Adil A. Abbasi

Observations on the Prevalence of Protein-Calorie Undernutrition in VA Nursing Homes

To determine the prevalence of underweight and hypoalbuminemia in Veterans Affairs nursing home residents and the frequency with which physicians, nurses, and dieticians documented their awareness of the presence of underweight and hypoalbuminemia.

Low Circulating Levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factors and Testosterone in Chronically Institutionalized Elderly Men

Objective: To determine the prevalences of and the associations between hyposomatomedinemia and hypogonadism in healthy young men, healthy old men, and chronically institutionalized old men.

Association of Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, Body Composition, and Physical Fitness in Independent Community-Dwelling Older Men and Women

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), body composition, and physical fitness in independent community‐dwelling men and women aged 60 to 80 years.

Predictors of Lean Body Mass and Total Adipose Mass in Community-Dwelling Elderly Men and Women

As part of an ongoing longitudinal study, we analyzed cross-sectional data to identify the predictors of lean body mass (LBM) and total adipose mass (TAM) in community-dwelling elderly men and women. Body composition analysis was done using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. A total 262 subjects (118 women and 144 men), 60 to 80 years of age, from the urban and suburban communities of southeastern Wisconsin were studied. In women, the age (r = -.18), body mass index (BMI) (r = .43), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (r = .30), and in men, BMI (r = .45) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (r = .32) were identified as predictors (P < .05) of LBM. In women, the BMI (r = .87), WHR (r = .21), and functional work capacity (VO2 max) (r = -.47), and in men, the BMI (r = .83), WHR (r = .52), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) (r = -.27), total testosterone (TT) (r = -.35), free testosterone (FT) (r = -.23), physical activity (LTE) (r = -.32), and VO2 peak (r = -.59) were identified as predictors of TAM. After partialling out age in addition to the predictors identified earlier, the VO2 peak was identified as a predictor (P < .05) of LBM in both women and men, and TT, FT, and LTE as predictors (P < .05) of LBM in men. We conclude that the BMI, WHR, and VO2 peak influences LBM and TAM in both women and men. Additionally, in men LBM and TAM is influenced by hormone profile.

Easily Measurable Adverse Outcome Indicators in a Veterans Affairs Nursing Home

Indicator data were collected from October 1986 through April 1987 for 356 residents of the nursing home at the North Chicago, Illinois, Veterans Administration Medical Center. Measures of prevalence, incidence, and rates of change were studied for 17 adverse outcome indicators of four main types: death, undernutrition, skin breakdown, and loss of activities of daily living (eating, mobility, transfer, and toileting). Indicator values can be calculated from data routinely collected for administrative and other clinical purposes and can be used to help nursing home administrators monitor trends in the physical status of residents and to establish and track compliance with quality assurance goals.

Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Serum Testosterone Status of Elderly Men in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit

This study was designed to estimate the prevalence of hyposomatomedinemia and hypogonadism in an inpatient rehabilitation unit. The authors studied healthy young men (HOM) ages 20-29 years (n=33); healthy old men (HOM) ages 59-98 years (n=27), and elderly men in an inpatient rehabilitation unit (ERM) ages 58-95 years (n=42). Serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), total testosterone (TT), and free testosterone (FT) were measured. A low IGF-I level (below the lower 2.5 percentile of HYM) occurred in 85% of the HOM and in 62.5% of the ERM. When a low IGF-I was defined as a value below the 2.5 percentile of the HOM, the prevalence in ERM was 6.2%. A low TT level (below the lower 2.5 percentile of the HOM) occurred in 78% of the HOM and in 90% of the ERM. Low TT, defined as a value below the lower 2.5 percentile of the HOM, occurred in 22% of the ERM. The results with FT were similar. In neither HOM nor ERM was IGF-I significantly correlated to TT and FT. A large percentage of HOM and ERM have severe hypogonadism (TT<193 ng/mL) as compared with HOM. The ERM had a higher prevalence of severe hypogonadism as compared with the HOM.

Delayed Plasma Clearance of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine in Elderly Men

The plasma levels of 17 amino acids were measured in three groups of men: healthy young men, healthy elderly men, and demented tube‐fed elderly men living in a nursing home, prior to, and again 2, 4, and 6 hours after the consumption of a standard protein‐containing meal. The standard meal provided per kilogram of body weight 8.3 calories, 0.33 grams of protein, 0.90 grams of carbohydrate, and 0.37 grams of fat.

Zink: Pathophysiologische Effekte, Mangelzustände und Wirkungen einer Supplementierung bei älteren Personen – ein Forschungsüberblick*

Summary Zinc is an essential micronutrient. Several studies have shown that zinc deficiency is common in older people. Zinc has been extensively studied with regard to its role in wound healing, infections, immune system, cardiovascular disease, and several other medical conditions. Several investigators have published intervention studies using zinc supplements in older people with favorable outcomes. This paper will briefly review the pathophysicologic effects of zinc, nutritional deficiency, and effects of zinc supplementation in older people.Zusammenfassung Zink ist ein essentieller Nährstoff. Verschiedene Studien haben gezeigt, daß Zinkmangel bei älteren Personen häufig vorkommt. Die Bedeutung von Zink für die Wundheilung, Infektionen, das Immunsystem, kardiovaskuläre Erkrankungen und verschiedene andere Zustände ist ausgiebig untersucht worden. Verschiedene Forscher haben Interventionsstudien mit Zink-Supplementen bei älteren Personen mit günstigen Resultaten veröffentlicht. Diese Arbeit soll einen kurzen Überblick über die pathophysiologischen Effekte von Zink, Zink-Mangelzustände und Wirkungen einer Zink-Supplementierung bei älteren Personen geben.

Zinc: pathophysiologic effects, nutritional deficiency, and effects of supplementation in older people — a review

Zinc is an essential micronutrient. Several studies have shown that zinc deficiency is common in older people. Zinc has been extensively studied with regard to its role in wound healing, infections, immune system, cardiovascular disease, and several other medical conditions. Several investigators have published intervention studies using zinc supplements in older people with favorable outcomes. This paper will briefly review the pathophysicologic effects of zinc, nutritional deficiency, and effects of zinc supplementation in older people.