A. Di Iorio

Measuring muscular strength of the lower limbs by hand-held dynamometer: A standard protocol

The aim of this study is to describe the reliability of measuring maximal strength of eight muscle groups of the lower limb by a handheld dynamometer, according to a standard assessment protocol. The study population consisted of 26 patients (14 males and 12 females; age range 60–90 years) admitted to a geriatric hospital. Multiple assessments of muscle strength by two different examiners were compared to estimate test-retest and inter-rater reliability. The range of strength evaluated across the eight muscle groups was 2.1–29.8 Kg/force. Overall, short-term (same day) and long-term (one week apart) test-retest and inter-rater reliability were very high, with 60% of the intraclass correlation coefficient values above 0.8, and the majority above 0.7. No significant differences in strength were found comparing the left and the right side of each muscle group. Differences between values collected in the same subject by two different examiners, and by the same examiner at different points in time were similar, not influenced by the average strength of the muscle group, and significantly larger for long-term than for short-term comparisons. By using a standardized measurement protocol, reliable measurements of muscle strength can be obtained by a hand-held dynamometer in frail older persons.

Apoptosis in the homeostasis of the immune system and in human immune mediated diseases.

The immune system has evolved sophisticated mechanisms controlling the development of responses to dangerous antigens while avoiding unnecessary attacks to innocuous, commensal or self antigens. The risk of autoimmunity is continuously checked and balanced against the risk of succumbing to exogenous infectious agents. It is therefore of paramount importance to understand the molecular events linking the breakdown of tolerance and the development of immunodeficiency. Apoptotic mechanisms are used to regulate the development of thymocytes, the shaping of T cell repertoire, its selection and the coordinate events leading to immune responses in the periphery. Moreover, they are at the heart of the homeostatic controls restoring T cell numbers and establishing T cell memory. T lymphocytes shift continuously from survival to death signals to ensure immune responsiveness without incurring in autoimmune damage. In this review we shall consider some key facts on the relationship of lymphopenia to autoreactivity, the mechanisms controlling positive and negative selection in the thymus, the role of apoptosis in selected primary immunodeficiency states and in systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity, with examples from human diseases and their animal models.

Dietary antioxidants as potential pharmacological agents for ischemic stroke.

Acute ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and severe disability in industrialised countries and also in many developing countries. An excessive amount of free radicals is generated during cerebral ischemia, which significantly contributes to brain damage. Therefore, an increasing interest has been devoted to the potential benefits of antioxidant compounds in ischemic stroke patients. In this review, we examined the most relevant observational studies concerning the relationship between dietary antioxidants and ischemic stroke as well as clinical trials investigating the effects of single or multiple antioxidant supplementation in the prevention or treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Furthermore, we reviewed the most promising antioxidant compounds, i.e. dehydroascorbic acid, alpha-tocotrienol, gamma-tocopherol, flavonoids, resveratrol and gingko biloba, tested in animal models of acute ischemic stroke. Finally, we carefully evaluated the reasons for the discrepancy between experimental and clinical studies, and provided recommendations to improve the translation of the results obtained in animal models to patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Frailty of older age: the role of the endocrine--immune interaction.

The so-called demographic transition has changed the age structure of the population worldwide, with profound effects on societal organization. The growing number and percentage of old and very old people has compelled the scientific community to focus on age related diseases and peculiar consequences of aging itself such as disability and frailty. Understanding the pathophysiology of frailty, a syndrome characterized by a reduced functional reserve and impaired adaptive capacity that results from cumulative declines of multiple subsystems, and causes increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes, is a major topic in aging research. Aging processes induce multiple changes in the hormones network (menopause, andropause, somatopause and adrenopause), in the immune system, and can modulate their efficiency and effectiveness in determining a response to stressors. These triggering events can unmask frailty in older people. Starting from these assumptions, we analyzed the relationship of the endocrine and immune networks in aging and in the different domains that are characteristically associated with the frailty syndrome, such as disability and sarcopenia, as well as in diseases related to aging such as Alzheimers dementia and Congestive Heart Failure.

