple covariates were used for analyses. Compared to never-smokers, long-term daily smokers (1975-1990) had the highest likelihood for both long-term inactivity and to change into inactive by 2011. Recurrent smoking was associated with long-term inactivity. Instead, in comparison to persistent daily smokers, quitting smoking decreased the likelihood of becoming physically inactive at leisure time. The associations remained in the analyses which accounted for multiple covariates and/or familial confounding. Daily smoking increases the likelihood of remaining or becoming physically inactive over the decades. Our results emphasize not only the importance of preventing smoking initiation, but also to support early smoking cessation in promotion of lifelong physical activity.Peer reviewe

The associations of smoking dependence motives with depression among daily smokers

Aims To investigate how strongly smoking dependence and smoking dependence motives are associated with depressive symptoms among daily smokers and if these associations are independent of measured confounders and shared familial factors. Design Cross-sectional individual-based and within-pair analyses. Setting Fourth wave of the population-based Finnish Twin Cohort conducted in 2011. Participants 918 daily smokers born 1945-1957 (48% men), mean age 59.5 years including 38 twin pairs discordant for depression. Measurements Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale with a cut off value >= 20 for depression. Smoking dependence was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test for Cigarette Dependence (FTCD) and smoking dependence motives with three subscales from the multi-dimensional Brief Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM): primary dependence motives (PDM), affective enhancement (AE), and Taste. Logistic regressions, using standardized scores of independent variables and adjusted for multiple confounders with correction for sampling as twin pairs, were used in the individual-based analyses. Conditional logistic regression was used to control for shared familial factors in discordant twin pairs. Findings Prevalence of depression was 18% (n = 163: 61 [14%] in men, n = 102 [22%] in women). Higher smoking dependence measured by the FTCD (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.20, 1.75), and dependence motives measured by the PDM (1.56; 1.30, 1.87) and the AE (1.54; 1.28, 1.85) were associated with higher odds of depression. The associations remained after adjusting for individual confounders, except for neuroticism, which attenuated all associations. FTCD, PDM, and AE showed associations with depression within depression-discordant monozygotic pairs, suggesting an association independent of familial factors. Conclusions Depression appears to be associated with smoking dependence and smoking dependence motives related to heavy, automatic use and use to regulate affective states. The associations appear to be confounded or mediated by neuroticism but are independent of shared familial influences.Peer reviewe

Leisure-time physical inactivity and association with body mass index : a Finnish Twin Study with a 35-year follow-up

Background: We investigated the stability and change of leisure-time physical inactivity in adult men and women during a 35-year follow-up. We also analysed the impact of long-term physical inactivity on the development of body mass index (BMI). Methods: In this population-based cohort study, 5254 Finnish twin individuals (59% women) participated in four surveys in 1975, 1981, 1990 and 2011. Mean age at baseline was 23.9 years. Individual long-term leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was categorized into seven classes varying from 'persistently inactive' to 'persistently active'. We used the multivariate multilevel mixed-effects linear regression model and paired-sample t-test in the analyses. Co-twin control design was used for examining within-pair associations. Results: Of men 11%, and of women 8%, were persistently inactive. Among both sexes, the mean BMI slope trajectories were steeper among the persistently inactive and those who became inactive than among those who were persistently active. Overall, the inactive participants gained 1.4 kg/m(2) [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2 to 1.7] more in weight than did the active participants from 1975 to 2011. Among twin pairs discordant for LTPA, the corresponding difference was 1.4 kg/m(2) (95% CI 0.83 to 2.0) in dizygotic pairs and 0.68 kg/m(2) (95% CI 0.05 to1.3) in monozygotic pairs. Conclusions: Over a 35-year time span from young adulthood, persistently inactive participants and those who had become inactive had greater weight increases than those who were persistently active. This association was also found in twin-pair analyses, although attenuated in monozygotic pairs. This may support the importance of LTPA in weight management, although further causal inference is required.Peer reviewe

Factors contributing to psychological distress in the working population, with a special reference to gender difference

Abstract Background Psychological distress refers to non-specific symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and it is more common in women. Our aim was to investigate factors contributing to psychological distress in the working population, with a special reference to gender differences. Methods We used questionnaire data from the nationally representative Finnish Regional Health and Well-being Study (ATH) collected in the years 2012–2016 (target population participants aged 20 +, n = 96,668, response rate 53%), restricting the current analysis to those persons who were working full-time and under 65 of age (n = 34,468). Psychological distress was assessed using the Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5) (cut-off value <=52). We studied the following factors potentially associated with psychological distress: sociodemographic factors, living alone, having children under18 years of age, lifestyle-related factors, social support, helping others outside of the home and work-related factors. We used logistic regression analysis to examine association between having work-family conflict with the likelihood for psychological distress. We first performed the models separately for men and women. Then interaction by gender was tested in the combined data for those independent variables where gender differences appeared probable in the analyses conducted separately for men and women. Results Women reported more psychological distress than men (11.0% vs. 8.8%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Loneliness, job dissatisfaction and family-work conflict were associated with the largest risk of psychological distress. Having children, active participation, being able to successfully combine work and family roles, and social support were found to be protective factors. A significant interaction with gender was found in only two variables: ignoring family due to being absorbed in one’s work was associated with distress in women (OR 1.30 (95% CI 1.00–1.70), and mental strain of work in men (OR 2.71 (95% CI 1.66–4.41). Conclusions Satisfying work, family life and being able to successfully combine the two are important sources of psychological well-being for both genders in the working population

