The Association Between Lower Extremity Function and Cardiovascular Diseases Risk in Older Chinese Adults: Longitudinal Evidence from a Nationwide Cohort

Background Older adults in China are at a high risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and impaired lower extremity function (LEF) is commonly observed in this demographic. This study aimed at assessing the association between LEF and CVD, thus providing valuable insights for clinical practice and public health policies. Methods A sample of 4,636 individuals was included from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) dataset. Logistic regression and cox proportional hazard regression model was utilized to study the association between LEF and CVD incidence. Cross-lagged panel models were utilized to investigate the potential causal association between LEF and CVD over time. Results Poor LEF was significantly associated with a higher risk of CVD in the total population [OR (95% CI): 1.62 (1.27–2.05), P<0.001]. Individuals with poor LEF demonstrated an increased risk of developing CVD [HR (95% CI): 1.11 (1.02–1.23), P<0.05], particularly stroke, compared to those with good LEF. And those with poor LEF had higher risks for heart disease [1.21 (1.00–1.45), P<0.05] and stroke [1.98 (1.47–2.67), P<0.001]. Conclusion The results suggest the potential usefulness of the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) for classifying stroke risk in older Chinese adults, which also suggested that preventing and/or improving LEF may be beneficial for reducing stroke incidence and promoting healthy aging for older adults.