The bidirectional relationship between activities of daily living and frailty during short-and long-term follow-up period among the middle-aged and older population: findings from the Chinese nationwide cohort study.

Objective: Frailty and activities of daily living (ADL) disability are common conditions among older population. Studies on the bidirectional relationship between frailty and ADL are limited. The current study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between frailty and ADL in middle-aged and older Chinese individuals. Methods: The data was collected through the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), conducted in 2011, 2013, and 2015, encompassing 17,284 individuals aged ≥45 years. We excluded individuals without follow-up data. 2,631 participants finished the baseline survey. The definition of ADL disability encompasses difficulty in engaging in either basic activities of daily living (BADL) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Frailty was assessed according to the Fried criteria. Logistic regression was utilized to examine odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for assessing the cross-sectional relationships between ADL with frailty at baseline. The prediction effects were explored using Cox proportional hazards analysis, testing hazard ratios (HRs) and 95%CIs. Results: In cross-sectional analysis, BADL [OR = 6.660 (4.519-9.815)], IADL [OR = 5.950 (4.490-7.866)], and ADL [OR = 5.658 (4.278-7.483)] exhibited significant associations with frailty; frailty demonstrated significant associations with BADL [OR = 6.741 (4.574-9.933)], IADL [OR = 6.042 (4.555-8.016)] and ADL [OR = 5.735 (4.333-7.591)]. In longitudinal analysis, IADL and ADL were significantly associated with frailty in participants without baseline frailty in the short-term period [IADL: HR = 1.971 (1.150-3.379), ADL: HR = 1.920 (1.146-3.215)], IADL exhibited a significant association with frailty in the long-term period [HR = 2.056 (1.085-3.895)]. There was no significant link observed between frailty and an elevated risk of disability onset in BADL, IADL and ADL during the short-term period. When considering the long-term perspective, frailty exhibited a significant association with an elevated risk of disability onset in BADL [HR= 1.820 (1.126-2.939)] and IADL [HR = 1.724 (1.103-2.694)]. Conclusion: In middle-aged and older adults, ADL and IADL disability predicted frailty after 2-year follow-up, IADL disability predicted frailty after 4-year follow-up. Moreover, frailty did not predict BADL, IADL and ADL disability after 2-year follow-up. However, frailty predicted BADL and IADL disability after 4-year follow-up.

[Differences between men and women in the prevalence of frailty and associated factors among older adults: evidence from ELSI-Brazil]. / Diferenças entre homens e mulheres na prevalência da fragilidade e fatores associados entre adultos mais velhos: evidências do ELSI-Brasil.

Based on a national representative sample of the population aged 50 years or older, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of frailty among men and women, identify associated sociodemographic and health factors, and estimate the population attributable fraction. Data from the second wave (2019-2021) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil) were used. Frailty was classified based on the number of positive items among unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low level of physical activity, slow gait, and weakness. The main analyses were based on multinomial logistic regression stratified by sex. The prevalence of frailty was lower in men (8.6%; 95%CI: 6.9; 10.7) than in women (11.9%; 95%CI: 9.6; 14.8), with the most frequent item being the low level of physical activity in both. Age and schooling level were the sociodemographic factors associated with pre-frailty and fragility among men and women. The population attributable fraction was different for frailty between genders. In men, the highest population attributable fraction was due to not having a partner (23.5%; 95%CI: 7.7; 39.2) and low schooling level (18.2%; 95%CI: 6.6; 29,7). In women, higher population attributable fraction values were due to memory deficit (17.1%; 95%CI: 7.6; 26.6), vision deficit (13.4%; 95%CI: 5.1; 21.7), and diabetes mellitus (11.4%; 95%CI: 4.6; 18,1). Similar population attributable fraction levels were observed for heart disease (8.9%; 95%CI: 3.8; 14.1 in women and 8.8%; 95%CI: 2.0; 15.6 in men). Strategies aimed at physical activity have the potential to prevent frailty in both men and women, and the prevention of chronic conditions is more important in women.

