Older Adults' Metaphorical Perceptions of Aging in Turkey.

PURPOSE: To determine older adults' metaphorical perceptions of the concept of aging. METHOD: Participants in this qualitative study comprised 57 older adults as determined using convenience and criterion sampling methods. Data were obtained using a personal data form and the metaphor form and analyzed with descriptive and content analysis techniques. RESULTS: Fifty-seven metaphors were identified within three themes: 24 within Mental Aspect, 18 within Physical Aspect, and 15 within Psychosocial Aspect. CONCLUSION: The fact that most metaphors appeared within the Mental Aspect theme was interpreted as an indication that participants felt the effects of aging more in the mental dimension. Results of the research show that aging is perceived as experience and accumulation mentally, as inadequacy physically, and as the end or loneliness psychosocially. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(5), 27-34.].

Comparison of Grip Strength Measurements by Widely Used Three Dynamometers in Outpatients Aged 60 Years and Over.

Grip strength (GS) is widely used in various fields such as sports, rehabilitation, and geriatrics to assess muscle strength, and to diagnose sarcopenia and frailty in older adults. There is a potential for measurement differences among different dynamometers available, and studies comparing GS measurements by variable tools have conflicting results. The two most frequently used dynamometers are the Jamar hydraulic (Jamar) and spring-type hand grip dynamometers, and Jamar has not been compared to Jamar PLUS+ Digital (Jamar+) dynamometer in older adults. So, we aimed to assess GS measurements with the Jamar as the reference standard against Jamar+, and spring-type Takei T.KK. 5401 (Takei) digital dynamometers. One hundred and ten outpatients aged >60 years were included. Inter-instrumental reliability was determined. The differences between dynamometers were evaluated by Bland-Altman plots and measurement error. The measurements with Jamar+, and Takei dynamometers were reliable and valid regarding the Jamar dynamometer. Takei and Jamar+ dynamometers overestimated GS over the Jamar dynamometer. Though the differences in the measured values might be disregarded in clinical practice, individuals defined to have low GS varied by the use of different dynamometers. Grip strength better be measured by the same dynamometer in serial measurements of older individuals.

The Association of Serum 25(OH) Vitamin D Level with Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Patients with Syndrome Z (the Interaction of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Metabolic Syndrome).

Background: The interaction of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) is known as syndrome Z. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of serum vitamin D levels with severity of OSAS in patients with Syndrome Z. Methods: In this retrospective study, 270 patients with MetS and OSAS were included. Demographic data, lifestyle habits, anthropometric measurements, sleep characteristics, polysomnographic indices, and laboratory results were recorded from the patient files. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the associations of serum 25(OH)D3 levels with OSAS. Results: Of the 270 patients, 71.9% were female. The mean age was 46.86 ± 8.46 (33-72) years. Of the participants, 8.2% did not have OSAS (control group), while 30.4% had mild, 28.1% had moderate, and 33.3% had severe OSAS. There were significant differences in gender, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist/hip ratio, neck circumference, body mass index, apnea-hypopnea index, total sleep time, average SpO2 and Epworth sleepiness scale score, oxygen desaturation index, blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and 25(OH)D3 levels. There was a significant difference in serum 25(OH)D3 level with increasing severities of OSAS (none+mild to moderate+severe OSAS). After adjusting for potential confounding factors in multivariable logistic regression analyses, we found that serum 25(OH)D3 level was significantly associated with the severity of OSAS. Conclusions: Serum 25(OH)D3 level was significantly associated with the severity of OSAS in patients with Syndrome Z. Therefore, patients with MetS and OSAS should be investigated for the presence of vitamin D insufficiency and, if observed, referred for vitamin D treatment.

Prevalence of sarcopenia and related factors in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

OBJECTIVES:  To determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and related factors in individuals aged ≥65 years living in the Bornova district of Izmir, Turkey. Sarcopenia is one of the most serious health problems among elderly individuals. METHODS:  This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Bornova district of Izmir, Turkey, between February-July 2015. This study participants were comprised of 909 individuals aged ≥65 years. The dependent variable was the presence of sarcopenia and the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) approach was used for determining sarcopenia. The independent variables were socio-demographic and economic characteristics, healthy life behaviors and health status/condition. Data were collected at home through face-to-face interviews and measurements, analysed using chi-square test, t-test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS:  The participants' mean age was 72.8±6.2 (range: 65-100) years, and 60.2% were female (n=582). The prevalence of sarcopenia was 5.2% and that of low gait speed was 41.0%, low grip strength was 57.0%, low calf circumference was 6.1% and the combination of low gait speed and low grip strength was 14.3%. Risk factors of sarcopenia included increasing age, physical inactivity, low body mass index and the presence or risk of malnutritionConclusion: The prevalence of sarcopenia was 5.2% in this population and increased with age, physical inactivity, low body mass index and the presence or risk of malnutrition.

