Validation of Drug Resistance in Pneumonia (DRIP) Score as Empirical Antibiotic Failure Predictor in Community-Acquired Pneumonia Patients in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of CAP due to Drug-Resistant Pathogen (DRP) requires broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, Drugs Resistance in Pneumonia (DRIP) score can predict these cases. The use of the DRIP score can prevent antibiotic failure and long hospitalization, but validation is needed so that the DRIP score can be used according to the local community at Cipto Mangunkusumo National Central Public Hospital. METHODS: This research is a retrospective cohort study in CAP patients who were hospitalized during the period January 2019 to June 2020. Data were taken from medical records. Failure of empiric antibiotics occurs when one of these criteria is found: patient mortality, ICU transfer, and escalation of antibiotics as well as length of stay. RESULTS: 480 patients met the criteria. There were 331 patients (69%) with a DRIP score of <4 and 149 patients (31%) with a DRIP score of≥4. A total of 283 patients (59%) of antibiotic failures were detailed in 174 patients with a DRIP score <4 and 109 patients DRIP score ≥4. DRIP calibration using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test obtained p-value= 0.667 (p>0.05). AUC observations on the ROC curve obtained 0.651 (95% CI; 0.601-0.700). CONCLUSION: The DRIP score has low accuracy performance and calibration value in predicting empirical antibiotic failure and poor discriminatory value.

Relationship between anal swab PCR for SARS-CoV-2 with gastrointestinal clinical manifestations and severity of COVID-19 infection in Indonesia.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Indonesia remain high. The virus can bind with ACE2 receptor which is not only found in the lungs, but also in the digestive tract. Thus, it allows SARS-CoV-2 infection in the gastrointestinal tract, gastrointestinal manifestations, and detection of viral RNA on anal swab using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There hasn't been similar study about the role of anal swab in Indonesia yet. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between SARS-COV-2 anal swab PCR with gastrointestinal clinical manifestations, and the severity of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Methods: This is an analytical study with cross-sectional design. Samples were obtained from hospitalized COVID-19 patients from July 2020 to January 2021. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, severity, and SARS-CoV-2 anal swabs PCR were collected using case report form. Results: A total of136 patients were analyzed. 52 patients (38.2%) had positive SARS-CoV-2 anal swabs PCR and 84 patients (61.8%) had negative results. The most common gastrointestinal clinical manifestations were nausea and vomiting in 69 patients (50.7%), anorexia in 62 patients (45.6%), and abdominal pain in 31 patients (22.8%). There were 114 patients (83,8%) classified as mild-moderate symptoms and 22 patients (16,2%) classified as severe-critical symptoms. There was a statistically significant relationship between the gastrointestinal tract SARS-CoV-2 infection and gastrointestinal clinical manifestations (P=0.031). There was no statistically significant relationship between the gastrointestinal SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 infection (P = 0.844). Conclusions: This study showed there is a significant relationship between SARS-CoV-2 anal swab PCR with gastrointestinal clinical manifestations. There is no significant relationship between anal swab PCR with the severity of COVID-19 infection.

Differential effect of ramadan fasting on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in diabetes mellitus and non-diabetes mellitus patients.

