Long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation and cognitive performance throughout adulthood: A 6-month randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) supplementation improve cognitive performance and if apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype or age were effect modifiers. METHODS: Healthy adults of 20 to 80 years old (n = 193) were completed a 6-month double-blind randomized controlled trial with two groups: 2.5 g/day of n-3 PUFA or a placebo. Primary outcomes were visuospatial ability and working memory and secondary outcomes were episodic memory and executive function, measured at baseline and 6 months. RESULTS: Cognitive performances did not significantly differ between groups on primary or secondary outcomes after 6 months of treatment. APOE carriers and age were not effect modifiers for any outcomes. Those with low episodic memory scores and taking the n-3 PUFA supplement, significantly improved their scores (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: A 6-month n-3 PUFA supplementation did not improve cognitive performance in cognitively healthy adults and APOE status or age were not effect modifiers.

Vitamin B-12 Intake from Dairy but Not Meat Is Associated with Decreased Risk of Low Vitamin B-12 Status and Deficiency in Older Adults from Quebec, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B-12 deficiency can result in irreversible neurologic damages. It is most prevalent among older adults (∼5%-15%), mainly due to impaired absorption. Vitamin B-12 bioavailability varies between food sources, so their importance in preventing deficiency may also vary. OBJECTIVES: Using the NuAge Database and Biobank, we examined the associations between vitamin B-12 intake (total and by specific food groups) and low vitamin B-12 status and deficiency in older adults. METHODS: NuAge-the Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging-included 1753 adults aged 67-84 y who were followed 4 y. Analytic samples comprised 1230-1463 individuals. Dietary vitamin B-12 intake was assessed annually using three 24-h dietary recalls. Vitamin B-12 status was assessed annually as low serum vitamin B-12 (<221 pmol/L), elevated urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA)/creatinine ratio (>2 µmol/mmol), and a combination of both (deficiency). Vitamin B-12 supplement users were excluded. Multilevel logistic regressions, adjusted for relevant confounders, were used. RESULTS: Across all study years, 21.8%-32.5% of participants had low serum vitamin B-12, 12.5%-17.0% had elevated urine MMA/creatinine, and 10.1%-12.7% had deficiency. Median (IQR) total vitamin B-12 intake was 3.19 µg/d (2.31-4.37). Main sources were "dairy" and "meat, poultry, and organ meats." The ORs (95% CIs) in the fifth quintile compared with the first of total vitamin B-12 intake were as follows: for low serum vitamin B-12, 0.52 (0.37, 0.75; P-trend < 0.0001); for elevated urine MMA/creatinine, 0.63 (0.37, 1.08; P-trend = 0.091); and for vitamin B-12 deficiency, 0.38 (0.18, 0.79; P-trend = 0.006). Similarly, ORs (95% CIs) in the fourth quartile compared with the first of dairy-derived vitamin B-12 intake were 0.46 (0.32, 0.66; P-trend < 0.0001), 0.51 (0.30, 0.87; P-trend = 0.006), and 0.35 (0.17, 0.73; P-trend = 0.003), respectively. No associations were observed with vitamin B-12 from "meat, poultry, and organ meats." CONCLUSIONS: Higher dietary vitamin B-12 intake, especially from dairy, was associated with decreased risk of low vitamin B-12 status and deficiency in older adults. Food groups might contribute differently at reducing risk of deficiency in older populations.

Mass spectrometry analysis of urinary methylmalonic acid to screen for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency in older adults.

Aim: Vitamin B12 deficiency is characterized metabolically by increased serum and urine methylmalonic acid (MMA). Urinary MMA/creatinine ratio is suggested for screening for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency in older populations. Results: A UPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of urinary MMA and creatinine was developed/validated. A good separation of MMA from succinic acid, its structural isomer, was achieved. Intra- and interday accuracy biases and precision coefficients were all ≤6.3% for MMA and creatinine. Urine and serum samples of 34 individuals of the NuAge Biobank were analyzed for technical comparisons showing that urinary MMA/creatinine ratios by UPLC-MS/MS strongly correlated with GC-MS values, and with serum MMA values. Conclusion: The UPLC-MS/MS method developed is rapid/reliable for the analysis of urinary MMA/creatinine ratios.

Food avoidance in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: What, when and who?

