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BMC Geriatrics Apr 2022Adults who experience homelessness for an extended period of time also experience accelerated ageing and other negative impacts on their general health and wellbeing.... (Review)
Review
Adults who experience homelessness for an extended period of time also experience accelerated ageing and other negative impacts on their general health and wellbeing. Homelessness amongst older adults is on the rise, yet there are few systematic reviews investigating their experiences. Thus, this review classifies and synthesises qualitative research findings of studies published between 1990 to 2020 that have examined the needs and challenges of homeless older adults to elucidate their journey of homelessness. Seven papers met the requirements for inclusion. Three main themes were identified in the review: - (1) Pathways to homelessness, (2) Impact of homelessness, and (3) Outcomes and resolutions. This review collates current evidence on what is known about the experience of homelessness among older adults. In this study, homeless older adults identified a wide range of challenges associated with the experience of homelessness.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Ill-Housed Persons; Humans; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 35468760
DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-02978-9 -
Advances in Nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) Oct 2022The global population is living longer; however, not everyone ages at the same rate with regard to their physical and cognitive abilities and their vulnerability to...
Contribution of Biological Age-Predictive Biomarkers to Nutrition Research: A Systematic Review of the Current Evidence and Implications for Future Research and Clinical Practice.
The global population is living longer; however, not everyone ages at the same rate with regard to their physical and cognitive abilities and their vulnerability to certain diseases and death. This review aimed to synthesize the contribution of biological age-predictive biomarkers to nutrition research and highlight the implications for future research and clinical practice. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Cochrane CENTRAL were systematically searched on 30 September 2021 for randomized controlled trials and cross-sectional studies examining the association between nutrition and biological age in older adults reporting on genetic, clinical, or molecular biomarkers of biological aging. Cochrane's ROB 2 and ROBINS-I were used to assess the quality of included studies. Synthesis was undertaken narratively. Of 1245 records identified from the search, 13 studies from 8 countries and territories, involving 5043 participants, were included. Seven studies assessed associations between nutrient food intake and telomere attrition, reporting protective effects for branched-chain amino acids, calcium and vitamin D, and a diet of a lower inflammatory index; whereas they found shorter telomeres in people consuming more processed foods and arachidonic acid and other proinflammatory compounds. Five studies examined the associations between plasma nutrition biomarkers and cognitive function, and found a protective effect for HDL cholesterol, lycopene, carotenoids, ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, and vitamins B, C, D, and E; whereas trans fatty acids and fibrinogen correlated with a decline in cognitive function. One study used Horvath's clock and reported the epigenetic rejuvenation effect of a Mediterranean diet. In conclusion, biological aging was negatively associated with an anti-inflammatory diet. However, a few studies did not control for the confounding effect of other lifestyle factors. Future research should address this and also assess the synergistic effect of different nutrients, their combinations, and evaluate their dose-response relations. Nutrition practice can incorporate updated screening procedures for older people that include relevant biological aging nutrition markers, leading to anti-aging precision nutrition therapy. The methodology of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021288122).
Topics: Aged; Aging; Amino Acids, Branched-Chain; Arachidonic Acids; Biomarkers; Calcium; Carotenoids; Cholesterol, HDL; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet, Mediterranean; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Fibrinogen; Humans; Lycopene; Trans Fatty Acids; Vitamin B Complex; Vitamin D
PubMed: 35612976
DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmac060 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Aug 2023The prevalence of Parkinson disease (PD) is becoming an increasing concern owing to the aging population in the United Kingdom. Wearable devices have the potential to... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of Parkinson disease (PD) is becoming an increasing concern owing to the aging population in the United Kingdom. Wearable devices have the potential to improve the clinical care of patients with PD while reducing health care costs. Consequently, exploring the features of these wearable devices is important to identify the limitations and further areas of investigation of how wearable devices are currently used in clinical care in the United Kingdom.
OBJECTIVE
In this scoping review, we aimed to explore the features of wearable devices used for PD in hospitals in the United Kingdom.
METHODS
A scoping review of the current research was undertaken and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. The literature search was undertaken on June 6, 2022, and publications were obtained from MEDLINE or PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Eligible publications were initially screened by their titles and abstracts. Publications that passed the initial screening underwent a full review. The study characteristics were extracted from the final publications, and the evidence was synthesized using a narrative approach. Any queries were reviewed by the first and second authors.
