Blood-based biological ageing and red cell distribution width are associated with prevalent Parkinson's disease: findings from a large Italian population cohort.

Background: Aging clocks tag the actual underlying age of an organism and its discrepancy with chronological age and have been reported to predict incident disease risk in the general population. However, the relationship with neurodegenerative risk and in particular with Parkinson's Disease (PD) remains unclear, with few discordant findings reporting associations with both incident and prevalent PD risk. Objective: To clarify this relationship, we computed a common aging clock based on blood markers and tested the resulting discrepancy with chronological age (ΔPhenoAge) for association with both incident and prevalent PD risk. Methods: In a large Italian population cohort - the Moli-sani study (N=23,437; age ≥ 35 years; 52% women) - we carried out both Cox Proportional Hazards regressions modelling ΔPhenoAge as exposure and incident PD as outcome, and linear models testing prevalent PD as exposure and ΔPhenoAge as outcome. All models were incrementally adjusted for age, sex, education level completed and other risk/protective factors previously associated with PD risk in the same cohort (prevalent dysthyroidism, hypertension, diabetes, use of oral contraceptives, exposure to paints, daily coffee intake and cigarette smoking). Results: No significant association between incident PD risk (209 cases, median (IQR) follow-up time 11.19 (2.03) years) and PhenoAging was observed (Hazard Ratio [95% Confidence Interval] = 0.98 [0.71; 1.37]). However, a small but significant increase of ΔPhenoAge was observed in prevalent PD cases vs healthy subjects (ß (Standard Error) = 1.39 (0.70)). An analysis of each component biomarker of PhenoAge revealed a significant positive association of prevalent PD status with red cell distribution width (RDW; ß (SE) = 0.46 (0.18)). All the remaining markers did not show any significant evidence of association. Conclusion: The reported evidence highlights systemic effects of prevalent PD status on biological aging and red cell distribution width. Further cohort and functional studies may help shedding a light on the related pathways altered at the organism level in prevalent PD, like red cells variability, inflammatory and oxidative stress mechanisms.

Perceived work stressors and the transition to burnout among nurses in response to the pandemic: implications for healthcare organizations.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the associations of pre-pandemic perceived work stressors and work satisfaction among nurses, including nurse assistants, with burnout profiles and their transitions in response to the pandemic. METHODS: Three hundred and thirty-seven nurses working in an Italian University hospital participated in a longitudinal study including a survey in August 2019 investigating perceived work stressors (assessed using the HSE Indicator Tool), work satisfaction (Work Satisfaction Scale), and burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and a second survey in December 2020 assessing burnout. Using latent transition analysis, we identified burnout profiles and then estimated the associations between work stressors and satisfaction on profiles and transitions. RESULTS: We identified three pre-pandemic profiles, namely engaged (67%), ineffective (15%), and burnout (18%); and three pandemic profiles, namely engaged (37%), exhausted (51%), and severe burnout (12%). The severe burnout profile consisted of 70% nurses classified in the burnout profile before the pandemic. Overall, work stressors and satisfaction were associated with both pre-pandemic and pandemic burnout profiles. Among nurses not in the burnout profile prior to COVID-19, pre-pandemic hostile relationships increased [odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.34] and work satisfaction decreased (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.68-0.98) the probability to transition to exhausted. Moreover, work satisfaction (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.91) and participation in work organization (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.51-0.93) protected from transitioning to severe burnout. The association between peer support and the transition to exhausted needs further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: Pre-pandemic work stressors and satisfaction were associated with pandemic burnout and burnout transitions. To enhance preparedness for future crises, healthcare managers should carefully assess and tackle work-related constraints affecting nurses.

Underrated aspects of a true Mediterranean diet: understanding traditional features for worldwide application of a "Planeterranean" diet.

