Slow gait, white matter characteristics, and prior 10-year interleukin-6 levels in older adults.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the relationship between gait speed and prior 10 years interleukin-6 (IL-6) burden in older adults. We then assessed whether white matter characteristics influence this relationship.

Methods

In 179 community-dwelling older adults, gait speed was assessed on an automated walkway and serum IL-6 was assayed on ELISA. Concurrently, white matter characteristics were assessed on MRI by quantifying volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a marker of small vessel disease, and normal-appearing white matter on fractional anisotropy (NAWM-FA), a marker of axonal integrity. IL-6 was assayed at regular intervals at gait assessment and over the prior 10 years and estimates of sustained 10-year IL-6 exposure and the rate of change in IL-6 over 10 years were obta

SUBMITTER: Nadkarni NK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5109955 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature