1,721,129 research outputs found
Association between cardiovascular health metrics and self-reported walking difficulty in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults: results from the longevity check-up (Lookup) 8+
Full text linkObjectives: To examine the association between cardiovascular health, assessed through an 8-factor cardiovascular health (8F-CVH) score, and self-reported walking difficulty in middle-aged (40-64 years) and older adults (≥65 years) living in the community.
Study design: Cross-sectional study.
Main outcome measures: Self-reported walking difficulty was evaluated by a single-item question: "Do you have any difficulty in walking 400 meters?". Cardiovascular health was assessed using a composite 8F-CVH score inspired by Life's Essential 8, including diet, physical activity, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, smoking status, and sleep quality.
Results: Among 4141 participants (mean age 60.5 ± 11.2 years; 53.1 % women), 16.0 % reported walking difficulty. Prevalence was higher in older adults (25.0 %) than in middle-aged individuals (11.0 %; p for trend <0.001). Self-reported walking difficulty was more frequent in participants with low 8F-CVH scores (32.8 %), compared to moderate (15.5 %) and high (4.8 %) scores (p <0.001). ROC curve analysis showed modest discrimination for the total score (area under the curve [AUC] 0.67; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.65-0.69), with physical activity performing best among individual components (AUC 0.69; 95 % CI 0.67-0.71). After adjusting for confounders, moderate and high scores were associated with 61 % (OR 0.39, 95 % CI 0.31-0.48) and 84 % (OR 0.16, 95 % CI 0.10-0.24) lower odds of self-reported walking difficulty, respectively.
Conclusions: Better cardiovascular health is independently associated with lower odds of self-reported walking difficulty. Promoting cardiovascular health may help preserve mobility in late life
Reply - Letter to the editor - ‘Beetroot juice intake positively influenced gut microbiota and inflammation but failed to improve functional outcomes in adults with Long COVID’
No full textN/
Postoperative stress, metabolism, and catabolism
No full textThe number of older people undergoing major surgery has significantly grown over the last decades. In older adults, surgical procedures elicit a perturbed stress response, which may combine with preexisting conditions to increase the risk for perioperative complications and negative outcomes, including delirium, infections, functional decline, and mortality. Surgical stress in aging is characterized by altered peak response, which may be either exaggerated or blunted, followed by a slow (and often incomplete) return to baseline. Multiple age-related alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary axis and in inflammatory response have been described in older adults undergoing surgery and may be associated with abnormal surgical stress. Muscle atrophy frequently occurs after surgery due to prolonged bed rest and impaired anabolism/catabolism balance associated with anesthesia and surgical procedures. Muscle wasting may further hamper recovery and promote the development of adverse events. Postoperative stress response overstimulates the core biological processes of aging, the so-called “hallmarks of aging,” thereby inducing an accelerated aging phenotype. Currently, multimodal interventions, including nutrition and exercise, are the most effective strategies to contrast impaired perioperative stress response and preserve muscle in older adults. In the present chapter, the impact of aging on stress response to surgery will be summarized, with a specific focus on muscle anabolism/catabolism. Finally, current therapeutic options and novel intervention strategies, including the use of geroprotectors (i.e., molecules targeting biological pillars of aging), will be briefly introduced
Biomarkers Linked to Malnutrition Identified According to GLIM Criteria Among Older Community-Dwelling Adults: Results from the ilSIRENTE Study
No full textObjective: This study aimed to examine the associations between malnutrition and circulating blood markers in older adults. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study on octogenarians residing in the mountain community of the Sirente geographic area in Central Italy. Data collection was conducted from December 2023 to September 2024. Malnutrition was defined based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. A panel of blood markers was examined, and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify clusters of related molecules. Both unadjusted and adjusted binary logistic regression models were applied to investigate the associations between malnutrition and these molecular clusters. Results: Data from 196 older adults (mean age: 86.2 years) were analyzed. Malnutrition was positively associated with PC 2 (i.e., urea, c-terminal agrin fragment, and potassium) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.647, p-value: 0.039) and negatively associated with PC 3 (i.e., hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell count) (OR = 0.567, p-value: 0.022) and PC 4 (i.e., calcium, albumin, total protein levels, and HDL cholesterol) (OR = 0.607, p-value: 0.035). Conclusions: Findings of the present study suggest that different clusters of blood markers are associated with malnutrition in older adults. Specifically, malnutrition is associated with clusters related to kidney function, anemia, neuromuscular function, and nutrient availability. These associations likely reflect the underlying biological mechanisms contributing to the development of malnutrition in this population
Sex- and age-specific normative values of lower extremity muscle power in Italian community-dwellers
