Functional capacity and obesity reflect the cognitive performance of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in life expectancy, the elderly Brazilian population has grown considerably. However, longevity is usually accompanied by problems such as the loss of functional capacity, cognitive decline, and deterioration in anthropometric parameters, particularly among those living in long-term care facilities. We analyzed the relationship among cognitive performance, anthropometry, and functional capacity in institutionalized elderly individuals. METHODS: In a sample of 38 older adults (20 men, 18 women) aged 73.4 ± 8.1 years, data regarding anthropometric and functional measurements as well as the Mini-Mental State Examination were collected. Functional tests were based on a battery adapted from the Functional Fitness Test. The independent t-test and χ2 test were applied. P < 0.05 was set as the significance threshold. RESULTS: The rate of cognitive impairment among obese individuals (78.6%) differed from that among eutrophic subjects (45.8%), but there was no difference between sexes. There was a significant positive correlation between handgrip strength and Mini-Mental State Examination score, and the scores of the timed up-and-go test and the sitting-rising test were negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination score. CONCLUSION: Cognitive impairment in the elderly living in long-term care facilities was more pronounced and frequent in obese individuals. This study also demonstrated that better functional capacity reflects better cognitive performance.

Prevalence of arboviruses and other infectious causes of skin rash in patients treated at a tertiary health unit in the Brazilian Amazon.

BACKGROUND: In the clinical course of diseases such as arboviruses, skin rashes may appear, as is often seen in other infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of arboviruses and other infectious causes of skin rash in a tertiary health unit in Manaus, Amazonas state, Western Brazilian Amazon. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This was a cross-sectional study of patients presenting with rash who sought care at Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD) from February 2018 to May 2019. Individuals of either gender, aged over 18 years, were invited to participate voluntarily. Infection by Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Mayaro virus (MAYV), Oropouche virus (OROV) and measles was evaluated using RT-qPCR (real-time polymerase chain reaction). Immunodiagnostic tests for EBV, CMV, HIV, syphilis, rubella and measles were also performed. A total of 340 participants were included, most were female (228, 67.1%) with an average age of 36.5 years (SD ± 12.2 years). The highest prevalence was of ZIKV monoinfections (65.3%, 222/340), followed by DENV (0.9%, 3/340) and CHIKV infection (0.3%, 1/340). No cases of MAYV, OROV or rubella were found. Other causes of skin rash were detected: measles (2.9%, 10/340), parvovirus B19 (0.9% 3/340), HIV (0.3%, 1/340) and syphilis 0.6% (2/340). The co-infections identified were ZIKV+HIV (0.3%, 1/340), ZIKV+measles (0.3%, 1/340), ZIKV+parvovirus B19 (0.3%, 1/340), ZIKV+EBV (0.3%, 1/340), EBV+parvovirus B19 (0.3%, 1/340), CMV+parvovirus B19 (0.6%, 2/340), CMV+syphilis (0.3%, 1/340), ZIKV+EBV+parvovirus B19 (0.3%, 1/340) and CMV+EBV+parvovirus B19 (0.9%, 3/340). Approximately one quarter of patients had no defined cause for their skin rash (25.3%, 86/340). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the benign clinical evolution of most of the diseases diagnosed in this series of cases, syndromic surveillance of diseases such as syphilis and HIV are of utmost importance. Periodic serosurveillance might also aid in evaluating the trends of endemic diseases and eventual outbreaks.

Relation of schizophrenia prevalence to latitude, climate, fish consumption, infant mortality, and skin color: a role for prenatal vitamin d deficiency and infections?

Previous surveys found a large (>10-fold) variation in schizophrenia prevalence at different geographic sites and a tendency for prevalence to increase with latitude. We conducted meta-analyses of prevalence studies to investigate whether these findings pointed to underlying etiologic factors in schizophrenia or were the result of methodological artifacts or the confounding of sites' latitude with level of healthcare at those sites. We found that these patterns were still present after controlling for an index of healthcare--infant mortality--and focusing on 49 studies that used similar diagnostic and ascertainment methods. The tendencies for schizophrenia prevalence to increase with both latitude and colder climate were still large and significant and present on several continents. The increase in prevalence with latitude was greater for groups with low fish consumption, darker skin, and higher infant mortality--consistent with a role of prenatal vitamin D deficiency in schizophrenia. Previous research indicates that poor prenatal healthcare and nutrition increase risk for schizophrenia within the same region. These adverse conditions are more prevalent in developing countries concentrated near the equator, but schizophrenia prevalence is lowest at sites near the equator. This suggests that schizophrenia-producing environmental factors associated with higher latitude may be so powerful they overwhelm protective effects of better healthcare in industrialized countries. The observed patterns of correlations of risk factors with prevalence are consistent with an etiologic role for prenatal vitamin D deficiency and exposure to certain infectious diseases. Research to elucidate environmental factors that underlie variations in schizophrenia prevalence deserves high priority.

