Olfactory Function and Frailty in Older Adults.

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between olfactory impairment and frailty among 5,231 (mean age 75.3 (SD 5.0), 59% women, 22% Black) participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study cohort located in the U.S.. Olfactory function, assessed from the 12-item Sniffin' Sticks Odor Identification Test at Visit 5 (2011-2013), was categorized as poor (0-8), moderate (9-10) and good (11-12). Frailty was assessed using both the Fried Frailty Phenotype and the Cumulative Frailty Index. Findings revealed that good olfaction was significantly associated with lower odds of frailty (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.22, 0.39]) and prefrailty (OR= 0.52, 95% CI [0.45, 0.61]) in cross-sectional analyses. Results were robust to adjustment for all covariates. Longitudinal analyses, including 1,519 participants who were robust at study baseline, similarly showed a dose-response pattern, with improved olfaction associated with decreased odds of experiencing prefrailty (OR=0.63 95% CI [0.48, 0.83]) or frailty (OR=0.50, 95% CI [0.25, 1.02]). Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms linking olfaction and frailty and explore potential interventions.