1,721,149 research outputs found
The unavoidable costs of frailty: a geriatric perspective in the time of COVID-19
Full text linkThe world is facing specchless one of the the most feared greatest catastrophes for human being. Despite better healthcare, despite warnings through similar situations and even documented threats, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it found us largely unprepared. It offered to us on a silver tray the fragility of mankind. And one again, but this time is particularly over-whelming way, the most vulnerable part of the world population is mowed down: older person
Impact of Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs on Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Full text link: Cognitive impairment poses significant challenges for aging populations. Systemic inflammation, a hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), has been implicated in neurodegeneration through mechanisms including blood-brain barrier disruption, microglial activation, and cytokine-mediated neuronal damage. This review examines the potential impact of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on cognitive function in RA, focusing on the inflammatory pathways linking systemic inflammation to neuroinflammation and cognitive decline. DMARDs, categorized into conventional synthetic (csDMARDs), biologic (bDMARDs), and targeted synthetic (tsDMARDs) classes, modulate immune responses through distinct mechanisms. Evidence suggests that DMARDs, particularly bDMARDs targeting proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6, may mitigate neuroinflammatory processes and preserve cognitive function. However, the cognitive impact of csDMARDs such as methotrexate is complex, with conflicting reports regarding its role in vascular dementia. Emerging therapies such as Janus kinase inhibitors (JAK-i) offer promise in modulating central inflammation, though clinical evidence remains limited. While some studies highlight protective effects of DMARDs against dementia, findings are inconsistent, hindered by heterogeneity in study design, patient demographics, and cognitive assessment methods. This review underscores the need for personalized treatment strategies, integrating RA management with cognitive health considerations. Future research should prioritize robust, prospective studies with long-term follow-up, incorporating neuroimaging and biomarker analysis to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning DMARD-associated cognitive outcomes. A better understanding of the involved inflammatory pathways in RA and the potential effects of DMARDs could lead to improved therapeutic approaches, enhancing quality of life for patients with RA and potentially benefiting broader strategies in preventing or treating dementia
The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) for the prognostic stratification of hospitalized older patients with COVID-19: a prospective multicenter observational cohort study. Objectives, study design and expected outcomes (MPI_COVID-19)
Full text linkThe emergent coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic posed and still poses serious issues in the management of the inpatients and in the resource allocation, in particular for those patients requiring Intensive Care Unit (ICU) management. Epidemiological data clearly suggest that multimorbid older patients have the poorest prognosis. However, it is conceivable that age and number of comorbidities alone do not reflect the real condition and the expected prognosis of the patients affected by COVID-19. A different approach based on comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) could help to better identify older patients more at risk of dismal outcomes and who, at some point of their clinical course, will need the ICU admission. The Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI) is a well-accepted tool derived from a standard CGA which allows to measure prognosis of older patients in different clinical settings including hospital. Therefore, we designed a multicenter, prospective, observational study to evaluate the role of MPI in predicting risk of ICU admission and in-hospital mortality among 500 COVID-19-positive older subjects admitted to geriatric and internal medicine wards. In addition, risk of re-hospitalization, institutionalization and death after 3 months from discharge will be assessed. The MPI yields a straightforward value from 0 to 1 and might be able to adequately stratify complex, vulnerable COVID-19 patients for best possible decision-making and treatment allocation
Safety and potential interaction of immunosuppressive drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease in elderly patients
Full text linkInflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic diseases associated with increased morbidity and reduced quality of life. Age may represent a risk factor for adverse events, due to the multimorbidity and polypharmacy, common in elderly patients. Elderly are often not included in clinical trials evaluating efficacy and safety of study drugs for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases. Several drugs, such as aminosalicylates, systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressant drugs, biological drugs and Janus Kinase inhibitors, are available for the management of inflammatory bowel diseases. With the increasing spectrum of therapeutic options, it is therefore important to analyze the evidence regarding the safety of the use of these agents in elderly patients. Selection of immunosuppressive therapy is a challenge in the management of elderly patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, for whom biologics with a lower risk of infection or cancer, such as vedolizumab and ustekinumab, may be preferred in elderly patients. Concomitant therapies and comorbidities must be thoroughly investigated before initiating any immunosuppressive or biological therapy in order to minimize the risk of drug-drug interactions. This review aims to provide an overview of the safety of thiopurines, methotrexate and target therapies as well as their drug-drug interactions in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases
From epidemiological observations to clinical practice:is the measure of postural blood pressure abnormal changes the new vital sign?
