Glaucoma is a common retinal disorder characterized by progressive optic nerve damage, resulting in visual impairment and potential blindness. Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor, but some patients still experience disease progression despite IOP-lowering treatments. Genome-wide association studies have linked variations in the Caveolin1/2 (CAV-1/2) gene loci to glaucoma risk. Cav-1, a key protein in caveolae membrane invaginations, is involved in signaling pathways and its absence impairs retinal function. Recent research suggests that Cav-1 is implicated in modulating the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway in retinal ganglion cells, which plays a critical role in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) health and protection against apoptosis. Understanding the interplay between these proteins could shed light on glaucoma pathogenesis and provide potential therapeutic targets.

Background: Allostatic load (AL) is defined as the cumulative dysregulation of neuroendocrine, immunological, metabolic, and cardiovascular systems that increases the susceptibility to stress-related health problems. Several dementia and Alzheimers disease (AD) risk factors have been identified, yet little is known about the role of AL and its associations with AD biomarkers (e.g., beta-amyloid (A & beta;) or tau) and cognitive function among memory clinic patients. Hence, this study aims to assess the association between AL and AD biomarkers, cognitive performance, and cognitive decline after 3-years of follow-up.Methods: Data from 188 memory clinic patients were derived from the Cortisol and Stress in AD (Co-STAR) study in Sweden. Participants underwent baseline assessments including blood tests for AL measures (including cortisol, thyroid stimulating hormone, cobalamin, homocysteine, leukocytes, glycated hemoglobin, albumin, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and creatinine), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling for AD biomarkers and neuropsychological tests including five cognitive domains. Linear regressions were conducted, adjusting for age, sex, and education.Results: Higher AL was associated with lower CSF A & beta;1-42 levels (& beta; =-0.175, p = 0.025), reflecting higher brain levels of A & beta;1-42. Stratified analyses suggested a significant association among women but not men, although the AL-sex interaction was not statistically significant. AL was not significantly associated with T-tau level (& beta; =-0.030, p = 0.682) and P-tau level (& beta; = 0.091, p = 0.980). There were no significant associations between AL and cognition or cognitive decline after 3 years.Conclusion: This study showed that higher AL was associated with increased brain amyloid accumulation. This suggests that AL may play a role in AD/dementia pathophysiology. Potential sex-related differences should be assessed in further larger studies.

Background: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is more common in the elderly, and associated with increased mortality. However, its implications in 85-year-olds are not known.

Methods: In the prospective observational cohort study Elderly in Linköping Screening Assessment (ELSA 85), 496 individuals in Linköping, Sweden, were followed from age 85 years with cognitive assessments. Blood pressure (BP) was measured supine and after 1, 3, 5, and 10 minutes of standing. Participants with a BP fall of ≥20 mmHg systolic or ≥10 mmHg diastolic after 1 or 3 minutes were classified as classical continuous or classical transient OH depending on whether the BP fall was sustained or not, at subsequent measurements. Those with a BP fall of the same magnitude, but only after 5 or 10 minutes were classified as delayed OH.

Results: Of participants, 329 took part in BP measurements and were included. Of these, 156 (47.4%) had classical OH (113 [34.3%] continuous classical, 38 [11.6%] transient classical), and 15 (4.6%) had delayed OH. Cognitive assessments were not markedly different between groups. After 8.6 years, 195 (59.3%) of the participants had died, and delayed vs no OH was associated with twice the risk of all-cause mortality, HR 2.15 (95% CI 1.12-4.12). Transient classical OH was associated with reduced mortality, HR 0.58 (95% CI 0.33-0.99), but not after multiple adjustments, and continuous classical OH was not associated with mortality.

Conclusion: OH may have different implications for morbidity and mortality in 85-year-olds compared with younger populations.

Cardiovascular diseases are an important health resource problem and studies have shown a genetic association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and cardiovascular diseases. According to the literature, lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is associated with coronary artery disease. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible association between different genotypes of LRP1 and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality from a gender perspective. In the present study, 489 elderly community-living people were invited to participate. Clinical examination, echocardiography and blood sampling including SNP analyses of LRP1 (rs1466535) were performed, including the T/T, C/T and C/C genotypes, and the participants were followed for 6.7 years. During the follow-up period, 116 (24%) all-cause and 75 (15%) cardiovascular deaths were registered. In the female population, the LRP1 of the T/T or C/T genotype exhibited a 5.6-fold increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and a 2.8-fold increased risk of all-cause mortality compared with the C/C genotype. No such genotype differences could be seen in the male population. Gender differences could be seen regarding the risk of mortality in the different genotypes. Females with the LRP1 T/T or C/T genotypes exhibited a significantly increased risk of both all-cause and cardiovascular mortality compared with the C/C genotypes. Therefore, more individualized cardiovascular prevention and treatment should be prioritized. However, since this was a small study, the observations should only be regarded as hypothesis-generating.

Low-selenium status was associated with impaired renal function, which improved after selenium and coenzyme Q(10) supplementation in an RCT. Here, we evaluated serum glutathione peroxidase-3 (GPx3) and its relation to serum selenium, selenoprotein P (SELENOP), renal function, mortality, and the impact of supplementation, which are all important, especially in elderly individuals. In total, 383 study participants (197 receiving selenium yeast and coenzyme Q(10) and 186 on a placebo) were evaluated. We applied benchmark dose modelling to determine GPx3 saturation, ANCOVA, Kaplan-Meier, and multivariate Cox proportional regression analyses for mortality evaluations. Selenium and GPx3 activity were modestly correlated. In comparison with SELENOP, GPx3 levelled off at a much lower value, 100 vs. 150 mu g Se/L. GPx3 was associated with renal function, but not SELENOP. Supplementation increased glomerular function by approximate to 23% with an increase in GPx3. Being low in GPx3 displayed twice the risks of mortality in both placebos and active treatments. At serum selenium <100 <mu>g/L, GPx3 activity was dependent on both selenium status and renal function. As renal function is reduced in the elderly, GPx3 is not an appropriate marker of selenium status. Low GPx3 was associated with an increased risk of mortality dependent of selenium status and independent of renal function.

Internet-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) is a way to deliver cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that has been found to generate similar effects as face-to-face CBT in some studies. Results have been replicated by different research groups. This article presents the treatment format and reviews evidence for mood and anxiety disorders. Future developments are discussed, including the lack of theories specific for the treatment format and ways to handle comorbidity. Although some programs have been implemented, there is a need for further studies in clinical settings. Overall, clinician-assisted ICBT is becoming one of the most evidence-based forms of psychological treatment.

Background Maximising quality of life is a central goal for all healthcare, especially when dealing with dementing disorders. In this study we aimed to compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL), depressive symptoms and functional impairment between individuals with and without idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) from the general population. Methods A total of 122 individuals, 30 with iNPH (median age 75 years, 67 females) underwent neurological examinations and computed tomography of the brain with standardised rating of imaging findings and clinical symptoms. The participants completed the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and the HRQoL instrument EQ5D-5L. In addition, the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to evaluate functional impairment. Results Compared with participants without iNPH, those with iNPH reported a higher score on GDS-15 (median 3 vs 1) and mRS (median 2 vs 1) (p < 0.05). Further, those with iNPH rated lower on EQ5D-5L (index 0.79, VAS 70) than those without iNPH (index 0.86, VAS 80) (p < 0.05). In logistic regression models, low HRQoL was associated with more depressive symptoms, a higher degree of iNPH symptoms, and lower functional status. Conclusions In this population-based sample, those with iNPH had more depressive symptoms, lower functional status, and worse quality of life compared to those without iNPH. The strongest association with low HRQoL was found for depressive symptoms, functional level, and degree of iNPH symptoms. These results underline the value of shunt surgery because of its potential to reduce symptoms and disability in iNPH and therefore improve HRQoL.