Effects of a 12-Week Exercise Training Program on Physical Function in Institutionalized Frail Elderly.

With the increase in life expectancy, the Brazilian elderly population has risen considerably. However, longevity is usually accompanied by problems such as the loss of functional capacity, cognitive decline, frailty syndrome, and deterioration in anthropometric parameters, particularly among those living in long-term care facilities. This randomized controlled trial aimed to verify the effects of exercise training on biochemical, inflammatory, and anthropometric indices and functional performance in institutionalized frail elderly. The sample consisted of 37 elderly people of both genders, aged 76.1 ± 7.7 years, who were randomly allocated into 2 groups: 13 individuals in the exercise group (EG) and 24 in the control group (CG). Anthropometrics, clinical history, functional tests, and biochemical evaluation were measured before and after the completion of a physical exercise program, which lasted for 12 weeks. The 12-week exercise program for frail elderly residents in a long-term care facility was efficient in improving muscle strength, speed, agility, and biochemical variables, with reversal of the frailty condition in a considerable number. However, no effects in anthropometric and inflammatory parameters were noted.

Frailty syndrome in older adults from the community and long-term care institutions: an exploratory analysis / Síndrome da fragilidade em idosos da comunidade e de instituições de longa permanência: uma análise exploratória

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between Frailty syndrome, lipid profile, anthropometric variables, and the functional capacity of older adults; and to analyze an explanatory model of variables with higher predictive capacity for Frailty syndrome. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 36 and 86 older adults residing in long-term care facilities and in their households, respectively. Anamnesis was followed by evaluation of anthropometric data, risk of falls, functional tests, and biochemical tests. Frailty syndrome was determined according to the criteria suggested by Fried et al. RESULTS: Geriatric patients classified as frail were older; had higher medication consumption; and presented lower performance in handgrip strength, sit-to-stand, and gait speed tests as compared to pre- and non-frail older adults. CONCLUSION: Gait speed and sit-to-stand tests were significant predictors of Frailty syndrome. Specifically, a good performance in these tests represents a protection factor against Frailty syndrome. Furthermore, gait speed performance was explained by age, handgrip strength performance, and frailty status, while sit-to-stand performance was explained by risk of falls and muscular strength.

OBJETIVOS: Investigar a associação entre síndrome da fragilidade, perfil lipídico, variáveis antropométricas e capacidade funcional de idosos; e analisar um modelo explicativo de variáveis com maior capacidade preditiva para síndrome da fragilidade. MÉTODOS: Este estudo transversal incluiu 36 e 86 idosos residentes em instituições de longa permanência e em suas residências, respectivamente. A anamnese foi seguida pela avaliação dos dados antropométricos, risco de quedas, testes funcionais e testes bioquímicos. A síndrome da fragilidade foi determinada de acordo com os critérios sugeridos por Fried et al. RESULTADOS: Os idosos classificados como frágeis eram mais idosos; tiveram maior consumo de medicação; e apresentaram menor desempenho nos testes de força de preensão palmar, levantar e sentar e velocidade da marcha quando comparados aos idosos pré e não frágeis. CONCLUSÕES: Os testes velocidade da marcha e levantar e sentar foram preditores significativos de síndrome da fragilidade. Especificamente, um bom desempenho nesses testes representa um fator de proteção contra a síndrome da fragilidade. Além disso, o desempenho da velocidade da marcha foi explicado pela idade, desempenho da força de preensão palmar e estado de fragilidade, enquanto o desempenho do levantar e sentar foi explicado pelo risco de quedas e força muscular.

Avaliação das temperaturas de produtos cárneos, servidos no restaurante de um hotel no município de São Paulo / Evaluation of temperature meat products served in the restaurant of a hotel in São Paulo

No controle de qualidade, o binômio tempo e temperatura é uma das formas mais eficazes para diminuir ou eliminar micro-organismos patogênicos, principalmente em produtos cárneos, cuja composição torna-o excelente meio de cultura. Conhecimentos sobre tal assunto devem ser repassados por meio de treinamentos específicos periódicos, garantindo a qualidade e segurança dos alimentos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as condições higiênicossanitárias de um restaurante por meio de aplicação de checklist e monitoramento de temperaturas de produtos cárneos, do recebimento à distribuição, antes e após treinamento específico.