Este trabalho, baseado em amostra nacional representativa da população com 50 anos ou mais, objetivou estimar a prevalência da fragilidade entre homens e mulheres, identificar fatores sociodemográficos e de saúde associados e estimar a fração atribuível populacional. Foram utilizados dados da segunda onda (2019-2021) do Estudo Longitudinal da Saúde dos Idosos Brasileiros (ELSI-Brasil). A fragilidade foi classificada pelo número de itens positivos entre perda de peso não intencional, exaustão, baixo nível de atividade física, lentidão da marcha e fraqueza. As análises principais foram baseadas na regressão logística multinomial estratificada por sexo. A prevalência da fragilidade foi menor nos homens (8,6%; IC95%: 6,9; 10,7) do que nas mulheres (11,9%; IC95%: 9,6; 14,8), sendo o item mais frequente o baixo nível de atividade física em ambos. A idade e a escolaridade foram os fatores sociodemográficos associados à pré-fragilidade e à fragilidade entre homens e mulheres. Houve diferença da fração atribuível populacional para fragilidade entre os sexos. Nos homens, a maior fração atribuível populacional foi para não ter companheiro (23,5%; IC95%: 7,7; 39,2) e escolaridade baixa (18,2%; IC95%: 6,6; 29,7). Nas mulheres, maiores frações atribuíveis populacionais foram para déficit de memória (17,1%; IC95%: 7,6; 26,6), déficit da visão (13,4%; IC95%: 5,1; 21,7) e diabetes mellitus (11,4%; IC95%: 4,6; 18,1). Observou-se fração atribuível populacional semelhante para doença cardíaca (8,9%; IC95%: 3,8; 14,1, em mulheres; e 8,8%; IC95%: 2,0; 15,6, em homens). Estratégias voltadas para a prática de atividade física têm o potencial de prevenir a fragilidade em ambos os sexos, enquanto a prevenção de condições crônicas é mais importante nas mulheres.

Este estudio tuvo por objetivo estimar, utilizando una muestra nacional representativa de la población de 50 años o más, la prevalencia de la fragilidad entre hombres y mujeres, identificar los factores sociodemográficos y de salud asociados, y calcular la fracción atribuible a la población. Se utilizaron datos de la 2ª ola (2019-2021) del Estudio Longitudinal de Salud de los Ancianos Brasileños (ELSI-Brasil). La fragilidad se clasificó por el número de elementos positivos entre pérdida de peso no intencional, agotamiento, bajo nivel de actividad física, marcha lenta y debilidad. Los principales análisis se basaron en la regresión logística multinomial estratificada por sexo. La prevalencia de fragilidad fue menor en los hombres (8,6%; IC95%: 6,9; 10,7) que en las mujeres (11,9%; IC95%: 9,6; 14,8), y como ítem más frecuente el bajo nivel de actividad física en ambos. La edad y el nivel educativo fueron los factores sociodemográficos asociados a la pre-fragilidad y la fragilidad entre hombres y mujeres. Hubo una diferencia en fracción atribuible a la población para la fragilidad entre los sexos. Entre los hombres, la fracción atribuible a la población más elevada fue no tener pareja (23,5%; IC95%: 7,7; 39,2) y bajo nivel educativo (18,2%; IC95%: 6,6; 29,7). Entre las mujeres, las fracción atribuible a la población más elevadas fueron déficit de memoria (17,1%; IC95%: 7,6; 26,6), déficit de visión (13,4%; IC95%: 5,1; 21,7) y diabetes mellitus (11,4%; IC95%: 4,6; 18,1). Se observaron fracción atribuible a la población similares para enfermedades cardíacas (8,9%; IC95%: 3,8; 14,1 en mujeres, y 8,8%; IC95%: 2,0; 15,6 en hombres). Las estrategias dirigidas a la actividad física tienen el potencial de prevenir la fragilidad en ambos sexos, mientras que la prevención de enfermedades crónicas es más necesaria en las mujeres.

