1469 - Effect of pneumonia and pneumonia hospitalization episodes on mobility in older adults: results from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study

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Presenting Author(s)

Joshua Brown

Assistant Professor
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Disclosure: Pfizer, Inc (Consultant, Grant/Research Support)

Co-Author(s)

Reiko Sato

Senior Director
Pfizer, Inc.
Collegeville, Pennsylvania
Disclosure: Pfizer, Inc (Employee, Shareholder)
JM

John Morley

Professor
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, Missouri
Disclosure: Pfizer, Inc (Consultant)

Background: Mobility is a cornerstone of healthy aging. Pneumonia may impact mobility through damage to physiological systems as well as increased inflammation, which has been associated with reduced physical functioning. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of pneumonia on objectively measured physical functioning in a sample of older adults.

Methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) Study provided by the National Institute on Aging’s AgingResearchBiobank. Participants with pre-existing mobility concerns aged 70-89 years were randomized to physical activity or health education interventions. Outcomes included the ability to complete a 400-meter walk and gait speed (meters/second, m/s) and were assessed every 6 months from baseline up to 42 months. New health events were assessed at each visit including overall pneumonia events and pneumonia hospitalizations. Repeated measures regression models evaluated the ability to walk 400-meters and gait speed as separate outcomes controlling for age, sex, race, education, past medical history, the occurrence of other health events, and a cumulative deficit frailty index.

Results: There were 1,635 LIFE Study participants with N=9,872 follow-up measures during the study period. Among these, 174 (10.6%) had a pneumonia event which included 96 hospitalization events. Those with pneumonia events during follow-up were mostly similar to those without pneumonia events at baseline, except for higher prevalence of past hospitalizations and respiratory problems. Any pneumonia event was associated with an adjusted mean gait speed of 0.67 (0.63-0.71) m/s vs. 0.70 (0.66-0.73) m/s in those without pneumonia and 0.60 (0.55-0.64) in those with pneumonia hospitalization. Similarly, pneumonia events were associated with 84% [odds ratio = 1.84 (1.45-2.23)] and pneumonia hospitalizations with 200% [odds ratio = 3.00 (2.48-3.52)] increases in the odds of not being able to walk 400-meters compared to those without pneumonia events.

Conclusion: Pneumonia-related health events were associated with subsequent reduced mobility measured by 400-meter walk tests and gait speed. Preventing pneumonia may be an important component of maintaining physical functioning in older adults.