Background: The month of Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. During this month, Muslims do not eat, drink, or smoke from sunrise to sunset. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) will also fast from dawn to dusk, creating a unique opportunity to study the effects of dietary changes during fasting period. One of the interesting results of Ramadan fasting is its effect on endothelial dysfunction, measured using Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1) as a biological marker of endothelial function. Aim: To determine the changes ICAM-1 levels in T2DM and non-DM patients during Ramadan fasting. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed on 26 T2DM patients and 21 non-DM, age-matched patients (aged 19-60 years). Measurement of metabolic parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total calorie intake, and intensity of physical activity), anthropometry (body weight, body mass index (BMI) and abdominal circumference), total dietary intake, and laboratory analysis (blood glucose fasting, HbA1c, lipid profile, ICAM-1) were done at 4 weeks before (T0) and 14 days after Ramadan fasting (T1). Result: The median ICAM-1 level in T2DM patients at T0 was 340.9 (193-505) ng/mL and at T1 was 312.3 (158-581) ng/mL, while the ICAM-1 level in non-DM patients at T0 was 482 (305-653) and at T1 was 398.4 (202-526) ng/mL. There was no significant difference of ICAM-1 level between study groups at both T0 and T1 (p > 0.05). Both T2DM and non-DM patients had lower ICAM-1 level following Ramadan fasting. However, only non-DM patients had significantly lower post Ramadan ICAM-1 (p = 0.008). Conclusion: There was a significant decrease in ICAM-1 level in both T2DM and non-DM patients after Ramadan fasting.

Indonesian Geriatrics Society Consensus on COVID-19 Management in Older Adults.

More than 80% of death cases and 95% of severe COVID-19 occur in patients aged over 60 years. Atypical clinical manifestations with high morbidity and mortality further emphasize the importance of COVID-19 management in older adults. Some older patients may appear asymptomatic while other may present with acute respiratory distress syndrome and multi organ failure. Fever, higher respiratory rate and crackles may present. The most common chest x-ray finding is ground glass opacity. Other imaging modalities that are often used are pulmonary computed tomography scan and lung ultrasonography. COVID-19 management in older adults should be comprehensive, starting from oxygen, fluid, nutritional, physical rehabilitation, pharmacology and psychosocial therapy. In this consensus, we also discuss about management of older adults with special condition such as diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, malignancy, frailty, delirium, immobilization and dementia. In post COVID-19 phase, we believe that physical rehabilitation is important as it is done to improve fitness.

Challenges in the diagnosis of insulin resistance: Focusing on the role of HOMA-IR and Tryglyceride/glucose index.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Metabolic Syndrome (MS) prevalence is increasing worldwide in line with the growing prevalence of obesity. The underlying mechanism of MS is insulin resistance which can be diagnosed by measuring Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and Triglyceride/Glucose (TyG) Index. This review will focus on comparing studies assessing the HOMA-IR and TyG index cut-off points. METHODS: We carried out a comprehensive review of the literature using suitable keywords on the search engines of PubMed, Scopus, Research Gate, and Google Scholar in the month of October 2020. RESULTS: There is a high degree of variability in determining threshold levels of HOMA-IR for defining insulin resistance. The distribution of the HOMA-IR varies according to the demographic characteristics of the subjects, such as age, sex, and race, making it difficult to estimate the optimal cut-off point. Another simpler method without requiring the use of insulin assays is TyG Index. Similar to HOMA-IR, the TyG Index cut-off point from existing data shows varying results. CONCLUSION: The HOMA-IR and the TyG index are simple and widely used methods for determining insulin resistance. However, an issue that arises is determining the insulin resistance cut-off point for both methods. Further studies are needed to assess the cut-off point of insulin resistance for various ethnicities associated with the risk of developing MS later in life.

Association of leukocyte nadir with complete remission in Indonesian acute myeloid leukemia patients undergoing 7+3 remission induction chemotherapy.

Background: The 7+3 regimen is still the main choice of remission induction chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Successfully achieving complete remission (CR) and the time required to achieve it determine patient's survival. Hence, bone marrow examination on 14 th day of chemotherapy is recommended to predict CR. However, the examination is invasive and still inaccurate. Methods: A prognostic study with retrospective cohort design was conducted at two central hospitals in Indonesia based on medical record data of AML patients who underwent 7+3 induction chemotherapy from January 1st, 2015, to December 31st, 2019. The association of nadir leukocyte level and the time required to achieve it with CR occurrence was assessed. Results: One hundred and one subjects were recruited with median age 39 years and 55% men. A total of 55.4% subjects achieved CR. Nadir leukocyte level below 200/mcl was the most optimal cut-off point and independently associated with CR (OR 2.48; 95% CI 1.03-5.97) while time required to achieve it was not. Conclusions: The nadir leukocyte level is associated with an increase probability of CR but not for the time required to achieve it in AML patients undergoing 7+3 induction chemotherapy.