Over the last decades, the Mediterranean diet gained enormous scientific, social, and commercial attention due to proven positive effects on health and undeniable taste that facilitated a widespread popularity. Researchers have investigated the role of Mediterranean-type dietary patterns on human health all around the world, reporting consistent findings concerning its benefits. However, what does truly define the Mediterranean diet? The myriad of dietary scores synthesizes the nutritional content of a Mediterranean-type diet, but a variety of aspects are generally unexplored when studying the adherence to this dietary pattern. Among dietary factors, the main characteristics of the Mediterranean diet, such as consumption of fruit and vegetables, olive oil, and cereals should be accompanied by other underrated features, such as the following: (i) specific reference to whole-grain consumption; (ii) considering the consumption of legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices often untested when exploring the adherence to the Mediterranean diet; (iii) consumption of eggs and dairy products as common foods consumed in the Mediterranean region (irrespectively of the modern demonization of dietary fat intake). Another main feature of the Mediterranean diet includes (red) wine consumption, but more general patterns of alcohol intake are generally unmeasured, lacking specificity concerning the drinking occasion and intensity (i.e., alcohol drinking during meals). Among other underrated aspects, cooking methods are rather simple and yet extremely varied. Several underrated aspects are related to the quality of food consumed when the Mediterranean diet was first investigated: foods are locally produced, minimally processed, and preserved with more natural methods (i.e., fermentation), strongly connected with the territory with limited and controlled impact on the environment. Dietary habits are also associated with lifestyle behaviors, such as sleeping patterns, and social and cultural values, favoring commensality and frugality. In conclusion, it is rather reductive to consider the Mediterranean diet as just a pattern of food groups to be consumed decontextualized from the social and geographical background of Mediterranean culture. While the methodologies to study the Mediterranean diet have demonstrated to be useful up to date, a more holistic approach should be considered in future studies by considering the aforementioned underrated features and values to be potentially applied globally through the concept of a "Planeterranean" diet.

Long-Term Risk of Arterial Thrombosis After Intracerebral Hemorrhage: MUCH-Italy.

BACKGROUND: The identification of patients surviving an acute intracerebral hemorrhage who are at a long-term risk of arterial thrombosis is a poorly defined, crucial issue for clinicians. METHODS: In the setting of the MUCH-Italy (Multicenter Study on Cerebral Haemorrhage in Italy) prospective observational cohort, we enrolled and followed up consecutive 30-day intracerebral hemorrhage survivors to assess the long-term incidence of arterial thrombotic events, to assess the impact of clinical and radiological variables on the risk of these events, and to develop a tool for estimating such a risk at the individual level. Primary end point was a composite of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, or other arterial thrombotic events. A point-scoring system was generated by the ß-coefficients of the variables independently associated with the long-term risk of arterial thrombosis, and the predictive MUCH score was calculated as the sum of the weighted scores. RESULTS: Overall, 1729 patients (median follow-up time, 43 months [25th to 75th percentile, 69.0]) qualified for inclusion. Arterial thrombotic events occurred in 169 (9.7%) patients. Male sex, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, atrial fibrillation, and personal history of coronary artery disease were associated with increased long-term risk of arterial thrombosis, whereas the use of statins and antithrombotic medications after the acute intracerebral hemorrhage was associated with a reduced risk. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the MUCH score predictive validity was 0.716 (95% CI, 0.56-0.81) for the 0- to 1-year score, 0.672 (95% CI, 0.58-0.73) for the 0- to 5-year score, and 0.744 (95% CI, 0.65-0.81) for the 0- to 10-year score. C statistic for the prediction of events that occur from 0 to 10 years was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.64-0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Intracerebral hemorrhage survivors are at high long-term risk of arterial thrombosis. The MUCH score may serve as a simple tool for risk estimation.

Endogenous thrombin potential and time-dependent thrombin generation parameters are independent risk factors for mortality in the general population.

BACKGROUND: Thrombin generation (TG) is used as a global test of coagulation and is an indicator of thrombosis and bleeding risk. Until now, data on the association of TG and mortality are inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the association between TG and mortality in the prospective Moli-sani cohort (n = 21 920). METHODS: TG was measured using calibrated automated thrombinography using PPP-Reagent Low. Lag time (LT), endogenous thrombin potential (ETP), peak height, time-to-peak (TTP), and velocity index were quantified. The association of TG and mortality was studied by Cox regression and adjusted for sex, age, body mass index, smoking, contraceptives, and medical history (cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and cancer). RESULTS: LT and TTP were 4.1 ± 1.0 minutes and 6.6 ± 1.5 minutes, on average. The peak height was 364 ± 88 nM, velocity index was 163 ± 63 nM/min, and ETP was 1721 ± 411 nM·min. ETP was negatively associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.86; 95% CI, 0.81-0.92; P < .001). Subjects in the lowest quintile of the ETP (ETPQ1) had a 1.3-fold higher mortality rate. Additionally, a high TTP/LT ratio was negatively associated with mortality (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89; P = .003). Individuals in quintile 1 of the TTP/LT ratio had a 1.4-fold higher mortality rate compared with the remainder of the cohort. Subjects that were both in ETPQ1 and TTP/LTQ1 had a 1.8-fold higher mortality rate, regardless of whether they reported history of cardiovascular disease at baseline (HR, 1.61 [CI: 1.07-2.42]) or not (HR, 1.89 [CI: 1.51-2.36]). CONCLUSION: Low ETP and TTP/LT ratios are independent risk factors for all-cause mortality in the general population.

