Physical and cognitive activity and exercise for older adults: a review

Age-related reduction in musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous system resilience can result in wide-ranging limitations in adaptive capacity associated with negative outcomes such as cognitive decline, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mobility problems, and increased incidence of debilitating falls. This article reviews the benefits of both cognitive and physical activity within the broad context of multiple system resilience in adult aging. Research on a unique form of combined physical/cognitive exercise, Tai Chi Chuan, is presented. The relationship between physiological and psychological gain associated with an activity intervention program is discussed in light of principles of rehabilitation, intervention compliance, subjective and objective gain, and the hypothesized value of combining physical exercise, cognitive exercise, and relaxation into a single program designed to promote resilience in older adults.     

Self-monitoring of blood glucose in a multiethnic population of rural older adults with diabetes

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to describe self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) practices of 698 older adults with type 2 diabetes in the rural Southeast, to identify characteristics differentiating testers from nontesters, and to identify personal and support-related predictors of monitoring frequency. METHODS: The ELDER (Evaluating Long-term Diabetes Self-management Among Elderly Rural Adults) study was a population-based, cross-sectional survey of African American, Native American, and white Medicare recipients > or =65 years with diagnosed diabetes. Data were obtained through in-home interviews. Multiple logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with SMBG and frequency of monitoring. RESULTS: Seventy-seven percent of respondents practiced SMBG in the previous week; 40% tested every day in that week. No ethnic differences were seen. Significant independent predictors of any SMBG were medication regimen (taking oral agents or insulin with or without oral agents) and health care provider (HCP) recommendation to test. Among those monitoring, significant independent predictors of SMBG frequency were medication regimen, HCP recommendation to test, duration of diabetes, and receiving help with testing, which was negatively associated with monitoring frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Among rural older persons with diabetes, HCP recommendation significantly affected practicing SMBG and SMBG frequency. These findings suggest points of intervention by diabetes educators with this vulnerable population. Further research is needed to determine how older adults use SMBG data in their self-care regimen.     

Negative life events and cognitive performance in a population of older adults

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between negative life events in the past year and cognitive performance in a population of older adults. METHODS: Secondary data analysis was conducted on 428 participants from the Charlotte County Healthy Aging Study. Participants completed tests of episodic memory, attention, and psychomotor speed and endorsed the presence and severity of 24 life events. Life events were examined in the aggregate as well as individually. RESULTS: Hierarchical multiple regression results suggest no significant relationship between the aggregate frequency and severity measures of negative life events and cognitive performance. At the individual-event level, individuals who experienced the injury or illness of a friend during the past year and rated it as having more of an effect on their lives performed better on all three cognitive tasks. However, individuals who reported having less money to live on over the past year and rated the event as having more of an effect on their lives performed more poorly on the psychomotor speed tasks. DISCUSSION: The findings support previous research indicating that using estimates of individual stressors rather than aggregate stress measures increases the predictive validity of stress measurement. Furthermore, the individual negative life events can have both a positive and a negative effect, which nullify one another when using the sum score of events.     

Physical and mental health of homebound older adults: an overlooked population

There are currently more than 38.9 million people aged 65 an older in the United States. Up to 3.6 million of these people are considered housebound and in need of home-based care. Although homebound status is not defined specifically, with a broad range of disability levels, it is evident that people who are homebound suffer from a multitude of medical and psychiatric illnesses. This review examines the current literature to identify the specific physical and psychiatric factors most responsible for older adults becoming and remaining housebound. Homebound older adults suffer from metabolic, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and musculoskeletal diseases, as well as from cognitive impairment, dementia, and depression, at higher rates than the general elderly population. The information in this review will explain the specific types of care the homebound population needs and discuss the care that could help ease their suffering and delay their entry into a nursing home or hospital.     