The effects of synbiotics on indoxyl sulphate level, constipation, and quality of life associated with constipation in chronic haemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota dysbiosis in patients with chronic kidney disease on haemodialysis (CKD-HD) creates an increase in proteolytic bacteria activity, leading to an increase in the production of uraemic toxins, such as indoxyl sulphate, worsening of constipation symptoms and reducing patients' quality of life. Improving gut microbiota dysbiosis is expected to improve this condition. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of synbiotics on indoxyl sulphate levels, constipation symptoms, and constipation-related quality of life in haemodialysis patients. METHODS: This was a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial with a parallel design involving haemodialysis patients. We included chronic haemodialysis patients with gastrointestinal complaints, difficulty defecating, faeces with hard consistency, or a bowel movement frequency of fewer than three times per week. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (synbiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum 5x109 CFU) and placebo) for 60 days of oral intervention. All participants, caregivers, and outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. The primary outcome was a decrease in indoxyl sulphate toxin levels. Meanwhile, improvement in constipation symptoms (measured using the Patient Assessment of Constipation: Symptoms (PAC-SYM) questionnaire) and improvement in constipation-related quality of life (measured using the Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) questionnaire) were assessed as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: We included 60 patients (30 intervention; median age of 51.23 (13.57) years, 33.3% male; 30 control; median age of 52.33 (11.29) years, 36.7% male). There was no significant difference in terms of pre- and postintervention indoxyl sulphate toxin levels in the synbiotics group compared to the placebo group (p=0.438). This study found an improvement in constipation symptoms (p = 0.006) and constipation-related quality of life (p=0.001) after synbiotic administration. CONCLUSION: Two months of synbiotic supplementation did not lower indoxyl sulphate toxin levels. Nevertheless, it had a major effect in improving constipation and quality of life affected by constipation in patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04527640 (date of first registration: 26/08/2020).

Cardiovascular disease prediction model for Indonesian adult population with prediabetes and diabetes mellitus: The Bogor Cohort study of Noncommunicable Diseases Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study aims to develop a predictive model of cardiovascular events in dysglycemia among the Indonesian adult population. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted on subjects over 25 years in the "The Bogor Cohort Study of Noncommunicable Diseases Risk Factors" from 2011 to 2018. Data associated with age, gender, blood pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, blood glucose, cholesterol, smoking habits, family history of cardiovascular disease, and physical activity were obtained. Cardiovascular events in six years were observed; this included coronary heart disease, stroke, or all-cause cardiovascular mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine independent predictors of cardiovascular events. RESULTS: A total of 1085 subjects with prediabetes and diabetes mellitus were included in this study, with 73.5% female. The cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events in six years was 9.7%. Predictors of cardiovascular events were age ≥45 years (HR = 2.737; 95% CI 1.565-4.787) and hypertension (HR = 2.580; 95% CI 1.619-4.112). CONCLUSIONS: Age ≥45 years and hypertension were predictors of cardiovascular events in six years among the adult Indonesian population with prediabetes and diabetes, necessitating targeted intervention among these subjects.

Immunomodulatory effect of in vitro calcitriol in fit and frail elderly.