RESULTS
Of the 4543 publications identified, 39 (0.86%) publications underwent a full review, and 20 (0.44%) publications were included in the scoping review. Most studies (11/20, 55%) were conducted at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with sample sizes ranging from 10 to 418. Most study participants were male individuals with a mean age ranging from 57.7 to 78.0 years. The AX3 was the most popular device brand used, and it was commercially manufactured by Axivity. Common wearable device types included body-worn sensors, inertial measurement units, and smartwatches that used accelerometers and gyroscopes to measure the clinical features of PD. Most wearable device primary measures involved the measured gait, bradykinesia, and dyskinesia. The most common wearable device placements were the lumbar region, head, and wrist. Furthermore, 65% (13/20) of the studies used artificial intelligence or machine learning to support PD data analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that wearable devices could help provide a more detailed analysis of PD symptoms during the assessment phase and personalize treatment. Using machine learning, wearable devices could differentiate PD from other neurodegenerative diseases. The identified evidence gaps include the lack of analysis of wearable device cybersecurity and data management. The lack of cost-effectiveness analysis and large-scale participation in studies resulted in uncertainty regarding the feasibility of the widespread use of wearable devices. The uncertainty around the identified research gaps was further exacerbated by the lack of medical regulation of wearable devices for PD, particularly in the United Kingdom where regulations were changing due to the political landscape.
Topics: Humans; Male; Aged; Middle Aged; Female; Parkinson Disease; Artificial Intelligence; Aging; Commerce; Hospitals
PubMed: 37594791
DOI: 10.2196/42950 -
International Journal of Geriatric... Jun 2023Psychiatric comorbidity is high in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with up to 90% having at least one additional condition, and two-thirds having two... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Psychiatric comorbidity is high in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), with up to 90% having at least one additional condition, and two-thirds having two or more other diagnoses. With an increasing aging population in industrialized counties, knowing which psychiatric disorders frequently co-occur in older adults with PTSD can have implications to improve diagnosis and treatment. This systematic literature review explores the current empirical literature on psychiatric comorbidity in older adults with PTSD.
METHOD
Literature databases PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL were searched. The following inclusion criteria were applied: research done since 2013, PTSD diagnosis based on diagnostic criteria according to Diagnostic and Statistics Manual-Fifth Edition, International Classification of Diseases-10th Revision (ICD-10), or ICD-11, and studies include individuals aged 60 years or older.
RESULTS
Of 2068 potentially relevant papers identified, 246 articles were examined based on titles and abstracts. Five papers met the inclusion criteria and were included. Major depressive disorder and alcohol use disorder were the most frequently studied and diagnosed psychiatric comorbidities in older adults with PTSD.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Screening for depression and substance use in older adults should include an assessment of trauma and PTSD. Additional studies in the general older adult population with PTSD and a broader range of comorbid psychiatric disorders are needed.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Depressive Disorder, Major; Aging; Alcoholism; Comorbidity
PubMed: 37303126
DOI: 10.1002/gps.5947 -
Obesity Surgery Jan 2023This study aims to provide an overview of the facial features and structure after bariatric surgery in the existing literature. A systematic literature search was... (Review)
Review
This study aims to provide an overview of the facial features and structure after bariatric surgery in the existing literature. A systematic literature search was performed in electronic databases until 15th February 2022. Four cohort studies including 129 patients from 3 countries were included between time period 2011 and 2020. Overall, bariatric surgery would promote massive weight loss associated with positive effects on facial aging. Analysis revealed a proportional relationship between body mass index (BMI) and faster facial aging and more attractive. Undergoing bariatric surgery would result in facial skin sagging and a favorable effect on the upper airway. Bariatric surgery was found to have a significant impact on changes in facial features but the current evidence remains inconclusive and further studies are required to illustrate facial changes post-bariatric surgery.
Topics: Humans; Obesity, Morbid; Bariatric Surgery; Aging; Weight Loss; Body Mass Index
PubMed: 36434358
DOI: 10.1007/s11695-022-06363-8 -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Oct 2023Women's reproduction requires increased energy demands, which consequently may lead to cellular damage and aging. Hence, Telomere Length (TL), a biomarker of... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Women's reproduction requires increased energy demands, which consequently may lead to cellular damage and aging. Hence, Telomere Length (TL), a biomarker of biological aging and health status may possibly serve as a biomarker of reproductive effort. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate telomere dynamics throughout pregnancy and the association between parity and TL.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted across seven databases including CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Proquest, PubMed; Scopus; and Web of Science, using keywords and MeSH descriptors of parity and TL. Predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen abstracts and titles. After the removal of duplicates, 3431 articles were included in the primary screening, narrowed to 194 articles included in the full-text screening. Consensus was reached for the 14 studies that were included in the final review, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was utilized to assess the quality of the selected studies. A mini meta-analysis utilized JASP 0.17.3 software and included 4 applicable studies, comprising a total of 2564 participants to quantitatively assess the estimated effect size of parity on TL.
