Key result
Advancing age was significantly associated with increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness and decreased physical fitness, although nonagenarians maintained relatively lower arterial stiffness.
Why the study?
Less is known about physiological characteristics such as arterial stiffness in old-old adults (aged ≥75 years), particularly those aged >85 years.
Cross-Sectional (n=559)
Yes
Arterial stiffness and blood pressure increase with advancing age in older adults, but nonagenarians may maintain longevity characteristics of lower arterial stiffness and higher physical fitness.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports monitoring vascular health with age; leaves open whether preserved stiffness in nonagenarians reflects selection or modifiable factors.
The numbers of “old-old” and “young-old” adults (age ≥75 y [years] and 65-74 y, respectively) are now about the same, but less is known about the physiological characteristics such as arterial stiffness in old-old adults, especially those aged >85 y. Therefore, the present cross-sectional observational study aimed to determine the characteristics of blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness, and physical fitness among 559 (male, n = 213; female, n = 346) Japanese community dwellers aged >65 y in Osaka and Kawakami Village, Nara. BP and arterial stiffness were measured in the supine position using a semi-automated device. Physical fitness was assessed by measuring handgrip strength and walking speed, as well as findings of the sit-and-reach and pegboard tests. Values for systolic BP, mean BP, and arterial stiffness were significantly higher in the old-old than young-old community dwellers. Trends in BP and arterial stiffness significantly increased, whereas those of physical fitness significantly decreased with age per decade. This is the first study to show that the physiological characteristics of BP, arterial stiffness, and physical fitness in Japanese community-dwelling older adults over 80 y. These novel findings indicate that community-dwelling older adults, especially nonagenarians, can maintain the longevity characteristics of lower arterial stiffness and higher physical fitness such as handgrip strength.
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Nishiwaki et al. (2019) conducted a cross-sectional in Aging (n=559). Advancing age vs. Younger age groups (e.g., 65-74 years) was evaluated on Trends in blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and physical fitness with advancing age (p=<0.001). Advancing age was significantly associated with increased blood pressure and arterial stiffness and decreased physical fitness, although nonagenarians maintained relatively lower arterial stiffness.
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