The relationship between motoric cognitive risk syndrome and all-cause mortality in older people: findings from CHARLS 2011–2023

This study aims to investigate the association between motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome, defined by the coexistence of slow gait and subjective cognitive complaints, and all-cause mortality among older adults in China, providing evidence to support early identification and intervention strategies for MCR in aging populations. Data were drawn from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS, 2011–2023), including 6,304 participants aged 60 years and older. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to examine the association between MCR and all-cause mortality, adjusting for demographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, health status, chronic diseases, and metabolic biomarkers. The study found an association between MCR and all-cause mortality in older adults. Among the participants, 15.5% (934/6,304) died during the follow-up period, with 20.9% (256/1,227) from the MCR group and 13.4% (678/5,077) from the non-MCR group. The median follow-up time was 144 months in the MCR group and 120 months in the non-MCR group. The Cox proportional hazards model indicated that MCR was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.34–1.78), and this association remained significant after adjusting for all confounders (HR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.27–1.70). This study confirms that MCR is associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in older people.