Objective: Develop and validate a text message bank to support healthier lifestyle behaviors in older adults at risk for cardiovascular disease utilizing a codesign approach. Methods: Initially, the researchers, based on literature, developed a bank of 68 SMS text messages focusing on healthy eating (24 messages), physical activity (24 messages), and motivational feedback (20 messages), based on a scoping review of the literature on promoting behavioral change to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors. In the next step, a panel of five experts analyzed every subset of SMS text messages. Further validation was conducted by nine older adults (>= 60 years). The user demographics, telephone literacy, understanding, and appeal for every SMS text message were evaluated using a 31-item questionnaire. Results: Participants provided an acceptable understanding of the critical concept found in the 49 SMS text message (physical activity M = 1.73 +/- 0.18; diet M = 1.73 +/- 0.26; motivation M = 1.85 +/- 0.25; range 0-2). The average ratings for physical activity (i.e., likability), healthy eating, and motivation were 8.62 +/- 0.64, 8.57 +/- 0.76, and 8.40 +/- 0.83, respectively (range 0-10). Conclusion: Co-designers were able to identify the technological and content requirements for each text message and infographic to enhance understanding and appeal. Practice implications: A feasibility study will need to be conducted as a next step to testing the effectiveness of text messages in a mobile-based intervention to promote healthy behaviors in older adults at high CVD risk. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Introduction We assessed the influence of education as a proxy of cognitive reserve and age on the dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) metabolic pattern. Methods Brain 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and clinical/demographic information were available in 169 probable DLB patients included in the European DLB-consortium database. Principal component analysis identified brain regions relevant to local data variance. A linear regression model was applied to generate age- and education-sensitive maps corrected for Mini-Mental State Examination score, sex (and either education or age). Results Age negatively covaried with metabolism in bilateral middle and superior frontal cortex, anterior and posterior cingulate, reducing the expression of the DLB-typical cingulate island sign (CIS). Education negatively covaried with metabolism in the left inferior parietal cortex and precuneus (making the CIS more prominent). Discussion These findings point out the importance of tailoring interpretation of DLB biomarkers considering the concomitant effect of individual, non-disease-related variables such as age and cognitive reserve.

This scoping review is an extended version of a narrative review of couple-centred interventions in dementia shared in part A and the previous publication in this edition. The rationale for expanding study A emerged through the fact that most dyadic interventions have samples consisting of a majority of couples. The exclusion of interventions with samples of mixed relationships in part A therefore contributed to a narrow picture of joint dyadic interventions for couples in which one partner has a dementia. The aim of this second review is to explore the what (types of interventions) and the why (objectives and outcome measures) of dyadic interventions in which sample consists of a majority of couples/spouses and in which people with dementia and caregivers jointly participate. Method A five-step framework for scoping reviews guided the procedure. Searches were performed in Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results Twenty-one studies with various types of psychosocial interventions were included. The main outcome measure for people with dementia was related to cognitive function, respectively caregiver burden and depression for caregivers. Conclusions The findings of this extended review of joint dyadic interventions in dementia are in line with the findings of part A regarding the negative approach of outcomes, lack of a genuine dyadic approach, lack of tailored support, neglect of interpersonal issues and the overlook of the views of people with dementia. This review also recognises that measures of caregiver burden, as well as relationship quality should be considered in samples of mixed relationships due to the different significance of burden and relationship quality for a spouse as opposed to an adult child or friend.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to study the renal function and the relationship of deterioration in renal function with major outcomes in elderly nursing home residents. A second aim was to compare the internationally recommended formulae for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) consisting of both creatinine and cystatin C in a nursing home population. Methods: A total of 429 patients from 11 nursing homes were included during 2008-2011. GFR was estimated, from formulae based on both creatinine and cystatin C, at baseline and after 1 and 2 years. The patients were divided into groups based on chronic kidney disease level, and comparisons were made for mortality, morbidity, the use of medications and between the different formulae for eGFR. Results: Survival was lower in the groups with lower renal function. Over 60% of the residents had impaired renal function. Those with impaired renal function were older, had a higher number of medications and a higher prevalence of heart failure. Higher number of medications was associated with a greater risk of rapid decline in renal function with an odds ratio of 1.2 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.36, P = 0.003). The compared eGFR formulae based on both cystatin C and creatinine were in excellent concordance with each other. Conclusions: Decreased renal function was associated with increased mortality. A majority of nursing home residents had declining renal function, which should be considered when prescribing medications. The more medications, the higher the risk for rapidly declining renal function.

BACKGROUND: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has a high sensitivity for detecting cognitive dysfunction. Swedish normative data does not exist and international norms are often derived from populations where cognitive impairment has not been screened for and not been thoroughly assessed to exclude subjects with dementia or mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE: To establish norms for MoCA and develop a regression-based norm calculator based on a large, well-examined cohort.

METHODS: MoCA was administered on 860 randomly selected elderly people from a population-based cohort from the EPIC study. Cognitive dysfunction was screened for and further assessed at a memory clinic. After excluding cognitively impaired participants, normative data was derived from 758 people, aged 65-85.

RESULTS: MoCA cut-offs (-1 to -2 standard deviations) for cognitive impairment ranged from <25 to <21 for the lowest educated and <26 to <24 for the highest educated, depending on age group. Significant predictors for MoCA score were age, sex and level of education.

CONCLUSION: We present detailed normative MoCA data and cut-offs according to the DSM-5 criteria for cognitive impairment based on a large population-based cohort of elderly individuals, screened and thoroughly investigated to rule out cognitive impairment. Level of education, sex, and age should be taken in account when evaluating MoCA score, which is facilitated by our online regression-based calculator that provide percentile and z-score for a subject's MoCA score.

Objectives: Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in patients with dementia. In the elderly population, comorbidities frequently coexist with dementia and mortality in dementia is high. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of BPSD on mortality in severe dementia. Methods: This study of 11,448 individuals was based on linked information from the Swedish BPSD registry, the National Patient Register and the Cause of Death register. BPSD was assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed for survival analysis. To study different degrees of BPSD, data was categorized into groups: no (NPI, 0 points), mild (NPI, 1-3 points on amp;gt;= 1 item), moderate (NPI, 4-8 points on amp;gt;= 1 item) and severe (NPI, 9-12 points on amp;gt;= 1 item) BPSD based on the highest score on any of the BPSD assessed (NPI items). Results: The presence of moderate or severe BPSD was associated with a stepwise increased risk of mortality (hazard ratio (HR), 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-1.60 and HR 1.74; 95% CI 1.44-2.12, respectively) compared with individuals with no BPSD. In addition, there was an association between total NPI score and mortality (HR 1.01; 95% CI 1.007-1.010). The results remained significant after multivariable adjustment for age, sex, dementia diagnosis, medication, previous myocardial infarction, hip fracture and stroke. Conclusions: The results show a stepwise increase in mortality risk with increased BPSD, highlighting the importance of adequate management of BPSD to reduce mortality in dementia.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore whether associations between self-reported sleep duration, depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue and daytime sleepiness differed in older community-dwelling men and women. DesignCross-sectional. MethodsA community-dwelling sample of 675 older men and women (mean age 77.7years, SD 3.8years) was used. All participants underwent a clinical examination by a cardiologist. Validated questionnaires were used to investigate sleep duration, depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue and daytime sleepiness. Subjects were divided into short sleepers (6hours), n=231; normal sleepers (7-8hours), n=338; and long sleepers (9hours), n=61. ancovas were used to explore sex-specific effects. ResultsDepressive symptoms were associated with short sleep in men, but not in women. Fatigue was associated with both short and long sleep duration in men. No sex-specific associations of sleep duration with daytime sleepiness or anxiety were found. ConclusionNurses investigating sleep duration and its correlates, or effects, in clinical practice need to take sex into account, as some associations may be sex specific. Depressive symptoms and fatigue can be used as indicators to identify older men with sleep complaints.

INTRODUCTIONWomen with early bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) have greater Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk than women with spontaneous menopause (SM), but the pathway toward this risk is understudied. Considering associative memory deficits may reflect early signs of AD, we studied how BSO affected brain activity underlying associative memory.METHODSEarly midlife women with BSO (with and without 17 beta-estradiol therapy [ET]) and age-matched controls (AMCs) with intact ovaries completed a face-name associative memory task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Hippocampal activity along the anteroposterior axis during associative encoding and retrieval was compared among three groups (BSO [n = 28], BSO+ET [n = 35], AMCs [n = 40]).RESULTSBoth BSO groups (with and without ET) showed lower posterior hippocampal activation during encoding compared to the AMC group. However, this difference in activation was not significantly correlated with associative memory task performance.DISCUSSIONEarly 17 beta-estradiol loss may influence posterior hippocampal activity during associative encoding, possibly presaging late-life AD.Highlights After ovarian removal, changes in hippocampal function may affect dementia risk. Midlife ovarian removal is associated with less activation in the posterior hippocampus. Estradiol therapy may ameliorate alterations in brain function during learning.

