Association Between Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome and Risk of Mortality in Older Adults: Results of a 5-year Retrospective Cohort

Abstract

Motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) envelops a set of cognitive and motor complaints, determined by slow gait, subjective memory complaints, without mobility disability or neurocognitive disorders (NCD’s) in older adults. The study aimed to find an association between MCR and the risk of mortality during a follow up of 5 years in older adults who attended the Peruvian Naval Medical Center “Cirujano Mayor Santiago Tavara” in Peru. 1617 older adults were selected from the database, who reached the selection criteria: the absence of NCDs, absence of mobility disability through the Barthel Index, a low gait speed indicator and subjective memory complaint through the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ); and finally, the mortality factor which was the death of the participant in the follow-up period of 5 years. At the end of the 5 years of study, the prevalence of death was 8.7% of those with MCR, it should be noted that the prevalence of MCR was 14.7%. Also, after the analysis, the MCR, age, complete or incomplete secondary education, having two or more comorbidities and two or more harmful habits were associated with mortality in older adults. MCR and mortality are associated after a 5-year follow-up period, also considering comorbidities and harmful habits. It can be considered as a predictive factor of mortality and more attention should be paid to this syndrome, as it is a valuable tool for the health care of older adults.