INTRODUCTION: Effect of calcitriol on PBMCs of healthy adults have been well studied but not much is known about its effect on the PBMCs of elderly patients with various degree of frailty syndrome and immune senescence. This study was aimed to assess the effect of in vitro calcitriol immunomodulatory effect on IL-6, IL-10 and IFN-γ in elderly patients who were fit, pre-frail and frail to see which group of patients might get the most benefit of calcitriol. METHODS: This study was an experimental study on the PBMCs of 24 elderly people, of which 8 subjects each were in fit, pre-frail and frail categories based on the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. IL-6, IL-10, and IFN-γ were examined by ELISA, before and after administration of lipopolysaccharide and 100 pg/mL calcitriol into PBMC cultures in vitro. RESULT: The mean serum vitamin D level was 26.2 (2.4) ng/ml. Vitamin D level is decreasing along with worsening of frailty status. After LPS induction, calcitriol did not reduce IL-6 and IFN-γ in all the groups. Calcitriol increased IL-10 in all groups, with the most observed change in the pre-frail group. CONCLUSION: In vitro administration of calcitriol showed anti-inflammatory potential by increasing IL-10 mainly in pre-frail subjects.

Frailty among Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes in Indonesia: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

BACKGROUND: Frailty syndrome is a predictor of all-cause mortality among older adults living in nursing homes. However, data on the prevalence of frailty among individuals living in nursing homes, particularly in middle-income countries, are limited. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of frailty and identify its associated factors among older adults living in nursing homes in Indonesia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of older adults living in six nursing homes in Indonesia was conducted between May and December 2019. Data on demographic characteristics, physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly), cognitive status (Abbreviated Mental Test), nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment Short-Form), depression (Geriatric Depression Scale), comorbidity, frailty state (Cardiovascular Health Study criteria), dietary pattern (24-hour food recall), handgrip strength, and gait speed were evaluated. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with frailty. RESULTS: This study recruited a total of 214 participants with a mean age of 73.68±4.30 years. The prevalence rates of frailty and malnutrition were 46.5% and 58%, respectively. The results showed that physical frailty was associated with malnutrition (odds ratio=4.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.730-10.380). CONCLUSION: Frailty was prevalent and strongly associated with malnutrition among older adults living in nursing homes in Indonesia.

The value of anal swab RT-PCR for COVID-19 diagnosis in adult Indonesian patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study will test the performance of the anal swab PCR test when compared with the nasopharyngeal swab PCR test as a diagnostic tool for COVID-19. DESIGN: An observational descriptive study which included hospitalised suspected, or probable cases of hopitalised COVID-19 patients, conducted in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital, Ciputra Hospital, Mitra Keluarga Depok Hospital and Mitra Keluarga Kelapa Gading Hospital, Indonesia. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and radiology data were obtained. Nasopharyngeal and anal swabs specimens were collected for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection. RESULTS: We analysed 136 subjects as part of this study. The clinical spectrum of COVID-19 manifesation in this study was typical of hospitalised patients, with 25% classified as mild cases, 14.7% in severe condition and 12.5% of subjects classified as having acute respiratory distress syndrome. When compared with nasopharyngeal swab as the standard specimen for reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen, the sensitivity and specificity of the anal swab was 36.7% and 93.8%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive value were 97.8% and 16.5 %, respectively. The performance of the anal swab remained similar when only the subgroup of patients with gastrointestinal symptoms (n=92, 67.6%) was analysed (sensitivity 40% and specificity 91.7%). Out of all the subjects included in analysis, 67.6% had gastrointestinal symptoms. Similarly, 73.3% of patients in the anal swab-positive group had gastrointestinal symptoms. The two most common gastrointestinal symptoms in the subjects' population were nausea and anorexia. CONCLUSION: Anal swab specimen has low sensitivity (36.7%) but high specificity (93.8%) for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antigen by RT-PCR. Only one additional positive result was found by anal swab among the nasopharyngeal swab-negative group. Anal swab may not be needed as an additional test at the beginning of a patient's diagnostic investigation and nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR remains as the standard diagnostic test for COVID-19.

Polypharmacy and Drug Use Pattern among Indonesian Elderly Patients Visiting Emergency Unit.