Geriatric nutritional risk index as a predictor for fragility fracture risk in elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A 9-year ambispective longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The elderly are prone to fragility fractures, especially those suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with osteoporosis. Although studies have confirmed the association between GNRI and the prevalence of osteoporosis, the relationship between GNRI and fragility fracture risk and the individualized 10-year probability of osteoporotic fragility fractures estimated by FRAX remains unclear. This study aims to delve into the association between the GNRI and a fragility fracture and the 10-year probability of hip fracture (HF) and major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) evaluated by FRAX in elderly with T2DM. METHODS: A total of 580 patients with T2DM aged ≥60 were recruited in the study from 2014 to 2023. This research is an ambispective longitudinal cohort study. All participants were followed up every 6 months for 9 years with a median of 3.8 years through outpatient services, medical records, and home fixed-line telephone interviews. According to the tertiles of GNRI, all subjects were divided into three groups: low-level (59.72-94.56, n = 194), moderate-level (94.56-100.22, n = 193), and high-level (100.22-116.45, n = 193). The relationship between GNRI and a fragility fracture and the 10-year probability of HF and MOF calculated by FRAX was assessed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, Spearman correlation analyses, restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses, multivariable Cox regression analyses, stratified analyses, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: Of 580 participants, 102 experienced fragile fracture events (17.59%). ROC analysis demonstrated that the optimal GNRI cut-off value was 98.58 with a sensitivity of 75.49% and a specificity of 47.49%, respectively. Spearman partial correlation analyses revealed that GNRI was positively related to 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25-(OH) D] (r = 0.165, P < 0.001) and bone mineral density (BMD) [lumbar spine (LS), r = 0.088, P = 0.034; femoral neck (FN), r = 0.167, P < 0.001; total hip (TH), r = 0.171, P < 0.001]; negatively correlated with MOF (r = -0.105, P = 0.012) and HF (r = -0.154, P < 0.001). RCS analyses showed that GNRI was inversely S-shaped dose-dependent with a fragility fracture event (P < 0.001) and was Z-shaped with the 10-year MOF (P = 0.03) and HF (P = 0.01) risk assessed by FRAX, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that compared with high-level GNRI, moderate-level [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.950; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.076-3.535; P = 0.028] and low-level (HR = 2.538; 95% CI = 1.378-4.672; P = 0.003) had an increased risk of fragility fracture. Stratified analysis exhibited that GNRI was negatively correlated with the risk of fragility fracture, which the stratification factors presented in the forest plot were not confounding factors and did not affect the prediction effect of GNRI on the fragility fracture events in this overall cohort population (P for interaction > 0.05), despite elderly females aged ≥70, with body mass index (BMI) ≥24, hypertension, and with or without anemia (all P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis identified that the lower-level GNRI group had a higher cumulative incidence of fragility fractures (log-rank, all P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study confirms for the first time that GNRI is negatively related to a fragility fracture and the 10-year probability of osteoporotic fragility fractures assessed by FRAX in an inverse S-shaped and Z-shaped dose-dependent pattern in elderly with T2DM, respectively. GNRI may serve as a valuable predictor for fragility fracture risk in elderly with T2DM. Therefore, in routine clinical practice, paying attention to the nutritional status of the elderly with T2DM and giving appropriate dietary guidance may help prevent a fragility fracture event.

Assessment of phase angle as a novel indicator for sarcopenic obesity according to the ESPEN/EASO criteria in older adults with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity (SO) is a clinical condition in which sarcopenia and obesity occur together, and is associated with more poor clinical outcomes, increased mortality, and morbidity than sarcopenia. Phase angle (PhA), a parameter derived from bioimpedance analysis (BIA), provides data on cellular health, membrane integrity, and cellular function. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between SO and PhA among older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study in a tertiary hospital, and all participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment, the hand-grip strength test (HGST), the chair stand test (CST) for muscle strength evaluation, the 4-meter walking test, and the timed up-and-go (TUG) test for physical performance assessment. The diagnosis of SO was made according to the ESPEN/EASO criteria. The PhA was determined automatically by the BIA using resistance and reactance at 50 kHz for each participant. RESULTS: A total of 322 participants were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 72.5 ±5.8, and 203 (63%) of them were female; 63 (19.6%) of them were sarcopenic obese. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, a significant relationship was found when the model was adjusted for age, female gender, MNA-sf scores, HbA1c level, and CCI scores (OR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.29-0.98, P = 0.04). In ROC analyses, for PhA in predicting SO diagnosis, the AUC was 0.586 (95%CI: 0.505-0.678, P = 0.033). At the cut-off score 4.4, sensitivity was 57.1% and specificity was 61.4%; positive predictive value (PPV) was 26.5%; negative predictive value (NPV) was 85.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified a significant relationship between SO and PhA among older adults with type 2 DM. However, larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the potential utility of PhA as a biomarker for SO.