Full text linkBackground: Muscle power is associated with health-related parameters. Simple equations were validated to estimate lower extremity muscle power measures based on the time to complete the five-repetition sit-to-stand test. The present study was conducted to provide lower extremity muscle power estimates and produce centile values in a large and relatively unselected population across a wide age spectrum. Methods: Data were from the Longevity Check-up 7+ (Lookup 7+) project, an ongoing initiative conducted in unconventional settings (e.g., exhibitions, shopping centres and health promotion campaigns) across Italy to foster adoption of healthy lifestyles. Absolute, relative, allometric and specific muscle power measures of the lower extremities were estimated using validated formulas. Cross-sectional centile and normative values for muscle power measures from 18 to 81+ years were produced for the two sexes. Smoothed normative curves for men and women were constructed using the lambda-mu-sigma method. Results: From 1 June 2015 to 31 October 2021, 13 515 participants were enrolled of whom 12 864 were eligible for the present study. Mean age was 55.9 years (standard deviation: 14.8 years; range: 18-98 years), and 7217 (56.%) were women. Absolute, relative, allometric and specific muscle power declined significantly with age. Specific patterns of decline were observed according to sex and muscle power parameter. Absolute muscle power peaked at 41-50 and 31-40 years in men and women, respectively. Afterwards, a decline rate of approximately 12% per decade was observed, regardless of sex. Relative muscle power showed the largest reduction with age, such that it was 40.6% and 46.4% smaller in men and women older than 80, respectively, compared with those aged 18-30 years. Age-related changes in allometric and specific muscle power measures were similar between men and women. Conclusions: Data from the Lookup 7+ project indicate that lower extremity muscle power estimated using simple equations is significantly associated with age. Sex-specific patterns of decline in absolute and relative muscle power were observed with age. Allometric and specific muscle power declined at a similar rate in men and women
Association of Physical Activity and Exercise with Physical Performance and Muscle Mass in Older Adults: Results from the Longevity Check-Up (Lookup) 7+ Project
Full text linkRegular engagement in physical activity (PA) or physical exercise (PE) is effective at improving physical performance and body composition in older adults. Less is known about the benefits that may be obtained through combining PA with PE and whether the effects of activity habits differ between men and women. This study cross-sectionally investigated the association of PA and/or PE with physical performance and anthropometric measures in a large and relatively unselected sample of older adults enrolled in the Longevity Check-up (Lookup) 7+ project. Participants were individuals 65 years and older living in the community who were recruited in unconventional settings across Italy. Adherence to PA or PE was operationalized as involvement in light walking or various types of exercise, respectively, at least twice weekly for a minimum of 30 min per session throughout the last 12 months. Physical performance measures included handgrip strength and five-time sit-to-stand (5STS) tests. Lower-limb muscle power and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) were estimated through validated equations. We analyzed data of 4119 participants, of whom 2222 (53.4%) were women. The mean age was 72.8 ± 5.8 years in men and 72.1 ± 5.4 years in women. Regular engagement in PA + PE was reported by 139 (7.3%) men and 100 (4.5%) women. Results indicated that regular walking activity and/or PE were significantly associated with better physical performance and greater ASM with sex-specific patterns. Associations were also influenced by the type of activity, physical performance assessment tool, and anthropometric parameters. Men engaged in PA + PE performed better on the 5STS test and had greater handgrip strength, ASM, and relative and specific muscle power than those practicing either PA or PE. In women, the combination of PA and PE was associated with greater handgrip strength. The findings of this study indicate that older adults regularly practicing PA + PE had better physical performance than those who only engaged in either modality. In men, the combination of PA and PE was also associated with greater ASM
Adherence to aerobic training combined with high protein intake is associated with low blood pressure in Italian older adults: a cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: Lifestyle habits have a key role in cardiometabolic health. The effects of combined aerobic training (AT) and high protein intake (HPI) on cardiometabolic parameters in older adults are not well established. Aims: To investigate the association of AT and HPI with blood pressure (BP), blood glucose, and total blood cholesterol levels in a sample of Italian older adults enrolled in the Longevity Check-up 7 + (Lookup 7 +) study. Methods: Lookup 7 + is an ongoing project started in June 2015 and conducted in unconventional settings (e.g., exhibitions, malls, health promotion campaigns) across Italy with the aim of fostering adoption of healthy lifestyles in the general population. For the present investigation, analyses were conducted in participants 65 + years and with body mass index values ≥ 18.5 kg/m2 (n = 3219). Systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), blood glucose, and total blood cholesterol were measured. Protein intake was estimated using a 12-item food frequency questionnaire. HPI was operationalized as a daily protein intake ≥ 0.8 g/kg of body weight. AT was operationalized as the practice of running and/or swimming for 60 + minutes at least twice weekly during the previous year. Results: The mean age of the 3219 participants was 72.7 ± 5.7 years, and 55.2% were women. Adherence to AT combined with a HPI was negatively and independently associated with SPB (β: - 4.976; 95% confidence interval: - 9.8 to - 0.08). No other significant associations were observed. Discussion and conclusions: Our results indicate that AT combined with HPI was negatively associated with SBP in a large and relatively unselected sample of Italian older adults living in the community. These findings need confirmation by ad hoc designed studies
