Prospective observational study to evaluate risk factors for falls in institutionalized elderly people: the role of cystatin C.

AIM: To evaluate the role of balance and gait disorders, comorbidities and laboratory abnormalities in the occurrence of falls in an institutionalized elderly population. METHODS: We made a non-interventional, prospective, observational study in elderly institutionalized people. Comorbidities and information on treatments were obtained. Function and cognition were measured using the Katz Index, the Tinetti Balance and Gait, lower extremity function tests and the Mini-Mental test. At the inclusion, the analytical was made including cystatin C. Falls were recorded for 20 months after inclusion. RESULTS: Patients with falls were older (85 ± 7 vs. 82 ± 8, p = 0.04) and more often female (88 vs. 12 %, p = 0.01). Dyslipidemia, hypertension and antihypertensive treatment were associated with an increased risk of falls. Cystatin C was higher in patients with falls (0.96 ± 0.21 vs. 1.12 ± 0.29, p = 0.02). Functional tests showed differences in the Tinetti balance test (15 ± 2 vs. 13 ± 3, p = 0.04) and lower extremity function balance test (2.8 ± 1.2 vs. 2.2 ± 1.2, p = 0.05). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were worse in patients with falls (22 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4, p = 0.01). Only female status (6.2, p = 0.03), the MMSE scores (1.2, p = 0.02) and cystatin C (5.3, p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for falls after logistic regression. CONCLUSIONS: Female sex, cognitive impairment and cystatin C were risk factors for falls in non-dependent institutionalized elderly people.

Relationship of -55C/T polymorphism of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) gene with metabolic syndrome by ATP III classification.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The relation of -55C/T polymorphism of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) with metabolic syndrome (MS) has been evaluated only in one previous study with contradictory results. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of -55C/T polymorphism of UCP3 gene with MS. DESIGN: A population of 817 obese Caucasian patients was analyzed in a cross-sectional survey. Genotype of UCP3 gene -55C/T was studied. To estimate the prevalence of MS , the definitions of the ATPIII were considered. RESULTS: Five hundred and ninety-four patients (72.7%) had the genotype -55CC (wild group), whereas 223 patients (27.3%) had the genotype -55C/T. Genotype -5TT was not detected. Prevalence of mutant UCP genotypes was similar in patients with MS (75.7% wild genotype and 24.3% mutant genotype) and without MS (69.7% wild genotype and 30.3% mutant genotype). Odds ratio of MS wild vs. mutant genotype was 1.17 CI 95%: 0.99-1.38). Total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations were lower in mutant-type group than wild-type group in patients with MS. No differences in other parameters were detected between genotypes in the same group of MS. CONCLUSION: -55C/T UCP polymorphism is not major risk factor for the MS. However, in mutant group of -55CC UCP3 gene in patients with MS, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were lower than wild-type patients.