Gerontology最新文献

Introduction: Subjective life expectancy (SLE) is considered an indicator of future time perspective and has implications for developmental outcomes in different areas of life. Previous studies rarely took a lifespan approach, although it would allow for a better understanding of whether the factors affecting SLE vary with participants' chronological age. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the predictors of changes in SLE across the lifespan, focusing on views of aging and preparation for old age.

Methods: SLE was assessed across a 10-year longitudinal interval in a sample of German adults participating in the Ageing-as-Future study (n = 514; age range at T1: 30-80 years). Personalized views of aging (future self-views) and preparations for old age assessed at T1 were used to predict changes in SLE across the longitudinal interval.

Results: Positive future self-views predicted greater stability in SLE across the 10-year interval; this effect was only obtained for younger adults. High levels of preparation for old age predicted greater stability in SLE, but only for older participants.

Conclusion: Psychological variables capturing beliefs and behaviors regarding old age and aging have been shown to play a pivotal role in development in old age. The current study demonstrates that these variables influence an important aspect of future time perspective, namely, the subjectively expected time left to live. Examining psychological and behavioral predictors of SLE is relevant, as it broadens the understanding of which factors play a role in expanding or shrinking the perceived remaining lifetime.

Introduction: Statin-induced myopathy might increase the risk of falls in the elderly and change treatment decisions.

Methods: In the following retrospective study, we selected 463 internal medicine patients aged ≥70 years old hospitalized after a fall during 2020-2021. We compared those with and without an admission for a previous fall in the last 12 months. The primary predictors were polypharmacy (≥5 drugs or ≥9 drugs), antidiabetic drugs, psychiatric drugs, drugs for hypertension, and statins (types and dose). Secondary predictors included age, female gender, admission serum creatinine, albumin, and hemoglobin concentrations, smoking at present, the Norton scale, and if the statin was given for primary prevention (no cardiovascular diseases), the patient's ambulatory status, where and when the patient fell, and what the patient was doing when the fall took place. We calculated the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations with recurrent versus single falls.

Results: There were 463 patients hospitalized after a fall. Their age was 84 ± 7 years, and 47.7% (221/463) were female. There were 19.0% (88/463) who had recurrent falls, 116 patients treated with atorvastatin (25.1%) and 98 treated with other statins (21.2%). The secondary variables were not significantly different in those with and without recurrent falls. There was a significant increase in odds for recurrent falls in those treated with atorvastatin (1.68, 1.01-2.81) and insulin (2.46, 1.23-4.95). Individually, the drugs were not associated with recurrent falls, but the combination of both drugs was associated with a 5.2 (2.1-13.2) increased odds of a recurrent fall.

Conclusions: The finding that the combined treatment with atorvastatin and insulin is associated with recurrent falls in elderly hospitalized patients is novel and warrants further research.

Introduction: Subjective age, or felt age, refers to individuals' perception of their age compared to their chronological age. Feeling older than usual has been associated with experiencing more same-day stressors and higher negative affect. Feeling older may indicate depleted psychological resources, increasing the likelihood of interpreting everyday situations as stressful and reacting more intensely to them. Conversely, feeling younger may indicate greater psychosocial resources, enhancing engagement in and responsiveness to positive events.

Methods: This study investigated fluctuations in subjective age as a predictor of same-day event occurrence (stressors and positive events) and affective responses to these events using 14-day diary data from a sample of 108 older Swiss adults (aged 65-92).

Results: On average, participants felt approximately 8 years younger than their chronological age, with significant day-to-day variability (ICC = 0.69). On days when individuals felt older than usual, they reported more stressors and fewer positive events. Older subjective age was also associated with greater stress reactivity (greater upticks in negative affect and greater dips in positive affect) and more pronounced responses to positive events. Time-ordered effects showed subjective age predicting positive events, but not stressors.

Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of subjective age as a dynamic psychological construct potentially shaping the events people encounter and how they affectively respond to them. In addition, the lagged analyses provide evidence for subjective age as a predictor of daily event processes, but not for daily events as predictors of future subjective age, which contributes to disentangling the direction of association.

Introduction: Ultrasound technology is a promising tool for assessing muscle condition in older adults. However, sex-specific differences in how ultrasound-derived muscle parameters related to the physical function remain unclear.

Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus was conducted to identify studies reporting sex-stratified associations between ultrasound-derived muscle parameters and functional measures. Correlation coefficients were transformed using Fisher's z-transformation and analyzed with random-effects models, then back-transformed to Pearson's r. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's test.