Predictive value of different muscle power normalization methods for mobility limitations in community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional analysis from the longevity check-up 8+ study
Full text linkBackground: Lower limb muscle power is a critical determinant of mobility in older adults. However, its optimal normalization method remains uncertain. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to compare different normalization approaches for muscle power in predicting self-reported 400 m walking difficulty, used as a proxy of mobility limitation, in community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years old) from the Longevity Check-Up 8+ Study. Methods: Lower limb muscle power was estimated using five-repetition sit-to-stand equations and expressed as i) absolute (W), ii) relative (W/kg), iii) allometric (W/m2), and iv) specific power (W/kg of appendicular skeletal muscle mass). 400-m walking difficulty was self-reported and dichotomized. Discriminative ability was assessed through receiver operating characteristic curves. Associations were tested using logistic regression models. Results: Among the 4614 participants (mean age 72.8 ± 5.8 years; 53.2 % women), 25.1 % reported difficulty walking 400 m. Individuals reporting difficulty were older, more frequently female, had higher body mass index, and lower physical activity levels (all p < 0.001). Relative muscle power demonstrated the highest discriminative ability [area under the curve 0.70; 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.68-0.72], outperforming other indices. Optimal cut-offs for relative muscle power identified using the Youden index were 3.1 W/kg in women and 3.8 W/kg in men. Low relative muscle power was significantly associated with greater odds of walking difficulty (odds ratio 2.07; 95 % CI 1.78-2.42; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Relative muscle power showed superior predictive performance for self-reported walking difficulty, as an indicator of mobility limitation, compared to other normalization methods. Future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore their relevance for other clinically meaningful outcomes
Diet for the prevention and management of sarcopenia
Full text linkSarcopenia is a geriatric condition characterized by a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes (e.g., falls, disability, institutionalization, reduced quality of life, mortality). Pharmacological remedies are currently unavailable for preventing the development of sarcopenia, halting its progression, or impeding its negative health outcomes. The most effective strategies to contrast sarcopenia rely on the adoption of healthier lifestyle behaviors, including adherence to high-quality diets and regular physical activity. In this review, the role of nutrition in the prevention and management of sarcopenia is summarized. Special attention is given to current "blockbuster" dietary regimes and agents used to counteract age-related muscle wasting, together with their putative mechanisms of action. Issues related to the design and implementation of effective nutritional strategies are discussed, with a focus on unanswered questions on the most appropriate timing of nutritional interventions to preserve muscle health and function into old age. A brief description is also provided on new technologies that can facilitate the development and implementation of personalized nutrition plans to contrast sarcopenia
Associations between hypertension and cognitive, mood, and behavioral parameters in very old adults: results from the IlSIRENTE study
Full text linkIntroduction: Studies on the associations between hypertension-related parameters and cognitive function, mood, and behavioral symptoms in older adults have produced mixed findings. A possible explanation for these divergent results is that investigations have not adequately adjusted their analyses according to the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). Therefore, the present study examined the cross-sectional associations between hypertension-related parameters, ACEI use, and cognitive function, mood, and behavioral symptoms in very old adults.
Methods: This study was conducted by analyzing the IlSIRENTE database, a prospective cohort study that collected data on all individuals aged 80 years and older residing in the Sirente geographic area (n = 364). Blood pressure (BP) was assessed after 20 to 40 min of rest, while participants sat in an upright position. Drugs were coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic and Chemical codes. Cognitive function, mood, and behavioral symptoms were recorded using the Minimum Data Set Home Care instrument. Blood inflammatory markers were measured.
Results: Hypertension-related parameters were significantly associated with many cognitive, mood, and behavioral parameters after adjustment for covariates. However, only the inverse association between hypertension and lesser problems with short-term memory remained significant. Participants with hypertension had lower blood concentrations of inflammatory markers in comparison to their normotensive peers.
Conclusion: Findings from the present study indicate that high BP values are associated with fewer complaints about memory problems in very old adults. Furthermore, a lower concentration of inflammatory markers was found in hypertensive participants. ACEI use might affect this scenario
- …
