Table 3.
Baseline mean (SE) grip strength (kg) and its percentage change over follow-up by different level of telomere length in women
| Quartiles of telomere length (kb)a, estimated mean (SE) | p differencec | p quadraticc | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | II | III | IV | |||
| Grip strength (baseline)b | 22.56 (0.28) |
22.11 (0.27) |
22.15 (0.29) |
22.23 (0.30) |
0.678 | 0.361 |
| Grip strength (fifth year FU)b | 20.54 (0.31) |
20.30 (0.32) |
20.01 (0.33) |
21.11§
(0.30) |
0.084 | 0.033 |
| Grip strength % change (fifth year FU) | 8.95 (1.17) |
7.88 (1.16) |
9.27 (1.16) |
4.42†‡§
(1.15) |
0.012 | 0.104 |
| Grip strength % change (fifth year FU), age-adjustedd | 8.86 (1.17) |
7.96 (1.15) |
9.22 (1.16) |
4.48†‡§
(1.15) |
0.015 | 0.097 |
| Grip strength% change (fifth year FU), multivariate-adjustede | 8.38 (1.17) |
8.01 (1.15) |
9.53 (1.15) |
4.61†‡§
(1.14) |
0.017 | 0.049 |
| Grip strength % change (fifth year FU), multivariate-adjustedf | 8.35 (1.17) |
8.02 (1.15) |
9.58 (1.15) |
4.57†‡§
(1.15) |
0.015 | 0.043 |
Percentage change = (baseline − fifth year)/baseline × 100 %
BMI body mass index, FU follow-up, PASE Physical Activity Scale of the Elderly
† p < 0.05 (comparing II, III, and IV with I); ‡ p < 0.05 (comparing III and IV with II); § p < 0.05 (comparing IV with III)
aValues for telomere length quartiles: I, <7.78; II, 7.78–9.02; III, 9.03–10.80; and IV, ≥10.81 kb
bData are based on valid case (n) observed at baseline (n = 1,030) and fifth year FU (n = 827)
c p value of analysis of variance (ANOVA)/analysis of covariance (ANCOVA)
dAdjusted for age
eAdjusted for age, education, BMI, smoking, and PASE
fAdjusted for age, education, BMI, smoking, PASE, and probable dementia