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European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Feb 2017Telomere length (TL) is recognized as a biomarker of aging and shorter telomeres are linked with shorter lifespan. Inter-individual variability in telomere length is... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Telomere length (TL) is recognized as a biomarker of aging and shorter telomeres are linked with shorter lifespan. Inter-individual variability in telomere length is highly heritable. However, there has been a resurgence of interest in the controversial relationship between diet and TL. Evaluating the impact of diet at the food group and dietary pattern level will provide greater insight into the effect of diet on TL dynamics, which are of significant importance in health and longevity. This article reports the first systematic review of the relation between food groups, dietary patterns and TL in human populations based on PRISMA guidelines.
DESIGN
PubMed, Science Direct, The Cochrane Library and Google Scholar databases were electronically searched for all relevant studies, up to November 2015. Among the 17 included studies, 3 and 10 of them were regarding the effect of dietary patterns and various food groups on TL, respectively. Also, in 4 studies, both dietary patterns and different food groups were assessed in relation to TL. Mediterranean dietary pattern was related to longer TL in 3 studies. Five studies indicated beneficial effect of fruits or vegetables on TL. In 7 studies, a reverse association between TL and intake of cereals, processed meat, and fats and oils was reported. Our systematic review supports the health benefits of adherence to Mediterranean diet on TL. Except for the fruits and vegetables, which showed positive association with TL, results were inconsistent for other dietary factors. Also, certain food categories including processed meat, cereals and sugar-sweetened beverages may be associated with shorter TLs. However, additional epidemiological evidence and clinical trials should be considered in future research in order to develop firm conclusions in this regard.
Topics: Aging; Diet, Mediterranean; Eating; Feeding Behavior; Humans; Telomere; Telomere Homeostasis
PubMed: 27530475
DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2016.149 -
The American Journal of Geriatric... Mar 2015To determine the efficacy of psychotherapy in late-life depression and to determine the effect of the type of control group on the magnitude of psychotherapy effects. (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
To determine the efficacy of psychotherapy in late-life depression and to determine the effect of the type of control group on the magnitude of psychotherapy effects.
DESIGN
A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled psychotherapy trials for late-life depression.
SETTING
Outpatient clinics or in subjects' home.
PARTICIPANTS
Subjects aged 55 years or older with acute-phase depressive disorder.
MEASUREMENTS
Change in depressive symptoms was measured with validated scales. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for each therapy-control contrast, as meta-analytic summaries for contrasts using a similar control, and for all contrasts combined.
RESULTS
The search identified 27 trials with 37 therapy-control contrasts and 2,245 subjects. Trials utilized five types of control groups (waitlist, treatment-as-usual, attention, supportive therapy, placebo). In the combined contrasts, psychotherapy was effective (SMD: 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51, 0.95; z=6.42, p<0.00001). The SMD varied widely (from 0.05 to 1.36) and significantly (χ2=35.67, df=4, p<0.00001) between subgroups by type of control. In five trials that compared psychotherapy with supportive therapy, the SMD was 0.39 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.61; z=3.37, p<0.0007; I2=0%). The SMD was 0.11 within the waitlist controls and 1.10 within the supportive therapy subgroup.
CONCLUSIONS
Psychotherapy is effective for late-life depression, but the magnitude of the effect varies widely with the type of control group. Supportive therapy appears to best control for the nonspecific elements of psychotherapy and is associated with considerable change itself, but few trials have utilized it as a control.
Topics: Aging; Depressive Disorder; Humans; Late Onset Disorders; Psychotherapy
PubMed: 24856580
DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2014.04.003 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Sep 2016The physiological impairments most strongly associated with functional performance in older people are logically the most efficient therapeutic targets for exercise... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The physiological impairments most strongly associated with functional performance in older people are logically the most efficient therapeutic targets for exercise training interventions aimed at improving function and maintaining independence in later life.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this review were to (1) systematically review the relationship between muscle power and functional performance in older people; (2) systematically review the effect of power training (PT) interventions on functional performance in older people; and (3) identify components of successful PT interventions relevant to pragmatic trials by scoping the literature.