CHARACTERISTICS OF GERIATRIC PATIENTS RELATED TO EARLY AND LATE READMISSIONS TO HOSPITAL

The aim of the study was to evaluate which characteristics of geriatric patients account for readmission to hospital, 6 months after discharge. All patients (203 females, 176 males) consecutively admitted over a two-month period to four acute geriatric care units, located in the cities of Chieti, Perugia, Pescara and Prato, participated in the study. Data that could potentially explain early and late readmissions were collected for each patient. Prevalence of diseases and comorbidity were assessed with the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS); physical function by self-report (ADL, IADL) and objective (Stand and Walking Speed) measures; cognitive level by MMSE; and depressive symptoms by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Information on family and social support were also obtained. After discharge, data on hospital readmissions were collected for six months. For each readmitted patient (cases), medical records were reviewed, and supplementary information was obtained from families and general practitioners. Readmissions were classified as “early” (within the first three months), “late” (within the third and sixth month), and “multiple” (2 or more readmissions irrespective of the period). Patients not readmitted (alive at home) were considered as controls. Systematic differences between centers and between periods of readmissions were evaluated using one-way analyses of variance, and Pearson’s ?2 test. Factors related to early, late, and multiple readmission were identified in multivariate logistic regression models. On univariate analysis, patients readmitted over the first three-month period were sicker than controls (CIRS classes 3–4: 52.1% vs 34.1%), had more social problems or behavioral symptoms, and were more functionally impaired (ADL dependencies 3.3±0.4 vs 2.1±0.2). Patients who were readmitted between the third and the sixth month after discharge had a significantly higher CIRS total score (p=0.006). Patients with multiple readmissions had more severe diseases, and more social problems. On multivariate analysis, early readmission was associated with unsatisfactory social conditions, living alone, severity of diseases and cognitive impairment, while late readmission was associated with comorbidity only. Multiple readmissions were related only to social factors, and to hospital admission before the baseline evaluation. The findings of this study suggest that interventions aimed at improving unfavorable social conditions may reduce the rate of rehospitalization in geriatric patients.

Silent lacunar infarcts in elderly patients with chronic non valvular atrial fibrillation

It is still debated whether non valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) may be responsible for ‘silent’ lacunar lesions. The aims of our study were to compare the prevalence of subcortical lacunar infarctions in highly selected elderly subjects with or without NVAF, and to investigate the possible relationship of such lesions to the impairment in cognitive and physical functions. Thirty-eight patients with NVAF (mean age 80.6 years) were compared with 40 patients in sinus rhythm (mean age 80.4 years). Exclusion criteria were previous stroke or transient ischemic attacks, significant lesions of extracranial arteries, and any previous disease leading to cognitive impairment or potentially interfering with cognitive functions. A cranial computed tomogram was performed in every case, and the number of lacunae was recorded. Cognitive status and mood were assessed by means of Mini Mental Status Examination and the Geriatric Depression Scale, respectively. The number of impaired basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL e IADL) was also recorded. A significantly higher percentage of patients with lacunar lesions was detected in the NVAF group. The MMS score was lower in these patients, but did not reach significant levels. In univariate analysis, the presence of lacunae was found to be significantly associated with age, systolic blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, but, in a multiple logistic regression model, only age and atrial fibrillation retained a significant association. Similarly, in univariate analysis, a low MMS score was found to be related to age, systolic blood pressure, leukoaraiosis and both the presence and the number of lacunar lesions. In multivariate analysis, only age and the number of lacunae were significantly associated with a low MMS. It is concluded that in elderly patients NVAF is associated with subcortical ischemic lesions which may contribute to the impairment of cognitive function.

Factors related to the length of in-hospital stay of geriatric patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate factors predicting length of stay in hospital of geriatric patients. Study participants were 402 patients (183 males and 219 females) consecutively admitted to four geriatric wards located in Chieti, Perugia, Pescara and Prato, Italy. Information on potential predictors of length of stay was collected; in particular, we assessed the presence and severity of specific chronic medical conditions, level of physical function, cognitive status, and depressive symptoms. Moreover, information on family and social support was obtained. In general, participants were old, often cognitively impaired and physically disabled. Average length of stay ranged from 9.4±3.3 days (Perugia) to 14.1±7.2 days (Chieti), and was statistically different across centers (p<0.001). None of the specific medical diagnoses was associated with different length of stay. However, higher comorbidity score (p<0.001), living alone (p<0.01), lower MMSE score (p=0.03), and poor functional status (p=0.05) were all associated with longer length of stay. When these variables were included in a multivariate model predicting length of stay, differences between centers were no longer statistically significant. Findings of this study show that specific medical diagnoses are not adequate instruments to estimate length of stay in geriatric units. Other assessment systems based on extension of the social network, comorbidity, and the cognitive as well as the functional level need to be developed.

