Effect of exercise and nutritional supplementation on health-related quality of life and mood in older adults: the VIVE2 randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and absence of depressive symptoms are of great importance for older people, which may be achieved through lifestyle interventions, e.g., exercise and nutrition interventions. The aim of this investigation was to analyze the effects of a physical activity program in combination with protein supplementation on HRQoL and depressive symptoms in community-dwelling, mobility-limited older adults. METHODS: In the Vitality, Independence, and Vigor 2 Study (VIVE2), community-dwelling men and women with an average age of 77.5 ± 5.4 years, some mobility limitations and low serum vitamin D levels (25(OH)Vit D 22.5-60 nmol/l) from two study sites (Stockholm, Sweden and Boston, USA) were randomized to receive a nutritional supplement or a placebo for 6 months. All took part in a physical activity program 2-3 times/ week. The primary outcome examined in VIVE2 was 400 M walk capacity. HRQoL was measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF36), consisting of the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS), and depressive symptoms were measured using The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). In the sensitivity analyses, the sample was divided into sub-groups based on body measures and function (body mass index (BMI), appendicular lean mass index (ALMI), handgrip strength and gait speed). RESULTS: For the whole sample, there was a significant improvement in both MCS, mean (95% CI) 2.68 (0.5, 4.9) (p 0.02), and CES-D -2.7 (- 4.5, - 0.9) (p 0.003) during the intervention, but no difference was detected between those who received the nutritional supplement and those who received the placebo. The results revealed no significant change in PCS or variation in effects across the sub-categories. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a six-month intervention using a physical activity program had positive effects on mental status. No additional effects from nutritional supplementation were detected. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, March 2 2012, NCT01542892 .

Translating the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Clinical Trial to Older Adults in a Real-World Community-Based Setting.

BACKGROUND: The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) clinical trial demonstrated that a structured program of physical activity (PA) reduced mobility-disability in older adults by up to 28%. It remains unknown whether the benefits of LIFE PA can be translated to older adults at risk for mobility-disability in real-world community-based settings. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted the ENhancing independence using Group-based community interventions for healthy AGing in Elders (ENGAGE) pilot study and examined the safety, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of translating LIFE PA to a community-based senior center. METHODS: Forty older adults with severe lower extremity functional limitations (age: 76.9 ± 7.3 years; body mass index: 32.7 ± 8 kg/m2; 85% female; short physical performance battery score: 6.3 ± 2.2) were randomized to 24 weeks of PA or a health education control intervention. RESULTS: Community-based PA was safe (serious adverse events: PA vs health education, 0:2; nonserious adverse events: PA vs health education, 3:1) and participants successfully adhered to the PA intervention (65.2%). Compared to health education, PA participants who attended ≥25% of scheduled visits had meaningful and sustained short physical performance battery improvements at follow-up (between group short physical performance battery score differences: ~0.7 units). CONCLUSIONS: ENGAGE has demonstrated the preliminary safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of LIFE PA in a real-world community-based setting. Larger-scale translational studies are needed to further disseminate the benefits of LIFE PA to vulnerable older adults in a variety of community-based settings.

Distribution of ABO phenotypes in patients with congenital cardiac defects.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac anomalies are among the most frequent congenital malformations, but the basic underlying causes for most cardiac defects remains undetermined. Some 40 years ago, a higher incidence of blood group B was reported in a small number of African-American children with congenital cardiac defects. In this study, we sought to re-evaluate this association using a larger population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We collected data from 1985 patients undergoing cardiac surgery from July, 2000, through December, 2004. We divided the patients into 6 subgroups according to their diagnosis. We then compared the prevalence of ABO phenotypes between the patients and the general population of the United States of America by chi-square analysis. There were no significant differences in the distribution of the ABO phenotypes amongst the subgroups of those with congenital cardiac disease, or any for subgroup compared to the general population. CONCLUSION: While statistical significance is influenced by the size of the population within the United States of America and the small numbers within each of our subgroups of patients with congenital cardiac disease, we have been unable to show any relationship between the distribution of ABO phenotypes and the existence of congenital cardiac disease.