Pub Date : 2012-01-19DOI: 10.2174/1874827901205010001
S. Ito, N. Nishio, K. Isobe
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Although � -amyloid peptide (A� ) has been considered major cause of Alzheimer pathology, molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease development of Alzheimer have not been clarified yet. Presently Ahas been considered to induce neural cell death by direct penetration of aggregated form or indirect cell death by inflammatory responses induced by A� -activated microglia. In order to understand Ainduced microglial activation, we searched the proteins which bind to Ain activated microglial cell line. We stimulated Ra2 microglial cell line with A� . Activated Ra2 cells were immunoprecipitated with anti- Aand run the gel. Membrane was silver stained and bands were cut and digested with enzyme. They were analyzed by LC/MS/MS. We found that several proteins including myosin 9 and actin bound to A� . By the addition of A� , actin binding was enhanced and other proteins including IQGAP1, Plectin strongly bound to A� . These results indicate that Abinds to the proteins belonging to cellular cytoskeletal system.
{"title":"Analysis of β-Amyloid Peptide -Binding Proteins in Microglial Cell","authors":"S. Ito, N. Nishio, K. Isobe","doi":"10.2174/1874827901205010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827901205010001","url":null,"abstract":"Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Although � -amyloid peptide (A� ) has been considered major cause of Alzheimer pathology, molecular and cellular mechanisms of the disease development of Alzheimer have not been clarified yet. Presently Ahas been considered to induce neural cell death by direct penetration of aggregated form or indirect cell death by inflammatory responses induced by A� -activated microglia. In order to understand Ainduced microglial activation, we searched the proteins which bind to Ain activated microglial cell line. We stimulated Ra2 microglial cell line with A� . Activated Ra2 cells were immunoprecipitated with anti- Aand run the gel. Membrane was silver stained and bands were cut and digested with enzyme. They were analyzed by LC/MS/MS. We found that several proteins including myosin 9 and actin bound to A� . By the addition of A� , actin binding was enhanced and other proteins including IQGAP1, Plectin strongly bound to A� . These results indicate that Abinds to the proteins belonging to cellular cytoskeletal system.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"50 1","pages":"1-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2012-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68092029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-07-04DOI: 10.2174/1874827901104010006
U. Jakobsson
The aim was to study the construct validity for the 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale among people aged 75+. This study comprised 1753 people aged 76-102 years. Construct validity was measured in terms of the instrument's factor structure as well as discriminant and convergent validity. The result revealed that the instrument failed to show acceptable construct validity in any of the tests or in any age group. The correlation analyses exhibited no clear pattern that could be interpreted as evidence of acceptable construct validity, and the result of the factor analyses did not support the factor structure proposed by Antonovsky. However, this does not necessarily mean that the theoretical concept is invalid, but that this version of the instrument may not be representative of the Sense of Coherence theory.
{"title":"Testing Construct Validity of the 13-Item Sense of Coherence Scale in a Sample of Older People","authors":"U. Jakobsson","doi":"10.2174/1874827901104010006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827901104010006","url":null,"abstract":"The aim was to study the construct validity for the 13-item Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale among people aged 75+. This study comprised 1753 people aged 76-102 years. Construct validity was measured in terms of the instrument's factor structure as well as discriminant and convergent validity. The result revealed that the instrument failed to show acceptable construct validity in any of the tests or in any age group. The correlation analyses exhibited no clear pattern that could be interpreted as evidence of acceptable construct validity, and the result of the factor analyses did not support the factor structure proposed by Antonovsky. However, this does not necessarily mean that the theoretical concept is invalid, but that this version of the instrument may not be representative of the Sense of Coherence theory.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"4 1","pages":"6-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2011-03-24DOI: 10.2174/1874827901104010001
A. Gonçalves, Yara Regina Bianchini Ávalos, E. Chen, Bianca Borsatto-Galera, R. D. Lábio, S. Payão, M. Arruda, T. Sandoval
Objective: We aimed to investigate whether rRNA 28S/18S levels decrease with aging in Down Syndrome (DS) individuals and whether these decreased levels are tissue-specific. Methods: We investigated mature rRNA 28S/18S levels by Northern Blotting in blood cells from 21 younger and 21 older DS individuals in comparison to 42 age-sex-matched controls. We also investigated these levels in oral mucosa and in blood cells from the same DS individuals. Results: All DS subjects showed no clinical signs of dementia at the time of the study. We did not detect differences in rRNA 28S/18S levels among DS and control groups concerning either aging process or cell types. Conclusions: Aging process in DS individuals was not characterized by reduced rDNA transcriptional activity and did not indicate a preclinical marker of AD in older DS subjects.