Background Previous studies have shown that copy number variation (CNV) in the alpha (alpha)-amylase gene (AMY1A) is associated with body mass index, insulin resistance, and blood glucose levels, factors also shown to increase the risk of Alzheimers dementia (AD). We have previously demonstrated the presence of alpha-amylase in healthy neuronal dendritic spines and a reduction of the same in AD patients. In the current study, we investigate the relationship between AMY1A copy number and AD, memory performance, and brain alpha-amylase activity. Methods and materials The association between AMY1A copy number and development of AD was analyzed in 5422 individuals (mean age at baseline 57.5 +/- 5.9, females 58.2%) from the Malmo diet and cancer study genotyped for AMY1A copy number, whereof 247 where diagnosed with AD during a mean follow-up of 20 years. Associations between AMY1A copy number and cognitive performance where analyzed in 791 individuals (mean age at baseline 54.7 +/- 6.3, females 63%), who performed Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Correlation analysis between alpha-amylase activity or alpha-amylase gene expression and AMY1A copy number in post-mortem hippocampal tissue from on demented controls (n = 8) and AD patients (n = 10) was also performed. Results Individuals with very high ( &gt;= 10) AMY1A copy number had a significantly lower hazard ratio of AD (HR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.41-0.94) and performed significantly better on MoCA delayed word recall test, compared to the reference group with AMY1A copy number 6. A trend to lower hazard ratio of AD was also found among individuals with low AMY1A copy number (1-5) (HR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.53-1.02). A tendency towards a positive correlation between brain alpha-amylase activity and AMY1A copy number was found, and females showed higher brain alpha-amylase activity compared to males. Conclusion Our study suggests that the degree of alpha-amylase activity in the brain is affected by AMY1A copy number and gender, in addition to AD pathology. The study further suggests that very high AMY1A copy number is associated with a decreased hazard ratio of AD and we speculate that this effect is mediated via a beneficial impact of AMY1A copy number on episodic memory performance.

More women have Alzheimer disease (AD) than men, but the reasons for this phenomenon are still unknown. Including women in clinical research and studying their biology is key to understand not just their increased risk but also their resilience against the disease. In this sense, women are more affected by AD than men, but their reserve or resilience mechanisms might delay symptom onset. The aim of this review was to explore what is known about mechanisms underlying womens risk and resilience in AD and identify emerging themes in this area that merit further research. We conducted a review of studies analyzing molecular mechanisms that may induce neuroplasticity in women, as well as cognitive and brain reserve. We also analyzed how the loss of steroid hormones in aging may be linked to AD. We included empirical studies with human and animal models, literature reviews as well as meta-analyses. Our search identified the importance of 17-b-estradiol (E2) as a mechanism driving cognitive and brain reserve in women. More broadly, our analysis revealed the following emerging perspectives: (1) the importance of steroid hormones and their effects on both neurons and glia for the study of risk and resilience in AD, (2) E2s crucial role in womens brain reserve, (3) womens verbal memory advantage as a cognitive reserve factor, and (4) E2s potential role in linguistic experiences such as multilingualism and hearing loss. Future directions for research include analyzing the reserve mechanisms of steroid hormones on neuronal and glial plasticity, as well as identifying the links between steroid hormone loss in aging and risk for AD.

Objectives: Early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is necessary to prevent irreversible brain damage caused by incipient Alzheimers disease. It has been showing that amnestic MCI (a-MCI) subjects exhibit subtle deficits in executive function that can be tested using saccade eye movements. Eye-tracking technology is a sensitive method to measure cognitive impairments in dementia and MCI. Methods In this study, we used eye-tracking technology to explore saccade impairments to distinguish between a-MCI and the variants of reference controls. 21 patients with AD, 40 patients with a-MCI, and 59 normal participants were recruited in current study. We measured saccade reaction time, saccade errors, saccade omission, and uncorrected saccades using anti-saccade and pro-saccade tasks with gap and overlap procedures. These parameters were used as markers of executive function and visual attention deficits.Results: The findings revealed that more errors, more omissions, and fewer corrections characterized the saccade behavior of the a-MCI group compared to the reference group. These eye-tracking characteristics can be considered as inhibitory control and working memory deficits in a-MCI subjects. Our results thus demonstrate the applicability of the anti-saccade task as a cognitive marker in a-MCI. Conclusion The work provides further support for eye-tracking as a useful diagnostic biomarker in the assessment of executive function in aging with cognitive impairments.

Studies have reported that the age-adjusted incidence of cognitive impairment and dementia have decreased over the past two decades. Aging is the predominant risk factor for Alzheimers disease and related dementias and for neurocognitive decline. However, aging alone cannot explain changes in the overall age-adjusted incidence of dementia. The objective of this position paper was to describe the potential for cohort and period effects in cognitive decline and incidence of dementia. Cohort effects have long been reported in demographic literature, but starting in the early 1980s researchers began reporting large historical cohort trends in cognitive function. At the same time, period effects have emerged in the form of economic factors and stressors in early and midlife that may result in reduced cognitive dysfunction. Recognizing that aging individuals today were once children and adolescents and that research has clearly noted that childhood cognitive performance are associated with old-age cognitive performance, this review proposes the need to connect these cohort effects with differences in late-life functioning.

We aimed to study psychological health, as approximated by the use of psychotropic drugs, in a population diagnosed and surgically treated for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) or ulnar nerve entrapment (UNE), or both, also considering the demographic and socioeconomic factors of the individuals. Linking data from five large national registers, use of psychotropics (at least one dispensation during the first year after the surgery or the baseline date) was examined in around 5.8 million people 25-80 years old residing in Sweden 2010. Among these individuals, 9728 (0.17%), 890 (0.02%) and 149 (0.00%) were identified as diagnosed and surgically treated for CTS, UNE, or both, respectively. As much as 28%, 34% and 36% in each group, respectively, used psychotropic drugs, compared with 19% in the general population. Regression analyses showed a general higher risk for use of psychotropics related to these nerve compression disorders, to higher age, being a woman, and having low income or low occupational qualification level. Individuals born outside of Sweden had a lower risk. We conclude that surgically treated individuals with a nerve compression disorder have an increased risk of impaired psychological health. Caregivers should be aware of the risk and provide necessary attention.

Key summary pointsAimDoes comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) affect the causes of death and the quality of palliative care when patients receive care at the end of life when in an outpatient care setting compared to usual care?FindingsCGA does not affect the causes of death. CGA affects the frequency of referral to specialised palliative care teams, but CGA does not affect the quality of palliative care given to the patients. These effects are measured in outpatient care settings and in comparison with usual care.MessageFurther studies are needed to evaluate the CGA effects on causes of death and palliative care quality in outpatient care settings. AbstractPurposeThe purposes of this study were to retrospectively study whether comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) given to community-dwelling old patients with high health care usage has effects regarding: (1) the cause of death and (2) the quality of the provided palliative care when compared to patients without CGA-based care.MethodThis study includes secondary data from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) with 382 participants that took place in the periods 2011-2013. The present study examines all electronical medical records (EMR) from the deceased patients in the original study regarding cause of death [intervention group (IG) N=51/control group (CG) N=66] and quality of palliative care (IG N=33/CG N=41). Descriptive and comparative statistics were produced and the significance level was set at pamp;lt;0.05.ResultsThe causes of death in both groups were dominated by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases with no statistical difference between the groups. Patients in the intervention group had a higher degree of support from specialised palliative care teams than had the control group (p=0.01).ConclusionThe present study in an outpatient context cannot prove any effects of CGA on causes of death. The study shows that CGA in outpatient care means a higher rate of specialised palliative care, but the study cannot show any effects on the palliative quality parameters measured. Further studies with statistical power are needed.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a metabolic condition caused mainly by a mutation in the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene (LDLR), which is highly prevalent in the population. Besides being an important causative factor of cardiovascular diseases, FH has been considered an early risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Cognitive and emotional behavioral impairments in LDL receptor knockout (LDLr-/-) mice are associated with neuroinflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, impaired neurogenesis, brain oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, today, LDLr-/- mice, a widely used animal model for studying cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis, are also considered an interesting tool for studying dementia. Here, we reviewed the main findings in LDLr-/- mice regarding the relationship between FH and brain dysfunctions and dementia development.