Interpretable prediction models for disability in older adults with hypertension: the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity and Happy Family Study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults with hypertension have a high risk of disability, while an accurate risk prediction model is still lacking. This study aimed to construct interpretable disability prediction models for older Chinese with hypertension based on multiple time intervals. METHODS: Data were collected from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity and Happy Family Study for 2008-2018. A total of 1602, 1108, and 537 older adults were included for the periods of 2008-2012, 2008-2014, and 2008-2018, respectively. Disability was measured by basic activities of daily living. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was applied for feature selection. Five machine learning algorithms combined with LASSO set and full-variable set were used to predict 4-, 6-, and 10-year disability risk, respectively. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used as the main metric for selection of the optimal model. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used to explore important predictors of the optimal model. RESULTS: Random forest in full-variable set and XGBoost in LASSO set were the optimal models for 4-year prediction. Support vector machine was the optimal model for 6-year prediction on both sets. For 10-year prediction, deep neural network in full variable set and logistic regression in LASSO set were optimal models. Age ranked the most important predictor. Marital status, body mass index, score of Mini-Mental State Examination, and psychological well-being score were also important predictors. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning shows promise in screening out older adults at high risk of disability. Disability prevention strategies should specifically focus on older patients with unfortunate marriage, high BMI, and poor cognitive and psychological conditions.

Joint trajectories of physical frailty and social frailty and associations with adverse outcomes: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We examined joint trajectories of physical frailty and social frailty as well as their associations with adverse outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study by using five waves of national data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS 2011-2020), involving 4531 participants aged ≥60 years. We identified 4-year trajectories at three examinations from 2011 to 2015 using parallel process latent class growth analysis. Adverse outcomes were obtained from 2015 to 2020 across two subsequent waves. We calculated hazard ratios (HR) using Cox proportional hazard models. We also conducted analyses by gender. RESULTS: Three joint trajectories were identified, including persistent absence of physical and social frailty (58.5 %), no physical frailty but social frailty (28.1 %), and persistent combination of physical and social frailty (13.4 %). Compared with persistent absence of physical and social frailty, no physical frailty but social frailty and persistent combination of physical and social frailty were associated with higher risk of instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability (HR = 1.182-2.020, 95 % CI: 1.014-2.416) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.440-2.486, 95 % CI: 1.211-3.009). The persistent combination of physical and social frailty was also associated with ADL disability (HR = 2.412, 95 % CI: 1.999-2.911) and falls (HR = 1.410, 95 % CI: 1.196-1.662). Gender differences were observed in relationships between joint trajectories and adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: Community-dwelling older adults exhibit distinct joint trajectories and those with persistent combination of physical and social frailty experience greatest risk of incident adverse outcomes. Clinical and public health measures targeting physical or social frailty should account for both and be gender-specific.

Better functional recovery after acute stroke in older patients managed in a new dedicated post-stroke geriatric unit compared to usual management.

OBJECTIVES: A Stroke care Pathway dedicated to the ELders (SPEL) for patients with acute stroke was created in 2013 at the hospitals Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix (Paris, France). It is characterized by a stroke unit dedicated to emergency stroke care, and a post stroke geriatric unit (PSGU) including rehabilitation and management of geriatric syndromes. The aim of the study was to compare the functional recovery of patients transferred to PSGU versus other rehabilitation care in patients over 70 years of age after stroke. DESIGN: A cohort observational study over a 4-year period. SETTING: Hospitals Pitié-Salpêtrière and Charles Foix (Paris, France). PARTICIPANTS: We studied patients over 70 years admitted to the participating stroke unit for acute stroke consecutively hospitalized from January 1, 2013, to January 1, 2017. INTERVENTION: Patients transferred in the PSGU were compared to those admitted in other rehabilitation units. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was 3-month functional recovery after stroke. The secondary outcomes were the hospital length of stay and the returning home rate. A multivariable logistic regression was applied to adjust for confounding variables (age, sex, NIHSS score and Charlson's comorbidity score). RESULTS: Among the 262 patients included in the study, those in the PGSU were significantly older, had a higher Charlson's comorbidity score and a higher initial NIHSS severity score. As compared to the other patients, functional recovery at 3 months was better in the PSGU (Rankin's score decreased by 0.80 points versus 0.41 points, p = 0.01). The average total length of stay was reduced by 16 days in the patients referred to the PSGU (p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the returning home rate between the two groups (p = 0.88). CONCLUSION: The SPEL which includes a post-stroke geriatric unit (PSGU) has been associated with improved recovery and had a positive impact in the management of older post-stroke patients.

