predictors of upper-extremity physical function in older adults

background: little is known about the influence of habitual participation in physical exercise and diet on upper-extremity physical function in older adults. to assess the relationship of general physical exercise and diet to upper-extremity physical function and pain intensity in older adults.   methods: a cohort of 111 patients 50 or older completed a sociodemographic survey, the rapid assessment of physical activity (rapa), an 11-point ordinal pain intensity scale, a mediterranean diet questionnaire, and three patient- reported outcomes measurement information system (promis) based questionnaires: pain interference to measure inability to engage in activities due to pain, upper-extremity physical function, and depression. multivariable linear regression modeling was used to characterize the association of physical activity, diet, depression, and pain interference to pain intensity and upper-extremity function. results: higher general physical activity was associated with higher promis upper-extremity physical function and lower pain intensity in bivariate analyses. adherence to the mediterranean diet did not correlate with promis upper-extremity physical function or pain intensity in bivariate analysis. in multivariable analyses factors associated with higher promis upper-extremity physical function were male sex, non-traumatic diagnosis and promis pain interference, with the latter accounting for most of the observed variability (37%). factors associated with greater pain intensity in multivariable analyses included fewer years of education and higher promis pain interference. conclusions: general physical activity and diet do not seem to be as strongly or directly associated with upper-extremity physical function as pain interference.