BACKGROUND: polypharmacy is a major concern for elderly patients, as it links to high morbidity related to drug interaction and adverse drug effects. Not much is known about profile of polypharmacy among elderly subjects visiting emergency department (ED) for acute conditions. METHODS: a cross sectional study conducted between July to December 2018 in ED of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Jakarta Indonesia. All elderly patients admitted to ED were included. We evaluated drug use pattern using ATC system along with the association between polypharmacy with sex, age and number of comorbidities. RESULTS: 475 geriatric patients visited EU 247 subjects were male (54.8%; mean age 67.69 (SD 6.58) years old). Polypharmacy was found in 57.6% subjects. The most frequently used of drug was that of alimentary tract and metabolism pharmacologic group, followed by drugs related to blood and blood forming organs, cardiovascular system, and anti-infectives for systemic use. Sex and age were not associated with polypharmacy, while more than 3 comorbidities was associated with polypharmacy. CONCLUSION: polypharmacy is prevalent among elderly visiting ED in Indonesia, requiring special attention from clinician to evaluate each drug and interaction among the drugs used.

Performance of Identification of the Seniors At Risk (ISAR) tool and Triage Risk-Screening Tool (TRST) for frail elderly emergency room patients.

OBJECTIVE: This objective of this study was to measure the performance of the identification of the seniors at risk (ISAR) tool and triage risk-screening tool (TRST) for frailty screening in elderly emergency room (ER) patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving subjects aged 60 years or older was conducted at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital ER from September-November 2018. Frailty was defined by the Forty Item Frailty Index (FI-40). The ISAR and TRST performance were measured as sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV and NPV), positive and negative likelihood ratio (LR+ and LR-) and the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: A total of 471 subjects were examined, of which 300 (63.7%) were in the 60-69-year-old subgroup with a median age of 66 years and an age range of 60-95 years. There were 262 (55.6%) male subjects and 445 (94.5%) were non-trauma patients. According to the FI-40, 386 (82%) were classified as frail. ISAR and TRST showed a sensitivity of 87.6% vs 93.8%, a specificity of 58.8% vs 43.5%, a PPV of 90.6% vs 88.3%, an NPV of 51% vs 60.7%, a LR+ of 2.13 vs 1.66 and a LR- of 0.21 vs 0.14, respectively. Both had similar AUCs of 0.8 (95% CI: ISAR [0.76, 0.86] and TRST [0.75, 0.86], p = 0.91). CONCLUSIONS: ISAR and TRST showed outstanding frailty-screening results among elderly ER patients.

Clinical Profile of Elderly Patients with COVID-19 hospitalised in Indonesia's National General Hospital.

