Biology subjects

Tampubolon, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Tampubolon, G..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2018

Citius, Fortius? Cohort, inflammation and trajectories of gait speed and grip strength in older Britons

Although the cost of long term care of physical disabilities is considerable, little is known about individual trajectories of physical function (measured by gait speed and grip strength) that preceded the process of disablement. Moreover, studies on trajectories of health function have often ignored cohort composition, precluding evidence of secular improvement. And few have explored the role of chronic inflammation on older peoples physical function trajectories. Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2004-2013 we derived trajectories of gait speed and grip strength of Britons aged [≥] 50 years and investigated the effect of inflammation. Then we drew trajectories for different cohorts to seek evidence of secular improvement. We uncovered a complex gradient of improvement in trajectories of physical function that depends on sex and maximum versus normal capacity. In conclusion, accounting for the cohort composition of older people can materially modify the future cost of long term care.

epidemiology↗

bioRxiv2018

The strong grip of childhood conditions in older Europeans

Among older Europeans grip strength has been found to be marked by a disadvantaged adulthood. Across the Channel, among older Britons gait speed as another measure of physical function has been found to be marked by disadvantaged childhood. Using the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (2004-2013), we studied whether childhood poverty led to Europeans aged 50 to 104 years having a weaker grip. We then drew their trajectories of repeatedly measured grip strength to discern a steeper decline among the childhood poor. Retrospective childhood poverty some four to nine decades in the past was treated as a latent construct following the above literature; attrition during repeated measurements is handled using inverse proportional to attrition weighting. The data showed the childhood poor to have a weaker grip for half a century in later life. However, they do not show a steeper decline. Most important, by contributing to levels of grip strength in later life, adult condition holds the potential to shape the strong and long arm of childhood condition. The results are another impetus to eliminate childhood poverty to ensure healthy ageing Europeans.

epidemiology↗

bioRxiv2018

Does a poor childhood associate with higher and steeper inflammation trajectories in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing?

Inflammation has been implicated in many diseases in later life of older Britons. Moreover, health outcomes in later life have also been markedly affected by childhood poverty. But no study has established whether childhood poverty has the effect of upregulating inflammation throughout later life. Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2004 - 2013) life history information and longitudinal observations of C-reactive protein and fibrinogen as inflammatory biomarkers, we studied the association between childhood condition and trajectories of inflammation for people aged 50 to 97 years. Retrospective childhood poverty some four to eight decades in the past was treated as a latent construct; attrition in longitudinal observations is addressed using inverse proportional to attrition weighting. The analytis revealed significantly higher levels of both biomarkers throughout later life among those with a poor childhood, though there is no evidence of a steeper inflammation trajectory among them. We discussed possible epigenetic changes underlying this strong and long arm of childhood condition. The results suggest that eliminating child poverty can prove to be a wise investment with the prospect of a lifelong reward.

epidemiology↗