Physical inactivity and smoking increase risk for serious infections in older women

OBJECTIVE: This study examined health and behavioral risk factors for infec tions that required hospitalization in postmenopausal women who were enroll ees of a large health maintenance organization (HMO). METHODS: Participants were 1365 generally healthy women aged 55 to 80 years who were followed for up to 6 years. Infection diagnoses listed first in t he automated hospital discharge records were used to identify hospitalizati ons for which infections were the primary cause of admission. Potential ris k factors for these serious infections were identified from baseline questi onnaire information and automated HMO records from before baseline and duri ng follow-up. Risks for infections associated with hospital admission were examined using multivariate logistic regression methods. RESULTS: Seventy-three women had a total of 90 hospital admissions in which infection was the primary discharge diagnosis. Behaviors that were indepen dent predictors of infection were physical inactivity (adj, odds ratio = 4. 08; 95% CI, 1.73-9.63) and smoking (adj. odds ratio = 2.64; 95% CI, 1.11-6. 26). Incident cancer and lung disease were also associated with increased r isk of infection. These associations were independent of age, body mass ind ex, functional status, and other measures of health. CONCLUSIONS: Modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity and smokin g may place older women at risk for serious infections although the causal link is yet to be explained. Further research in this area may lead to new strategies aimed at reducing the serious burden of infections in the older population.