METHODS
Our approach involved three stages. First, we systematically reviewed evidence on the relationship between muscle power, muscle strength and functional performance and, second, we systematically reviewed PT intervention studies that included both muscle power and at least one index of functional performance as outcome measures. Finally, taking a strong pragmatic perspective, we conducted a scoping review of the PT evidence to identify the successful components of training interventions needed to provide a minimally effective training dose to improve physical function.
RESULTS
Evidence from 44 studies revealed a positive association between muscle power and indices of physical function, and that muscle power is a marginally superior predictor of functional performance than muscle strength. Nine studies revealed maximal angular velocity of movement, an important component of muscle power, to be positively associated with functional performance and a better predictor of functional performance than muscle strength. We identified 31 PT studies, characterised by small sample sizes and incomplete reporting of interventions, resulting in less than one-in-five studies judged as having a low risk of bias. Thirteen studies compared traditional resistance training with PT, with ten studies reporting the superiority of PT for either muscle power or functional performance. Further studies demonstrated the efficacy of various methods of resistance and functional task PT on muscle power and functional performance, including low-load PT and low-volume interventions.
CONCLUSIONS
Maximal intended movement velocity, low training load, simple training methods, low-volume training and low-frequency training were revealed as components offering potential for the development of a pragmatic intervention. Additionally, the research area is dominated by short-term interventions producing short-term gains with little consideration of the long-term maintenance of functional performance. We believe the area would benefit from larger and higher-quality studies and consideration of optimal long-term strategies to develop and maintain muscle power and physical function over years rather than weeks.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Humans; Muscle Strength; Resistance Training
PubMed: 26893098
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-016-0489-x -
Ageing Research Reviews Sep 2019Telomere shortening has been proposed as a potentially useful biomarker of human ageing and age-related morbidity and mortality. We performed a systematic review and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Telomere shortening has been proposed as a potentially useful biomarker of human ageing and age-related morbidity and mortality. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize results from individual studies on the telomere length according to the frailty status and frailty index in older adults. We searched the PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases to identify studies that evaluated the telomere length in frail and non-frail older adults and the relationship between telomere length and frailty index score. We used the base pairs (bp) as a measure of the telomere length. Summary estimates were calculated using random-effects models. Nine studies were included in the present systematic review and a total of 10,079 older adults were analyzed. We found that the frail older adults (n = 355) had shorter telomeres than the non-frail (n = 1894) (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] -0.41; 95% CI -0.73 to -0.09; P = 0.01; I = 82%). Significant differences in telomere length between frail and non-frail older adults were identified in Hispanic (SMD -1.31; 95% CI -1.71 to -0.92; P < 0.0001; I = 0%) but not in Non-Hispanic countries (SMD -0.13; 95% CI -0.26 to 0.00; P = 0.06; I = 0%). Similar results were found in the adjusted meta-analysis (SMD -0.56; 95% -1.12 to 0.00; P = 0.05; I = 85%). A significant but weak relationship was found between telomere length and frailty index analyzing 8244 individuals (SMD -0.06; 95% IC -0.10 to 0.01; P = 0.01; I = 0%). The current available evidence suggests that telomere length may be not a meaningful biomarker for frailty. Because the potential influence of ethnicity in shortening of telomeres and decline in physiologic reserves associated with aging, additional multiethnic studies are needed.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Biomarkers; Female; Frail Elderly; Frailty; Humans; Male; Telomere Shortening
PubMed: 31170457
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2019.100914 -
Ageing Research Reviews Sep 2023Telomere attrition is a proposed hallmark of aging. To evaluate the association of telomere length (TL) with chronological age across the human lifespan, we conducted a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Telomere attrition is a proposed hallmark of aging. To evaluate the association of telomere length (TL) with chronological age across the human lifespan, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 414 study samples comprising 743,019 individuals aged 0-112 years. We examined both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, and evaluated the impact of various biological and methodological factors including sex, health status, tissue types, DNA extraction procedures, and TL measurement methods. The pooled corrected correlation between TL and age from cross-sectional samples was -0.19 (95%CI: -0.22 to -0.15), which weakened with increased chronological age (β = 0.003, p < 0.001). Z-score change rates of TL across the lifespan showed a gradual decrease in shortening rate until around age 50 and remained at a relatively stable rate towards the elderly period. A greater attrition rate was observed in longitudinal than cross-sectional evaluations. For TL measured in base pairs, the median change rate of TL was -23 bp/year in cross-sectional samples and -38 bp/year in longitudinal samples. Methodological factors including TL measurement methods and tissue types impacted the TL-age correlation, while sex or disease status did not. This meta-analysis revealed the non-linear shortening trend of TL across the human lifespan and provides a reference value for future studies. Results also highlight the importance of methodological considerations when using TL as an aging biomarker.
