RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Iron deficiency in older people is common and affects physical and cognitive performance. The effects of iron deficiency on nutrition and cognitive status are well established. However, there are few studies demonstrating the impact of iron deficiency treatment on functional and cognitive outcomes in the geriatric population. The aim of this study was to determine whether iron replacement treatment was associated with an improvement in the nutritional, cognitive, and functional status of older patients with iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). METHODS: Geriatric patients with iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia presenting to the geriatric clinic were included in the study. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and blood samples to investigate iron deficiency were performed at baseline and 6 month later. 81 patients were included in the study and were evaluated at follow-up in the 6th month. The CGA included the following tests: the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living Scale (Katz ADL), the Lawton-Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF), as well as the assessments of hand grip strength and walking speed. RESULTS: Of the 81 participating patients, 69.1% were women and 30.9% were men. The mean age was 76.8 ± 7.28 years. Follow-up after iron supplementation treatment was performed with a mean of 6.23 ± 1.58 months. Improvements occurred in the following geriatric and laboratory assessments: Lawton-Brody (IADL), MNA-SF, MMSE, hand grip strength, and walking speed evaluations and the levels of hemoglobin, iron, total iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and ferritin. CONCLUSIONS: It was shown that iron replacement treatment has a positive impact on functional and cognitive status and nutritional parameters in older patients with ID and IDA.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The oxidative stress theory of aging is one of the most widely acknowledged theories of aging. The intake of fruits and vegetables with antioxidant power is associated with a reduced incidence of many chronic diseases of aging. OBJECTIVE: The effects of ingesting garlic on plasma and erythrocyte antioxidant parameters of elderly subjects were investigated in this study. METHODS: 13 subjects (mean age 70.69 +/- 4.23) participated in the study. They ingested garlic at the daily dose of 0.1 g/kg b.w. for 1 month. Before and after this period, fasting blood samples were obtained, and oxidant [malondialdehyde (MDA) and xanthine oxidase (XO)] and antioxidant [superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT)] parameters were studied in erythrocytes, and MDA levels were studied in plasma samples obtained from the subjects. Routine blood biochemical parameters were also measured in blood samples. RESULTS: In the plasma fraction and erythrocyte hemolysate, MDA levels were found to be significantly lower, but erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities were significantly higher in the second samples relative to the first ones. XO activity was found to be lower in the second samples, but this decrease was not statistically meaningful. LDL cholesterol was found to be significantly lower in the second samples relative to the first ones. CONCLUSION: Our results show that ingestion of garlic leads to significantly lowered plasma and erythrocyte MDA levels and to increased activities of some antioxidant enzymes, which indicates that consumption of garlic decreases oxidation reactions. It is quite possible that reduced peroxidation processes due to garlic consumption may play a part in some of the beneficial effects of garlic in elderly subjects.