Risk of colorectal adenomas in a multiethnic Asian patient population: Race does not matter

Background:  Ethnic differences have been reported for colorectal polyps and large bowel cancer; although the supporting data is weak and insufficient to draw firm conclusions.
Aim:  We undertook this study to determine whether such racial disparity in colorectal adenomas exists in an ethnically mixed non-migrant population. The prevalence, histology and distribution of colonic polyps were documented as well as other known risk factors for colorectal malignancy.
Methods:  In this prospective cross-sectional study, 311 consecutive referred and self-referred multiracial patients attending for colonoscopy over a 41-month period in a private endoscopy center were recruited. The mean age of the study population was 51.8 ± 14 years (range 16–91). The male to female ratio was 1.1 and an ethnic breakdown as follows: 87 Malays, 115 Chinese and 109 Indians.
Results:  Sixty-three adenomas were recorded in 36 patients: six Malays, 19 Chinese and 11 Indians. Of these adenomas, 59 were polypoid, three flat and one depressed. The majority of adenomas 42/63 (67%) were distal to the splenic flexure as were all (10/10) the Duke's A carcinomas and 6/8 (75%) of the advanced cancers. Patients with adenoma(s) compared with those without (controls) were significantly older ( P =  0.005), more likely to have a family history of colorectal cancer ( P =  0.005), and showed a trend towards significance for ethnic group ( P =  0.09) on univariate analysis. Using logistic regression analysis, only family history ( P =  0.05) and age ≥ 50 years ( P =  0.011) were found to be significantly associated with adenomas.
Conclusion:  Risk factors for colonic adenoma(s) in our cohort of symptomatic multiethnic patients attending for colonoscopy do not seem to differ from those reported elsewhere and, in particular, race does not appear to be a factor.     

Risk of colorectal adenomas in a multiethnic Asian patient population: race does not matter

BACKGROUND: Ethnic differences have been reported for colorectal polyps and large bowel cancer; although the supporting data is weak and insufficient to draw firm conclusions. AIM: We undertook this study to determine whether such racial disparity in colorectal adenomas exists in an ethnically mixed non-migrant population. The prevalence, histology and distribution of colonic polyps were documented as well as other known risk factors for colorectal malignancy. METHODS: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 311 consecutive referred and self-referred multiracial patients attending for colonoscopy over a 41-month period in a private endoscopy center were recruited. The mean age of the study population was 51.8 +/- 14 years (range 16-91). The male to female ratio was 1.1 and an ethnic breakdown as follows: 87 Malays, 115 Chinese and 109 Indians. RESULTS: Sixty-three adenomas were recorded in 36 patients: six Malays, 19 Chinese and 11 Indians. Of these adenomas, 59 were polypoid, three flat and one depressed. The majority of adenomas 42/63 (67%) were distal to the splenic flexure as were all (10/10) the Duke's A carcinomas and 6/8 (75%) of the advanced cancers. Patients with adenoma(s) compared with those without (controls) were significantly older (P = 0.005), more likely to have a family history of colorectal cancer (P = 0.005), and showed a trend towards significance for ethnic group (P = 0.09) on univariate analysis. Using logistic regression analysis, only family history (P = 0.05) and age > or = 50 years (P = 0.011) were found to be significantly associated with adenomas. CONCLUSION: Risk factors for colonic adenoma(s) in our cohort of symptomatic multiethnic patients attending for colonoscopy do not seem to differ from those reported elsewhere and, in particular, race does not appear to be a factor.     

The relationship between quality of life, Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the cognitive function and capacity for independent living of the elderly, however little is known about the measurement of patient's overall health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and its relationship to these effects. We examined the relationship between patient/caregiver-rated HRQoL and cognition (using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) or Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). One hundred AD patients participating in an open-label trial of donepezil were followed for 6 months. Cognition and function were assessed using the MMSE (clinician-rated) and IADL scale (caregiver-rated). Patient QoL, as assessed by the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL) scale, was rated separately by patients and their primary caregivers. Mean patient-rated AQoL was 0.60, whilst caregiver-rated AQoL was 0.50. Patient and caregiver AQoL assessments correlated (r = 0.37, P = 0.0038) for all levels of disease severity. Patient-rated AQoL scores ranged from 0.52 for patients with severe AD, to 0.71 for patients with mild AD. Caregiver-rated AQoL scores ranged from 0.40 to 0.59. There were approximately linear relationships between the AQoL and MMSE scores (patient-rated r = 0.30, P < 0.0001; caregiver-rated r = 0.28, P < 0.0001), and AQoL and IADL scores (patient-rated r = 0.36, P < 0.0001; caregiver-rated r = 0.43, P < 0.0001). Patient self-assessment of AQoL is a useful instrument for measuring HRQoL in AD that displays an approximately linear relationship with MMSE, IADL, and caregiver-rated AQoL.     

