Sophie Gillette

Improvement of Weight and Fat‐Free Mass with Oral Nutritional Supplementation in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease at Risk of Malnutrition: A Prospective Randomized Study

Objectives: To study the effects of oral nutritional supplements (OS) on body weight, body composition, nutritional status, and cognition in elderly patients with Alzheimers disease (AD).

Treatment Strategies for Sarcopenia and Frailty

Sarcopenia is the key feature of frailty in older people and a major determinant of adverse health outcomes such as functional limitations and disability. Resistance training and adequate protein and energy intake are the key strategies for the management of sarcopenia. Management of weight loss and resistance training are the most relevant protective countermeasures to slow down the decline of muscle mass and muscle strength. The quality of amino acids in the diet is an important factor for stimulating protein synthesis. Vitamin D deficiency should be treated, and new pharmacologic approaches for sarcopenia are currently assessed.

Methodological considerations in cost of illness studies on Alzheimer disease

Cost-of-illness studies (COI) can identify and measure all the costs of a particular disease, including the direct, indirect and intangible dimensions. They are intended to provide estimates about the economic impact of costly disease. Alzheimer disease (AD) is a relevant example to review cost of illness studies because of its costliness.The aim of this study was to review relevant published cost studies of AD to analyze the method used and to identify which dimension had to be improved from a methodological perspective. First, we described the key points of cost study methodology. Secondly, cost studies relating to AD were systematically reviewed, focussing on an analysis of the different methods used. The methodological choices of the studies were analysed using an analytical grid which contains the main methodological items of COI studies. Seventeen articles were retained. Depending on the studies, annual total costs per patient vary from

Dietary vitamin D intake and muscle mass in older women. Results from a cross-sectional analysis of the EPIDOS study

2,935 to

A follow-up intervention in severely demented patients after discharge from a special Alzheimer acute care unit: impact on early emergency room re-hospitalization rate

52, 954. The methods, data sources, and estimated cost categories in each study varied widely. The review showed that cost studies adopted different approaches to estimate costs of AD, reflecting a lack of consensus on the methodology of cost studies. To increase its credibility, closer agreement among researchers on the methodological principles of cost studies would be desirable.

Association of Alzheimer's Disease Onset With Ginkgo Biloba and Other Symptomatic Cognitive Treatments in a Population of Women Aged 75 Years and Older From the EPIDOS Study

ObjectivesVitamin D intake may prevent physical performance decline through prevention of muscle mass loss. Our objective was to determine whether low dietary intakes were associated with low muscle mass (MM).Design and participantsCross-sectional analysis of 1989 community-dwelling women (mean age 80.5±3.8years) from the EPIDémiologie de l’OStéoporose (EPIDOS) study were assessed at baseline.MeasurementsLow intakes of vitamin D (<70µg/week) were estimated from the weekly dietary vitamin D intakes (self-administered food frequency questionnaire). Low MM was defined according to the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index assessed using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, divided by square height of less than 5.45 kg/m2. Usual gait speed defined physical performance. Age, sun exposure, co-morbidities, education level, living arrangements, recreational physical activity, dietary protein and calcium intakes, bone mineral density, handgrip strength, and body mass index were considered as potential confounders. Multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed the association between low vitamin D intakes and low MM.ResultsTwo-hundred and nine (10.5%) women with low MM were compared to 1,780 women with normal MM. In final model, obesity/overweight (Adjusted Odds Ratios, aOR=0.09; 95%CI [0.05–0.17]), malnutrition (aOR=3.90; 95%CI [2.74–5.54]) and low handgrip strength (aOR=2.33; 95%CI [1.44–3.77]; p<0.001) were statistically associated with a low MM status.ConclusionNo association with low MM has been reported regarding low dietary intakes of vitamin D.

Factors Associated with Undertreatment of Atrial Fibrillation in Geriatric Outpatients with Alzheimer Disease

Emergency room (ER) re‐hospitalizations are prevalent in severe Alzheimers disease affected older patients.