Breakfast quality and its sociodemographic and psychosocial correlates among Italian children, adolescents, and adults from the Italian Nutrition & HEalth Survey (INHES) study.

BACKGROUND: Breakfast quality, together with regularity of breakfast, has been suggested to be associated with cardiometabolic health advantages. We aimed to evaluate the quality of breakfast and its socioeconomic and psychosocial correlates in a large sample of the Italian population. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses on 7,673 adult and 505 children/adolescent regular breakfast eaters from the Italian Nutrition & Health Survey (INHES; 2010-2013). Dietary data were collected through a single 24-h dietary recall. Breakfast quality was assessed through the Breakfast Quality Index (BQI) combining intake of ten food groups, energy, and nutrients of public health concern, and potentially ranging from 0 to 10. The association of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors with BQI were analyzed by multivariable-adjusted linear regression models. RESULTS: The average BQI was 4.65 (SD ± 1.13) and 4.97 (SD ± 1.00) in adults and children/adolescents, respectively. Amongst adults, older age (ß = 0.19; 95%CI 0.06 to 0.31 for > 65 vs. 20-40 years) and having a high educational level (ß = 0.13; 0.03 to 0.23; for postsecondary vs. up to elementary) were independent predictors of better breakfast quality, while men reported lower BQI (ß = -0.08; -0.14 to -0.02 vs. women). Perceived stress levels at home and work and financial stress were inversely associated with BQI. Children/adolescents living in Central and Southern Italian regions had lower BQI compared to residents in Northern Italy (ß = -0.55; -0.91 to -0.19 and ß = -0.24; -0.47 to -0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In adults, breakfast quality was associated with age, sex, and educational level. Perceived stress levels were inversely associated with the quality of breakfast. In children/adolescents, a north-south gradient in breakfast quality was observed.

High alpha-2-macroglobulin levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease events: A Moli-sani cohort study.

BACKGROUND: α2-macroglobulin (α2M) is a versatile endopeptidase inhibitor that plays a role in cell growth, inflammation and coagulation. α2M is an inhibitor of key coagulation enzyme thrombin. Hypercoagulability due to an excess of thrombin production can cause thrombotic events. Therefore, we investigated the association of α2M levels and cardiovascular events in a subset of the general Italian population. METHODS: We determined α2M levels in the baseline samples of a prospective cohort (n = 19,688; age: 55 ± 12 years; 47.8 % men) of the Moli-sani study and investigated the association with the cardiovascular events (n = 432, 2.2 %) in the median follow-up period of 4.3 years. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by multivariable Cox regression and adjusted for a large panel of confounding factors. RESULTS: α2M levels above the 90th percentile were significantly associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events after full adjustment for age, sex, current smoking, BMI, oral contraceptive use, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes and history of cancer (HR: 1.36; CI: 1.06-1.74). Moreover, high α2M was associated with coronary heart disease (CHD; HR: 1.47; CI: 1.12-1.91), but not stroke. Stratification for CVD at baseline showed that high α2M levels are associated with CHD events in subjects without CVD at baseline (HR: 1.40; CI: 1.00-1.95) and subjects with CVD at baseline (HR: 1.58; CI: 1.02-2.44). CONCLUSION: We show in a prospective cohort that high levels of α2M could be a risk factor for cardiovascular events, especially coronary heart disease events.

C-reactive protein modifies lipoprotein(a)-related risk for coronary heart disease: the BiomarCaRE project.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent investigations have suggested an interdependence of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]-related risk for cardiovascular disease with background inflammatory burden. The aim the present analysis was to investigate whether high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) modulates the association between Lp(a) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. METHODS: Data from 71 678 participants from 8 European prospective population-based cohort studies were used (65 661 without/6017 with established CHD at baseline; median follow-up 9.8/13.8 years, respectively). Fine and Gray competing risk-adjusted models were calculated according to accompanying hsCRP concentration (<2 and ≥2 mg/L). RESULTS: Among CHD-free individuals, increased Lp(a) levels were associated with incident CHD irrespective of hsCRP concentration: fully adjusted sub-distribution hazard ratios [sHRs (95% confidence interval)] for the highest vs. lowest fifth of Lp(a) distribution were 1.45 (1.23-1.72) and 1.48 (1.23-1.78) for a hsCRP group of <2 and ≥2 mg/L, respectively, with no interaction found between these two biomarkers on CHD risk (Pinteraction = 0.82). In those with established CHD, similar associations were seen only among individuals with hsCRP ≥ 2 mg/L [1.34 (1.03-1.76)], whereas among participants with a hsCRP concentration <2 mg/L, there was no clear association between Lp(a) and future CHD events [1.29 (0.98-1.71)] (highest vs. lowest fifth, fully adjusted models; Pinteraction = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: While among CHD-free individuals Lp(a) was significantly associated with incident CHD regardless of hsCRP, in participants with CHD at baseline, Lp(a) was related to recurrent CHD events only in those with residual inflammatory risk. These findings might guide adequate selection of high-risk patients for forthcoming Lp(a)-targeting compounds.

Dietary indices underpinning front-of-pack nutrition labels and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Nutrient profiling systems are increasingly used to characterize the healthfulness of foods for front-of-package (FOP) labeling, which have been proposed as an effective public health strategy to help people make healthier food choices. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to review available evidence from cohort studies that evaluated the association of dietary indices underpinning FOP nutrition labels with all-cause mortality and incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) or cancer. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were systematically searched up to October 2023. We included articles if they were prospective cohort studies, if the exposure was any dietary index underpinning FOP nutrition labels [e.g., the modified Food Standard Agency-Nutrient Profiling System (FSAm-NPS) and the Health Star Rating System], and if outcomes were all-cause mortality or incidence of or mortality due to CVD and cancer. Random-effects models were used to calculate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs. RESULTS: We identified 11 records (7 unique prospective studies), which were included in the systematic review. The meta-analysis comprised 8 studies analyzing the FSAm-NPS dietary index (DI) as exposure. The pooled HRs associated with a 2-unit increase in the FSAm-NPS DI of all-cause mortality, CVD, and cancer risk were 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99, 1.13; I2: 80%), 1.08 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.18; I2: 70%), and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.19; I2: 77%), respectively. The Chilean Warning Label score and the Health Star Rating systems were examined by 1 study each and were significantly associated with the outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: DIs underpinning most common FOP nutrition labels and reflecting nutrient-poor diets show a tendency toward an increased incidence of CVD and cancer, but the observed effects are quite modest in magnitude. Further studies at the population level are needed to support the widely shared hypothesis that FOP labels, possibly in conjunction with other interventions, may contribute to reduce noncommunicable disease risk. This meta-analysis was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42021292625.

Identifying brain tumor patients' subtypes based on pre-diagnostic history and clinical characteristics: a pilot hierarchical clustering and association analysis.