Validation of NoSAS score for screening of sleep-disordered breathing in a multiethnic Asian population

Purpose

The NoSAS score was developed to identify subjects at high risk of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). We aimed to validate the NoSAS score in a multiethnic Asian cohort and compare its performance to the STOP-Bang and Berlin questionnaires.

Methods

A sample of 242 subjects selected from a population-based cohort in Singapore completed home-based sleep testing with an Embletta device (type 3 monitor). All subjects were given the STOP-Bang and Berlin questionnaires for self-administration prior to the sleep study. The NoSAS score was subsequently calculated based on available demographic data and Berlin questionnaire responses.

Results

The prevalence of severe SDB, defined as an apnea-hypopnea index cutoff of ≥30 events/h, was 10.7%. The number of subjects who were classified as high risk by the NoSAS score and STOP-Bang and Berlin questionnaires were 76 (31.4%), 89 (36.8%), and 79 (32.6%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative and positive predictive values of the NoSAS score to predict severe SDB were 69.2, 73.1, 95.2, and 23.7%, respectively. The STOP-Bang and Berlin questionnaires performed similarly to the NoSAS score, with area under the curve (AUC) values of all three questionnaires clustered around 0.682–0.748. Compared to the STOP-Bang (94.8%) and Berlin questionnaires (96.3%), the NoSAS score (95.2%) had equally high negative predictive value in ruling out severe SDB.

Conclusions

The NoSAS score performed similarly to the STOP-Bang and Berlin questionnaires in a multiethnic Asian cohort. All three questionnaires had high negative predictive values in ruling out severe SDB and may have utility as screening tools.

     

Crohn＇s disease in adults： Observations in a multiracial Asian population

AIM: To determine the demography and clinical presentation of CD and secondly to determine any differences in the prevalence between the different ethnic groups in a multiracial Asian population. METHODS: Patients with CD who were seen in 2001-2003 in the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) were enrolled in this study. Prevalence of disease was calculated for the group as a whole and by race with hospital admissions per ethnic group as the denominator. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were diagnosed to have CD. Basic demographic data of patients; male:female 17:17; mean age 29.1 years (±3.5 years); ethnic group: Malays 5 (14.7%), Chinese 12 (35.3%) and Indians 17 (50%). Twenty-six (76.5%) were diagnosed under the age of 40 and 8 (23.5%) were diagnosed over the age of 40. Location of the disease was as follows: ileocolonic 13 (38.2%), terminal ileum only 9 (26.5%), colon only 8 (23.5%), and upper gastrointestinal 4 (11.8%). Sixteen (47.1%) had penetrating disease, 9 (26.5%) had stricturing disease and 9 (26.5%) had non-penetrating and non-stricturing disease. The hospital admission prevalence of CD was 26.0 overall, Indians 52.6, Chinese 6.9, and Malays 9.3 per 105 admissions per ethnic group. The difference between Indians and Malays: [OR 5.67 (1.97, 17.53) P< 0.001] was statistically significant but not between the Indians and the Chinese [OR 1.95 (0.89, 4.35) P=0.700]. The difference between the Chinese and the Malays was also not statistically significant. [OR 2.90 (0.95, 9.42) P= 0.063]. CONCLUSION: The clinical presentation of CD is similar to the Western experience. Although the overall prevalence is low, there appears to be a clear racial predominance among the Indians.     

