Association between respiratory capacity, quality of life and cognitive function in elderly individuals

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate associations between respiratory capacity, quality of life and cognitive function in elderly individuals. Methods The sample included 386 elderly individuals (232 women). Respiratory capacity assessment was based on maximal expiratory pressure measured at peak expiratory flow. Subjects were classified according to peak expiratory flow values adjusted for sex, age and height of individuals with normal (peak expiratory flow curve <80% and >60%) or reduced (peak expiratory flow curve < 60%) respiratory capacity. The World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Mini-Mental State Examination were used to assess quality of life and cognitive function, respectively. Results Elderly women with reduced respiratory capacity scored lower on the Mini-Mental State Examination (p=0.048) and quality of life questionnaire (p=0.040) compared to those with normal respiratory capacity. These differences were not observed in men (p>0.05). Conclusion Reduced respiratory capacity was associated with poorer quality of life and cognitive function in elderly women. These associations were not observed in elderly men.

摘要
研究目的：旨在探讨老年人群呼吸功能、生活质量与认知功能之间的关联。
研究方法：本研究纳入386名老年受试者（其中女性232名）。呼吸功能评估以峰值呼气流速下测得的最大呼气压为依据。根据校正了性别、年龄与身高的峰值呼气流速值对受试者进行分组：呼吸功能正常者（峰值呼气流速曲线值介于60%~80%之间）与呼吸功能降低者（峰值呼气流速曲线值<60%）。分别采用世界卫生组织生活质量问卷（"World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire"）与简易精神状态检查量表（"Mini-Mental State Examination"）评估受试者的生活质量与认知功能。
研究结果：与呼吸功能正常的老年女性相比，呼吸功能降低的老年女性在简易精神状态检查量表（p=0.048）与生活质量问卷（p=0.040）中的得分均更低，该差异在男性受试者中未被观察到（p>0.05）。
研究结论：呼吸功能降低与老年女性较差的生活质量及认知功能存在关联，该关联在老年男性人群中未被发现。