Topics: Aged; Humans; Longevity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Telomere Shortening; Aging; Telomere
PubMed: 37567392
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102031 -
Ageing Research Reviews Jan 2024The prognostic significance of obesity in sarcopenic adults is controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of additional... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The prognostic significance of obesity in sarcopenic adults is controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of additional obesity on health outcomes in sarcopenia. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and CENTRAL were systematically searched for studies to compare health outcomes of adults with sarcopenic obesity (SO) to those of sarcopenic non-obese (SNO) adults. We also considered the methods of assessing obesity. Of 15060 records screened, 65 papers were included (100612 participants). Older community-dwelling SO adults had 15% lower mortality risk than the SNO group (hazard ratio, HR: 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.76, 0.94) even when obesity was assessed by measurement of body composition. Additionally, meta-regression analysis revealed a significant negative linear correlation between the age and the HR of all-cause mortality in SO vs. SNO community-dwelling adults, but not in severely ill patients. Compared with SNO, SO patients presented lower physical performance, higher risk for metabolic syndrome, but similar cognitive function, risk of falls and cardiovascular diseases. Age-related obesity, SO and later fat loss leading to SNO represent consecutive phases of biological aging. Additional obesity could worsen the health state in sarcopenia, but above 65 years SO represents a biologically earlier phase with longer life expectancy than SNO.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Sarcopenia; Obesity Paradox; Aging; Obesity; Body Composition
PubMed: 38103840
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.102164 -
Journal of Cataract and Refractive... Sep 2015This review looked at the effect of cataract surgery on the regulation of circadian rhythms and compared the effect of blue light-filtering and clear intraocular lenses... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
UNLABELLED
This review looked at the effect of cataract surgery on the regulation of circadian rhythms and compared the effect of blue light-filtering and clear intraocular lenses (IOLs) on circadian rhythms. A systematic review and metaanalysis were performed, and the level of evidence was evaluated based on the principles described in the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system. A literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed, as well as a search for unpublished trials at the U.S. National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials web site. Trials that reported the effect of cataract surgery on circadian rhythms were included. Outcomes were the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global score, number of poor sleepers, Epworth Sleepiness Score, sleep efficiency, and mean concentration of melatonin. Cataract surgery improved regulation of circadian rhythms measured by the PSQI questionnaire, but the clinical relevance is uncertain. There was no difference between the effect of the 2 IOL types.
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Topics: Aging; Cataract Extraction; Circadian Rhythm; Humans; Lens Implantation, Intraocular; Lenses, Intraocular; Retinal Ganglion Cells; Rod Opsins; Sleep Wake Disorders
PubMed: 26603409
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrs.2015.09.009 -
Maturitas Aug 2018Enabling successful active ageing is an international priority to meet the challenges of increasing life expectancy. Digital strategies, such as telemedicine and... (Review)
Review
Enabling successful active ageing is an international priority to meet the challenges of increasing life expectancy. Digital strategies, such as telemedicine and e-health, offer the potential to deliver active ageing in a cost-effective manner at scale. This article aims to establish the extent to which the research literature considers e-health-based and telemedicine-based active ageing interventions. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA standards. Independently, two authors searched the Cochrane, EMBASE & CINAHL databases, with subsequent independent extraction and semi-quantitative analysis. We report a considerable breadth in digital active ageing research, which is truly international in its scope. There is a diverse range of both interventions and technologies, including a reassuring focus on community-based interventions. Whilst there are a number of quantitative studies, sample sizes are small, with a limited amount of statistical testing of the results. There is significant variation in the outcome measures reported and little consensus as to the most effective intervention strategies. Overall, whilst there is considerable breadth to the research published in the literature, there is a clear restriction in the depth of this research. There is little overall consensus. This lack of depth and consensus may be due to the need to recognize the important role of technical research elements alongside more traditional research methodologies, such as randomized controlled trials. Enabling both technical and clinical research methods to be recognized, in tandem, has enormous potential to support individuals, communities, clinicians and policy makers to make more informed decisions in relation to active ageing.
