Predictors of Adverse Outcomes in Healthy Aging Adults: Coronary Artery Disease, Lower Educational Status and Higher P-Selectin Levels

Background: Societal aging - as a global demographic phenomenon - shows no indication of abating. As a result, the problem of age-associated disability and related long-term care is emerging as a major public health challenge. It is important that methods for identifying older adults at risk of adverse outcomes are implemented early. Methods: The study group consisted of 145 individuals, 44.1% women, who were randomized from community-dwelling 60-74-year -old adults. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was supplemented with Fried frailty phenotype evaluation and blood tests (including adhesion molecules, matrix metalloproteinases and neurotrophic factors). A follow-up by phone call was made for at least 3 years after the initial examination. Composite endpoint (CE) included falls, hospitalization, institutionalization and death. Results: Mean study group age was 66.5 [+ or -] 4.1 years (X[+ or -]SD) and mean number of diseases was 3.7 [+ or -] 2.2. Functional status of the subjects was good, as indicated by high Barthel Index scores of 99.1 [+ or -] 2.4, MMSE scores of 29.0 [+ or -]1.5 and no frailty case. During a three-year follow-up, 71 participants (49.0%) experienced any CE-events. The Wilcoxon-Gehan test indicates that a higher probability of three-year CE completion was associated with an age >65 years (P = 0.006), coronary artery disease (CAD) (P = 0.008), 6-Minute Walk Test 120 mg/dL (P = 0.047), serum cortisol >10 [micro]g/dL (P = 0.011), leptin [greater than or equal to]15 ng/mL (P = 0.018), P-selectin [greater than or equal to]23 ng/mL (P = 0.006) and GDNF [greater than or equal to]20 pg/mL (P = 0.004). CAD (OR = 3.64, 95% CI = 1.53-8.69, P = 0.004), educational status (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.77-0.98, P = 0.022) and P-selectin levels (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02-1.13, P = 0.013) were independent measures predicting three-year CE occurrence in multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for clinical and functional measures, and blood tests. Conclusion: Coronary artery disease, poorer lower educational status and higher P-selectin levels were predictive of adverse outcomes in the community-dwelling healthy-aging early-old adults during three-year follow-up. Keywords: comprehensive geriatric assessment, frailty phenotype, community-dwelling older adults, healthy aging, adverse events, coronary artery disease, education, P-selectin