Background: Reducing cardiovascular risk through lifestyle changes that include a heart-healthy diet and regular exercise is recommended in the rehabilitation of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We pilot-tested the effectiveness of a dietary-education and high-intensity interval resistance training (DE-HIIRT) program on healthy food choices and associated anthropometric variables in patients with established CAD. Methods: A total of 22 participants, aged 60.0 +/- 7.2 years, were enrolled in the study. Over 3 months, under the guidance and supervision of a physiotherapist, participants performed the resistance exercises 2x/week in a group setting (cohort of 11). Participants additionally attended three sessions of dietary education led by a dietician. Participants demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of dietary education by picking heart-healthy foods by reading food labels. Outcomes included change in diet (measured using the tricipital skinfold thickness Mediterranean Diet Adherence questionnaire (MEDAS-14) and the Food Consumption Frequency Questionnaire (FCFQ)) and anthropometric measurements (body composition, body circumference, and tricipital skinfold thickness). A paired t-test was performed to analyze the differences between the baseline and post-intervention results. Results: Participants significantly increased their consumption of vegetables (p = 0.04) and lowered their consumption of sweet snacks (p = 0.007), pastries (p = 0.02), and processed food (p = 0.05). Significant improvements in body mass index (p = 0.001), waist circumference (p = 0.0001), hip circumference (p = 0.04), and body fat (p = 0.0001) were also achieved. Conclusion: Making lifestyle changes that include both diet and exercise is essential in the management of CAD. The HIIRT program combined with dietary changes shows promise in achieving weight-loss goals in this population and needs to be further investigated with appropriate study designs.

The overall aim of this thesis was to provide better understanding of the underlying factors related to health maintenance in very old people, with a focus on medical conditions, functional outcome and nutritional status. Data were gathered from the ELSA 85 project (Elderly in Linköping Screening Assessment). The ELSA 85 project was started in 2007 with a population-based survey of 85-year-old individuals (n = 650) residing in Linköping municipality, Sweden. During the study period from 2007 to 2010, we conducted surveys by postal questionnaire, home visits, geriatric clinic visits, and reviews of electronic medical records as well as the database of health service consumption. A series of cross-sectional analyses were performed on multimorbidity, health service consumption, activities of daily living (ADLs), physical functioning and nutritional status.

Of 650 eligible individuals, 496 (78% of those alive) completed the questionnaire (Paper I). Despite the prevalence of multimorbidity (68%) and frequent use of assistive technology for mobility (40%), the majority managed self-care (85%), usual activities (74%) and had high self-rated health (>60/100, visual analogue scale). Factors associated with in-patient care were an increased number of general practitioner visits, more use of assistive technology, community assistance, multimorbidity (≥2 chronic diseases) and/or heart failure and arrhythmia.

Cluster analyses (n = 496, Paper II) revealed five clusters: vascular, cardiopulmonary, cardiac (only for men), somatic–mental (only for men), mental disease (only for women), and three other clusters related to ageing (one for men and two for women). Heart failure in men (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1–5.7) and women (OR, 3; 95% CI, 1.3–6.9) as a single morbidity explained more variance than morbidity clusters in models of emergency room visits. Men’s cardiac cluster (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1–2.7) and women’s cardiopulmonary cluster (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2–2.4) were significantly associated with hospitalization. The combination of the cardiopulmonary cluster with the men’s cardiac cluster (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1–2.4) and one of the women’s ageing clusters (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3–0.8) showed interaction effects on hospitalization.

In Paper III, overweight (body mass index [BMI], 25–29.9 kg/m²) and obese (BMI, ≥30 kg/m²) individuals (n = 333) perceived more difficulty performing instrumental ADL (IADL) and had more comorbidities than their normal weight counterparts (BMI, 18.5–24.9 kg/m²). After controlling for socio-demographic factors, obese but not overweight individuals were more likely to perceive increased difficulty in performing outdoor activities (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1–4) and cleaning (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2–4.2) than their normal weight counterparts. Although obesity was also associated with multimorbidity (OR, 3; 95% CI, 1.2–8), the health service cost of each case of multimorbidity (n = 251) was highest in individuals of normal weight and nearly three times as much as in obese individuals (ratio, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.1–8.1).

In Paper IV, 88-year-old obese women (n = 83) had greater absolute waist circumference, fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM), and lower handgrip strength (HS) corrected for FFM and HS-based ratios (HS/weight (Wt), HS/BMI, HS/FFM and HS/FM) than their normal weight and overweight counterparts. After adjusting for physical activity levels and the number of chronic diseases, the HS-based ratios explained more variance in physical functioning in Short Form-36 (R², 0.52–0.54) than other single anthropometric or body composition parameters (R², 0.45–0.51). Waist circumference, HS, and two HS-based ratios (HS/Wt and HS/FFM) were also associated with the number of IADL with no difficulty.

In conclusion, the ELSA 85 population showed a fairly positive image of healthy perception, good functional ability as well as low use of health care among the majority of participants. Patterns of cardiac and pulmonary conditions were better associated than any single morbidity with hospitalization. Heart failure as a single morbidity was better associated than multimorbidity patterns with emergency room visits. For 85-year-olds, being obese, as opposed to overweight, was associated with self-reported activity limitations and comorbidities. Overweight elderly living in their own homes in this population had similar well-being to those of normal weight. In the cohort of 88-year-olds, obese women had high waist circumference, but their HS was relatively low in relation to their Wt and FFM. These parameters were better than BMI for predicting physical function and independent daily living.

Objectives: To investigate how anthropometric and body composition variables, and handgrip strength (HS) affect physical function and independent daily living in 88-year-old Swedish women.

Participants: A cross-sectional analysis of 83 community-dwelling women, who were 88 years old with normal weight (n=30), overweight (n=29), and obesity (n=24) in Linköping, Sweden, was performed.

Measures: Assessments of body weight (Wt), height, waist circumference (WC), and arm circumference were performed by using an electronic scale and measuring tape. Tricep skinfold thickness was measured by a skinfold calliper. Fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis, and HS was recorded with an electronic grip force instrument. Linear regression was used to determine the contributions of parameters as a single predictor or as a ratio with HS to physical function (Short Form-36, SF-36PF) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).

Results: Obese women had greater absolute FM and FFM, and lower HS corrected for FFM and HS-based ratios (i.e., HS/Wt, HS/body mass index [BMI]) than their normal weight and overweight counterparts. After adjusting for physical activity levels and the number of chronic diseases, HS-based ratios explained more variance in SF-36PF scoring (R²: 0.52–0.54) than single anthropometric and body composition variables (R²: 0.45–0.51). WC, HS, and HS-based ratios (HS/Wt and HS/FFM) were also associated with the number of IADL with no difficulty.

Conclusion: Obese very old women have a high WC, but their HS is relatively low in relation to their Wt and FFM. These parameters are better than BMI for predicting physical function and independent daily living.

Purpose To investigate the changes in pain, physical and activities of daily living (ADL) functioning in vulnerable older adults with chronic pain after proactive primary care intervention. Methods This study was embedded in a prospective, pragmatic, matched-control multicenter trial at 19 primary care practices in Sweden, with proactive medical and social care (Intervention Group, IG, n = 134) in comparison with usual care (Control Group, CG, n = 121). Patients with chronic pain, defined as pain experienced longer than 3 months, were included in this subgroup analysis. Data on pain aspects, physical and ADL functioning were collected in the questionnaires at baseline, one- and two-year follow-up (FU-1 and FU-2). Data on prescribed pain medications was collected by local health authorities. Results Mean age was 83.0 +/- 4.7 years with almost equal representation of both genders. From baseline until FU-2, there were no significant within-group or between-group changes in pain intensity. Small adjustments of pain medication prescriptions were made in both groups. Compared to FU-1, the functional changes were more measurable at FU-2 as fewer participants had impaired physical functioning in IG (48.4%) in comparison to CG (62.6%, p = 0.027, Effect Size phi = 0.14). Higher scores of ADL-staircase (more dependent) were found in both groups (p &lt; 0.01, Effect Size r = 0.24 in CG and r = 0.16 in IG). Conclusion Vulnerable older adults with chronic pain seemed to remain physical and ADL functioning after proactive primary care intervention, but they may need tailored strategies of pain management to improve therapeutic effects.

