The relationship between cardiopulmonary function and cognitive function in the elderly in Beijing

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted on 27 senior adults in a community in Beijing with the purpose of examining the possible correlation between cardiorespiratory function and cognitive function. Methods: A questionnaire was designed for the basic demographic characteristics. The electronic blood pressure meter and electronic lung capacity meter were used to test cardiorespiratory function. The items of the cardiorespiratory function were scored in standard percentage. The MoCA Scale was used for cognitive function measurement. Results: The average heart rate (beats per minute) was 78.9 with a standard deviation of 13.5, and the average vital capacity (ml) was 1386.3 with a standard deviation of 37.0. In 15 people, the measured blood pressure was above the hypertension standard. The average cognitive function score was 22.5 with a standard deviation of 4.3. Eighteen people (66.7%) had mild cognitive impairments. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that there was no statistically significant correlation between cardiorespiratory function and cognitive function in the elderly (P > 0.05). Conclusion: No correlation was found between cardiopulmonary function and cognitive function in the elderly participating in this study and further large-scale population research is needed in the future. In this study, the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment was higher than in other studies. Attention should be paid to this issue, and early intervention should be done to avoid inactivity in senior adults.