Introduction: Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are severe health conditions with increasing incidence in the last years. Different biological, environmental and clinical factors are thought to have an important role in their epidemiology, which however remains unclear. Objective: The aim of this pilot study was to identify CNS tumor patients' subtypes based on this information and to test associations with tumor malignancy. Methods: 90 patients with suspected diagnosis of CNS tumor were recruited by the Neurosurgery Unit of IRCCS Neuromed. Patients underwent anamnestic and clinical assessment, to ascertain known or suspected risk factors including lifestyle, socioeconomic, clinical and psychometric characteristics. We applied a hierarchical clustering analysis to these exposures to identify potential groups of patients with a similar risk pattern and tested whether these clusters associated with brain tumor malignancy. Results: Out of 67 patients with a confirmed CNS tumor diagnosis, we identified 28 non-malignant and 39 malignant tumor cases. These subtypes showed significant differences in terms of gender (with men more frequently presenting a diagnosis of cancer; p = 6.0 ×10-3) and yearly household income (with non-malignant tumor patients more frequently earning ≥25k Euros/year; p = 3.4×10-3). Cluster analysis revealed the presence of two clusters of patients: one (N=41) with more professionally active, educated, wealthier and healthier patients, and the other one with mostly retired and less healthy men, with a higher frequency of smokers, personal history of cardiovascular disease and cancer familiarity, a mostly sedentary lifestyle and generally lower income, education and cognitive performance. The former cluster showed a protective association with the malignancy of the disease, with a 74 (14-93) % reduction in the prevalent risk of CNS malignant tumors, compared to the other cluster (p=0.026). Discussion: These preliminary data suggest that patients' profiling through unsupervised machine learning approaches may somehow help predicting the risk of being affected by a malignant form. If confirmed by further analyses in larger independent cohorts, these findings may be useful to create potential intelligent ranking systems for treatment priority, overcoming the lack of histopathological information and molecular diagnosis of the tumor, which are typically not available until the time of surgery.

Regional and temporal differences in the associations between cardiovascular disease and its classic risk factors: An analysis of 49 cohorts from 11 European countries.

AIMS: The regional and temporal differences in the associations between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its classic risk factors are unknown. The current study examined these associations in different European regions over a 30-year period. METHODS: The study sample comprised 553818 individuals from 49 cohorts in 11 European countries (baseline: 1982-2012) who were followed up for a maximum of 10 years. Risk factors (sex, smoking, diabetes, non-HDL [high-density lipoprotein] cholesterol, systolic blood pressure [BP], and body mass index [BMI]) and CVD events (coronary heart disease or stroke) were harmonized across cohorts. Risk factor-outcome associations were analysed using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models, and differences in associations were assessed using meta-regression. RESULTS: The differences in the risk factor-CVD associations between central Europe, northern Europe, southern Europe, and the United Kingdom were generally small. Men had a slightly higher hazard ratio (HR) in southern Europe (p = 0.043 for overall difference) and those with diabetes had a slightly lower HR in central Europe (p = 0.022 for overall difference) compared with the other regions. Of the six CVD risk factors, minor HR decreases per decade were observed for non-HDL cholesterol (7% per mmol/L; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3-10%) and systolic BP (4% per 20 mmHg; 95% CI, 1-8%), while a minor HR increase per decade was observed for BMI (7% per 10 kg/m2; 95% CI, 1-13%). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that all classic CVD risk factors are still relevant in Europe, irrespective of regional area. Preventive strategies should focus on risk factors with the greatest population attributable risk.

All classic CVD risk factors are still relevant in Europe, irrespective of regional area. The differences in the associations of CVD risk factors with overt CVD between regions of Europe are generally small. Minor temporal hazard decreases were observed for non-HDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, while a minor hazard increase was observed for body mass index.

