Multimorbidity Patterns and Associations with Gait, Balance and Lower Extremity Muscle Function in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northwest China

PURPOSE: Fall is a common geriatric syndrome leading to various adverse outcomes in the elderly. Gait and balance disorders and decreased lower extremity muscle function are the major intrinsic risk factors of falls, and studies suggested that they were closely related to the underlying chronic conditions. This study aimed to explore the patterns of multimorbidity and determine the associations of these multimorbidity patterns with gait, balance and lower extremity muscle function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 4803 participants aged ≥60 years in Shaanxi Province, China was conducted and the self-reported chronic conditions were investigated. The 6-m walk test, timed-up-and-go test (TUG) and 5-sit-to-stand test (5-STS) were conducted to evaluate gait, balance, and lower extremity muscle function respectively. Latent class analysis was used to explore patterns of multimorbidity, and multivariate regression analysis was used to determine the associations of multimorbidity patterns with gait, balance, and lower extremity muscle function. RESULTS: Five multimorbidity patterns were identified: Degenerative Disease Class, Cardio-metabolic Class, Stroke-Respiratory-Depression Class, Gastrointestinal Class, and Very sick Class, and they were differently associated with gait and balance disorders and decreased lower extremity muscle function. In particular, the multimorbidity patterns of Degenerative Disease Class and Stroke-Respiratory-Depression Class were closely associated with all the three risk factors of falls. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences in the impact of different multimorbidity patterns on the major intrinsic risk factors of falls in the elderly population, and appropriate multimorbidity patterns are closely related to the prediction of falls and can help to develop fall prevention strategies in the elderly.