Depressive Symptoms and Physical Performance in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES To determine whether the presence of high depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score >= 14) diminished physical performance benefits after a comprehensive physical activity intervention in older adults. DESIGN A post hoc analysis of data from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study, a single-blind randomized controlled trial comparing a moderate-intensity physical activity intervention (PA) with a successful aging control (SA). SETTING Multicenter U.S. institutions participating in the LIFE-P trial. PARTICIPANTS Four hundred twenty-four sedentary, noninstitutionalized adults aged 70 to 89. MEASUREMENTS Depressive symptoms were assessed using the CES-D. Physical performance tests included the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and 400-m walk time (400 mw) at baseline and 6 and 12 months. RESULTS Of the participants, 15.8% had high depressive symptom scores (CES-D >= 14). For participants with low depressive symptoms, SPPB scores improved more in the PA than the SA group over 12 months (adjusted score difference +0.70; P <.001 at 6 months and +0.58; P=.004 at 12 months), and 400 mw times improved in the PA group at 6 months (adjusted score difference -0.41 minutes; P=.02). For participants with high depressive symptoms, the difference in improvement fell short of statistical significance on the SPPB between the PA and SA groups (adjusted score difference +0.76 (P=.18) at 6 months and +0.94 (P=.12) at 12 months). CONCLUSION The presence of high depressive symptoms did not substantially diminish physical performance benefits realized after a PA intervention in sedentary older adults.