Systematic Violence Monitoring to Reduce Underreporting and to Better Inform Workplace Violence Prevention Among Health Care Workers: Before-and-After Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring workplace violence (WPV) against health care workers (HCWs) through incident reporting is crucial to drive prevention, but the actual implementation is spotty and experiences underreporting. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to introduce a systematic WPV surveillance in 2 public referral hospitals in Italy and assess underreporting, WPV annual rates, and attributes "before" (2016-2020) and "after" its implementation (November 2021 to 2022). METHODS: During 2016-2020, incident reporting was based on procedures and data collection forms that were neither standardized between hospitals nor specific for aggressions. We planned and implemented a standardized WPV surveillance based on (1) an incident report form for immediate and systematic event notification, adopting international standards for violence definitions; (2) second-level root cause analysis with a dedicated psychologist, assessing violence determinants and impacts and offering psychological counseling; (3) a web-based platform for centralized data collection; and (4) periodic training for workforce coordinators and newly hired workers. We used data from incident reports to estimate underreporting, defined as an observed-to-expected (from literature and the "before" period) WPV ratio less than 1, and the 12-month WPV rates (per 100 HCWs) in the "before" and "after" periods. During the latter period, we separately estimated WPV rates for first and recurrent events. RESULTS: In the "before" period, the yearly observed-to-expected ratios were consistently below 1 and as low as 0.27, suggesting substantial violence underreporting of up to 73%. WPV annual rates declined in 1 hospital (from 1.92 in 2016 to 0.57 in 2020) and rose in the other (from 0.52 to 1.0), with the divergence being attributable to trends in underreporting. Available data were poorly informative to identify at-risk HCW subgroups. In the "after" period, the observed-to-expected ratio rose to 1.14 compared to literature and 1.91 compared to the "before" period, consistently in both hospitals. The 12-month WPV rate was 2.08 (95% CI 1.79-2.42; 1.52 and 2.35 in the 2 hospitals); one-fifth (0.41/2.08, 19.7%) was due to recurrences. Among HCWs, the youngest group (3.79; P<.001), nurses (3.19; P<.001), and male HCWs (2.62; P=.008) reported the highest rates. Emergency departments and psychiatric wards were the 2 areas at increased risk. Physical assaults were more likely in male than female HWCs (45/67, 67.2% vs 62/130, 47.7%; P=.01), but the latter experienced more mental health consequences (46/130, 35.4% vs 13/67, 19.4%; P=.02). Overall, 40.8% (53/130) of female HWCs recognized sociocultural (eg, linguistic or cultural) barriers as contributing factors for the aggression, and 30.8% (40/130) of WPV against female HCWs involved visitors as perpetrators. CONCLUSIONS: A systematic WPV surveillance reduced underreporting. The identification of high-risk workers and characterization of violence patterns and attributes can better inform priorities and contents of preventive policies. Our evaluation provides useful information for the large-scale implementation of standardized WPV-monitoring programs.

Who are the superheroes? A cross-sectional study on the determinants of good health among Italian older adults.

BACKGROUND: People who reach old age enjoying good physical and mental health can be defined as (health) "superheroes", given their relatively low impact on healthcare expenditure and the desirable model they represent. AIM: To evaluate prevalence and possible determinants of being "physical superheroes" (i.e., free from the ten major chronic conditions, plus obesity), "mental superheroes" (i.e., free from major mental symptoms), and "superheroes" (i.e., both mental and physical superheroes). METHODS: A telephone-based cross-sectional study (LOST in Lombardia) was conducted in November 2020 (i.e., during the COVID-19 pandemic) on a representative sample of 4,400 adults aged ≥ 65 years from Lombardy region, northern Italy. All participants provided both current data and data referring to one year before. RESULTS: Mental and physical superheroes were 59.0% and 17.6%, respectively. Superheroes were 12.8% overall, 15.1% among men, and 11.1% among women; 20.2% among individuals aged 65-69 years, 11.3% among 70-74, 10.0% among 75-79, and 8.3% among ≥ 80 years. Multivariable analysis showed that female sex, higher age, disadvantaged socio-economic status, and physical inactivity (p for trend < 0.001) were inversely related to being superheroes. People not smoking (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 1.40), alcohol abstainers (aOR = 1.30), and those free from feelings of hopelessness (aOR = 5.92) more frequently met the definition of superheroes. During COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of superheroes decreased by 16.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the older adults' health status are largely attributable to their lifestyles but are also likely due to gender, educational, and socio-economic disparities, which should be properly addressed by public health policies.

Health and social home services among community-dwelling older people during COVID-19: Results from the cross-sectional LOST in Lombardia project.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have focused on changes in health and social services access due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to describe changes in the use of selected health and social home services due to the pandemic and to investigate potential associated factors, including socio-demographic characteristics, number of chronic diseases and mental health indicators, among older Italian individuals. METHODS: We analysed data from the LOST in Lombardia cross-sectional study conducted in November 2020 on a large representative sample of 4400 individuals aged ⩾65 years. To identify potential factors associated with the increased use of three selected health and social home services, we estimated odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Compared to the year before, 5.0% of older adults increased help from domestic workers (vs. 6.9% reducing) during the pandemic, 4.4% increased help from non-familiar caregivers (vs. 1.3% decreasing) and 4.7% increased medical home visits (vs. 1.0% decreasing). An increase in the use of these services was more frequent among participants with co-morbidities (p for trend <0.001), especially with diabetes (for caregivers: OR=12.2, 95% CI 6.0-24.8), and worse mental health (for caregivers and for those with a GAD-2 score ⩾3 vs. <3: OR=10.6, 95% CI 5.8-19.4). Conversely, people living in more crowded households less frequently increased health and social services use during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our results should inform targeted interventions for the identified vulnerable groups to close the gap in health and social inequities.