Diet Quality of Older African Americans: Impact of Knowledge and Perceived Threat of COVID-19.

Confusing health messages and environmental changes intended to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus have affected the dietary behavior of older African Americans. We investigated the impact of COVID-19-related factors on diet quality and the relationship between food access and diet quality. We surveyed 150 African Americans aged 55 years and above during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data obtained included socio-demographic and health information, and COVID-19-related knowledge and perceptions. Dietary intake data was obtained using the Diet History Questionnaire III. Analyses included bivariate and multivariable statistics. Overall, based on United States Department of Agriculture guidelines, the diet quality of older African Americans was poor. Lower knowledge and a lower perceived threat of COVID-19 were significantly associated with poor diet quality. Additionally, older African Americans with chronic diseases and food insecurity had poor diet quality. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fragility of diet quality. The combined impact of poor knowledge and perceived threat of COVID-19, chronic disease, and food insecurity contribute to poor diet quality in this population. This study adds to the well-known need for strategies to support the right to a healthy diet, particularly during COVID-19 and future pandemics. Proactive interventions to counteract the potential consequences of poor diets are needed.

Preoperative nutritional evaluation of prostate cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignant tumors in men. Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) is an objective index for evaluating nutritional status of elderly people over 65 years old. The aim of the current study was to explore the correlation and predictive value between GNRI and postoperative recovery and complications in PCa patients undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP). METHODS: Taking 98 as the GNRI boundary value, 96 PCa patients (aged≥65 y) undergoing LRP in the Department of Urology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from January 2018 to December 2020 were grouped into malnutrition group (MNg, 34 patients, 35.4%) and normal nutrition group (NNg, 62 patients, 64.6%). Basic information, laboratory examination indexes, operation conditions, postoperative complications and postoperative recovery indexes of patients were recorded and retrospectively analyzed. Clavien-Dindo Classification System (CDCS) was used to assess postoperative complications. T-test was used to analyze differences between the two groups. ROC curve was generated to determine the predictive value of GNRI for postoperative complications. RESULTS: Percentage of complications was significantly higher in MNg group compared with that in NNg group (P < 0.01). The average grade based on CDCS was significantly lower in NNg group compared with that in MNg group (P < 0.01). Body weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), preoperative hemoglobin value (HGB), serum albumin (ALB) values of MNg and NNg were significantly positively correlated with GNRI (P<0.01). Incidence and severity of postoperative complications of MNg patients were significantly higher compared with those of NNg patients (P<0.05). Average hospitalization cost of MNg patients was higher in MNg patients compared with that of NNg patients (P<0.05). Duration of post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), duration of antibiotic use and duration of indwelling drainage tube were longer in MNg patients compared with those in NNg patients (P<0.05). Furthermore, volume of indwelling drainage tube was higher in MNg patients compared with that in NNg patients (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: GNRI is an effective and reliable tool for evaluation of preoperative nutritional status of prostate cancer patients. The findings showed that GNRI is correlated with postoperative recovery and complications, and is an effective predictive marker.

An implementation science approach to geriatric screening in an emergency department.

BACKGROUND: The Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) Guidelines recommend screening older adults during their ED visit for delirium, fall risk/safe mobility, and home safety needs. We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and the Expert Recommendations for Implementation Change (ERIC) tool for preimplementation planning. METHODS: The cross-sectional survey was conducted among ED nurses at an academic medical center. The survey was adapted from the CFIR Interview Guide Tool and consisted of 21 Likert scale questions based on four CFIR domains. Potential barriers identified by the survey were mapped to identify recommended implementation strategies using ERIC. RESULTS: Forty-six of 160 potential participants (29%) responded. Intervention Characteristics: Nurses felt geriatric screening should be standard practice for all EDs (76.1% agreed some/very much) and that there was good evidence (67.4% agreed some/very much). Outer setting: The national and regional practices such as the existence of guidelines or similar practices in other hospitals were unknown to many (20.0%). Nurses did agree some/very much (64.4%) that the intervention was good for the hospital/health system. Inner Setting: 67.4% felt more staff or infrastructure and 63.0% felt more equipment were needed for the intervention. When asked to pick from a list of potential barriers, the most commonly chosen were motivational (I often do not remember (n = 27, 58.7%) and It is not a priority (n = 14, 30.4%)). The identified barriers were mapped using the ERIC tool to rate potential implementation strategies. Strategies to target culture change were identifying champions, improve adaptability, facilitate the nurses performing the intervention, and increase demand for the intervention. CONCLUSION: CFIR domains and ERIC tools are applicable to an ED intervention for older adults. This preimplementation process could be replicated in other EDs considering implementing geriatric screening.