Background

As life expectancy continues to rise, more elderly are reaching advanced ages (≥80 years). The increasing prevalence of multimorbidity places additional demands on health-care resources for the elderly. Previous studies noted the impact of multimorbidity on the use of health services, but the effects of multimorbidity patterns on health-service use have not been well studied, especially for very old people. This study determines patterns of multimorbidity associated with emergency-room visits and hospitalization in an 85-year-old population.

Methods

Health and living conditions were reported via postal questionnaire by 496 Linköping residents aged 85 years (189 men and 307 women). Diagnoses of morbidity were reviewed in patients’ case reports, and the local health-care register provided information on the use of health services. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to evaluate patterns of multimorbidity with gender stratification. Factors associated with emergency-room visits and hospitalization were analyzed using logistic regression models.

Results

Cluster analyses revealed five clusters: vascular, cardiopulmonary, cardiac (only for men), somatic–mental (only for men), mental disease (only for women), and three other clusters related to aging (one for men and two for women). Heart failure in men (OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1–5.7) and women (OR = 3, 95% CI = 1.3–6.9) as a single morbidity explained more variance than morbidity clusters in models of emergency-room visits. Men's cardiac cluster (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1–2.7) and women's cardiopulmonary cluster (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.2–2.4) were significantly associated with hospitalization. The combination of the cardiopulmonary cluster with the men’s cardiac cluster (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1–2.4) and one of the women’s aging clusters (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.3–0.8) showed interaction effects on hospitalization.

Conclusion

In this 85-year-old population, patterns of cardiac and pulmonary conditions were better than a single morbidity in explaining hospitalization. Heart failure was superior to multimorbidity patterns in explaining emergency-room visits. A holistic approach to examining the patterns of multimorbidity and their relationships with the use of health services will contribute to both local health care policy and geriatric practice.

Background: Selection bias is often inevitable in epidemiologic studies. It is not surprising that study conclusions based on participants’ health status are frequently questioned. Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the non-participants affected the characteristics of a general population of the very old people. Design, Setting and Participants: Prospective, cross-sectional (N=650, aged 85 years old) analysis and 1-year follow-up (n=273), in Linköping, Sweden. Measurements: We analysed data on health-related factors from a postal questionnaire, a home visit and a clinic visit at baseline and at the 1-year follow-up. We calculated the effect size to evaluate the degree of differences between the groups. Results: A greater proportion of non-participants resided in sheltered accommodation or nursing homes (participants vs non-response vs refusal, 11% vs 22% vs 40, P<0.001, φ=0.24). During the home visit or clinic visit, a higher proportion of dropouts reported mid-severe problems in EQ-5D domains (mobility and self-care) and limitations in personal activities of daily living, but the differences between participants and dropouts were very small (φ<0.2). No significant difference was found between the groups with regard to emergency room visits or hospital admissions, despite the fact that more participants than dropouts (φ=0.23) had multimorbidities (≥2 chronic diseases). Living in sheltered accommodation or a nursing home (odds ratio (OR), 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.5-5), female gender (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-3.1) and receiving more home visits in primary care (OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1-1.06) contributed positively to drop out in the data collection stages over the study period. Conclusion: Non-participants were not considered to be a group with worse health. Mobility problems may influence very old people when considering further participation, which threatens attrition.

Although chronic pain is common in old age, previous studies on participation activities in old age seldom consider pain aspects and its related consequences. This study analyses associations between participation activities, pain severity, and psychological distress in an aging population of Swedish older adults (N = 6611). We examined older adults participation in five common leisure activities using the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), sociodemographic factors, pain severity, weight status, comorbidities, and pain-related psychological distress (anxiety, depression, insomnia severity, and pain catastrophising). We found that gender, body mass index (BMI) levels, and psychological distress factors significantly affected older adults participation in leisure activities. Pain severity and multimorbidity were not significantly associated with older adults participation in leisure activities nor with gender stratification in generalised linear regression models. The potentially modifiable factors, such as high levels of BMI and psychological distress, affected activity participation in men and women differently. Health professionals and social workers should consider gender and target potentially modifiable factors such as weight status and psychological distress to increase older adults participation in leisure activities.

Blood samples are often used to investigate the possible presence of disease and to make treatment decisions. In the interpretation of the results, comparison either with previous values from the same individual or with a set of appropriate group-based reference intervals are used. Current reference intervals for common laboratory analytes are often based on measurements from apparently healthy persons aged 18–65 years. Age is accompanied by a general decline in organ functions and it is difficult to determine whether a change in levels of laboratory analytes in an elderly individual can be attributed to age alone, independent of environmental or disease processes. Frailty can be seen as a consequence of age-related multifactorial deterioration – physical, cognitive and sensory – resulting in vulnerability and lack of adaptability to internal stressors such as infection or new medication and/or external stressors such as fall at home. Consensus about the definition of “frail” and “frailty” is missing, both nationally and internationally, the question arises whether different definitions of “frailty” affect the interpretation of analytes when comparing different groups of elderly.

The overarching aim of the thesis was to interpret and assess circulating levels of some clinical laboratory analytes in relation to conventional reference values in ≥80-year-old, “apparently healthy”, “moderately healthy”, and “frail” individuals.

 Data originated from other studies, in which blood samples were collected from individuals ≥80-year-old. Comparisons in Paper I of levels of some laboratory analytes, from 138 nursing home residents (NHRs), was made with blood from reference populations, both blood donor and the NORIP study. The results indicated differences for some immunological (complement factor 3 and 4, immunoglobulin G and M) and chemical analytes (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), phosphate, albumin, sodium, creatinine and urea), but no differences in levels occurred for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) or lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). It was unclear whether the differences were due to differences in age between the elderly and the reference populations or whether the elderly individuals had chronic diseases and were on medication. In Paper II, 569 individuals elderly individuals ≥80 years old were classified as “healthy”, “moderately healthy”, and “frail”, based on diseases, medications and physical and cognitive abilities. Statistical differences between the groups were found for the investigated analytes; albumin, ALT, AST, creatinine and γ-GT. In Paper IV, individuals from Paper II (n=569) were divided into two groups and thereafter divided into “apparently healthy”, “moderately healthy”, and “frail”. One group was subdivided into “apparently healthy”, “moderately healthy” and “frail” based on physical and cognitive abilities and the other group was divided based on the frailty index (FI). There was no statistical difference found between “apparently healthy” and “moderately healthy" groups, regardless of classification model used. Among “frail” individuals, differences in levels occurred for three out of the five investigated analytes: ALT, creatinine and g-GT, with lower levels occurring when the FI classification model was used. No differences in levels occurred for albumin or AST in “frail” individuals, regardless of classification model used. The aim of Paper III was to study whether 1-year changes in complete blood count (CBC) (including haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC), erythrocyte volume fraction (EVF), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC), white blood cell (WBC) and platelet count (PLT)), C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1RA, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 are associated with survival in elderly NHRs aged >80 years. Elevated levels of CRP and IL-8 during 1-year follow-up were associated with reduced length of survival in elderly NHRs. Based on the present thesis it is clear that there is need for reference intervals that consider both age and health status in elderly individuals. A reasonable conclusion when interpreting levels of analytes in elderly individuals with disease or frailty is that individual evaluation based on the individual’s previous levels, is recommended.

Background: Interpretation laboratory analyses are crucial when assessing the patient’s condition. Reference intervals from apparently healthy and disease-free individuals may cause problems when outcomes from elderly patients with chronic diseases and on medications are being interpreted. Elderly individuals are a heterogeneous group ranging from individuals managing their daily life independently to individuals with diseases and impairment, in need of nursing care around the clock, that is, frail; a term widely used although there is no consensus on the definition.

Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to study the effect of classification of elderly into healthy, moderately healthy, and frail, based on activities of daily living (ADL) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) or frailty index (FI), on the interpretation of outcomes regarding: Albumin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) levels.

Materials and Methods: Individuals ≥80 years (n=568) were classified either on ADL and MMSE or number of deficits, (FI).

Results: Individuals classified as frail based on FI had lower mean levels for ALT, creatinine and γ-GT than individuals classified based on ADL and MMSE (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The model to define health status to some extent affected laboratory analyte levels in ≥80 years old, classified as healthy, moderately healthy, and frail based on ADL and MMSE versus FI.

Purpose

The aim was to investigate everyday technology use in the homes of 86-year-old individuals in Sweden regarding usage, benefits or perceived problems and to study their perception of the technical development and its influence on daily living.

Method

The design was both quantitative and qualitative. An interview was conducted at a home visit performed by an occupational therapist using a questionnaire including questions on demographics and everyday technology. In addition, a qualitative part was performed based on an interview guide. Two hundred seventy four people participated.

Results

The results indicate that watching TV was important for almost all 86-year-old individuals. This medium, combined with reading newspapers, was important for obtaining news. The most common problems in usage of everyday technology were related to visual or hearing impairments or operating difficulties. References to the Internet for further information were perceived as problematic for individuals without access to a computer. Another difficulty was automated telephone services. Cognitive deficits impeded everyday technology use and increased perceived problems.

Conclusions

Access to information and services are important elements in order to be an active participant in the society. Everyday technology is an area that should be addressed by occupational therapists in order to facilitate daily living.

Olfactory impairment is a central non-motor symptom in Parkinsons disease (PD). Previous studies have demonstrated that olfactory dysfunction is associated with mental illness and impaired cognition. The frequently investigated olfactory functions are odor detection, discrimination, and identification. However, few studies have focused on odor recognition memory (ORM). ORM tasks involves episodic memory which therefore can facilitate the detection of dementia among patients with PD and consequently adjust their treatment. Thus, the aim of this systematic review is to summarize the existing research on ORM in PD. Databases and reference lists were used for data collection. Studies were included in the review if they met the eligibility criteria derived from the PICOS-framework. Quality evaluation of the studies was based on the STROBE-statement. Six studies with small samples were included in the analysis which demonstrated the scarce research on the subject. The studies targeting ORM were heterogenous and involved two main tasks: odor recognition and odor matching. The synthesis of the data demonstrated that PD patients performed significantly lower than controls on both tasks, especially on odor matching task. Only the odor recognition task exhibited a difference between patients with PD vs. Alzheimers disease (AD). PD patients performed significantly better than AD patients. The findings based on the available limited data support the notion that odor recognition task can be of importance in identifying Parkinsons disease dementia (PDD). To investigate this hypothesis, future research needs to include larger samples of PD, PDD and AD patients executing the same odor recognition task.

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between MMSE &lt;= 23 and the presence of a diagnosis of dementia in the medical record in a population with multimorbidity. Design, setting, and participants: This cross-sectional study was part of the Ambulatory Geriatric Assessment - a Frailty Intervention Trial (AGe-FIT; N = 382). Participants were community dwelling, aged &gt;= 75 years, had received inpatient hospital care at least three times during the past 12 months, and had three or more concomitant diagnoses according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. Measurements: The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered at baseline. Medical records of participants with MMSE scores &lt; 24 were examined for the presence of dementia diagnoses and two years ahead. Results: Fifty-three (16%) of 337 participants with a measure of MMSE had a MMSE scores &lt; 24. Six of these 53 (11%) participants had diagnoses of dementia (vascular dementia, n = 4; unspecified dementia, n = 1; Alzheimers disease, n = 1) according to medical records; 89% did not. Conclusions: A MMSE-score &lt; 24 is not well correlated to a diagnosis of dementia in the medical record in a population of elderly with multimorbidity. This could imply that cognitive decline and the diagnosis of dementia remain undetected in older people with multimorbidity. Proactive care of older people with multimorbidity should focus on cognitive decline to detect cognitive impairment and to provide necessary help and support to this very vulnerable group.

OBJECTIVE: To deepen the knowledge of frail elderly patients' preferences for participation in medical decision making during hospitalization. METHODS: Qualitative study using content analysis of semi-structured interviews.

RESULTS: Patient participation to frail elderly means information, not the wish to take part in decisions about their medical treatments. They view the hospital care system as an institution of power with which they cannot argue. Participation is complicated by barriers such as the numerous persons involved in their care who do not know them and their preferences, differing treatment strategies among doctors, fast patient turnover in hospitals, stressed personnel and linguistic problems due to doctors not always speaking the patient's own language.

CONCLUSION: The results of the study show that, to frail elderly patients, participation in medical decision making is primarily a question of good communication and information, not participation in decisions about medical treatments.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: More time should be given to thorough information and as few people as possible should be involved in the care of frail elderly. Linguistic problems should be identified to make it possible to take the necessary precautions to prevent negative impact on patient participation.

Frailty is a concept that is better than multimorbidity at identifying older people in need of special multidimensional care. Frailty denotes a state of accelerated biological aging in which the body gradually loses the ability to handle physical, mental and social stress. It is a dynamic condition which can be partly prevented and treated with physical exercise, nutrition and appropriate medication.  They are many validated and simple screening tools for frailty. Some of these screening tools can assess the degree of frailty and thereby provide a risk stratification in for example a medical emergency. This can be used to support decisions to offer relevant medical intervention to chronologically old but biologically young people as well as to refrain from treatment in chronologically young but biologically older people.

The term frailty denotes a multi-dimensional syndrome characterised by reduced physiological reserves and increased vulnerability. Frailty may be used as a marker of biological age, distinct from chronological age. There are several instruments for frailty assessment. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is probably the most commonly used in the acute care context. It is a 9-level scale, derived from the accumulated deficit model of frailty, which combines comorbidity, disability, and cognitive impairment. The CFS assessment is fast and easy to implement in daily clinical practice. The CFS is relevant for risk stratification, and may also be used as a screening instrument to identify frail patients suitable for further geriatric evaluation, i.e. a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). By providing information on long-term prognosis, it may improve informed decision-making on an individual basis.

Background: A high percentage of individuals treated in specialized acute care wards are frail and elderly. Our aim was to study whether the acute care of such patients in a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) unit is superior to care in a conventional acute medical care unit when it comes to activities of daily living (ADLs), frailty, and use of municipal help services. Patients and methods: A clinical, prospective, controlled trial with two parallel groups was conducted in a large county hospital in West Sweden and included 408 frail elderly patients, age 75 or older (mean age 85.7 years; 56% female). Patients were assigned to the intervention group (n=206) or control group (n=202). Primary outcome was decline in functional activity ADLs assessed by the ADL Staircase 3 months after discharge from hospital. Secondary outcomes were degree of frailty and use of municipal help services. Results: After adjustment by regression analyses, treatment in a CGA unit was independently associated with lower risk of decline in ADLs [odds ratio (OR) 0.093; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.052-0.164; P amp;lt; 0.0001], and with a less prevalent increase in the degree of frailty (OR 0.229; 95% CI 0.131-0.400; P amp;lt; 0.0001). When ADLs were classified into three strata (independence, instrumental ADL-dependence, and personal ADL-dependence), changes to a more dependence-associated stratum were less prevalent in the intervention group (OR 0.194; 95% CI 0.085-0.444; P=0.0001). There was no significant difference between the groups in increased use of municipal help services (OR 0.682; 95% CI 0.395-1.178; P=0.170). Conclusion: Acute care of frail elderly patients in a CGA unit was independently associated with lesser loss of functional ability and lesser increase in frailty after 3 months.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the acute care of frail elderly patients in a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) unit is superior to the care in a conventional acute medical care unit. Design: This is a clinical, prospective, randomized, controlled, one-center intervention study. Setting: This study was conducted in a large county hospital in western Sweden. Participants: The study included 408 frail elderly patients, aged amp;gt;= 75 years, in need of acute in-hospital treatment. The patients were allocated to the intervention group (n=206) or control group (n=202). Mean age of the patients was 85.7 years, and 56% were female. Intervention: This organizational form of care is characterized by a structured, systematic interdisciplinary CGA-based care at an acute elderly care unit. Measurements: The primary outcome was the change in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) 3 months after discharge from hospital, measured by the Health Utilities Index-3 (HUI-3). Secondary outcomes were all-cause mortality, rehospitalizations, and hospital care costs. Results: After adjustment by regression analysis, patients in the intervention group were less likely to present with decline in HRQoL after 3 months for the following dimensions: vision (odds ratio [OR] = 0.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.14-0.79), ambulation (OR =0.19, 95% CI = 0.1-0.37), dexterity (OR =0.38, 95% CI =0.19-0.75), emotion (OR =0.43, 95% CI =0.22-0.84), cognition (OR =0.076, 95% CI =0.033-0.18) and pain (OR =0.28, 95% CI =0.15-0.50). Treatment in a CGA unit was independently associated with lower 3-month mortality adjusted by Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.32-0.96), and the two groups did not differ significantly in terms of hospital care costs (Pamp;gt;0.05). Conclusion: Patients in an acute CGA unit were less likely to present with decline in HRQoL after 3 months, and the care in a CGA unit was also independently associated with lower mortality, at no higher cost.