Diet Quality and Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Infection or COVID-19: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of healthy diets in the management of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and COVID-19. Evidence suggests the influence of diet and dietary patterns during post-COVID-19, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary habits and quality. However, limited evidence lies on the association between a healthy diet, and risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of observational studies to examine the association between diet quality, and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 among adult populations. 6158 research articles from Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed, and MEDLINE databases were identified for eligibility. Only observational studies were included. Study quality was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Thirteen studies were included (4 with SARS-CoV-2 infection and 9 with COVID-19 as the outcome); 3 were case-control, 3 were cross-sectional, and 7 were prospective studies. Adherence to Mediterranean diet was examined as exposure in 7 studies, and was associated with decreased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in 2 studies, with estimates varying from 12% to 22%, while COVID-19 risk or severity was found to be reduced in 3 studies with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 36% to 77%. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet was inversely associated with COVID-19 hospitalization (OR: 0.19; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.55), whereas a healthy plant-based diet had an inverse association with both COVID-19 infection (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.88, 0.94) and severity (HR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.74). Studies examining individual food groups generally found lower risk of infection or COVID-19 in association with larger dietary intakes of fruits, vegetables, and fiber. The overall findings of the observational studies in this review support the concept that nutritious diets might lower the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19. This study was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42023397371.

Pro-Vegetarian Food Patterns and Cancer Risk among Italians from the Moli-Sani Study Cohort.

Besides the Mediterranean diet, there is a paucity of studies examining plant-based diets in relation to cancer outcomes in Mediterranean populations. We analyzed 22,081 apparently cancer-free participants (mean age 55 ± 12 year) from the Moli-sani study (enrollment period 2005-2010; Italy). A general pro-vegetarian food pattern was computed by assigning positive or negative scores to plant- or animal-derived foods, respectively from a 188-item FFQ. A priori healthful or unhealthful pro-vegetarian food patterns distinguished between healthy plant foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables) and less-healthy plant foods (e.g., fruit juices, refined grains). Cancer incidence was defined as the earliest diagnosis of cancer from hospital discharge records over a median follow-up of 12.9 years. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, a general pro-vegetarian food pattern was associated with a lower rate of cancer incidence (HR = 0.85; 95%CI 0.75-0.97 for Q5 vs. Q1); no association was observed between the healthful or unhealthful pro-vegetarian food patterns and overall cancer incidence. A healthful pro-vegetarian pattern, however, was inversely associated with digestive cancer (HR = 0.76; 95%CI 0.58-0.99 for Q5 vs. Q1), while the unhealthful pro-vegetarian pattern was directly linked to respiratory cancer (HR = 1.68; 95%CI 1.06-2.68 for Q5 vs. Q1). Our findings in a Mediterranean population support the hypothesis that some, but not all pro-vegetarian diets, might prevent some cancers.

Grandparenting during pandemic times: pros and cons for mental health.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdown measures posed an unprecedented challenge to the crucial role of grandparenting in family-oriented cultures, such as Italy. Reduced contact with grandchildren during this period potentially threatened grandparents' mental health and well-being. METHODS: We analysed data from the LOckdown and lifeSTyles in Lombardia cross-sectional study conducted in November 2020. The study included a representative sample of 4400 older adults from Lombardy, Italy, of which 1289 provided childcare to their grandchildren. RESULTS: A decrease in self-reported grandparenting was associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms among grandparents (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.01-2.24). Conversely, an increase in grandparenting was linked to poorer sleep quality (OR 11.67, 95% CI 5.88-23.17) and reduced sleep quantity (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.45-4.41). CONCLUSIONS: Despite the barriers posed by the pandemic, grandparenting played a beneficial role in maintaining the mental health and well-being of older adults. However, it is crucial to recognise specific vulnerabilities, such as gender, feelings of hopelessness and overcrowding, which can have detrimental effects during and beyond emergency situations. Careful attention to these factors is essential for developing targeted support systems and interventions aimed at safeguarding the mental health of older adults and enhancing their resilience in crises.