Prognostic value of hemoglobin combined with Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index scores in patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Aims: To investigate the prognostic value of hemoglobin combined with geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) scores in patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patients & methods: Patients who underwent esophagectomy and postoperative radiotherapy were included in this retrospective study. Their preoperative hemoglobin and GNRI were collected to establish hemoglobin-GNRI (H-GNRI) scores, and their association with OS was evaluated. Results: Patients with high H-GNRI scores had better prognosis than those with low scores (p < 0.001). Differentiation (p = 0.001), T classification (p = 0.010), N classification (p = 0.001) and H-GNRI score (p = 0.018) were independent prognostic factors for all patients. Conclusion: H-GNRI score is an independent prognostic factor for the survival of patients with ESCC managed by surgery and postoperative radiotherapy.

Prevalence of ocular findings regardless of visual acuity status in older adults from the Brazilian Amazon Region.

Recently, it has been recommended that population-based studies report not only frequencies of vision impairment and blindness but also any ocular abnormalities that might lead an individual to seek for eyecare services. The current study aimed to determine prevalence of ocular findings regardless of visual acuity (VA) status in older adults from the Brazilian Amazon Region. Disturbances were grouped into: Eyelids; Anterior Segment; Posterior Segment; Increased intraocular pressure; and Overall Globe. The presence of an ocular finding was considered positive when any abnormality was noted, regardless of VA. Refractive errors were not considered. A total 2384 eligible persons were enumerated and 2041 (85.6%) examined. The prevalence of ocular disturbances in either eye was 87.0% and was associated with male gender, older age, lower education, and rural residence. Overall, main findings were pterygium, cataract, and pinguecula, occurring in 58.8%, 45.4% and 17.4%, respectively. Among individuals with 20/20 VA in both eyes, the most frequent findings were pterygium, pinguecula, and glaucoma cupping, occurring in 47.4%, 31.2% and 6.5%, respectively. The high prevalence of ocular findings observed in this population reinforces that different conditions might not immediately decrease VA but can indicate risk and/or discomfort symptoms and should be considered when planning public health ophthalmic services.

Association of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index with the survival of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: The nutritional status can potentially affect the efficacy of cancer therapy. The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), a simple index for evaluating nutritional status calculated from body weight and serum albumin levels, has been reported to be associated with the prognosis of various diseases. However, the relationships between GNRI and the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are unknown. METHODS: The pretreatment levels of GNRI were retrospectively evaluated in 148 chemo-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC who received first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and scored as low or high. RESULTS: Patients with a high GNRI had a significantly higher overall response rate (ORR; 44.5% [95% confidence interval {CI} = 35.6%-53.9%] vs. 15.8% [95% CI = 7.4%-30.4%, p = 0.002), longer median progression-free survival (PFS; 6.3 months [95% CI = 5.6-7.2 months] vs. 3.8 months [95% CI = 2.5-4.7 months], p < 0.001), and longer median overall survival (OS; 22.8 months [95% CI = 16.7-27.2 months] vs. 8.5 months [95% CI = 5.4-16.0 months], p < 0.001) than those with low GNRI. High GNRI was independently predictive of better ORR in multivariate logistic regression analysis and longer PFS and OS in multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses. In 71 patients who received second-line non-platinum chemotherapy, patients with high GNRI exhibited significantly longer PFS and OS than those with low GNRI (both p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: GNRI was predictive of prolonged survival in patients with NSCLC who received first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and second-line non-platinum chemotherapy. Assessment of the nutritional status may be useful for predicting the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Evaluation of the effect of clinical characteristics and intensive care treatment methods on the mortality of covid-19 patients aged 80 years and older.