Results: Analysis of 39 studies revealed that ultrasound-derived muscle parameters were consistently correlated with strength assessments across sexes, including maximal and handgrip strength (males: muscle thickness [MT], r = 0.30-0.42; echo intensity [EI], r = -0.34 to -0.38; females: MT, r = 0.34-0.37; EI, r = -0.34 to -0.35; all p > 0.05). However, for explosive power, both MT and EI had stronger associations in males than females (MT: r = 0.70 vs. 0.42; EI: r = -0.52 vs. -0.27; both p < 0.05). In gait function, MT was positively correlated in females (r = 0.22, p < 0.05) but not in males (r = -0.03, p = 0.62). Additionally, EI correlations were significantly stronger in females than males in the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test (r = 0.40 vs. 0.19, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This meta-analysis revealed that MT and EI exhibit comparable correlations with maximal and handgrip strength across sexes. However, both parameters show stronger associations with explosive power in males. In contrast, females displayed more robust associations with physical function, with MT being more strongly linked to gait speed and EI to TUG performance. These findings highlight the need for sex-specific considerations in ultrasound-based muscle evaluations and provide foundational data to inform future clinical applications.

Introduction: MindCrowd is an online cognitive health platform that engages adults in a 10-min experience, including the paired-associates learning (PAL) test, a demographic survey, and an option to be contacted for future research. This study's objective was to identify factors associated with consent to research studies.

Methods: Adults from US zip codes, who joined MindCrowd from June 17, 2022 to December 31, 2024 and agreed to be contacted for future research, were eligible for the study. Outcomes included consent to online cognitive health surveys (MindCrowd-Expanded) and genetic testing for AD risk via mailed self-collection kit. Variables of interest included age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic vulnerability, family history of AD, and PAL test score. Consent was modeled using multivariable logistic regression, generating adjusted odds ratios (aOR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results: A total of 52,113 MindCrowd participants were study eligible - 19.1% consented to MindCrowd-Expanded and 9.5% to genetic testing. Compared with white individuals, black individuals had 58% and 75% lower odds of consenting to MindCrowd-Expanded [aOR = 0.42 (95% CI = 0.37-0.48)] and genetic testing [aOR = 0.25 (95% CI = 0.20-0.32)], respectively. Compared with non-Hispanic individuals, Hispanic individuals had 26% and 37% lower odds of consenting to MindCrowd-Expanded [aOR = 0.74 (95% CI = 0.68-0.80)] and genetic studies [aOR = 0.63 (95% CI = 0.56-0.71)], respectively.

Conclusion: Despite previous research demonstrating that black and Hispanic MindCrowd participants were more willing to be contacted for future research than white participants, findings from this study suggest hesitancy to consent to online cognitive aging research and genetic testing. A more intentional approach may be necessary to retain MindCrowd participants from underrepresented communities in cognitive research studies.

Background: Over the last 20 years, the USA has seen a significant population migration into moderate elevation locations (defined as elevations 1,800-2,500 m for the purposes of this review). While considerable research has investigated how chronic diseases are impacted on acute ascent to high altitude, little research has examined how residing at high altitude impacts longer term health including risk of various disease states and long-term morbidity, with even fewer studies examining moderate altitude specifically.

Summary: This review investigated how living at moderate elevation impacts seven different disease states/health issues pertinent to the aging individual. Overall, this review reveals a limited literature in this field, though with interesting findings that warrant the need for further studies. While limited studies have documented a potential protective effect of moderate altitude on ischemic heart disease and obesity prevalence, current evidence suggests worse outcomes for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, possibly increased rates of pulmonary hypertension and low birth weight (which increases risk of chronic diseases later in life), negative impacts on sleep, and increased association with risk of mental health issues including suicide.

Key messages: Residing at moderate altitude appears to be beneficial for some disease states but detrimental to others. Further research is needed to solidify these associations, particularly for aging populations, and more importantly to understand the mechanisms that might explain these associations. Understanding the role of mild hypoxia in health resulting from living at moderate altitudes guides improved care delivery and the design of public health interventions.

Introduction: Objectives of this study were to assess the correlation between serum levels of DAO (diamine oxidase), LPS (lipopolysaccharide), I-FABP (intestinal fatty acid binding protein), and zonulin with primary sarcopenia in elderly patients and to compare the diagnostic performance of these biomarkers with the SARC-F score.

Methods: The study included 88 patients aged 65 and above. Comorbidities and geriatric syndromes were assessed, and those with secondary sarcopenia were excluded. The EWGSOP2 criteria were applied for diagnosing sarcopenia, while the SARC-F questionnaire was utilized to identify individuals at risk of sarcopenia. Serum levels of DAO, zonulin, LPS, and I-FABP were measured using ELISA.

