The Associations of Individual and Subclasses of Nonesterified Fatty Acids With Disability, and Mobility Limitation in Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the associations between individual nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and disability and mobility limitation. METHODS: We studied 1 734 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), an ongoing population-based cohort study of community-living older American adults. We measured 35 individual NEFA species in fasting serum samples obtained at the 1996-1997 clinic visit. Using yearly assessments of activities of daily living and self-reported mobility, we identified participants with incident disability or mobility limitation during 15 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine the associations between per SD increment in the individual NEFAs and incident disability and mobility limitations with adjustment for potential confounding factors. RESULTS: Higher concentrations of total and a broad range of individual NEFA species were associated with risk of disability and mobility limitation (disability: HR per SD of total NEFA [SD = 174.70] = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04-1.18, p = .001; mobility limitation: HR per SD of total NEFA = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02-1.16, p = .01). Among individual saturated NEFAs (SFAs), myristic (14:0) and palmitic (16:0) acids were significantly associated with higher risk of both disability and mobility limitations, but longer-chain FAs were not. Most individual monounsaturated (MUFA), n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and trans FAs were positively significantly associated with higher risks of both disability and mobility limitation. In contrast, most n-3 PUFA species were not associated with disability or mobility limitation. CONCLUSIONS: Higher risks of disability and mobility limitation were observed for proinflammatory intermediate-chain SFAs, MUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and trans FAs. Our findings indicated no significant association for anti-inflammatory n-3 PUFAs.

Dietary Macronutrients and Circulating Nonesterified Fatty Acids: A Secondary Analysis of the OMNI Heart Crossover Trial.

BACKGROUND: Nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) play key roles in the pathophysiology of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine whether macronutrient content differences affect NEFA concentrations in a randomized crossover trial. METHODS: Total NEFAs were measured from postintervention specimens of participants in the OMNI Heart trial (Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial to Prevent Heart Disease). OMNI Heart compared 3 healthful diets to evaluate their effect on systolic blood pressure and serum LDL cholesterol: carbohydrate-rich diet (58% carbohydrate); protein-rich diet (25% protein), about half from plant sources; and a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids (21% unsaturated fat), predominantly monounsaturated. The trial included 164 participants who consumed the 3 diets, each for 6 wk. Data were analyzed from the 156 participants with unthawed serum available from the week 6 visit for all diet periods. We used ANCOVA and generalized estimating equations (GEEs) to compare serum NEFA concentrations across the 3 diet periods. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age of study participants was 52.9 ± 10.6 y and mean BMI was 30.3 ± 6.1 kg/m2. Fifty-five percent of participants were women and 55% were African American. Comparisons of adjusted mean serum NEFA concentrations after each diet intervention identified no statistically significant differences (58% carbohydrate: 0.144 ± 0.083 mEq/L; 25% protein: 0.143 ± 0.076 mEq/L; 21% unsaturated fat: 0.143 ± 0.084 mEq/L; ANCOVA, P = 0.99). Likewise, we observed no significant serum NEFA concentration difference by diet in adjusted GEE models. In adjusted models, serum NEFA concentrations were positively associated, as anticipated, with female sex and higher BMI. CONCLUSIONS: In this randomized crossover trial, we observed nearly identical serum NEFA concentrations after each of 3 healthful diets, regardless of macronutrient content.

Rare Heterogeneous Adverse Events Associated with mRNA-Based COVID-19 Vaccines: A Systematic Review.

Background: Since the successful development, approval, and administration of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, there have been reports in the published literature, passive surveillance systems, and other pharmacovigilance platforms of a broad spectrum of adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination. A comprehensive review of the more serious adverse events associated with the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna mRNA vaccines is warranted, given the massive number of vaccine doses administered worldwide and the novel mechanism of action of these mRNA vaccines in the healthcare industry. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify relevant studies that have reported mRNA COVID-19 vaccine-related adverse events. Results: Serious and severe adverse events following mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations are rare. While a definitive causal relationship was not established in most cases, important adverse events associated with post-vaccination included rare and non-fatal myocarditis and pericarditis in younger vaccine recipients, thrombocytopenia, neurological effects such as seizures and orofacial events, skin reactions, and allergic hypersensitivities. Conclusions: As a relatively new set of vaccines already administered to billions of people, COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines are generally safe and efficacious. Further studies on long-term adverse events and other unpredictable reactions in close proximity to mRNA vaccination are required.

Antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli urinary tract infections at a North Carolina community hospital: Comparison of rural and urban community type.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify differences in urinary E. coli resistance rates based on community type of patient residence (rural and urban). METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined antibiotic resistance of E. coli isolates from 12,604 urine specimens at a North Carolina hospital between 2016 and 2018. Using multivariable logistic regression modeling, we investigated the association between resistance and community type, adjusting for patient age, gender, season, and setting of infection onset. Analyses were performed using SAS Version 9.3 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) at alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: Prevalence of resistance was highest for ampicillin (42.2%), ampicillin-sulbactam (24.7%), ciprofloxacin (21.8%), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (SXT) (21.6%), and levofloxacin (21.4%). Rural compared to urban community type was significantly associated with resistance of E. coli urinary isolates to ciprofloxacin (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.43, P < .0001), levofloxacin (aOR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.15-1.42, P < .0001), SXT (aOR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.04-1.27, P = .01), and nitrofurantoin (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.13-2.17, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Rural community type may influence urinary E. coli resistance to fluoroquinolones, SXT, and nitrofurantoin, indicating the need for antimicrobial stewardship interventions in medically underserved populations.

Nonesterified Fatty Acids and Hospitalizations Among Older Adults: The Cardiovascular Health Study.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine associations between total serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFAs) and incident total and cause-specific hospitalizations in a community-living cohort of older adults. METHODS: We included 4715 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study who had fasting total serum NEFA measured at the 1992/1993 clinic visit and were followed for a median of 12 years. We identified all inpatient admissions requiring at least an overnight hospitalization and used primary diagnostic codes to categorize cause-specific hospitalizations. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to determine associations with time-to-first hospitalization and Poisson regression for the rate ratios (RRs) of hospitalizations and days hospitalized. RESULTS: We identified 21 339 hospitalizations during follow-up. In fully adjusted models, higher total NEFAs were significantly associated with higher risk of incident hospitalization (hazard ratio [HR] per SD [0.2 mEq/L] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.10, p < .001), number of hospitalizations (RR per SD = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01-1.07, p = .01), and total number of days hospitalized (RR per SD = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01-1.10, p = .01). Among hospitalization subtypes, higher NEFA was associated with higher likelihood of mental, neurologic, respiratory, and musculoskeletal causes of hospitalization. Among specific causes of hospitalization, higher NEFA was associated with diabetes, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: Higher fasting total serum NEFAs are associated with a broad array of causes of hospitalization among older adults. While some of these were expected, our results illustrate a possible utility of NEFAs as biomarkers for risk of hospitalization, and total days hospitalized, in older adults. Further research is needed to determine whether interventions based on NEFAs might be feasible.

Indwelling medical device use and sepsis risk at a health professional shortage area hospital: Possible interaction with length of hospitalization.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to identify risk factors for sepsis diagnosis and possible interaction with length of hospital stay (LOS) among inpatients at a rural Health Professional Shortage Area hospital. METHODS: This case-control study examined 600 adult patients (300 cases and 300 controls) admitted to a rural health system in North Carolina between 2012 and 2018. Case selection was based on assignment of ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes for sepsis. Controls were patients with a medical diagnosis other than sepsis during the observational period. Logistic regression was used to model sepsis diagnosis as a function of indwelling medical device use and stratified by LOS. RESULTS: Indwelling medical device use preadmission and postadmission were significantly associated with increased risk of sepsis diagnosis among patients with extended hospital stays (LOS ≥ 5 days) (odds ratio [OR] = 5.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.95-15.62; P = .001 and OR = 3.28; 95% CI = 1.24-8.68; P = .017, respectively). Among patients with LOS <5 days, association with sepsis diagnosis was only significant for indwelling medical device use preadmission (OR = 9.61; 95% CI = 3.68-25.08; P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Indwelling medical device use was significantly associated with increased risk of sepsis diagnosis and the risk was higher with longer hospitalization.

Risk factors for sepsis morbidity in a rural hospital population: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to identify risk factors for sepsis morbidity in a rural hospital population. METHODS: We used a case-control study design. Patients included adult admissions to a rural health system between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2015. Case selection was by electronic medical record search for codes of the ICD-9-CM. Cases were validated against Quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment criteria. Multiple logistic regression modeling was performed to determine which predefined variables were significantly associated with sepsis diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 220 patients were studied (110 cases and 110 controls). Cases had an in-hospital mortality of 20% compared with 0% of the controls. Indwelling medical device use during hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-6.30; P = .003), coronary heart disease (adjusted OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.13-5.97; P = .03), and type of health insurance (adjusted OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.13-4.93; P = .02) were independently associated with sepsis diagnosis after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the need for implementation and maintenance of infection control measures during management of patients with indwelling medical devices at a rural hospital.

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with higher carboxymethyllysine level in elderly women but not elderly men in the cardiovascular health study.

CONTEXT: Carboxymethyl-lysine (CML) results from oxidative stress and has been linked to cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) - a source of oxidative stress - and CML. MATERIALS AND METHODS: About 1002 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) were studied. RESULTS: Women with SDB had significantly higher CML concentration compared with those without SDB (OR = 1.63, 95%CI = 1.03-2.58, p = 0.04). The association was not significant among men. DISCUSSION: SDB was associated with CML concentration among elderly women but not men in the Cardiovascular Health Study. CONCLUSION: Accumulation of CML may be an adverse health consequence of SDB.