Low Level Disability in Activities of Daily Living in Elderly People Living Independently: Risk Factors and Implications

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and risk factors for low level disability in activities of daily living in elderly people living independently, and the association with quality of life and accidents. Design: Cross sectional survey of 334 individuals aged ≥ 80 years randomly selected from the electoral roll. Results: 15.9% of participants had significant disability in at least one of the activities of daily living assessed. Risk of disability was associated with taking 4 or more medications, female gender, arthritis and a previous cerebrovascular event. Those with disabilities had more recent accidents (67.9% vs. 43.8%, p=0.0001) and poorer quality of life as measured by the SF 36. Self reporting was a poor method for identifying disabilities (sensitivity = 68.5%). Conclusions: Low level disabilities in activities of daily living are common in elderly people living independently and are associated with lowered quality of life and increased accidents. This highlights the need for a targeted screening program to identify such disabilities and examine interventions to minimise them.     

Echocardiographic left ventricular mass in a multiethnic Southeast Asian population: proposed new gender and age-specific norms

Background: Left ventricular mass (LVM) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular outcome. We aimed to define normal reference values of LVM/body surface area (BSA) in a multiethnic Southeast Asian population across ages, and define demographic parameters that predict LVM/BSA. Methods: 198 subjects (44% men, mean age 40 ± 14 years, 82% Chinese, 13% Malay and 5% Indian) with no cardiovascular comorbidity and had normal echo images for age were included in the analysis. Echo LVM was calculated as: 1.04 ×[(left ventricular internal diameter at end‐diastole {LVIDd}+ interventricular septal thickness at end‐diastole {IVSd}+ left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end‐diastole {LVPWd})³? LVIDd³× 0.8]+ 0.6¹, indexed by BSA (LVM/BSA)* and expressed as g/m². Results: BSA and blood pressure (BP) were comparable between dichotomous age groups < or ≥ 50 years within the same gender. Women aged ≥ 50 years had larger IVSD, LVPWd, LVM and LVM/BSA compared to younger cohort. (p < 0.01 for all variables). The 95th percentile of LVM in men and women were 189 g and 148 g respectively; corresponding values for LVM/BSA were 106 and 96 g/m². These values are consistently smaller than published values from the West. Age (r = 0.27, P < 0.001), gender (r =?0.30, P < 0.001), and systolic BP (r = 0.25, P = 0.003) were significant univariate predictors of LVM/BSA. Conclusion: We therefore propose a different cutoff value for the diagnosis of LV hypertrophy among Southeast Asians.     

Predictors of cognitive complaints in older adults: a mixture regression approach

The present paper examined four hypotheses regarding the nature of cognitive complaints in older adults. Analyzing data from 607 participants (mean age=62.9 years, SD=0.92 years, 59–65 years), we tested the influence of actual cognitive test performance, negative age stereotypes, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and conscientiousness on cognitive complaints. Bivariate correlations confirmed relations of all hypothesized predictors with cognitive complaints. However, considering all predictors simultaneously in an OLS regression analysis, particularly depressive symptoms and neuroticism were revealed as accounting for large proportions of variance in cognitive complaints. Utilizing mixture regression analyses, evidence for distinct subgroups was obtained in which cognitive complaints were explained by different predictor patterns.     

Predictors of cognitive complaints in older adults: a mixture regression approach

The present paper examined four hypotheses regarding the nature of cognitive complaints in older adults. Analyzing data from 607 participants (mean age=62.9 years, SD=0.92 years, 59–65 years), we tested the influence of actual cognitive test performance, negative age stereotypes, depressive symptoms, neuroticism, and conscientiousness on cognitive complaints. Bivariate correlations confirmed relations of all hypothesized predictors with cognitive complaints. However, considering all predictors simultaneously in an OLS regression analysis, particularly depressive symptoms and neuroticism were revealed as accounting for large proportions of variance in cognitive complaints. Utilizing mixture regression analyses, evidence for distinct subgroups was obtained in which cognitive complaints were explained by different predictor patterns.