Olfactory Function and Frailty in Older Adults.

Hannah Pleasants, Yaqun Yuan, Keran Chamberlin, Chenxi Li, David Couper, Srishti Shrestha, Vidyulata Kamath, Jennifer A Deal, Thomas H Mosley, Priya Palta, Jayant M Pinto, Honglei Chen, Anna Kucharska-Newton

Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC.Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between olfactory impairment and frailty among 5,231 (mean age 75.3 (SD 5.0), 59% women, 22% Black) participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study cohort located in the U.S.. Olfactory function, assessed from the 12-item Sniffin' Sticks Odor Identification Test at Visit 5 (2011-2013), was categorized as poor (0-8), moderate (9-10) and good (11-12). Frailty was assessed using both the Fried Frailty Phenotype and the Cumulative Frailty Index. Findings revealed that good olfaction was significantly associated with lower odds of frailty (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.22, 0.39]) and prefrailty (OR= 0.52, 95% CI [0.45, 0.61]) in cross-sectional analyses. Results were robust to adjustment for all covariates. Longitudinal analyses, including 1,519 participants who were robust at study baseline, similarly showed a dose-response pattern, with improved olfaction associated with decreased odds of experiencing prefrailty (OR=0.63 95% CI [0.48, 0.83]) or frailty (OR=0.50, 95% CI [0.25, 1.02]). Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking olfaction and frailty and explore potential interventions.

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Research summary

The paper claims that better olfactory function is associated with lower odds of frailty in older adults. This study is relevant as it explores a potential link between sensory function and frailty, which could contribute to understanding aging mechanisms and interventions to improve longevity.

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