{"title":"Ribosomal Genes Activity in Aged Down Syndrome Subjects","authors":"A. Gonçalves, Yara Regina Bianchini Ávalos, E. Chen, Bianca Borsatto-Galera, R. D. Lábio, S. Payão, M. Arruda, T. Sandoval","doi":"10.2174/1874827901104010001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827901104010001","url":null,"abstract":"Objective: We aimed to investigate whether rRNA 28S/18S levels decrease with aging in Down Syndrome (DS) individuals and whether these decreased levels are tissue-specific. Methods: We investigated mature rRNA 28S/18S levels by Northern Blotting in blood cells from 21 younger and 21 older DS individuals in comparison to 42 age-sex-matched controls. We also investigated these levels in oral mucosa and in blood cells from the same DS individuals. Results: All DS subjects showed no clinical signs of dementia at the time of the study. We did not detect differences in rRNA 28S/18S levels among DS and control groups concerning either aging process or cell types. Conclusions: Aging process in DS individuals was not characterized by reduced rDNA transcriptional activity and did not indicate a preclinical marker of AD in older DS subjects.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"65 1","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2011-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-07-06DOI: 10.2174/1874827901003010017
N. Nishio, S. Ito, Haruhiko Suzuki, Y. Okawa, K. Isobe
Wound healing succeeds tissue destruction. We hypothesized that antibodies might bind to wounded tissues, which would facilitate the engulfment of damaged tissues by macrophages. We detected the autoantibodies in sera of different ages of mice, which bind to wounded tissues. We detected IgG1 binding to wounded tissues by using FITC- labeled anti-IgG1 in C57BL/6 mice. These bands were highest in 4 months old C57BL/6 mice. The sera taken from 2 months and 20 months old mice also bound to wounded tissues, although the bands were weaker than those of 4 months old mice. We also examined the autoreactive IgM binding to wounded tissues. We could detect relatively strong bands even in 2 M old mice. The pattern of these bands was changed by advancing age. Intensity of IgM bands was not decreased by advancing age. The splenectomy reduced the intensity of IgG1 bands especially in 4 months old mice. Although we observed the slight delay of wound repair by splenectomy in 2 M and 20 M old mice, we observed that wound repair was strongly delayed in 4 M old mice. Serum from any age of mice enhanced the macrophage phagocytosis by opsonization. Serum taken from splenectomized mice decreased the opsonizing capacity only at 4 M.