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases avoid a variety of foods. However, it remains unclear how this behavior varies across patients. This cross-sectional study investigated how the food avoidance pattern in inflammatory bowel disease varies according to disease's activity, disease's subtype, Crohn's location, and prior history of bowel resection, strictures, and fistulae. METHODS: Outpatients with Crohn's disease (n = 173) and ulcerative colitis (n = 72) reported which food they avoid when they perceive they are in remission or in active disease using a list of 82 food items classified in 10 categories. Medical charts were reviewed for patients' characteristics. Linear regression analyses were used to compare food exclusion rates between patients' subgroups and food categories. RESULTS: During remission, food exclusion rates varied from 1 to 39%. Most avoided foods were those with capsaicin, meat alternatives, and raw vegetables. Overall, food exclusion rates were 38% higher in Crohn's disease than ulcerative colitis (P < 0.001), and 50% higher in stricturing than non-stricturing Crohn's disease (P < 0.001). During active disease, food exclusion rates were 69% higher than in remission (P < 0.001). Similar differences between subgroups were again observed during active disease though less noticeable than in remission. No association was found with other disease characteristics. Avoided foods were very similar across patients except for alcoholic beverages and foods rich in dietary fibers/residue, which were avoided more specifically during active disease and in Crohn's disease, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Food avoidance is common among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, and most particularly in those with stricturing Crohn's disease. Specificities in avoidance pattern suggest that the clinical response to dietary restrictions may differ according to the disease's characteristics.

Vitamin D Status and Bone Mineral Density is Influenced by Vitamin D Supplementation and Vitamin K1 Intake in Adults with Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease.

PURPOSE: Patients with diabetes (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at increased risk for suboptimal bone health. The study objective was to investigate the relationships between vitamin D (vitD), vitamin K1 (vitK1), and calcium intake with bone mineral density (BMD) and vitamin D status in an ambulatory population with DM and CKD. METHODS: Adults (age 18-80 years; n = 62) with DM and CKD (stages 1-4) were recruited from the Northern Alberta Renal Program. Primary outcome variables included vitD, vitK1, and calcium intake; serum 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D; and BMD as measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Statistical significance was determined at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Participants met the estimated average requirement or adequate intake for vitD, vitK1, and calcium intake in 73% (n = 45), 66% (n = 39), and 52% (n = 31), respectively, with a combined intake of micronutrient supplementation and diet. Participants had serum 25(OH)D concentrations ≥75 nmol/L (n = 41), normal BMDs (n = 48), and 66% (n = 41/62) were taking vitD supplements (>1000 IU/D). BMD was positively influenced by serum 25(OH)D. However, serum 25(OH) ≥100 nmol/L was associated with lower BMD (absolute and T-scores) for whole-body and spine (P ≤ 0.05). VitK1 intake (≥200 µg/day) was associated with higher whole-body and femoral-neck BMDs (absoluteand T-scores; P ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: VitD status and BMD in adults with DM and CKD was influenced by vitD supplementation and vitK1 intake.

Predictors of quality-of-care processes in geriatric assessment units: toward a better organizational framework.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the structural and patient characteristics associated with better care processes in older vulnerable hospitalized patients. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Forty-four Geriatric Assessment Units (GAU). PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 65 and older who were admitted to a GAU for a fall with trauma. MEASUREMENTS: Three care processes (comprehensiveness, informational continuity, completion of advance health care directives) assessed through chart audit; 14 patient- and 23 GAU-related characteristics obtained from hospitalization records, national databases, and GAU managers. RESULTS: A total of 877 hospitalization records were included. Final models were based on multilevel modeling using stepwise variable selection. Strongest predictors of better comprehensiveness were longer hospital length of stay (LOS), higher clinical complexity (eg, higher mortality risk), and having a geriatrician as attending physician. Comprehensiveness score increased sharply up to 3 weeks LOS and then tended to plateau. Better informational continuity was associated with more comprehensive care, higher risk of mortality, acute rather than rehabilitation care, communication with community health care professionals within 48 hours after admission, and a target LOS of 3 weeks or longer. The completion of advance directives was more likely in the presence of advanced age, higher risk of mortality, cognitive impairment, discharge to another care facility, longer LOS, university-affiliated institution, and nonurban location. CONCLUSION: In GAUs, quality-of-care processes are related to both structural and patient characteristics. Our results pointed toward an organizational framework that may help to streamline the geriatric units and better use resources, notably by narrowing the admission criteria, targeting a proper LOS, improving communication with community organizations, and making systematic completion of advance directives.