BACKGROUND: Older adults have an increased risk of mortality from Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Despite the high number of publications on the topic of Covid-19 pandemic, few studies have focused on the intensive care treatments of Covid-19 patients aged 80 years and older. The goal of our study is to investigate the effect of the intensive care treatments on the mortality of Covid-19 patients aged 80 years and older based on their clinical features, laboratory findings and the intensive care treatments methods. METHODS: The data of 174 patients aged 80 years and older treated from Covid-19 in intensive care unit were assessed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups as survivor and non-survivor. The effects of age, gender, length of stay, comorbid diseases, laboratory values, thoracic computed tomography findings, having invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) and/or non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV), hemodiafiltration (HDF), anti-cytokines and plasma therapy on mortality have been investigated. RESULTS: The mean age and mean values of CRP, PCT, Ferritin, LDH were statistically significantly high in the non-survivor group. The mortality rate of the patients who had IMV was also statistically significantly higher compared to patients who had HFNC and/or NIMV. Albumin level and the rate of treatment with HFNC and/or NIMV were statistically significantly low in non-survivor group compared to the Survivor group. CONCLUSION: ICU treatments may be beneficial for the Covid-19 patients aged 80 years and older. Increased age, high levels of CRP, PCT, ferritin, and having IMV are detected as poor outcome markers.

Utility of Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Mini-Review.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the most significant risk factors for cardiovasculardisese. Malnutrition has been recognized as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease in patients with CKD, including those on chronic dialysis. Current studies showed higher all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates in patients with CKD and malnutrition. Geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), a simple and validated nutritional screening measure for both elderly people and patients on dialysis, is based only on three objective parameters: body weight, height, and serum albumin level. Recently, we demonstrated that the cutoff GNRI for predicting all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was 96 in patients on hemodialysis. Moreover, together with left ventricular hypertrophy and low estimated glomerular filtration rate, the utility of GNRI as a significant determinant of cardiovascular events was demonstrated in non-dialysis-dependent patients with CKD. In the present review, we summarize available evidence regarding the relationship of GNRI with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with CKD including those on dialysis.

Successful ageing among a national community-dwelling sample of older adults in India in 2017-2018.

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of successful ageing in older community-dwelling adults in India. The cross-sectional sample included 21,343 individuals (≥ 65 years) from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave 1 in 2017-2018. Successful ageing was assessed utilizing a multidimensional concept, including five components: (1) absence of major illness, (2) free of disability, (3) no major depressive disorder, (4) social engagement and (5) life satisfaction. Overall, 27.2% had successful ageing, including 83.3% had no major diseases, 51.0% free from disability, 91.8% had no major depressive disorder, 73.6% were socially engaged and 74.6% had high life satisfaction. In the adjusted logistic regression analysis, male sex (Adjusted Odds Ratio-AOR 1.40, 95% Confidence Interval-CI 1.21-1.26), married (AOR 1.48, 95% CI 1.22-1.79), having formal education (AOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.23-1.74), high subjective socioeconomic status (AOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.29-2.01), urban residence (AOR 1.42, 95% CI 1.19-1.70), Sikhs (AOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.38-2.24), high physical activity (AOR 1.65, 95% CI 1.38-1.97), and daily Yoga practice (AOR 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.61) increased the odds of successful ageing, while increasing age (AOR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.79), poor childhood health (AOR: 0.47, 95% CI 0.29-0.75), and underweight (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61-0.81) decreased the odds of successful ageing. Almost one in three older adults in India were successfully ageing. Factors associated with successful ageing included, male sex, married, having formal education, high subjective socioeconomic status, urban residence, Sikhs, physical activity, Yoga practice, younger age, good childhood health, and not having underweight.

A comparison of anticholinergic burden in older patients with and without cancer.

Aim: To compare anticholinergic burden (ACB) in older patients with and without cancer and evaluate the effects of ACB on geriatric syndromes. Methods: A total of 291 patients from the geriatric clinic and 301 patients from the oncology clinic were evaluated. ACB <2 was categorized as low ACB and ACB ≥2 was categorized as high ACB. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed on patients from the geriatric clinic. Results: ACB scores were significantly higher in patients without cancer compared with those with cancer (p < 0.005). Number of falls and Geriatric Depression Scale 15 scores were higher and Mini-Nutritional Assessment and Barthel/Lawton activities of daily living scores were lower in geriatric patients with high ACB scores compared with those with low ACB scores (p < 0.005). Conclusion: It is crucial to understand the potential effects of ACB for rational drug use and optimum cancer management in older patients with cancer.

