Evidence map›Paper›PMID 20359355›Full record

Trial reportBMC geriatrics2010

The independent contribution of executive functions to health related quality of life in older women.

Jennifer C Davis, Carlo A Marra, Mehdi Najafzadeh, Teresa Liu-Ambrose

Open access · goldAbstract readComparative StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 72 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
72citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
2.6field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

72 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 188 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Cognitive Predictors of Adaptive Behaviour in Children With Down Syndrome: A Systematic Review.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2026
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  14. Does neurodevelopmental load predict cognitive flexibility?Schizophrenia research. Cognition · 2026
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12 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Jennifer C DavisCentre for Hip Health & Mobility, University of British Columbia & Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI), 301-2647 Willow Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V5Z 3P1, Canada.
Carlo A Marra
Mehdi Najafzadeh
Teresa Liu-Ambrose
St. Paul's Hospital · CAUniversity of British Columbia · CA

Funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCognition is a multidimensional construct and to our knowledge, no previous studies have examined the independent contribution of specific domains of cognition to health related quality of life. To determine whether executive functions are independently associated with health related quality of life assessed using Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) calculated from the EuroQol EQ-5D (EQ-5D) in older women after adjusting for known covariates, including global cognition. Therefore, we conducted a secondary analysis of community-dwelling older women aged 65-75 years who participated in a 12-month randomized controlled trial of resistance training. We assessed global cognition using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and executive functions using the: 1) Stroop Test; 2) Trail Making Test (Part B) and 3) Digits Verbal Span Backwards Test. We calculated QALYs from the EQ-5D administered at baseline, 6 months and 12 months.

resultsOur multivariate linear regression model demonstrated the specific executive processes of set shifting and working memory, as measured by Trail Making Test (Part B) and Digits Verbal Span Backward Test (p < 0.01) respectively, were independently associated with QALYs after accounting for age, comorbidities, general mobility, and global cognition. The final model explained 50% of the variation in QALYs.

conclusionsOur study highlights the specific executive processes of set shifting and working memory were independently associated with QALYs -- a measure of health related quality of life. Given that executive functions explain variability in QALYs, clinicians may need to consider assessing executive functions when measuring health related quality of life. Further, the EQ-5D may be used to track changes in health status over time and serve as a screening tool for clinicians.

Indexed as

Health StatusAgedCognitionExecutive FunctionFemaleHumansQuality of LifeResistance TrainingStroop TestTrail Making Test

Identifiers

PMID20359355
PMCPMC2867806
OpenAlexW2086710477

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.