{"title":"Effect of Aging on Auto-Antibodies to Wounded Tissues~!2010-03-17~!2010-04-30~!2010-06-17~!","authors":"N. Nishio, S. Ito, Haruhiko Suzuki, Y. Okawa, K. Isobe","doi":"10.2174/1874827901003010017","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827901003010017","url":null,"abstract":"Wound healing succeeds tissue destruction. We hypothesized that antibodies might bind to wounded tissues, which would facilitate the engulfment of damaged tissues by macrophages. We detected the autoantibodies in sera of different ages of mice, which bind to wounded tissues. We detected IgG1 binding to wounded tissues by using FITC- labeled anti-IgG1 in C57BL/6 mice. These bands were highest in 4 months old C57BL/6 mice. The sera taken from 2 months and 20 months old mice also bound to wounded tissues, although the bands were weaker than those of 4 months old mice. We also examined the autoreactive IgM binding to wounded tissues. We could detect relatively strong bands even in 2 M old mice. The pattern of these bands was changed by advancing age. Intensity of IgM bands was not decreased by advancing age. The splenectomy reduced the intensity of IgG1 bands especially in 4 months old mice. Although we observed the slight delay of wound repair by splenectomy in 2 M and 20 M old mice, we observed that wound repair was strongly delayed in 4 M old mice. Serum from any age of mice enhanced the macrophage phagocytosis by opsonization. Serum taken from splenectomized mice decreased the opsonizing capacity only at 4 M.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"3 1","pages":"17-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2010-01-28DOI: 10.2174/1874827901003010001
Robert M Chapman, Mark Mapstone, John W McCrary, Margaret N Gardner, Laura E Bachus, Elizabeth Degrush, Lindsey A Reilly, Tiffany C Sandoval, Maria D Guillily
The aim of this research was to assess similarity in cognitive factor structures underlying neuropsychological test performance of elders belonging to three clinical groups: Alzheimer's disease (AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and normal elderly. We administered a battery of neuropsychological tests to 214 elderly participants in the groups. First, the underlying cognitive structure of a Combined-Set of AD, MCI, and Control subjects was determined by Principal Components Analysis (PCA), including quantitative relationships (loadings) between the test measures and the factors. The PCA resolved 17 neuropsychological test measures into 6 interpretable factors, accounting for 78% of the variance. This cognitive structure was compared with separate cognitive structures from an AD-Set, an MCI-Set, and a Control-Set (different individuals in each set) in additional PCA using Procrustes factor rotation. Analysis of congruence coefficients between each set and the Combined-Set by a bootstrapping statistical procedure supported the factor invariance hypothesis. These close similarities across groups in their underlying neuropsychological dimensions support the use of a common metric system (the factor structure of a Combined-Set) for measuring neuropsychological factors in all these elderly individuals.
{"title":"Cognitive Dimensions in Alzheimer's Disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Normal Elderly: Developing a Common Metric.","authors":"Robert M Chapman, Mark Mapstone, John W McCrary, Margaret N Gardner, Laura E Bachus, Elizabeth Degrush, Lindsey A Reilly, Tiffany C Sandoval, Maria D Guillily","doi":"10.2174/1874827901003010001","DOIUrl":"10.2174/1874827901003010001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The aim of this research was to assess similarity in cognitive factor structures underlying neuropsychological test performance of elders belonging to three clinical groups: Alzheimer's disease (AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and normal elderly. We administered a battery of neuropsychological tests to 214 elderly participants in the groups. First, the underlying cognitive structure of a Combined-Set of AD, MCI, and Control subjects was determined by Principal Components Analysis (PCA), including quantitative relationships (loadings) between the test measures and the factors. The PCA resolved 17 neuropsychological test measures into 6 interpretable factors, accounting for 78% of the variance. This cognitive structure was compared with separate cognitive structures from an AD-Set, an MCI-Set, and a Control-Set (different individuals in each set) in additional PCA using Procrustes factor rotation. Analysis of congruence coefficients between each set and the Combined-Set by a bootstrapping statistical procedure supported the factor invariance hypothesis. These close similarities across groups in their underlying neuropsychological dimensions support the use of a common metric system (the factor structure of a Combined-Set) for measuring neuropsychological factors in all these elderly individuals.</p>","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"3 10","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2010-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2922059/pdf/nihms188339.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"29193380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2009-11-06DOI: 10.2174/1874827900902010044
O. Bruyère, C. D. Cock, R. Deroisy, J. Reginster