Are vascular factors involved in Alzheimer’s disease? Facts and theories

The hypothesis that vascular factors may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is supported by epidemiologic and pathologic observations. Arterial hypertension and diabetes have been found to be associated not only with vascular dementia, but also with AD; in addition, the treatment of hypertension with calcium antagonists seems to prevent degenerative dementias. Hypertension and hyperinsulinemia favor the deposition of amyloid substance in the brain. The histopathology of AD is marked not only by neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, but also by macro and micro congophilic angiopathy and ischemic white matter rarefaction. The specific AD pathological lesions, if isolated, are not able to lead to an evident clinical picture of dementia, which, on the contrary, becomes evident when vascular, mainly subcortical, lesions are associated. These and other observations suggest that vascular factors may have a role in the development of AD. An aggressive approach to these factors could be of value in the prevention of AD.

Autonomic nervous activity in elderly dipper and non-dipper patients with essential hypertension

The pathogenetic mechanisms of the blunted nocturnal fall in blood pressure, frequently observed in elderly patients with essential hypertension, are unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the autonomic nervous system in elderly dipper and non-dipper hypertensive subjects. The study group consisted of twelve non-dipper and twelve dipper hypertensive patients (mean age 77.7 and 73.8 years, respectively). Non-dippers were defined as subjects whose nocturnal fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP), evaluated by means of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring, was less than 10% of diurnal SBP. All the patients underwent the following cardiovascular tests to explore autonomic function: Tilt Table, Valsalva Maneuver, Deep Breathing, Cough. The tests were performed under standard conditions, and heart rate and blood pressure were continuously recorded. Valsalva ratio (VR), Expiration/Inspiration Ratio (E/IR) and Cough Test Ratio (CTR) were calculated. Mann Whitney’s and χ2 tests were used for comparison between groups. Relationships were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Non-dipper hypertensive subjects showed significantly lower scores in VR (11.1±0.08 vs 1.28±0.14), E/IR (1.11±0.07 vs 1.21±0.10), and CTR (1.07±0.02 vs 1.15±0.07). During the tilt test, a significant decrease in SBP and a late increase in heart rate were observed in non-dippers. The day-night difference in SBP was significantly related to VR, CTR and maximal SBP drop during tilting. The findings confirm that non-dippers show an impairment in autonomic nervous drive, which is characterized mainly by decreased parasympathetic activity. These observations may explain the increase in cardiovascular risk in nondippers.

Impact of the earthquake of September 26, 1997 in Umbria, Italy on the socioenvironmental and psychophysical conditions of an elderly population

The consequences of natural disasters on the social and health status of older people have not been deeply considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the socioenvironmental and psychophysical conditions of an elderly population after a devastating earthquake. A randomly se-lected group of 332 older people (≥64 years) was selected among 1548 eligible subjects living in the city of Nocera Umbra four months after an earthquake of 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale. Three geriatricians evaluated the study subjects by means of a structured interview, and standardized scales, which considered physical and mental status, mood and anxiety, and self-perception of well-being, as well as the characteristics of family composition and social interactions. Of the study subjects, 11.1% lived alone, and 33.4% with the spouse only. Most were self-sufficient in the basic activities of daily life. Musculoskeletal diseases and hypertension were the most frequently observed pathologies in this geriatric population. In addition, 47.9% of the subjects lived in temporary houses; this group more frequently suffered from hypertension, and had a higher score of comorbidity as measured by Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) compared to people who remained at home. People living in the pre-fabricated huts also showed a higher score on the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Hamilton scale for anxiety, and complained more often of their health status, evaluated as self-perception of well-being, when compared to the home dwellers. Although all the studied subjects suffered from the discomforts caused by the earthquake, the precariousness of living in temporary houses, whose structural characteristics do not take the needs of elderly subjects into account, could justify the higher distress experienced by persons housed in the huts. These observations suggest that, after natural disasters, emergency programs should be more adapted to elderly people, whose needs and expectations are often different from those of young adults.