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Table 3 Baseline characteristics and descriptive statistics of the study sample (N = 351); mean (standard deviation) or count (percent) is shown

From: The pace and prognosis of peripheral sensory loss in advanced age: association with gait speed and falls

  Full cohort (n = 351) Baseline somatosensory function
Intact (n = 292) Impaired (n = 59)
Age, years 78 (5) 77 (5) 81 (5)
Female 230 (66%) 203 (70%) 27 (46%)
White 283 (81%) 230 (79%) 53 (90%)
Education
 Less than high school 19 (5%) 15 (5%) 4 (7%)
 High school 68 (19%) 53 (18%) 15 (25%)
 Some college/college 136 (39%) 119 (41%) 17 (29%)
 Graduate/professional education 127 (36%) 104 (36%) 23 (39%)
Body mass index, kg/m2 27.2 (4.9) 27.0 (4.9) 27.9 (5.0)
Current smoker 11 (3%) 10 (3%) 1 (2%)
Daily alcohol use (percent yes) 34 (10%) 28 (10%) 6 (10%)
Comorbidity counta 2.4 (1.5) 2.4 (1.5) 2.7 (1.5)
CES-D score 9.9 (10.2) 9.8 (10.0) 10.3 (11.0)
Medication use
 Antihypertensive medication 237 (68%) 194 (66%) 43 (73%)
 Antidepressants 35 (10%) 29 (10%) 6 (10%)
 Anti-seizure medications 12 (3%) 10 (3%) 2 (4%)
 Statins 160 (46%) 131 (45%) 29 (49%)
 Anxiolytics 42 (12%) 33 (11%) 9 (15%)
 Antihistamines 35 (10%) 29 (10%) 6 (10%)
 Opioids 14 (4%) 10 (3%) 4 (7%)
 Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 65 (19%) 51 (18%) 14 (24%)
 Analgesics/antipyretics 82 (24%) 71 (25%) 11 (19%)
Cognitive function
 Mini-Mental State Examination 27.7 (2.3) 27.8 (2.3) 27.5 (2.3)
 Trail Making Test, seconds
  Part A 52 (33) 51 (33) 56 (33)
  Part B 123 (68) 120 (66) 140 (72)
  Part B less A 74 (55) 72 (55) 84 (55)
Medical conditions (self-report)
 Stroke 32 (9%) 26 (9%) 6 (10%)
 Diabetes mellitus 47 (13%) 33 (11%) 14 (24%)
 Hyperlipidemia 179 (51%) 148 (51%) 31 (53%)
 Hypertension 259 (75%) 214 (74%) 45 (78%)
 Peripheral artery disease 29 (8%) 22 (8%) 7 (12%)
 History of back pain or spinal stenosis 138 (39%) 116 (40%) 22 (37%)
 History of falls 129 (37%) 106 (36%) 23 (40%)
 Parkinson’s disease 6 (2%) 5 (2%) 1 (2%)
 Peripheral neuropathy 69 (21%) 35 (13%) 34 (63%)
 Cancer, excluding skin cancer 81 (23%) 63 (22%) 18 (31%)
Physical function
 Uses walking aid 36 (10%) 24 (8%) 12 (20%)
 Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly 111 (69) 114 (70) 97 (61)
 Short Physical Performance Battery 9.8 (2.2) 10.0 (2.0) 8.6 (2.8)
 Gait speed at baseline, m/s 1.00 (0.25) 1.02 (0.24) 0.92 (0.29)
 Falls during first year of follow-up 1.1 (1.7) 1.1 (1.8) 1.0 (1.4)
 Berg Balance score 51 (5) 52 (5) 48 (8)
  1. aComorbidity count includes coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcer or other stomach disease, kidney disease, liver disease, anemia, cancer, depression, osteoarthritis and degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other unlisted medical problem [34]
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BMC Geriatrics

ISSN: 1471-2318

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