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between change in bone mineral density (BMD) and change in health related quality of life (HRQoL) over a 3-year period, in patients without incident of osteoporotic fracture. Materials and Methods: Prior to the present study, two randomized controlled trials had been carried out to assess the efficacy of a new anti-osteoporotic drug. From the placebo group of those two trials, we selected for the present study 1838 osteoporotic postmenopausal women aged over 50 years, and followed their progress for a period of 3 years. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and the proximal femur by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Each patient received calcium and vitamin D supplements. HRQoL was assessed using 2 questionnaires: the generic tool Short Form 36 items (SF-36; including mental and physical components) and the specific Quality of Life Questionnaire in Osteoporosis (QUALIOST). Result: At baseline, after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), age, number of vertebral fractures and number of peripheral fractures, multivariate regression analysis showed a significant association between the lumbar BMD and the mental component of the SF-36 (p<0.001). However, the relationship was not significant with the global score of the QUALIOST (p=0.098) and the physical component of the SF-36 (p=0.051). Multivariate regressions did not show a significant relationship between HRQoL and proximal femur BMD at baseline. After 3 years of follow-up, multivariate regression analysis showed no significant association between change in lumbar BMD and the main HRQoL items (global score of the QUALIOST, physical and mental components of the SF-36; p between 0.437 and 0.942). No significant relationships were found between change in femoral BMD and change in the global score of the QUALIOST (p=0.088) or change in the mental component of the SF-36 (p=0.222). However, a significant positive association (p=0.031) appeared between change in the physical component of the SF-36 and femoral BMD change. Conclusion: In osteoporotic postmenopausal women receiving calcium and vitamin D, few relationships were found between BMD and HRQoL. However, these results were not strong enough to indicate a real clinically interesting relationship between HRQoL and BMD. Other studies would need to be performed to verify these results.
{"title":"Bone Mineral Density and Health Related Quality of Life: a 3-Year Follow-Up Study of Osteoporotic Postmenopausal Women","authors":"O. Bruyère, C. D. Cock, R. Deroisy, J. Reginster","doi":"10.2174/1874827900902010044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827900902010044","url":null,"abstract":"Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between change in bone mineral density (BMD) and change in health related quality of life (HRQoL) over a 3-year period, in patients without incident of osteoporotic fracture. Materials and Methods: Prior to the present study, two randomized controlled trials had been carried out to assess the efficacy of a new anti-osteoporotic drug. From the placebo group of those two trials, we selected for the present study 1838 osteoporotic postmenopausal women aged over 50 years, and followed their progress for a period of 3 years. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine and the proximal femur by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Each patient received calcium and vitamin D supplements. HRQoL was assessed using 2 questionnaires: the generic tool Short Form 36 items (SF-36; including mental and physical components) and the specific Quality of Life Questionnaire in Osteoporosis (QUALIOST). Result: At baseline, after adjustment for body mass index (BMI), age, number of vertebral fractures and number of peripheral fractures, multivariate regression analysis showed a significant association between the lumbar BMD and the mental component of the SF-36 (p<0.001). However, the relationship was not significant with the global score of the QUALIOST (p=0.098) and the physical component of the SF-36 (p=0.051). Multivariate regressions did not show a significant relationship between HRQoL and proximal femur BMD at baseline. After 3 years of follow-up, multivariate regression analysis showed no significant association between change in lumbar BMD and the main HRQoL items (global score of the QUALIOST, physical and mental components of the SF-36; p between 0.437 and 0.942). No significant relationships were found between change in femoral BMD and change in the global score of the QUALIOST (p=0.088) or change in the mental component of the SF-36 (p=0.222). However, a significant positive association (p=0.031) appeared between change in the physical component of the SF-36 and femoral BMD change. Conclusion: In osteoporotic postmenopausal women receiving calcium and vitamin D, few relationships were found between BMD and HRQoL. However, these results were not strong enough to indicate a real clinically interesting relationship between HRQoL and BMD. Other studies would need to be performed to verify these results.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"44-52"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2009-07-06DOI: 10.2174/1874827900902010034
