Immune activation and chronic inflammation: Is there an additional effect of HIV in a geriatric population?

HIV infection has become a chronic disease, with a lower mortality, but a consequent increase in age-related noninfectious comorbidities. Metabolic disorders have been linked to the effect of cART as well to the effects of immune activation and chronic inflammation. Whereas it is known that aging is intrinsically associated with hyperinflammation and immune system deterioration, the relative impact of chronic HIV infection on such inflammatory and immune activation has not yet been studied focusing on an elderly HIV-infected population.The objectives of the study were to assess 29 blood markers of immune activation and inflammation using an ultrasensitive technique, in HIV-infected patients aged ≥75 years with no or 1 comorbidity (among hypertension, renal disease, neoplasia, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, stroke, dyslipidemia, and osteoporosis), in comparison with age-adjusted HIV-uninfected individuals to identify whether biomarkers were associated with comorbidities. Wilcoxon nonparametric tests were used to compare the levels of each marker between control and HIV groups; logistic regression to identify biomarkers associated to comorbidity in the HIV group and principal component analysis (PCA) to determine clusters associated with a group or a specific comorbidity.A total of 111 HIV-infected subjects were included from the Dat’AIDS cohort and compared to 63 HIV-uninfected controls. In the HIV-infected group, 4 biomarkers were associated with the risk of developing a comorbidity: monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), neurofilament light chain (NF-L), neopterin, and soluble CD14. Six biomarkers (interleukin [IL]-1B, IL-7, IL-18, neopterin, sCD14, and fatty acid-binding protein) were significantly higher in the HIV-infected group compared to the control group, 11 biomarkers (myeloperoxydase, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, interferon-gamma, MCP-1, tumor necrosis factor receptor 2, IL-22, ultra sensitivity C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, IL-6, and NF-L) were lower. Despite those differences, PCA to determine clusters associated with a group or a specific comorbidity did not reveal clustering nor between healthy control and HIV-infected patients neither between the presence of comorbidity within HIV-infected group.In this highly selected geriatric HIV population, HIV infection does not seem to have an additional impact on age-related inflammation and immune disorder. Close monitoring could have led to optimize prevention and treatment of comorbidities, and have limited both immune activation and inflammation in the aging HIV population.     

Geriatric medicine curriculum consultations for family practice residency programs: american academy of family physicians residency assistance program/hartford geriatrics initiative

Increasing the quality and quantity of geriatric medicine training for family practice residents is a particular challenge for community-based programs. These programs have an average of only seven full-time equivalent physician faculty. This report summarizes results of the Residency Assistance Program/Hartford Geriatric Initiative (RAP/HGI) geriatric medicine curriculum consultations for family practice (FP) residency programs conducted from 1996 to 2001. This project was developed as part of the RAP in family practice. Ten experienced FP educators were selected and trained as special consultants. Between 1996 and 2001, 39 FP residency programs participated in the 1- to 4-day RAP/HGI consultations. The programs were diverse in size and location. The consultations reached 308 family practice residency faculty members involved in training 807 residents. Program evaluations of the consultants were uniformly in the very good to excellent range, with a mean rating of 4.6 (5-point scale, with 5 indicating excellent). At the end of the initial consultation visit, the residency program faculty and the consultant developed short-term goals for geriatrics program development. Eighty-five percent (33/39) of the programs submitted their curriculum goals in writing. The mean number of goals per program was 4.8 (range = 3-11). Of the 33 programs with written goals, follow-up was documented for 29 programs. Seventy-nine percent of the programs' self-defined educational goals were met during the 6 to 12 months of follow-up (range 50-100%). Ten of the programs implemented all of their educational goals. The RAP/HGI project demonstrated that achievable geriatric medicine curriculum improvements could occur as part of an onsite consultation process.     

An overview of the efficacy and safety of systemic treatments for psoriasis in the elderly

Introduction: Psoriasis in elderly patients is considered to be of emerging clinical relevance because of the increase in the aged segment of the population. Psoriasis in such a group raises significant management challenges. There is an age-related immunosuppression, a high frequency of comorbidities, and polypharmacy, which enhances the potential risk of drug interactions or side effects when an additional systemic treatment must be administered. Despite the aging of the general population, clinical studies focusing on treatment of geriatric psoriasis are limited. Patients > 65 years are often not included in randomized clinical trials. As a result, the geriatric population affected by moderate-to-severe psoriasis is usually under-treated.

Areas covered: This review focuses on the use of systemic treatments in elderly psoriatic patients and their efficacy and safety data, analyzing the available literature evidences.

Expert opinion: Conventional agents should be carefully evaluated in each patient considering the possible organ impairment, comorbidities, concomitant medications and contraindications. Apremilast is an appropriate treatment for elderly patients. Biologics represent a safe option for a long-term management of psoriasis. Etanercept, adalimumab, ustekinumab, secukinumab, ixekizumab, and brodalumab have not been associated to a higher risk of adverse events in the elderly.     

Alternative Treatment Options for Atrioventricular-Nodal-Reentry Tachycardia: An Emergency Medicine Review

Background

Atrioventricular-nodal-reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is a form of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) that is relatively common in the emergency department (ED). It is rarely indicative of underlying electrical or structural pathology.

心血管内科住院患者医院感染现况及危险因素研究

目的探讨职工医院心血管内科医院感染发生的特点及影响因素,以减少医院感染的发生。方法对2011年4月—2014年4月心血管内科住院的患者医院感染发生情况进行回顾性分析,利用SPSS17.0软件,采用logistic回归分析模型进行影响因素探讨。结果心血管内科384例患者中,发生医院感染28例,医院感染率为7.29%。感染部位以呼吸道为主,占64.29%。共分离33株病原菌,其中革兰阴性菌占63.63%,肺炎克雷伯菌和铜绿假单胞菌分别占27.26%和21.22%。多因素logistic回归分析显示,年龄、住院时间、合并基础疾病、抗酸药物的应用、联合应用抗菌药物、侵入性操作和心功能分级是心血管内科住院患者发生医院感染的独立影响因素(P0.05)。结论心血管内科住院患者医院感染的风险较高,应增强对相关影响因素的认识,采取有针对性的防控措施,以降低医院感染的发生。     

Strengthening the fellowship training experience: findings from a national survey of fellowship trained geriatricians 1990-1998

Geriatric fellowship training has significantly advanced in the past 2 decades in number, organization, and accreditation of formal fellowship programs. A recent survey examined career decision-making, fellowship training, and current professional activities of fellowship trained geriatricians. This paper focuses upon further desired fellowship training identified by these individuals. The responses reflect skills relevant to four aspects of professional performance: administration, management, clinical geriatrics, research, and education. More than half of the respondents documented the need for increased training in administration, including long-term care medical directorship and Medicare/managed care. Regarding clinical training, 66% recommended additional subspecialty training, particularly in psychiatry, neurology, rehabilitation, and hospice/palliative care. Seventeen percent identified a need for training in research methodology, grant writing, and mentorship. Some 6% indicated a need for further training in education, citing teaching skills and program/faculty development. This article provides examples of opportunities to strengthen each of the four defined areas, including formal training in medical administration by the American Medical Director's Association, model strategies for incorporating subspecialties, hospice/palliative care, programs to pursue graduate level training in research at many universities, and faculty development programs such as those offered by Harvard and Stanford. Accredited geriatric fellowship programs as well as fellows should recognize potential gaps in training, and make available opportunities to strengthen these areas critical to preparing for future careers in geriatric medicine.