RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Musculoskeletal disorders and disability in persons aged 85 and over: a community survey.
JF Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
JO Ann Rheum Dis
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism
SP 807
OP 811
DO 10.1136/ard.53.12.807
VO 53
IS 12
A1 D van Schaardenburg
A1 K J Van den Brande
A1 G J Ligthart
A1 F C Breedveld
A1 J M Hazes
YR 1994
UL http://ard.bmj.com/content/53/12/807.abstract
AB OBJECTIVES--To study the prevalences of musculoskeletal disorders and disability in the elderly, and the relationship between them. METHODS--A community sample of 73 females and 32 males aged 85 and over underwent a standardised examination at home. Musculoskeletal disorders were classified according to published clinical criteria. The relative effects on disability (a walking distance of < 500 m or dependency in activities of daily living (ADL)) of musculoskeletal disorders and comorbidity were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS--Musculoskeletal pain was reported by 57% of those interviewed. A major restriction of joint movement range was frequent in the shoulder but uncommon in other joints. A shoulder disorder was found in 27% of subjects, rheumatoid arthritis in 1% and osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand, hip, and knee in five, seven, and 18% of subjects, respectively. Disability was frequent: a walking distance of < 500 m was found in 60% and ADL dependency in 40% of the group. Factors related to one or both of these disability measures included female gender, hip and knee OA, impaired vision, cognitive impairment and neurological disease. CONCLUSION--Musculoskeletal pain and disorders, in addition to disability were frequent in this very elderly population. However, as a cause of disability, other disorders were at least as important as musculoskeletal disorders.