Topics: Aging; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Decision Making; Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 29907244
DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2018.05.008 -
Ageing Research Reviews Jul 2021Aging affects the serum levels of various metabolites which may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The aim of this review article is to summarize the...
BACKGROUND
Aging affects the serum levels of various metabolites which may be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. The aim of this review article is to summarize the relationship between aging and alterations in the plasma phospholipids and sphingomyelins.
METHODS
PRISMA guidelines were employed during all steps. MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Embase and Web of Sciences databases and Google Scholar were searched up to October 2020. Cohort studies investigating the relationship between aging and within-person changes in sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidyl choline (PC), lyso PC (LPC) and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) were included. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of included studies.
RESULTS
A total of 1425 studies were identified. After removing 610 duplicates and 723 irrelevant studies, full texts of 92 articles were evaluated. Of these 92, 6 studies (including data from 7 independent cohorts) met the inclusion criteria and are included in this review. All study populations were healthy and included both men and women. Results by sex were reported in 3 cohorts for PC, 5 cohorts for LPC, 3 cohorts for SM, and only 1 cohort for PE. In men, PC, SM, PE and LPC decreased with aging, although results for LPC were inconsistent. In women, LPC, SM, and PE increased age, whereas changes in PC were inconsistent.
CONCLUSION
Within-person serum levels of phospholipids and sphingomyelins, decrease during aging in men and increase in women. Notably, however, there were some inconsistencies across studies of LPC in men and of PC in women.
Topics: Aging; Female; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Phosphatidylcholines; Phospholipids; Sphingomyelins
PubMed: 33839333
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101340 -
Biological Research For Nursing Apr 2022The purpose of this review was to explore the effects of psychosocial stress from life trauma and racial discrimination on epigenetic aging.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this review was to explore the effects of psychosocial stress from life trauma and racial discrimination on epigenetic aging.
DESIGN
A systematic review of the last 10 years was conducted using four databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsychInfo, and CINAHL.
METHODS
Articles were identified using the following terms: ([(DNA methylation) AND (epigenetic clock)] OR [(DNA methylation) AND (epigenetic age)]) AND (discrimination OR trauma)). Original research articles published in English measuring life trauma, post-traumatic stress, experience of discrimination, and epigenetic clocks or aging were analyzed using PRISMA guidelines.
RESULTS
Ten articles met inclusion criteria. The study sample size ranged from 96 to 1163 and most study populations had a mean age under 50 and included predominantly White male participants. One study identified accelerated epigenetic aging associated with discrimination using Hannum's clock; 33% of studies evaluating life trauma reported epigenetic age acceleration using GrimAge or Horvath's clock; 25% of studies evaluating childhood trauma reported epigenetic age acceleration using Horvath's clock; and 71% of studies assessing post-traumatic stress observed epigenetic age acceleration with all clocks, while one study reported deceleration using Horvath's clock.
CONCLUSIONS
The experiences of life trauma, post-traumatic stress, and discrimination may be associated with accelerated epigenetic aging that can be consistently detected using different epigenetic clocks. Additional studies inclusive of diverse populations and other psychosocial stressors are needed.
RELEVANCE
Nursing scholars and other health scientists who utilize epigenetic age acceleration to assess health risks may need to consider including psychosocial stressors in their studies as covariates.
Topics: Aging; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Epigenomics; Humans; Male; Racism; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 35102751
DOI: 10.1177/10998004211060561