Objective

The objective of this study was to estimate the 3-month within-trial cost-effectiveness of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) in acute medical care for frail elderly patients compared to usual medical care, by estimating health-related quality of life and costs from a societal perspective.

Design

Clinical, prospective, controlled, 1-center intervention trial with 2 parallel groups.

Intervention

Structured, systematic interdisciplinary CGA-based care in an acute elderly care unit. If the patient fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and there was a bed available at the CGA unit, the patient was included in the intervention group. If no bed was available at the CGA unit, the patient was included in the control group and admitted to a conventional acute medical care unit.

Setting and Participants

A large county hospital in western Sweden. The trial included 408 frail elderly patients, 75 years or older, in need of acute in-hospital treatment. The patients were allocated to the intervention group (n = 206) or control group (n = 202). Mean age of the patients was 85.7 years, and 56% were female.

Measures

The primary outcome was the adjusted incremental cost-effectiveness ratio associated with the intervention compared to the control at the 3-month follow-up.

Results

We undertook cost-effectiveness analysis, adjusted by regression analyses, including hospital, primary, and municipal care costs and effects. The difference in the mean adjusted quality-adjusted life years gained between groups at 3 months was 0.0252 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0082-0.0422]. The incremental cost, that is, the difference between the groups, was −3226 US dollars (95% CI: −6167 to −285).

Conclusion

The results indicate that the care in a CGA unit for acutely ill frail elderly patients is likely to be cost-effective compared to conventional care after 3 months.

Background: Frail older adults experience higher rates of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, assessing pre-hospital frailty early in the course of care is essential to identify the most vulnerable patients and determine their risk of deterioration. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is a frailty assessment tool that evaluates pre-hospital mobility, energy, physical activity, and function to generate a score that ranges from very fit to terminally ill.Purpose: To synthesize the evidence of the association between the CFS degree and all-cause mortality, all-cause readmission, length of hospital stay, adverse discharge destination, and functional decline in patients &gt;65 years in acute clinical settings. Design: Systematic review with narrative synthesis.Methods: Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus) were searched for prospective or retrospective studies reporting a relationship between pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS and the outcomes of interest from database inception to April 2020. Results: Our search yielded 756 articles, of which 29 studies were included in this review (15 were at moderate risk and 14 at low risk of bias). The included studies represented 26 cohorts from 25 countries (N = 44166) published between 2011 and 2020. All included studies showed that pre-hospital frailty according to the CFS is an independent predictor of all adverse health outcomes included in the review.Conclusion: A primary purpose of the CFS is to grade clinically increased risk (i.e. risk stratification). Our results report the accumulated knowledge on the risk-predictive performance of the CFS and highlight the importance of routinely including frailty assessments, such as the CFS, to estimate biological age, improve risk assessments, and assist clinical decision-making in older adults in acute care. Further research into the potential of the CFS and whether implementing the CFS in routine practice will improve care and patients quality of life is warranted.

Background

Type 2 diabetes is a common chronic disease with a two-fold increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and has an increasing prevalence worldwide. This thesis is based on a study conducted in primary health care in Östergötland and Jönköping, Sweden. The aim of the thesis was to evaluate new risk markers to identify patients with high risk of developing cardiovascular disease in middle-aged men and women with type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Data from the cohort study CArdiovascular Risk in type 2 DIabetes – a Prospective study in Primary care (CARDIPP) was used. In paper III data were also used from CARDIPP-Revisited where all participants in the CARDIPP study were invited four years after the baseline investigation for a re-investigation. In paper IV data were used from CAREFUL which is a control group of 185 subjects without diabetes. The investigation included a standard medical history including data on diabetes duration and on-going medication. Anthropometric data were recorded and both office and ambulatory blood pressure were measured. The patients filled out a detailed questionnaire and physical activity was measured by using waist-mounted pedometers. Pedometer-determined physical activity was classified in four groups: Group 1: <5000 steps/day (‘sedentary’); Group 2: 5000-7499 steps/day (‘low active’); Group 3: 7500-9999 steps/day (‘somewhat active’); Group 4: and ≥10 000 steps/day (‘active’). Blood samples were drawn for routine analyses and also frozen for later analyses. The investigations at the departments of physiology included echocardiography, measurements of the carotid intima-media thickness, applanation tonometry and measurements of  sagittal abdominal diameter.

Results

Paper 1:

Patients with a non-dipping systolic blood pressure pattern showed higher left ventricular mass index and pulse wave velocity (PWV) compared with patients with ≥10% decline in nocturnal systolic blood pressure. Patients with <10% decline in nocturnal systolic blood pressure had higher BMI and sagittal abdominal diameter, lower GFR and higher albumin:creatinine ratio and also higher levels of NT-proBNP than patients with a dipping pattern of the nocturnal blood pressure.

Paper 2:

The number of steps/day were inversely significantly associated with BMI, waist circumference and sagittal abdominal diameter, levels of CRP, levels of interleukin-6 and PWV.

Paper 3:

At the 4-year follow-up the change in PWV (ΔPWV) from baseline was calculated. The group with the lowest steps/day had a significantly higher increase in ΔPWV compared with the group with the highest steps/day. The associations between baseline steps/day and ΔPWV remained after further adjustment in a multivariate linear regression statistically significant (p=0.005). 23% of the variation in the study could be explained by our model. Every 1000 extra steps at baseline reduced the change in ΔPWV by 0.103 m/s between baseline and follow-up.

Paper 4:

Low vitamin D levels were associated with significantly increased risk for premature mortality in men with type 2 diabetes. High levels of parathyroid hormone were associated with significantly increased risk for premature mortality in women with type 2 diabetes. These relationships were still statistically significant also when two other well-established risk markers for mortality, PWV and carotid intima-media thickness, were added to the analyses.

Conclusions

Ambulatory blood pressure recording can by addressing the issue of diurnal blood pressure variation, explore early cardiovascular organ damage and microvascular complications that goes beyond effects of standardised office blood pressure measurements. Pedometer-determined physical activity may serve as a surrogate marker for inflammation and subclinical organ damage in patients with type 2 diabetes. There is novel support for the durable vascular protective role of a high level of daily physical activity, which is independent of BMI and systolic blood pressure. The use of pedometers is feasible in clinical practice and provides objective information not only about physical activity but also the future risk for subclinical organ damage in middle-aged people with type 2 diabetes. Our results indicate that low vitamin D levels in men or high parathyroid hormone levels in women give independent prognostic information of an increased risk for total mortality.

