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Association between low gait speed and cognition decline in older nursing home residents
Ying Li, Xue Yang. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2020
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Background The gait speed represented the core determinant of physical function, which is reported to associated with cognitive decline. This study examined the association between gait speed and cognitive function in elderly nursing home residents. Method We conducted a cross‐sectional study in seven nursing homes in Western China. The cognitive states were measured by MMSE. The gait speed was measured via a 4m walking test, and appendicular muscle mass was estimated according to a previously validated anthropometric equation. Handgrip strength was measured with a handheld dynamometer. Dementia was defined as MMSE lower than 23. The cut‐off of the gait speed, appendicular muscle mass, handgrip strength was based on the sex‐specific 20% lowest percentile of the study population. Result Four hundred and ten participants were included. Two hundred and twenty‐three participants (54.39%) were identified as dementia. Compared with the subjects without dementia, the dementia subjects were more likely to have lower gait speed and grip strength (See Table 1). As indicated in Table 2, compared with the normal gait speed subjects, low gait speed subjects exhibited an increased risk factor of dementia (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.09‐6.72) in the unadjusted model. After adjusting for age, sex, education and other confounder, the low gait speed was an independent risk factor of dementia (OR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.47‐5.00). Conclusion This study founded that low gait speed was significantly associated with dementia in older adults in nursing home. Screening for slow gait speed may be useful for identifying older nursing home residents at risk of cognition decline.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Li, Y., & Yang, X. (2020). Association between low gait speed and cognition decline in older nursing home residents. Alzheimer's & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.042872
Vancouver
Li Y, Yang X. Association between low gait speed and cognition decline in older nursing home residents. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2020. doi:10.1002/alz.042872.
BibTeX
@article{li2020-5fcd39d4,
author = {Li, Ying and Yang, Xue},
title = {{Association between low gait speed and cognition decline in older nursing home residents}},
journal = {Alzheimer's \& Dementia},
year = {2020},
doi = {10.1002/alz.042872},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.042872}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Abstract Background The gait speed represented the core determinant of physical function, which is reported to associated with cognitive decline.
- Result Four hundred and ten participants were included.
- Compared with the subjects without dementia, the dementia subjects were more likely to have lower gait speed and grip strength (See Table 1).
- As indicated in Table 2, compared with the normal gait speed subjects, low gait speed subjects exhibited an increased risk factor of dementia (OR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.09‐6.72) in the unadjusted model.
- Conclusion This study founded that low gait speed was significantly associated with dementia in older adults in nursing home.
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study found that low gait speed was an independent risk factor of dementia in elderly nursing home residents. It is an observational association and provides no evidence that changing gait speed treats, cures or prevents Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Effect size54.39%; OR: 3.75; OR: 2.71
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Alzheimer's & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2020 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 3 / 3 | Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 8 year(s) since 2020 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Xue Yang: h-index 12 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Sichuan University: institution h-index 720 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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