Results: No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding age and gender. SARC-F, serum DAO, and zonulin concentrations were notably higher in the sarcopenia group than in the non-sarcopenia group (p < 0.001). Statistically significant parameters were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression. In stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis, both DAO and zonulin scores were found to be associated with sarcopenia (odds ratio [OR] 1.041, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.020-1.063, p < 0.001; OR 1.108, 95% CI: 1.018-1.206, p = 0.018, subsequently). ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve for DAO, zonulin, and SARC-F was 0.807 (p < 0.001), 0.723 (p < 0.001), and 0.943 (p < 0.001), subsequently. The Spearman correlation test revealed a significant, low correlation between serum zonulin and the SARC-F score (r = 0.3583, p = 0.0006) and a moderate correlation between serum DAO and the SARC-F score (r = 0.4384, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: This study is the first to show a connection between primary sarcopenia and intestinal barrier dysfunction. While the findings support the use of the SARC-F questionnaire in routine practice, serum levels of DAO and zonulin could serve as an alternative when the SARC-F questionnaire is not applicable.

Background: Mitochondrial integrity and efficiency deteriorate with age and are linked to cellular senescence. Mitochondria are highly responsive to reduced oxygen availability (hypoxia), which, e.g., occurs when exposed to altitude. We hypothesize that mitochondria are involved in the observed health benefits at moderate altitude. Because the experimental evidence on mitochondrial changes at moderate altitude is limited, we also evaluate dose-response associations of oxygen transport and mitochondrial functions derived from measurements at normoxia and severe hypoxia.

Summary: We summarize the effects of environmental oxygen availability and changes in cellular oxygen demand/supply on mitochondrial functions and assess, how this may influence aging. Hypotheses are presented how mild hypoxia at moderate altitude (1,000-2,500 m) could improve mitochondrial function and possibly explain the reported lower levels of mortality from several age-related diseases.

Key messages: It is unknown, whether continuous or intermittent types of hypoxia exposure are more effective in improving mitochondrial functions and promoting healthy aging. The combination of tissue-specific oxygen demand (e.g., during physical exercise) with mild reductions of ambient oxygen availability may enable the reported health benefits associated with moderate altitude residence.

Background: Comprehensive "senior-friendly hospital" (SFH)-programs have been developed to counteract negative health outcomes in hospitalized older adults. The aim of this narrative review was to provide an overview of published SFH-programs and their elements and to summarize evidence of their effect on quality of care and patient satisfaction.

Summary: A search of the databases Pubmed/Medline from inception to July 2023 and of governmental, regional, and hospital websites was performed. Programs were earmarked as SFH-programs if they primarily focused on the hospital setting, and comprised a hospital wide, multilevel approach and consisted of multiple elements. Articles and reports were included if participants were hospitalized and aged 60 years and older, and described the effect on quality of care or patient satisfaction. Articles focusing on specific patient groups or wards or on a health system or network were excluded. Ten SFH-programs were identified, with mutual elements like "organizational support," "social climate and services," "processes of care," and "physical environment." Only for the "Acute Care for Elders" program (USA), evidence was found showing positive effects on functional abilities, falls, delirium, length of stay, and patient satisfaction; effectiveness of other SFH-programs could not be found.

Key message: Elements of SFH-programs may improve care for hospitalized older adults, but the evidence of their effectiveness is scarce.

Background: Comprehensive "senior-friendly hospital" (SFH)-programs have been developed to counteract negative health outcomes in hospitalized older adults. The aim of this narrative review was to provide an overview of published SFH-programs and their elements and to summarize evidence of their effect on quality of care and patient satisfaction.

Summary: A search of the databases Pubmed/Medline from inception to July 2023 and of governmental, regional, and hospital websites was performed. Programs were earmarked as SFH-programs if they primarily focused on the hospital setting, and comprised a hospital wide, multilevel approach and consisted of multiple elements. Articles and reports were included if participants were hospitalized and aged 60 years and older, and described the effect on quality of care or patient satisfaction. Articles focusing on specific patient groups or wards or on a health system or network were excluded. Ten SFH-programs were identified, with mutual elements like "organizational support," "social climate and services," "processes of care," and "physical environment." Only for the "Acute Care for Elders" program (USA), evidence was found showing positive effects on functional abilities, falls, delirium, length of stay, and patient satisfaction; effectiveness of other SFH-programs could not be found.

Key message: Elements of SFH-programs ma