Latar BelakangSebanyak 38.6% kasus kematian pasien COVID-19 di Indonesia terjadi di populasi lansia. Data mengenai profil klinis pasien rawat inap lansia dengan COVID-19 masih tidak ada. Padahal kelompok pasien ini adalah pasien risiko tinggi selama pandemi ini yang memerlukan perhatian lebih.MetodeStudi deskriptif ini menggunakan data lengkap pasien lansia dengan COVID-19 yang dirawat inap di Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Nasional Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSUPN Cipto Mangunkusumo) dari April hingga akhir Agustus 2020. Data termasuk karakteristik klinis, gejala, komorbiditas, multimorbiditas dan luaran mortalitas pasien.HasilDi populasi pasien lansia (n=44), mayoritas berusia di antara 60-69 tahun (68%), berjenis kelamin laki-laki (66%), dan tidak memiliki riwayat kontak erat dengan pasien COVID-19 sebelumnya (86%). Gejala tersering ialah demam, batuk, dan sesak yang merupakan gejala khas COVID-19, sedangkan penyakit kronis tersering adalah diabetes melitus, hipertensi, dan keganasan. Multimorbiditas ditemukan hanya di 14% pasien lansia, dan para pasien tersebut bertahan hidup pasca infeksi virus SARS-CoV-2. Angka kematian pasien lansia rawat inap dengan COVID-19 di studi ini adalah 23%, dan 90% dari kasus kematian berjenis kelamin laki-laki.KesimpulanPasien laki-laki mendominasi kasus terkonfirmasi dan kasus kematian lansia dengan COVID-19. Gejala khas COVID-19 hanya ditemukan di sekitar setengah pasien penelitian. Pasien yang meninggal dunia memiliki persentase gejala khas lebih tinggi. Gejala tidak khas pun mungkin ditemukan di pasien lansia. Immunosenescence dan fungsi imunoregulasi jenis kelamin tertentu dihipotesiskan memiliki peran penting dalam menyebabkan kematian lansia di studi ini.Kata Kunci: Profil Klinis, Lansia, Pasien Geriatri, COVID-19, Indonesia  ABSTRACTBackgroundOlder people contributed to 38.6% of death cases related to COVID-19 in Indonesia. Data regarding clinical profile of hospitalised elderly with COVID-19 in Indonesia were still lacking. Older people are at-risk population in the pandemic, whom we should pay attention to.MethodsThis single centre descriptive study utilised complete data of elderly inpatients with COVID-19 in Indonesia's national general hospital from April to late August 2020. The data consisted of clinical characteristics, symptoms, comorbidities, multimorbidity, and mortality outcome.ResultsAmong elderly patients (n=44), a majority of patients were aged 60-69 years (68%), were male (66%), and had no history of close contact with COVID-19 patient (86%). The most common symptoms were fever, cough and shortness of breath (classic symptoms of COVID-19), whereas the most common chronic diseases were diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and malignancy. Multimorbidity was only found in 14% of patients, all of whom remained alive following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The death rate among elderly inpatients with COVID-19 in this study was 23%, and male older adults contributed to 90% of death cases.ConclusionMale patients dominated both confirmed cases and death cases among elderly with COVID-19. Classic symptoms of COVID-19 were only found in about half of the study patients. Non-survivors had higher percentage of the classic symptoms of COVID-19 than survivors. Atypical COVID-19 presentations are possible in older adults. We postulated that immunosenescence and sex-specific immunoregulatory function play an important role in causing death in this study cohort. Keywords: Clinical Profile, Elderly, Geriatric Patient, COVID-19, Indonesia.

Comparison between the Identification of Seniors at Risk and Triage Risk Screening Tool in predicting mortality of older adults visiting the emergency department: Results from Indonesia.

AIM: Among others, the Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) and Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST) are widely used screening instruments for risk stratification of older adults visiting the emergency department (ED). In developing countries, such as Indonesia, older patients often present with acute and severe conditions, leading to a high mortality rate, in which the performance of these two instruments have not been studied. This study aimed to measure the performance of the ISAR and TRST to predict 1- and 3-month mortality in older patients visiting the ED in Indonesia. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of older patients consecutively visiting the ED of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, a national referral hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, from January to July 2017. The area of under the curve (AUC) of the ISAR and TRST in predicting 1- and 3-month mortality was measured. RESULTS: Of 771 participants, 400 (52.8%) were men. The 1 month-mortality incidence was 22.8% (95% CI 21.3-24.8), and 3-month mortality was 31.2% (95% CI 29.3-33.8). For 1-month mortality, the ISAR showed AN AUC of 0.62 (95% CI 0.57-0.68), whereas the TRST showed an AUC of 0.58 (95% CI 0.52-0.64). For 3-month mortality, the ISAR showed an AUC of 0.60 (95% CI 0.54-0.65), whereas the TRST showed an AUC of 0.57 (95% CI 0.51-0.62). CONCLUSIONS: Both instruments showed moderate predictive ability, but the ISAR showed better performance in predicting 1- and 3-month mortality of older patients visiting the ED in Indonesia. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 47-51.