Full text linkGender differences in arterial structure and function: Are men really from Mars and women from Venus?
Full text linkGender difference of cardiovascular disease is one of the most investigated and still unsolved items. Finding an answer to this, may have important implications for understanding the differences between men and women in atherosclerosis and possibly lead to the development of gender-specific treatment for cardiovascular disease
Real-world patient characteristics and use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-national study
Full text linkIntroduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with significant morbidity and economic burden. This study aimed to compare baseline characteristics and patterns of anti-inflammatory drug use and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) use among patients with RA in Southern Italy versus the United States. Method: Using Caserta Local Health Unit (Italy) and Optum’s de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart (United States) claims databases, patients with ≥ 2 diagnosis codes for RA during the study period (Caserta: 2010–2018; Optum: 2010–2019) were identified. Baseline patient characteristics, as well as proportion of RA patients untreated/treated with NSAIDs/glucocorticoids/conventional DMARDs (csDMARDs)/biological/targeted synthetic DMARDs (b/tsDMARDs) during the first year of follow-up, and the proportion of RA patients with ≥ 1 switch/add-on between the first and the second year of follow-up, were calculated. These analyses were then stratified by age group (< 65; ≥ 65). Results: A total of 9227 RA patients from Caserta and 195,951 from Optum databases were identified (two-thirds were females). During the first year of follow-up, 45.9% RA patients from Optum versus 79.9% from Caserta were exclusively treated with NSAIDs/glucocorticoids; 17.2% versus 11.3% from Optum and Caserta, respectively, were treated with csDMARDs, mostly methotrexate or hydroxychloroquine in both cohorts. Compared to 0.6% of RA patients from Caserta, 3.2% of the Optum cohort received ≥ 1 b/tsDMARD dispensing. Moreover, 61,655 (33.7%) patients from Optum cohort remained untreated compared to 748 (8.3%) patients from the Caserta cohort. The subgroup analyses stratified by age showed that 42,989 (39.8%) of elderly RA patients were untreated compared to 18,666 (24.9%) young adult RA patients in Optum during the first year of follow-up. Moreover, a higher proportion of young adult RA patients was treated with b/tsDMARDs, with and without csDMARDs, compared to elderly RA patients (Optum<65: 6.4%; Optum≥65: 1.0%; P-value < 0.001; Caserta<65: 0.8%; Caserta≥65: 0.1%; P-value < 0.001). Among RA patients untreated during the first year after ID, 41.2% and 48.4% RA patients from Caserta and Optum, respectively, received NSAIDs, glucocorticoids, and cs/b/tsDMARDs within the second year of follow-up. Stratifying the analysis by age groups, 50.6% of untreated young RA patients received study drug dispensing within the second year of follow-up, compared to only 36.7% of elderly RA patients in Optum. Interestingly, more young adult RA patients treated with csDMARDs during the first year after ID received a therapy escalation to b/tsDMARD within the second year after ID in both cohorts, compared to elderly RA patients (Optum<65: 7.8%; Optum≥65: 1.8%; Caserta<65: 3.2%; Caserta≥65: 0.6%). Conclusions: Most of RA patients, with heterogeneous baseline characteristics in Optum and Caserta cohorts, were treated with anti-inflammatory/csDMARDs rather than bDMARDs/tsDMARDs during the first year post-diagnosis, especially in elderly RA patients, suggesting a need for better understanding and dealing with barriers in the use of these agents for RA patients. • Substantial heterogeneity in baseline characteristics and access to bDMARD or tsDMARD drugs between RA patients from the United States and Italy exists.• Most of RA patients seem to be treated with anti-inflammatory/csDMARD drugs rather than bDMARD/tsDMARD drugs during the first year post-diagnosis.• RA treatment escalation is less frequent in old RA patients than in young adult RA patients.• An appropriate use of DMARDs should be considered to achieve RA disease remission or low disease activity
Technologies in Long-Term Care and Nursing Homes
No full textLong-term care is defined as a variety of services designed to meet a person’s health and personal care needs which help people live as independently and safely as possible when they can no longer perform everyday activities on their own. Depending on the needs and social context of the patient, long-term care can be provided in different places by different kinds of formal or informal caregivers, either at home or in an institutionalised setting, which from here on we will refer to as the nursing home. In all these fields, technology has an increasing role to play.Applied Ergonomics and Desig
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