FEAR OF FALLING INTERACTS WITH ACTN3 GENOTYPE TO PREDICT FAST GAIT SPEED IN OLDER ADULTS
2024
Fear of Falling and Fast Gait Speed in Older Adults
Sample size: 168
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Goldberg Allon, Burkhardt Summer, Norris Hayden, Garber Johnathon, Little Natalie, Kendall Jaiden, Sucic Joseph
Primary Institution: University of Michigan - Flint
Hypothesis
Does fear of falling interact with ACTN3 genotype to predict fast gait speed in older adults?
Conclusion
Fear of falling significantly predicts declines in fast gait speed, especially in individuals with the RR genotype of the ACTN3 gene.
Supporting Evidence
- Fear of falling was a significant predictor of fast gait speed.
- The interaction between fear of falling and ACTN3 genotype was significant.
- The final regression model explained 36.9% of the variance in fast gait speed.
Takeaway
Older people who are afraid of falling may walk slower, especially if they have a specific gene variant.
Methodology
Older adults were tested for fast gait speed and their ACTN3 genotype was determined from saliva samples.
Participant Demographics
Mean age 72.8 years, 61.3% female, age range 65-85 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=.026
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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