Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association between baseline results of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and subsequent functional dependency occurrence. Methods: From the National Health Insurance Service-Senior Cohort database, we identified 39,519 people who participated in the National Screening Program for Transitional Ages at the age of 66 during 2007-2008. Impaired mobility was defined as taking 10 seconds or longer to perform the TUG test. Functional dependency occurrence was defined as the initiation of receiving national Long-Term Care Insurance services-home care or admission to long-term care facilities. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) for dependency occurrence according to baseline TUG test results. Results: The mean follow-up period was 5.7 years. Occurrence rates of dependency were 2.0 and 3.4 cases per 1,000 person-years in the normal and impaired TUG groups, respectively. Impaired mobility was associated with a higher risk of functional dependency occurrence (adjusted HR [aHR], 1.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-1.95; P < 0.001). Additionally, in the subgroup analysis for the participants with intact baseline activities of daily living, impaired mobility was associated with a higher risk of dependency occurrence (aHR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.33-2.04; P < 0.001). Conclusion:The TUG test might be a useful predictive marker of subsequent functional dependency occurrence. Intervention to prevent functional dependency may be helpful for older adults with impairment on the TUG test.

The function of natural killer (NK) cells in inflammation has not been explored enough in large-scale population studies. The cross-sectional and time-dependent relationship between NK cell activity (NKA) and inflammatory markers was examined. Methods: A total of 7031 subjects were involved in the cross-sectional analyses. Non-linear relationship between NKA and inflammatory indices was analyzed using generalized additive models. The time-dependent changes were analyzed in 1005 subjects with repeated measurement in 3–6 months. The changes in inflammatory markers were analyzed based on the changes in NKA. Results: As NKA reduces to a very low level, the white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts increase sharply, and the lymphocyte count exhibits a slow decline. With increasing NKA larger than about 500 pg/mL, WBC and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) reduces in a mild slope. Among the subjects with repeated measurements, the follow-up NKA was increased with advancing baseline NKA levels. The subjects with a reduction in NKA indicated increment in WBC count, neutrophil count, and NLR, and decrease in lymphocyte count. Conclusions: Very low levels of NKA suggest a high inflammatory immune response. The changes in NKA may interact with the balance between neutrophils and lymphocytes.

Few studies have investigated the effects of calcium supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes in individuals with low calcium intake in real-world settings. This study examined the association between calcium supplementation and cardiovascular outcomes in the Korean population in a real-world setting. This large retrospective cohort study included patients aged ≥45 years first prescribed calcium supplements in 2010. Age- and sex-matched controls were recruited among those who had no prescription for calcium supplements. Longitudinal data were collected on 31 December 2018. Kaplan–Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis were performed. The cumulative incidence of acute myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and death was significantly higher in the calcium supplementation group than in the control group (p < 0.05 by log-rank test). The calcium supplementation group had a significantly higher risk of myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and death than the control group. Compared to the control group, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke, and death in the supplementation group were 1.14 (1.03–1.27), 1.12 (1.05–1.20), and 1.40 (1.32–1.50), respectively, after adjusting for confounding variables. Considering the associated cardiovascular risk, calcium supplementation for osteoporosis treatment should be administered cautiously.