Lay abstract The elderly population is increasing rapidly worldwide, and most cancer patients are over the age of 65. In this age group, preexisting medical conditions other than cancer lead to the use of multiple drugs, which is defined as polypharmacy. Additionally, the anticholinergic burden (ACB) of the drugs affects cancer treatment in the elderly. This study investigated the frequency of polypharmacy and ACB in elderly patients with and without cancer and their relationship with geriatric syndromes such as depression, falls, nutritional and cognitive impairments. We found that ACB was higher in older patients without cancer than those with cancer and is related to increased falls, depressive symptoms, and impaired nutritional and functional status in older patients. Given the prevalence of cancer among older adults, it is crucial to understand the potential effects of the ACB for rational drug use and optimum cancer management in older patients with cancer.

Axial length and its associations in the Ural Very Old Study.

To assess the distribution of axial length as surrogate for myopia and its determinants in an old population, we performed the Ural Very Old Study as a population-based cohort study. Out of 1882 eligible individuals aged 85 + years, the Ural Very Old Study performed in an urban and rural region in Bashkortostan/Russia included 1526 (81.1%) individuals undergoing ophthalmological and medical examinations with sonographic axial length measurement. Biometric data were available for 717 (47.0%) individuals with a mean age of 88.0 ± 2.6 years (range 85-98 years; 25%). Mean axial length was 23.1 ± 1.1 mm (range 19.37-28.89 mm). Prevalences of moderate myopia (axial length 24.5-< 26.5 mm) and high myopia (axial length ≥ 26.5 mm) were 47/717 (6.6%; 95% CI 4.7, 8.4) and 10/717 (1.4%; 95% CI 0.5, 2.3), respectively. In multivariable analysis, longer axial length was associated (coefficient of determination r2 0.25) with taller body height (standardized regression coefficient beta:0.16;non-standardized regression coefficient B: 0.02; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01, 0.03; P < 0.001), higher level of education (beta: 0.12; B: 0.07; 95% CI 0.02, 0.11; P = 0.002), and lower corneal refractive power (beta: - 0.35; B: - 0.23; 95% CI - 0.28, - 0.18; P < 0.001). Higher prevalence of moderate myopia, however not of high myopia, was associated with higher educational level (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.09, 1.68; P = 0.007) and lower corneal refractive power (OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.63, 0.94; P = 0.01). In this old study population, prevalence of moderate axial myopia (6.6% versus 9.7%) was lower than, and prevalence of high axial myopia (1.4% versus 1.4%) was similar as, in a corresponding study on a younger population from the same Russian region. Both myopia prevalence rates were higher than in rural Central India (1.5% and 0.4%, respectively). As in other, younger, populations, axial length and moderate myopia prevalence increased with higher educational level, while high myopia prevalence was independent of the educational level.

Factors associated with inflamm-aging in institutionalized older people.

The increase in inflammatory cytokines associated with a reduction in the bioavailability of zinc has been used as a marker for inflammation. Despite the high inflammatory state found in institutionalized older individuals, few studies have proposed verifying the factors associated with this condition in this population. To verify the factors associated with inflamm-aging in institutionalized older people. A total of 178 older people (≥ 60 years old) living in nursing homes in Natal/RN were included in the study. Cluster analysis was used to identify three groups according to their inflammatory state. Analysis anthropometric, biochemical, sociodemographic, and health-related variables was carried out. In sequence, an ordinal logistic regression was performed for a confidence level of 95% in those variables with p < 0.20 in the bivariate analysis. IL-6, TNF-α, zinc, low-density lipids (LDL), high-density lipids (HDL), and triglycerides were associated with inflamm-aging. The increase of 1 unit of measurement of LDL, HDL, and triglycerides increased the chance of inflammation-aging by 1.5%, 4.1%, and 0.9%, respectively, while the oldest old (≥ 80 years old) had an 84.9% chance of presenting inflamm-aging in relation to non-long-lived older people (< 80 years). The association between biochemical markers and inflamm-aging demonstrates a relationship between endothelial injury and the inflammatory state. In addition, the presence of a greater amount of fat in the blood may present a higher relative risk of death.