[Infecting glial cells with antimony resistant Leishmania tropica: A new ex-vivo model]. / Glia hücrelerinin antimona dirençli Leishmania tropica ile enfekte edilmesi: Yeni bir ex-vivo modeli.

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease that shows different clinical features like cutaneous, mucocutaneous, visceral and viscerotropic forms. The protocols used in the treatment of leishmaniasis are toxic and have many limitations during administration. One of the limitations of treatment is the resistance against the protocols in practice. There is also a need to define new treatment options especially for resistant patients. Ex-vivo models using primary cell cultures may be a good source for evaluating new drug options in patients with antimony resistance, in addition to in-vitro and in-vivo studies. In this study, it was aimed to define a new ex-vivo culture model to evaluate treatment options in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis who did not respond to treatment. In our experimental model of ex-vivo infection, Leishmania tropica promastigotes isolated from a case previously diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis were used. The primary astroglial cell culture used for the ex-vivo model was prepared from 2-3 days old neonatal Sprague Dawley rat brains under sterile conditions by the modification McCarthy's method. The astroglia cells, which reached sufficient density, were infected with antimony resistant L.tropica promastigotes. After 24 hours of incubation, the supernatant on the cells were collected, the cell culture plate was dried at room temperature, then fixed with methyl alcohol and stained with Giemsa to search for L.tropica amastigotes. Amastigotes were intensely observed in glia cells in primary cell cultures infected with L.tropica promastigotes. No promastigotes were seen on Giemsa stained preparations of the precipitates prepared from the bottom sediment after the centrifugation of the liquid medium removed from the infected plates. In this study, promastigotes from a cutaneous leishmaniasis patient unable to respond to pentavalent antimony therapy were shown to infect rat glia cells and converted to amastigote form. This amastigote glial cell model, as far as we know, is the first model in the literature produced by L.tropica. The occurrence of L.tropica amastigote forms in glia cells may be indicative of the ability of Leishmania species to infect the central nervous system. The central nervous system may be an area for the Leishmania amastigotes to escape from the immune system in cases of leishmaniasis without a treatment response. Our study is important because it is the first study to show the infection of glia cells with L.tropica amastigotes.

Association of sarcopenia with depressive symptoms and functional status among ambulatory community-dwelling elderly.

OBJECTIVE: Sarcopenia, functional disability, and depression are common problems in the elderly. Sarcopenia is associated with physical disability, functional impairment, depression, cardiometabolic diseases, and even mortality. This study aims to determine the association of sarcopenia with depression and functional status among ambulatory community-dwelling elderly aged 65 years and older. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The sample of this cross-sectional study consisted of 28,323 people, aged 65 years and older, living in Bornova, Izmir. Multi-stage sample selection was performed to reach 1007 individuals. However, 966 elderly people could be reached, and 861 elderly people who can walk were included in the study. The data were collected by the interviewers at home through face-to-face interview. RESULTS: The mean age was 72.2 ±â€¯5.8 (65-100) years. The prevalence of functional disability, depressive symptoms, and sarcopenia were 21.7%, 25.2%, and 4.6%, respectively. In multivariate analysis depression was associated with sarcopenia, being illiterate and divorced, perception of the economic situation as poor/moderate, increased number of chronic diseases, and having at least one physical disability. IADL associated functional disability with sarcopenia, being illiterate/literate and female, increased age and number of medications, and the BMI. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia in ambulatory community-dwelling elderly is significantly associated with depressive symptoms and functional disability. Elderly people at high risk of sarcopenia should be screened for functional disability and depression. Appropriate interventions should also be implemented.

Reliability Study in Five Languages of the Translation of the Pain Observational Scale Algoplus.

Objective: Acute pain is frequent and underestimated in older persons, especially when they suffer from cognitive impairment. Algoplus is an observational scale for acute pain evaluation, validated in French in older persons with communication disorders. We present the validation by an international expert team of the Algoplus scale in five languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Turkish. Methods: A total of 181 older consecutive patients were included in five countries (Spain, Australia, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey). Test-retest and inter-rater reliabilities were determined by weighted kappa coefficient for each item and internal consistency by Kuder-Richardson-20 (KD). Results: Regarding test-retest reliability, the kappa coefficient for the five items ranged from 0.68 to 0.84. Inter-rater reliability kappa values ranged from 0.64 to 0.82. Internal consistency was indicated at a KD greater than 0.6. Satisfaction was good to excellent for all teams. Results show that reliability tests are good to excellent for all items of Algoplus. Conclusions: This study shows evidence that Algoplus is an acceptable, reproducible, reliable, and easy-to-use tool. It provides a unique opportunity to include the translated Algoplus scale in daily assessment of older persons with communication disorders in many countries.