Mild Cognitive Impairment, Slow Gait, and Risk of Disability: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Objectives: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) may be a risk for disability, and co-occurrence of slow gait (SG) and MCI may increase this risk.

Design: Prospective study.

Setting: General community.

Participants: The study included 3482 older adults (mean age: 71.4 years) without disability at baseline.

Measurements: We collected information on demographic variables, measured gait speed and cognitive function to diagnose MCI at baseline. During the follow-up period, the incident disability was monitored. Participants were divided into groups without MCI and SG (control), with SG without MCI (SG), without SG and with MCI in single (sMCI) or multiple (mMCI) domains, and with SG and MCI in single (sMCI + SG) and multiple (mMCI + SG) domains.

Results: During follow-up, 134 participants developed disability (mean follow-up: 29.4 months). The proportions of incident disability were higher in the MCI with SG, MCI, and SG groups, compared with the control group. SG [hazard ratio 2.27 (95% confidence interval: 1.38-3.73)], mMCI [2.56 (1.31-5.02)], sMCI + SG [2.46 (1.21-5.00)], and mMCI + SG [3.48 (1.79-6.76)] participants had risks for disability.

Conclusions: Co-occurrence of SG and MCI in multiple domains has a higher risk of disability than each condition alone.

Keywords: Cognitive function; cognitive frailty; disability; mild cognitive impairment; mobility.