P. Bourne, D. McGrowder, Tazhmoye V. Crawford
Population ageing in Jamaica follows a global trend where the number of persons aged 60 and over is increasing. This study investigated age-specific death rates, mortality sex ratio and health status of the elderly in Jamaica aged 55 years and over. The study utilized secondary data published by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica on mortality and secondary cross-sectional probability survey data were used to model poor health status in elderly residents. The findings revealed that there is increased life expectancy. In 2005, the age-specific mortality rate for elderly 75 years and older was 4.4 times more than that of the crude death rate for the population; 9.4 times more than that of age-specific death rate at ages 55 to 59 years and that disparity narrows at the elderly gets older. The mortality sex ratio revealed that between 115 to 120 males die for every 100 females. More men die between the ages of 55 and 75, than men 75 years and older. As Jamaicans become older than 55 years their poor health status significantly increased. Poor health status was accounted for significantly by hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and arthritis. Eight factors determine poor health status of elderly Jamaicans. Some of these factors are retirement income (OR = 1.461, 95%CI:1.001, 2.131); cost of medical care (OR = 1.144, 95%CI = 1.073, 1.220); area of residence (other towns - OR = 0.754, 95%CI = 0.597, 0.953); marital status (separated - OR = 1.901, 95%CI = 1.479, 2.445; married - OR = 1.406, 95%CI = 1.103, 1.792); education (secondary - OR = 1.206, 95%CI = 1.001, 1.451; tertiary level education - OR = 0.492, 95%CI = 0.281, 0.861), and number of men in household (OR = 0.987, 95%CI = 0.806, 0.998). This study provides valuable information about the mortality rates and health status of elderly residents in Jamaica. High mortality rates for avoidable and preventable diseases and potential years of life lost are major public health concerns, especially for regional healthcare providers.
{"title":"Decomposing Mortality Rates and Examining Health Status of the Elderly in Jamaica","authors":"P. Bourne, D. McGrowder, Tazhmoye V. Crawford","doi":"10.2174/1874827900902010034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827900902010034","url":null,"abstract":"Population ageing in Jamaica follows a global trend where the number of persons aged 60 and over is increasing. This study investigated age-specific death rates, mortality sex ratio and health status of the elderly in Jamaica aged 55 years and over. The study utilized secondary data published by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica on mortality and secondary cross-sectional probability survey data were used to model poor health status in elderly residents. The findings revealed that there is increased life expectancy. In 2005, the age-specific mortality rate for elderly 75 years and older was 4.4 times more than that of the crude death rate for the population; 9.4 times more than that of age-specific death rate at ages 55 to 59 years and that disparity narrows at the elderly gets older. The mortality sex ratio revealed that between 115 to 120 males die for every 100 females. More men die between the ages of 55 and 75, than men 75 years and older. As Jamaicans become older than 55 years their poor health status significantly increased. Poor health status was accounted for significantly by hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and arthritis. Eight factors determine poor health status of elderly Jamaicans. Some of these factors are retirement income (OR = 1.461, 95%CI:1.001, 2.131); cost of medical care (OR = 1.144, 95%CI = 1.073, 1.220); area of residence (other towns - OR = 0.754, 95%CI = 0.597, 0.953); marital status (separated - OR = 1.901, 95%CI = 1.479, 2.445; married - OR = 1.406, 95%CI = 1.103, 1.792); education (secondary - OR = 1.206, 95%CI = 1.001, 1.451; tertiary level education - OR = 0.492, 95%CI = 0.281, 0.861), and number of men in household (OR = 0.987, 95%CI = 0.806, 0.998). This study provides valuable information about the mortality rates and health status of elderly residents in Jamaica. High mortality rates for avoidable and preventable diseases and potential years of life lost are major public health concerns, especially for regional healthcare providers.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"34-43"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091910","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2009-06-18DOI: 10.2174/1874827900902010028
M. Innamorati, Antonino Tamburello, D. Lester, S. Rigucci, M. Amore, C. D. Vittorio, P. Girardi, R. Tatarelli, M. Pompili
Suicide among the elderly is a critical public health problem. Large socioeconomic inequalities are present in suicide mortality cases, but the association is complex and may be different for elderly men and women. Reducing these differences could significantly reduce the burden of excess mortality, at least in elderly men. The aim of the present paper is to review research concerning the socioeconomic risk factors associated with suicide in the elderly. It is noted that the association between suicide risk and socioeconomic factors is likely to be overestimated when the effect of psychiatric status is not considered.