Association between education and future leisure-time physical inactivity: a study of Finnish twins over a 35-year follow-up

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Exploring the relationships between adolescent alcohol misuse and later life health outcomes

Background We sought to clarify the impact of adolescent alcohol misuse on adult physical health and subjective well-being. To do so, we investigated both the direct associations between adolescent alcohol misuse and early midlife physical health and life satisfaction and the indirect effects on these outcomes attributable to subsequent alcohol problems. Method The sample included 2733 twin pairs (32% monozygotic; 52% female) from the FinnTwin16 study. Adolescent alcohol misuse was a composite of frequency of drunkenness, frequency of alcohol use, and alcohol problems at ages 16, 17, and 18.5. The early midlife outcomes included somatic symptoms, self-rated health, and life satisfaction at age 34. The mediators examined as part of the indirect effect analyses included alcohol problems from the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index at ages 24 and 34. Serial mediation and co-twin comparison models were applied and included covariates from adolescence and early midlife. Results There were weak direct associations between adolescent alcohol misuse and early midlife physical health and life satisfaction. However, there was stronger evidence for indirect effects, whereby young adult and early midlife alcohol problems serially mediated the relationship between adolescent alcohol misuse and early midlife somatic symptoms (beta = 0.03, 95% CI [0.03, 0.04]), self-rated health (beta = -0.02, 95% CI [-0.03, -0.01]), and life satisfaction (beta = -0.03, CI [-0.04, -0.02]). These serial mediation effects were robust in co-twin comparison analyses. Conclusions These results provide evidence that alcohol problems are a primary driver linking adolescent alcohol misuse and poor health outcomes across the lifespan.Peer reviewe

Correlates and genetics of self-reported sleep and awake bruxism in a nationwide twin cohort

Background Sleep bruxism (SB) and awake bruxism (AB) have been considered different entities, although co-occurrence between them has been shown. While genetic factors have a marked influence on phenotypic variance in liability to SB, this remains unclear for AB. Aim To examine the degree of co-occurrence of SB and AB, and whether they have common correlates and also twin similarity of SB and AB bruxism traits by zygosity and sex. Methods A questionnaire was mailed to all twins born 1945-1957 in Finland in 2012 (n = 11 766). Age and sex adjusted logistic regression models were used. Twin similarity was assessed using polychoric correlations, and crosstwin-crosstrait correlations were computed. Results The response rate was 72% (n = 8410). Any SB was reported by 14.8% and >= 3 nights weekly by 5.0%. Percentages for any AB were 18.4% and 6.3%, respectively. There was substantial co-occurrence (29.5%) between SB and AB, and several shared correlates were found. For SB, the polychoric intra-class correlation was 0.366 in monozygotic (MZ) and 0.200 in dizygotic (DZ) pairs, without gender difference. A twofold crosstwin-crosstrait correlation was observed in MZ twins compared to DZ twins. Conclusions The risk factor profiles of SB and AB were largely but not entirely similar. The higher correlation in MZ than in DZ pairs suggests the influence of genetic factors on both SB and AB. The higher crosstwin-crosstrait correlation in MZ than in DZ pairs suggests some degree of genetic influences shared by SB and AB.Peer reviewe

Psychotropic drugs and the risk of fractures in old age: a prospective population-based study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is evidence that the use of any psychotropic and the concomitant use of two or more benzodiazepines are related to an increased risk of fractures in old age. However, also controversial results exist. The aim was to describe associations between the use of a psychotropic drug, or the concomitant use of two or more of these drugs and the risk of fractures in a population aged 65 years or over.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study was a part of a prospective longitudinal population-based study carried out in the municipality of Lieto, South-Western Finland. The objective was to describe gender-specific associations between the use of one psychotropic drug [benzodiazepine (BZD), antipsychotic (AP) or antidepressant (AD)] or the concomitant use of two or more psychotropic drugs and the risk of fractures in a population 65 years or over. Subjects were participants in the first wave of the Lieto study in 1990-1991, and they were followed up until the end of 1996. Information about fractures confirmed with radiology reports in 1,177 subjects (482 men and 695 women) during the follow-up was collected from medical records. Two follow-up periods (three and six years) were used, and previously found risk factors of fractures were adjusted as confounding factors separately for men and women. The Poisson regression model was used in the analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The concomitant use of two or more BZDs and the concomitant use of two or more APs were related to an increased risk of fractures during both follow-up periods after adjusting for confounding factors in men. No similar associations were found in women.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The concomitant use of several BZDs and that of several APs are associated with an increase in the risk of fractures in older men. Our findings show only risk relations. We cannot draw the conclusion that these drug combinations are causes of fractures.</p