Cortical thickness and surface area are thought to be genetically unrelated and shaped by independent neurobiological events suggesting that they should be considered separately in morphometric analyses. Although the developmental trajectories of cortical thickness and surface area may differ across brain regions and ages, there is no consensus regarding the relationships of physical fitness with cortical thickness and surface area as well as for its subsequent influence on intelligence. Thus, this study examines: (i) the associations of physical fitness components (i.e., cardiorespiratory fitness, speed-agility and muscular fitness) with overall and regional cortical thickness and surface area; (ii) whether body composition indicators (i.e., body mass index, fat-free mass index and fat mass index) mediate these associations; and (iii) the association of physical fitness and cortical thickness with intelligence in overweight/obese children. A total of 101 overweight/obese children aged 8-11 years were recruited in Granada, Spain. The physical fitness components were assessed following the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery. T1-weighted images were acquired with a 3.0 Tesla Siemens Magnetom Tim Trio system. We used FreeSurfer software version 5.3.0 to assess cortical thickness (mm) and surface area (mm(2)). The main results showed that cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility were related to overall cortical thickness (beta = 0.321 and beta = 0.302, respectively; both P amp;lt; 0.05), and in turn, cortical thickness was associated with higher intelligence (beta = 0.198, P amp;lt; 0.05). Muscular fitness was not related to overall cortical thickness. None of the three physical fitness components were related to surface area (p amp;gt; 0.05). The associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility with overall cortical thickness were mediated by fat mass index (56.86% amp; 62.28%, respectively). In conclusion, cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility, but not muscular fitness, are associated with overall cortical thickness, and in turn, thicker brain cortex is associated with higher intelligence in overweight/obese children. Yet, none of the three physical fitness components were related to surface area. Importantly, adiposity may hinder the benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility on cortical thickness. Understanding individual differences in brain morphology may have important implications for educators and policy makers who aim to determine policies and interventions to maximize academic learning and occupational success later in life.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to drive the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) via the regulation of cancer stem cells (CSCs). We studied the miRNA expression profile of primary CSCs isolated from patients with CRC (pCRCSCs). Compared to pCRCSC-derived differentiated cells, 98 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified in pCRCSCs. Target genes encoding pCRCSC-related miRNAs were identified using a combination of miRNA target databases and miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks from the same patient. The pCRCSC-related miRNA target genes were associated with pathways contributing to malignant phenotypes, including I-kappa B kinase/NF-kappa B signaling, signal transduction by p53 class mediator, Ras signaling, and cGMP-PKG signaling. The pCRCSC-related miRNA expression signature was independently associated with poor overall survival in both the training and validation cohorts. We have thus identified several pCRCSC-related miRNAs with oncogenic potential that could serve as prognostic biomarkers for CRC.

About a third of college students struggle with anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, and only 20?40% of college students with mental disorders receive treatment. Inadequacies in mental health care delivery result in prolonged illness, disease progression, poorer prognosis, and greater likelihood of relapse, highlighting the need for a new approach to detect mental health problems and engage college students in services. We have developed a transdiagnostic, low-cost mobile mental health targeted prevention and intervention platform that uses population-level screening to engage college students in tailored services that address common mental health problems. We will test the impact of this mobile mental health platform for service delivery in a large-scale trial across 20+ colleges. Students who screen positive or at high-risk for clinical anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder and who are not currently engaged in mental health services (N = 7884) will be randomly assigned to: 1) intervention via the mobile mental health platform; or 2) referral to usual care (i.e., campus health or counseling center). We will test whether the mobile mental health platform, compared to referral, is associated with improved uptake, reduced clinical cases, disorder-specific symptoms, and improved quality of life and functioning. We will also test mediators, predictors, and moderators of improved mental health outcomes, as well as stakeholder-relevant outcomes, including cost-effectiveness and academic performance. This population-level approach to service engagement has the potential to improve mental health outcomes for the millions of students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities.

Objective: To examine whether self-reported physical activity of a moderate/vigorous intensity influences risk markers for cardiovascular disease in persons with paraplegia due to spinal cord injury.andlt;br /andgt;Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study.andlt;br /andgt;Subjects: A total of 134 wheelchair-dependent individuals (103 men, 31 women) with chronic (≥ 1 year) post-traumatic spinal cord injury with paraplegia.andlt;br /andgt;Methods: Cardiovascular disease markers (hypertension, blood glucose and a blood lipid panel) were analysed and related to physical activity.andlt;br /andgt;Results: One out of 5 persons reported undertaking physical activity ≥  30 min/day. Persons who were physically active ≥ 30 min/day were significantly younger than inactive persons. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower in the physically active group. When adjusting for age, the association between systolic blood pressure and physical activity disappeared. Physical activity ≥ 30 min/day had a tendency to positively influence body mass index and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio. Men had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures than women, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and higher triglycerides. No other significant differences between men and women were found.andlt;br /andgt;Conclusion: Self-reported physical activity ≥ 30 min/day in persons with spinal cord injury positively influenced diastolic blood pressure. No other reductions in cardiovascular disease risk markers were seen after controlling for age. These results indicate a positive effect of physical activity, but it cannot be concluded that recommendations about physical activity in cardiovascular disease prevention for the general population apply to wheelchair-dependent persons with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To assess risk factors for cardiovascular disease at different body mass index values in persons with wheelchair-dependent paraplegia after spinal cord injuries.andlt;br /andgt;Design: Cross-sectional study.andlt;br /andgt;Subjects: A total of 135 individuals, age range 18-79 years, with chronic (≥ 1 year) post-traumatic paraplegia.andlt;br /andgt;Methods: Body mass index was stratified into 6 categorical groups. Cardiovascular disease risk factors for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and a serum lipid profile were analysed and reported by body mass index category.andlt;br /andgt;Results: More than 80% of the examined participants had at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor irrespective of body mass index level. Hypertension was highly prevalent, especially in men. Dyslipidaemia was common at all body mass index categories in both men and women.andlt;br /andgt;Conclusion: Higher body mass index values tended to associate with more hypertension and diabetes mellitus, whereas dyslipidaemia was prevalent across all body mass index categories. Studies that intervene to reduce weight and or percentage body fat should be performed to determine the effect on reducing modifiable cardiovascular disease risk factors.

There are today only a few population-based studies in the world investigating the prevalence of and associated risk-factors with adolescents selling sex and so far no earlier population-based study has been found investigating adolescents motives for selling sex. Further, to use sex in means of self-injury (SASI) is a behaviour that has been highlighted in Sweden the last years but it is a new field of research and a behaviour in need of conceptualization.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the prevalence of, associated risk factors with, motives for and manifestations of adolescents selling sex and the use of sex as self-injury (SASI). For the thesis, two nationally representative cross-sectional population surveys with third year students at Swedish high schools were collected in 2009 (n = 3498, mean age 18.3 +/- 0.6 years, response rate 60.4%) and in 2014 (n = 5839, mean age 18.0 +/- 0.6 years, response rate 59.7%). Further, the motives and manifestations of SASI were investigated in an anonymous self-selected, open-ended questionnaire published on websites of non-governmental organizations offering help and support to women and adolescents (n = 199, mean age 27.9 +/- 9.3 years). Quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analyses.

In the 2009 population-based survey, 1.5% (n = 51) of the adolescents reported having sold sex on at least one occasion, but in 2014 the prevalence was slightly lower at 0.9% (n = 51). SASI was reported by 3.2% of girls (n = 100) and 0.8% of boys (n = 20). Both selling sex and SASI were associated with various adverse factors such as experience of sexual abuse, emotional and physical abuse, poor mental health and self-injury. Adolescents selling sex had sought help and support for different problems and worries to a greater extent compared to peers. Contact with healthcare for various psychiatric problems such as suicide attempts, depression and eating disorders was common for adolescents using SASI. Further analysis showed that adolescents selling sex are a heterogeneous group in regard to underlying motives for selling sex, which included emotional and material reasons as well as pleasure. Depending on their underlying motives, adolescents selling sex were found to differ in regard to compensation received, age of the buyer, means of contact with the buyer, sexual orientation, experience of sexual abuse and the use of SASI. By using data from an open-ended questionnaire, SASI was described as deliberate or self-inflicted sexual situations that could include psychological and physical harm. SASI was used as a way to regulate negative feelings, such as anxiety, or to get positive or negative confirmation and the behaviour could be hard to stop.

In conclusion, selling sex and SASI occurs among Swedish adolescents and the behaviours are associated with sexual, physical and emotional abuse and poor mental health, including trauma symptoms. In regard of the motives and manifestations of SASI, the behaviour could be compared to direct self-injurious behaviours. Data from this thesis suggest that more attention should be paid in healthcare to recognizing adolescents selling sex and SASI in order to prevent further traumatization and victimization.