{"title":"Socioeconomic Risk Factors in the Precipitation of Suicide in the Elderly","authors":"M. Innamorati, Antonino Tamburello, D. Lester, S. Rigucci, M. Amore, C. D. Vittorio, P. Girardi, R. Tatarelli, M. Pompili","doi":"10.2174/1874827900902010028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827900902010028","url":null,"abstract":"Suicide among the elderly is a critical public health problem. Large socioeconomic inequalities are present in suicide mortality cases, but the association is complex and may be different for elderly men and women. Reducing these differences could significantly reduce the burden of excess mortality, at least in elderly men. The aim of the present paper is to review research concerning the socioeconomic risk factors associated with suicide in the elderly. It is noted that the association between suicide risk and socioeconomic factors is likely to be overestimated when the effect of psychiatric status is not considered.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"28-33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68091898","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2009-05-29DOI: 10.2174/1874827900902010018
P. Bourne
The aim of the current study was to examine the good health status of older and oldest elderly Jamaicans as well as to determine predictors of this health status. A sub-sample of 1,069 respondents (42.4 percent men and 57.6 per- cent women) who indicated being 75 years and older were used for this study. This is extracted from a larger nationally cross-sectional survey of 25,018 respondents in 2002. The stratified multistage probability sampling technique was used to draw the survey respondents, which reflects the socio-demographic characteristic of the Jamaican population, and makes the sample generalizable on the population. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data from the sample; and the interviewers were trained to collect data. The data were entered, stored and retrieved in SPSS 16.0. De- scriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic characteristics of the sample; chi-square was used to investigate non-metric variables, and logistic regression was the multivariate technique chosen to determine predictors of good health status. Two factors were found to be statistically significant predictors of good health status of older and oldest elderly re- spondents. These were area of residence and sex of respondents. Older and oldest elderly men reported a greater good health status than old and oldest elderly women (OR = 1.410; 95% CI: 1.048-1.897). On the other hand, there was no sta- tistical difference between the self-reported diagnosed (chronic) recurring illness and age cohort of the sample. Rural older and oldest elderly respondents indicated the lowest good health status (OR = 1.00) compared to other residents (ur- ban: OR = 1.670; 95% CI: 1.071-2.606; and other town dwellers: OR = 1.847; 95% CI: 1.327-2.572). Good health of this age cohort is not influenced by income or social standing, and there is a need to examine lifestyle risk factors; disease in- dicators and psychological conditions, as this may provide more answers to the good health of Jamaicans 75 years and older. A quantitative assessment has provided us with answers, but it is clear from the findings that more information is needed on this age cohort. The researcher recommends the use of qualitative methodologies to provide in-depth under- standing of those factors that determine good health of this age cohort.
