Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Prevalence And Risk Factors For Low Habitual Walking Speed In Nursing Home Residents: An Observational Study, Justin Keogh, Hugh Senior, Elaine Beller, Timothy Henwood

Elaine Beller

OBJECTIVE To quantify habitual walking speed and estimate the prevalence of low habitual walking speed (<0.8m/s and <0.5m/s) in nursing home residents; and secondarily to gain some insight into whether demographic, health, and functional outcomes could predict the nursing home residents' walking speed. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Eleven nursing homes. PARTICIPANTS Nursing home residents (N=102 [37%] of 273 eligible, randomly selected residents from 11 nursing homes consented to participate in this study). INTERVENTIONS Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was habitual walking speed assessed over a distance of 2.4m. Secondary outcomes including body composition, muscle strength, balance …

Systematic Review Of Clinical Practice Guidelines Recommendations About Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention For Older Adults, Jesse Jansen, Shannon Mckinn, Carissa Bonner, Les Irwig, Jenny Doust, Paul Glasziou, Brooke Nickel, Barbara Van Munster, Kirsten Mccaffery

Jenny Doust

Background: Clinical care for older adults is complex and represents a growing problem. They are a diverse patient group with varying needs, frequent presence of multiple comorbidities, and are more susceptible to treatment harms. Thus Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) need to carefully consider older adults in order to guide clinicians. We reviewed CPG recommendations for primary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and examined the extent to which CPGs address issues important for older people identified in the literature.

Possible Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Age-Related Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis In The F344xbn Rat Heart, Sunil Kakarla, Kevin Rice, Anjaiah Katta, Satyanarayana Paturi, Miaozong Wu, Madhukar Kolli, Saba Keshavarzian, Kamran Manzoor, Paulette Wehner, Eric Blough

Paulette S. Wehner

Despite advances in treatment, age-related cardiac dysfunction still remains a leading cause of cardiovascular death. Recent data have suggested that increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis may be involved in the pathological remodeling of heart. Here, we examine the effects of aging on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in 6-, 30-, and 36-month-old Fischer344xBrown Norway F1 hybrid rats (F344XBN). Compared with 6-month hearts, aged hearts exhibited increased TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive nuclei, caspase-3 activation, caspase-dependent cleavage of α-fodrin and diminished phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt (Thr 308). These age-dependent increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis were associated with alterations in the composition of the cardiac dystrophin …

Possible Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Age-Related Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis In The F344xbn Rat Heart, Sunil Kakarla, Kevin Rice, Anjaiah Katta, Satyanarayana Paturi, Miaozong Wu, Madhukar Kolli, Saba Keshavarzian, Kamran Manzoor, Paulette Wehner, Eric Blough

Kevin M Rice

Despite advances in treatment, age-related cardiac dysfunction still remains a leading cause of cardiovascular death. Recent data have suggested that increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis may be involved in the pathological remodeling of heart. Here, we examine the effects of aging on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in 6-, 30-, and 36-month-old Fischer344xBrown Norway F1 hybrid rats (F344XBN). Compared with 6-month hearts, aged hearts exhibited increased TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive nuclei, caspase-3 activation, caspase-dependent cleavage of α-fodrin and diminished phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt (Thr 308). These age-dependent increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis were associated with alterations in the composition of the cardiac dystrophin …

Possible Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Age-Related Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis In The F344xbn Rat Heart, Sunil Kakarla, Kevin Rice, Anjaiah Katta, Satyanarayana Paturi, Miaozong Wu, Madhukar Kolli, Saba Keshavarzian, Kamran Manzoor, Paulette Wehner, Eric Blough

Eric Blough

Despite advances in treatment, age-related cardiac dysfunction still remains a leading cause of cardiovascular death. Recent data have suggested that increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis may be involved in the pathological remodeling of heart. Here, we examine the effects of aging on cardiomyocyte apoptosis in 6-, 30-, and 36-month-old Fischer344xBrown Norway F1 hybrid rats (F344XBN). Compared with 6-month hearts, aged hearts exhibited increased TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling–positive nuclei, caspase-3 activation, caspase-dependent cleavage of α-fodrin and diminished phosphorylation of protein kinase B/Akt (Thr 308). These age-dependent increases in cardiomyocyte apoptosis were associated with alterations in the composition of the cardiac dystrophin …

Suprasinal Fatigue Impedes Recovery From A Low-Intensity Sustained Contraction In Old Adults, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Manda Keller, Sandra Hunter

Bonnie A Schlinder-Delap Mrs.