Effect of Alfacalcidol on Inflammatory markers and T Cell Subsets in Elderly with Frailty Syndrome: a Double Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Alphacalcidol, a vitamin D analog, shows immune regulatory potency as it works on the macrophage and T cell to control inflammation and T cell dysregulation in elderly. None has been known about its effect on elderly with various states of frailty syndrome, which have different level of chronic low grade inflammation. This study aimed to determine the effect of alphacalcidol on inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, g-IFN ) and T cell subsets (CD4/CD8 ratio and CD8+ CD28-) of elderly with various stages of frailty syndrome. METHODS: from January to July 2017, a double blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) with allocation concealment, involving 110 elderly subjects from Geriatric Outpatient Clinic Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Jakarta, was conducted to measure the effect of 0.5 mcg alphacalcidol administration for 90 days to inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, g-IFN) from PBMC culture supernatant, as well as CD4/CD8 and CD8+CD28- percentage using flow cytometry. Statistical analysis using SPSS version 20 was performed with t-test to measure mean difference. RESULTS: of 110 subjects involved in the RCT consisting of 27 fit, 27 pre-frail  and 56 frail elderly, 25(OH)D serum level was found to be as low as 25.59 (12.2) ng/ml in alphacalcidol group and 28.27 (10.4) ng/ml in placebo group. Alphacalcidol did not decrease IL-6 (p=0.4) and g- IFN (p=0.001), but it increased IL-10 (p=0,005) and decreased IL6/IL10 ratio (p=0.008). Alphacalcidol increased CD4/CD8 ratio from 2.68 (SD 2.45) to 3.2 (SD 2.9); p=0.001 and decreased CD8+ CD28- percentage from 5.1 (SD 3.96) to 2.5 (1.5); p<0.001. Sub group analysis showed similar patterns in all frailty states. CONCLUSION: Alphacalcidol improves immune senescence by acting as anti-inflammatory agent through increased IL-10 and decreased IL6/IL-10 ratio and also improves cellular immunity through increased CD4/CD8 ratio and decreased CD8+ CD28- subset in elderly. This effect is not influenced by frailty state.

Effect of Nigella sativa Seed Extract for Hypertension in Elderly: a Double-blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Nigella sativa (NS) seed extract shows diuretic activity, inhibits sympathetic nervous system overactivity and increases the production of Nitric Oxide in in vivo studies, thus it has a potential use as an adjuvant antihypertensive for elderly population. This study aimed to determine the effect of Nigella sativa seed extract to systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of elderly patients with hypertension. METHODS: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on elderly subjects with hypertension in three outpatient clinics in Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital Jakarta Indonesia from June to September 2011. Subjects were divided into intervention group given 300 mg Nigella sativa seed extract twice daily for 28 days and into another group which was given placebo. Blood pressure were measured on day 1 and 28. Intention to treat analysis using unpaired t-test to compare blood pressure after intervention between the two groups was performed. RESULTS: of a total of 85 patients, 76 subjects fulfilled the study criteria and were randomized into 2 groups, with 38 subjects in each group. Both groups were comparable in all important prognostic factors. The mean systolic blood pressure of the NS group was decreased from 160.4 (SD 15.7) mmHg to 145.8 (SD 19.8) mmHg, and from 160.9 (16.3) mmHg to 147.53 (SD 22.0) mmHg in the placebo group (p=0.36). The mean diastolic blood pressure in the NS group was decreased from 78.3 (SD 11.9) to 74.4 (SD 8.2) mmHg, and from 79.0 (SD 12.4) to 78.2 (SD 8.9) in the placebo group (p=0.35). Reported adverse events include dyspepsia in 6 subjects (15.7%), nausea in 3 subjects (7.8%), and constipation in 2 subjects (5.2%). No electrolyte abnormalities, liver and renal toxicities, or orthostatic hypotension were observed. CONCLUSION: although a trend towards a slight decrease in blood pressure was observed, Nigella sativa has not been proven to be effective in reducing blood pressure in elderly patients with hypertension.