{"title":"Good Health Status of Older and Oldest Elderly in Jamaica: Are there Differences between Rural and Urban Areas?","authors":"P. Bourne","doi":"10.2174/1874827900902010018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827900902010018","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of the current study was to examine the good health status of older and oldest elderly Jamaicans as well as to determine predictors of this health status. A sub-sample of 1,069 respondents (42.4 percent men and 57.6 per- cent women) who indicated being 75 years and older were used for this study. This is extracted from a larger nationally cross-sectional survey of 25,018 respondents in 2002. The stratified multistage probability sampling technique was used to draw the survey respondents, which reflects the socio-demographic characteristic of the Jamaican population, and makes the sample generalizable on the population. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data from the sample; and the interviewers were trained to collect data. The data were entered, stored and retrieved in SPSS 16.0. De- scriptive statistics were used to examine the demographic characteristics of the sample; chi-square was used to investigate non-metric variables, and logistic regression was the multivariate technique chosen to determine predictors of good health status. Two factors were found to be statistically significant predictors of good health status of older and oldest elderly re- spondents. These were area of residence and sex of respondents. Older and oldest elderly men reported a greater good health status than old and oldest elderly women (OR = 1.410; 95% CI: 1.048-1.897). On the other hand, there was no sta- tistical difference between the self-reported diagnosed (chronic) recurring illness and age cohort of the sample. Rural older and oldest elderly respondents indicated the lowest good health status (OR = 1.00) compared to other residents (ur- ban: OR = 1.670; 95% CI: 1.071-2.606; and other town dwellers: OR = 1.847; 95% CI: 1.327-2.572). Good health of this age cohort is not influenced by income or social standing, and there is a need to examine lifestyle risk factors; disease in- dicators and psychological conditions, as this may provide more answers to the good health of Jamaicans 75 years and older. A quantitative assessment has provided us with answers, but it is clear from the findings that more information is needed on this age cohort. The researcher recommends the use of qualitative methodologies to provide in-depth under- standing of those factors that determine good health of this age cohort.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"18-27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68092386","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2009-03-19DOI: 10.2174/1874827900902010009
N. D. Morton, J. Keating
The aim of this study was to illustrate the potential for confounding when interpreting group mean data from systematic reviews for a heterogeneous participant population. A case report comparing the results obtained from a Coch- rane review and meta-analysis compared to an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was conducted. Participants were 396 older patients admitted to a general medical ward at two acute public hospitals. For the intervention group, an exercise program was provided for 20-30 minutes twice per day in addition to usual care. The control group received usual hospital care. The primary outcome measure was changed in Barthel Index scores between hospital admission and discharge. Meta-analysis of group mean data provided evidence that additional exercise for older medical patients does not significantly improve Barthel Index scores at hospital discharge (fixed effects model, 0.17 (-0.06 to 0.40) I 2 = 0%). Re- sults of IPD meta-analysis indicated that additional exercise significantly improved discharge Barthel Index scores for pa- tients who required assistance to ambulate at hospital admission (coefficient for group 5.4 (1.38 to 9.40), p=0.01) but not for those who were non ambulant or independently ambulant at hospital admission. This case report provides an example where performing meta-analysis using group mean data for heterogeneous populations can result in effective interventions being discarded.
{"title":"Different Meta-Analysis Methods, Different Answers: The Case of Exercise for Older Acute Medical Patients","authors":"N. D. Morton, J. Keating","doi":"10.2174/1874827900902010009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2174/1874827900902010009","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this study was to illustrate the potential for confounding when interpreting group mean data from systematic reviews for a heterogeneous participant population. A case report comparing the results obtained from a Coch- rane review and meta-analysis compared to an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis was conducted. Participants were 396 older patients admitted to a general medical ward at two acute public hospitals. For the intervention group, an exercise program was provided for 20-30 minutes twice per day in addition to usual care. The control group received usual hospital care. The primary outcome measure was changed in Barthel Index scores between hospital admission and discharge. Meta-analysis of group mean data provided evidence that additional exercise for older medical patients does not significantly improve Barthel Index scores at hospital discharge (fixed effects model, 0.17 (-0.06 to 0.40) I 2 = 0%). Re- sults of IPD meta-analysis indicated that additional exercise significantly improved discharge Barthel Index scores for pa- tients who required assistance to ambulate at hospital admission (coefficient for group 5.4 (1.38 to 9.40), p=0.01) but not for those who were non ambulant or independently ambulant at hospital admission. This case report provides an example where performing meta-analysis using group mean data for heterogeneous populations can result in effective interventions being discarded.","PeriodicalId":89035,"journal":{"name":"The open geriatric medicine journal","volume":"2 1","pages":"9-11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2009-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"68092338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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