Predictors of dropout from cohort study due to deterioration in health status, with focus on sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome, and frailty: From the Shiraniwa Elderly Cohort (Shiraniwa) study.

BACKGROUND

Conditions of the elderly like sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome, and frailty have been attracting attention recently. However, the relationship of these 3 conditions and the difference in the magnitude of influence each has on deterioration in health status remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and relationship of sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome, and frailty, and to clarify their influence on the dropout from cohort study due to deterioration in health status.

METHODS

The 1st survey of the Shiraniwa Elderly Cohort (Shiraniwa) study was conducted in 2016. We examined 409 participants (aged ≥ 65 years; 164 males, 245 females) and assessed sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome, and frailty. Those who could not attend the 2nd survey (2017) due to deterioration in health status were defined as the Dropout group. We investigated the predictors of Dropout using multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The prevalence of sarcopenia, locomotive syndrome stage 2, and frailty were 4.4%, 40.1%, and 14.2%, respectively; 89.7% of participants with frailty were also diagnosed with locomotive syndrome stage 2. From the results of the 2nd survey, 46 people were classified into the Dropout group. Independent predictors of the Dropout were locomotive syndrome stage 2 (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11-5.31) and frailty (adjusted OR: 3.37, 95%CI: 1.56-7.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Locomotive syndrome stage 2 was the most common condition in the elderly, and most people with frailty also had locomotive syndrome stage 2. Locomotive syndrome stage 2 and frailty independently influenced the dropout from cohort study due to deterioration in health status. These results suggest that screening for locomotive syndrome is useful for early detection of the elderly with a risk of deterioration in health status, and screening for frailty may contribute to detecting the elderly with higher risk of deterioration in health status.