RESULTS
Of the 11 studies reviewed on parity and TL, four demonstrated a negative correlation; one - a positive correlation and six -found no correlation. Studies demonstrating a negative correlation encompassed rigorous methodological practices possibly suggesting having more children is associated with enhanced telomere attrition. Of the four longitudinal studies assessing telomere dynamics throughout pregnancy, most found no change in TL from early pregnancy to postpartum suggesting pregnancy does not affect TL from early pregnancy to early postpartum. The meta-analysis revealed a negative, yet, non-significant effect, of the estimated effect size of parity on TL(ES = -0.009, p = 0.126, CI -0.021, 0.03).
CONCLUSIONS
Studies assessing pregnancy, parity and TL yielded mixed results, most likely due to the different research methods utilized in each study. Improvements in study design to better understand the short-term effects of pregnancy on TL and the effect of parity on TL over time, include precise definitions of parity, comparisons of different age groups, inclusion of reproductive lifespan and statistically adjusting for potential confounders in the parity and TL relationship.
Topics: Pregnancy; Child; Humans; Female; Aging; Reproduction; Telomere; Postpartum Period; Biomarkers
PubMed: 37848852
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-023-06011-8 -
Nutrients Jan 2024Intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) are dietary strategies to prevent and attenuate obesity associated with conditions and aging-related outcomes.... (Review)
Review
Intermittent fasting (IF) and caloric restriction (CR) are dietary strategies to prevent and attenuate obesity associated with conditions and aging-related outcomes. This scoping review examined the cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcome differences between IF and CR interventions among adults. We applied a systematic approach to scope published randomized controlled trials (databases: PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsychInfo, Scopus, and Google Scholar) from inception through August 2023. The initial search provided 389 unique articles which were critically appraised. Thirty articles met the eligibility criteria for inclusion: 12 were IF, 10 were CR, and 8 were combined IF and CR interventions. IF and CR were associated with weight loss; however, IF studies tended to report greater adherence compared with CR. Overall, IF and CR were equivalently effective across cardiometabolic, cancer, and neurocognitive outcomes. Our findings suggest that IF has health benefits in a variety of conditions and may be better accepted and tolerated than CR, but more comparative research is required.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Aging; Caloric Restriction; Cardiovascular Diseases; Fasting; Intermittent Fasting; Neoplasms; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 38276554
DOI: 10.3390/nu16020316 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2021Owing to progressive population aging, elderly people (aged 65 and above) face challenges in carrying out activities of daily living, while placement of the elderly in a... (Review)
Review
Owing to progressive population aging, elderly people (aged 65 and above) face challenges in carrying out activities of daily living, while placement of the elderly in a care facility is expensive and mentally taxing for them. Thus, there is a need to develop their own homes into smart homes using new technologies. However, this raises concerns of privacy and data security for users since it can be handled remotely. Hence, with advancing technologies it is important to overcome this challenge using privacy-preserving and non-intrusive models. For this review, 235 articles were scanned from databases, out of which 31 articles pertaining to in-home technologies that assist the elderly in living independently were shortlisted for inclusion. They described the adoption of various methodologies like different sensor-based mechanisms, wearables, camera-based techniques, robots, and machine learning strategies to provide a safe and comfortable environment to the elderly. Recent innovations have rendered these technologies more unobtrusive and privacy-preserving with increasing use of environmental sensors and less use of cameras and other devices that may compromise the privacy of individuals. There is a need to develop a comprehensive system for smart homes which ensures patient safety, privacy, and data security; in addition, robots should be integrated with the existing sensor-based platforms to assist in carrying out daily activities and therapies as required.
Topics: Activities of Daily Living; Aged; Aging; Computer Security; Humans; Privacy; Technology
PubMed: 33925161
DOI: 10.3390/s21093082 -
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 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2023Sarcopenia is a disease associated with the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. It affects the elderly in various ways, such as reduced mobility, compromising... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Sarcopenia is a disease associated with the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. It affects the elderly in various ways, such as reduced mobility, compromising their daily activities, and even deteriorating metabolic health. Primary care serves as the first point of contact for patients and plays an important role in health promotion and disease prevention. Hence, this review is conducted to identify the challenges in the management of sarcopenia in the primary care setting.
METHOD
In December 2022, a scoping review was conducted using PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and a manual search, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria. We used articles that have been written in English, and relevant articles were then screened, duplicates were removed, eligibility criteria were applied, and studies that met the criteria were reviewed. The keywords challenges, management, sarcopenia, and primary care were included.
RESULT
The initial search generated 280 publications, and 11 articles were included after inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. In this review, challenges in the management of sarcopenia in a primary care setting are reviewed based on the screening and diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS
With an increasing aging population, it is important to understand the challenges in the management of sarcopenia in a primary care setting. Identification of elderly at risk of sarcopenia, followed by referring the affected elderly for confirmation of the diagnosis, is essential to preventing the adverse health effects. The initiation of treatment that comprises resistance exercise training and nutrition should not be delayed, as they are salient in the management of sarcopenia.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Sarcopenia; Aging; Exercise; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 36982085
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20065179