Global Effect of Modifiable Risk Factors on Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality.

BACKGROUND: Five modifiable risk factors are associated with cardiovascular disease and death from any cause. Studies using individual-level data to evaluate the regional and sex-specific prevalence of the risk factors and their effect on these outcomes are lacking. METHODS: We pooled and harmonized individual-level data from 112 cohort studies conducted in 34 countries and 8 geographic regions participating in the Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium. We examined associations between the risk factors (body-mass index, systolic blood pressure, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, current smoking, and diabetes) and incident cardiovascular disease and death from any cause using Cox regression analyses, stratified according to geographic region, age, and sex. Population-attributable fractions were estimated for the 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease and 10-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Among 1,518,028 participants (54.1% of whom were women) with a median age of 54.4 years, regional variations in the prevalence of the five modifiable risk factors were noted. Incident cardiovascular disease occurred in 80,596 participants during a median follow-up of 7.3 years (maximum, 47.3), and 177,369 participants died during a median follow-up of 8.7 years (maximum, 47.6). For all five risk factors combined, the aggregate global population-attributable fraction of the 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease was 57.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 52.4 to 62.1) among women and 52.6% (95% CI, 49.0 to 56.1) among men, and the corresponding values for 10-year all-cause mortality were 22.2% (95% CI, 16.8 to 27.5) and 19.1% (95% CI, 14.6 to 23.6). CONCLUSIONS: Harmonized individual-level data from a global cohort showed that 57.2% and 52.6% of cases of incident cardiovascular disease among women and men, respectively, and 22.2% and 19.1% of deaths from any cause among women and men, respectively, may be attributable to five modifiable risk factors. (Funded by the German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK); ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05466825.).

Biomarkers of aging in frailty and age-associated disorders: State of the art and future perspective.

According to the Geroscience concept that organismal aging and age-associated diseases share the same basic molecular mechanisms, the identification of biomarkers of age that can efficiently classify people as biologically older (or younger) than their chronological (i.e. calendar) age is becoming of paramount importance. These people will be in fact at higher (or lower) risk for many different age-associated diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration, cancer, etc. In turn, patients suffering from these diseases are biologically older than healthy age-matched individuals. Many biomarkers that correlate with age have been described so far. The aim of the present review is to discuss the usefulness of some of these biomarkers (especially soluble, circulating ones) in order to identify frail patients, possibly before the appearance of clinical symptoms, as well as patients at risk for age-associated diseases. An overview of selected biomarkers will be discussed in this regard, in particular we will focus on biomarkers related to metabolic stress response, inflammation, and cell death (in particular in neurodegeneration), all phenomena connected to inflammaging (chronic, low-grade, age-associated inflammation). In the second part of the review, next-generation markers such as extracellular vesicles and their cargos, epigenetic markers and gut microbiota composition, will be discussed. Since recent progresses in omics techniques have allowed an exponential increase in the production of laboratory data also in the field of biomarkers of age, making it difficult to extract biological meaning from the huge mass of available data, Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches will be discussed as an increasingly important strategy for extracting knowledge from raw data and providing practitioners with actionable information to treat patients.

An arrhythmogenic metabolite in atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Long-chain acyl-carnitines (ACs) are potential arrhythmogenic metabolites. Their role in atrial fibrillation (AF) remains incompletely understood. Using a systems medicine approach, we assessed the contribution of C18:1AC to AF by analysing its in vitro effects on cardiac electrophysiology and metabolism, and translated our findings into the human setting. METHODS AND RESULTS: Human iPSC-derived engineered heart tissue was exposed to C18:1AC. A biphasic effect on contractile force was observed: short exposure enhanced contractile force, but elicited spontaneous contractions and impaired Ca2+ handling. Continuous exposure provoked an impairment of contractile force. In human atrial mitochondria from AF individuals, C18:1AC inhibited respiration. In a population-based cohort as well as a cohort of patients, high C18:1AC serum concentrations were associated with the incidence and prevalence of AF. CONCLUSION: Our data provide evidence for an arrhythmogenic potential of the metabolite C18:1AC. The metabolite interferes with mitochondrial metabolism, thereby contributing to contractile dysfunction and shows predictive potential as novel circulating biomarker for risk of AF.