This study determined the contribution of supraspinal fatigue and contractile properties to the age difference in neuromuscular fatigue during and recovery from a low-intensity sustained contraction. Cortical stimulation was used to evoke measures of voluntary activation and muscle relaxation during and after a contraction sustained at 20% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until task failure with elbow flexor muscles in 14 young adults (20.9 ± 3.6 years, 7 men) and 14 old adults (71.6 ± 5.4 years, 7 men). Old adults exhibited a longer time to task failure than the young adults (23.8 ± 9.0 min vs. 11.5 ± 3.9 …

Fatigability And Recovery Of Arm Muscles With Advanced Age For Dynamic And Isometric Contractions, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Sandra K. Hunter

Bonnie A Schlinder-Delap Mrs.

This study determined whether age-related mechanisms can increase fatigue of arm muscles during maximal velocity dynamic contractions, as it occurs in the lower limb. We compared elbow flexor fatigue of young (n = 10, 20.8 ± 2.7 years) and old men (n = 16, 73.8 ± 6.1 years) during and in recovery from a dynamic and an isometric postural fatiguing task. Each task was maintained until failure while supporting a load equivalent to 20% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess supraspinal fatigue (superimposed twitch, SIT) and muscle relaxation. Time to failure …

Supraspinal Fatigue Impedes Recovery From A Low-Intensity Sustained Contraction In Old Adults, Tejin Yoon, Bonnie Schlinder-Delap, Manda Keller, Sandra Hunter

Bonnie A Schlinder-Delap Mrs.

This study determined the contribution of supraspinal fatigue and contractile properties to the age difference in neuromuscular fatigue during and recovery from a low-intensity sustained contraction. Cortical stimulation was used to evoke measures of voluntary activation and muscle relaxation during and after a contraction sustained at 20% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until task failure with elbow flexor muscles in 14 young adults (20.9 ± 3.6 yr, 7 men) and 14 old adults (71.6 ± 5.4 yr, 7 men). Old adults exhibited a longer time to task failure than the young adults (23.8 ± 9.0 vs. 11.5 ± 3.9 min, …

Validity Of Boston Marathon Qualifying Times, Paul M. Vanderburgh

Paul M. Vanderburgh

Purpose: To assess the validity of Boston Marathon qualifying (BMQ) standards for men and women. Methods: Percent differences between BMQ and current world records (WR) by sex and age group were computed. WR was chosen as the criterion comparison because it is not confounded by intensity, body composition, lifestyle, or environmental factors. A consistent difference across age groups would indicate an appropriate slope of the age-vs-BMQ curve. Inconsistent differences were corrected by adjusting BMQ standards to achieve a uniform percentage difference from WR. Results: BMQ standards for men were consistently ~50% slower than WR (mean 51.5% ± 1.4%, range 49.6–54.4%), …

Political Drive To Screen For Pre-Dementia: Not Evidence Based And Ignores The Harms Of Diagnosis, David Le Couteur, Jenny A. Doust, Helen Creasey, Carol Brayne

Jenny Doust

Current policy in many countries is aimed at increasing the rates of diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment.1 2 3 This policy drive has been accompanied by research into early detection of dementia, including preclinical identification of underlying neurobiology that might later be associated with dementia.4 Although the clinical features of people with established dementia are unmistakable,5 6 the ability of these preclinical features to predict future disease is less clear. Nevertheless, the belief that there is value in screening for “pre-dementia” or mild cognitive impairment is creeping into clinical practice, with the resulting overdiagnosis having potential adverse consequences for …

Impaired Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow Control With Advancing Age In Humans: Attenuated Atp Release And Local Vasodilation During Erythrocyte Deoxygenation, Brett S. Kirby, Anne R. Crecelius, Wyatt F. Voyles, Frank A. Dinenno

Anne R. Crecelius

Rationale: Skeletal muscle blood flow is coupled with the oxygenation state of hemoglobin in young adults, whereby the erythrocyte functions as an oxygen sensor and releases ATP during deoxygenation to evoke vasodilation. Whether this function is impaired in humans of advanced age is unknown. Objective: To test the hypothesis that older adults demonstrate impaired muscle blood flow and lower intravascular ATP during conditions of erythrocyte deoxygenation. Methods and Results: We showed impaired forearm blood flow responses during 2 conditions of erythrocyte deoxygenation (systemic hypoxia and graded handgrip exercise) with age, which was caused by reduced local vasodilation. In young adults, …

The Impact Of Hiv-Related Stigma On Older And Younger Adults Living With Hiv Disease: Does Age Matter?, Charles A. Emlet, David J. Brennan, Sarah Brennenstuhl, Sergio Rueda, Trevor A. Hart, Sean B. Rourke

Charles Emlet