[Development and assessment of a MOOC about delirium in geriatric oncology].

Introduction: Among the themes to be addressed by a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on geriatric oncology, one of the priorities was delirium, due to its frequency, complications and difficulties encountered by healthcare professionals in diagnosing and managing delirium. Our study aims to evaluate professional practices in the area of education, regarding the evaluation of the content of a MOOC module about delirium syndrome in geriatric oncology.

Methods: We created a multidisciplinary group to define the scientific content, the pedagogical objectives, the scriptwriting and the development of a training module.

Spreading geriatric oncology culture through professional caregivers: Results of a French massive open online course (MOOC).

Geriatric oncology is based on the synergy between several professionals whose common goal is to improve care for older patients with cancer. This requires sharing a common core of knowledge to facilitate collaboration between them. To date, training in geriatric oncology has been limited in scope and difficult to access for caregivers, particularly nurses and healthcare aides.

[Burden experienced by informal caregivers assisting Alzheimer's patients in the REAL.FR study].

Background: Most AD patients are cared for at home by informal caregivers. The effect of different kind of stressors on caregivers has been referred to as caregiver burden.

Objective: To determine (1) the level of burden of informal caregivers of Alzheimer's patients in a French national sample; (2) the factors associated with a high level of burden.

Association of Alzheimer's disease onset with ginkgo biloba and other symptomatic cognitive treatments in a population of women aged 75 years and older from the EPIDOS study.

Background: Peripheral C4A treatment (cerebral and peripheral vasotherapeutics) and especially Ginkgo biloba extracts are prescribed for a number of symptoms, particularly memory impairment, in elderly patients. It is postulated that because of its pharmacological actions, this treatment could prevent the decline of cognitive function, but no studies have been published to date to test its efficacy in prevention of Alzheimer's disease. The potential association between use of C4A treatments, in particular EGb 761 (standardized Ginkgo biloba extracts), and dementia of the Alzheimer type was investigated.

Body composition in French women 75+ years of age: the EPIDOS study.

Background: There are presently no published data on age-related changes in body composition in French individuals older than 65 or 80 years. This paper presents a cross-sectional study of 7518 community-residing French women older than 75 years.

Methods: We examined age differences changes in body composition and anthropometry between age groups (76-80, 81-85, and 86-95 years of age).

[Association between the A2 allele of the HLA system and age at onset of Alzheimer's disease].

Objective: Alzheimer is a multifactor disease occurring in a sensitive genetic territory. The e4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APO E) is a recognised factor of risk. Some studies have suggested an association between the A2 allele of the HLA system and an earlier onset of the disease notably when it appears before the age of 64 or after the age of 75.

Is there a relationship between fat-free soft tissue mass and low cognitive function? Results from a study of 7,105 women.

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that low fat-free soft tissue mass and cognitive impairment are independently associated.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Five geographic areas of France.

Predictive factors of acute hospitalization in 134 patients with Alzheimer's disease: a one year prospective study.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of and determine predictive factors for acute hospitalization in a prospective study of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Design: A one year prospective study.

Participants: 134 patients recruited from the memory clinic in Toulouse University Hospital, with AD diagnosed using the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria.

Instrumental activities of daily living as a potential marker of frailty: a study of 7364 community-dwelling elderly women (the EPIDOS study).

Background: A number of clinical conditions have been shown to be associated with frailty in elderly people. We hypothesized that incapacities on the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) scale could make it possible to identify this population. We investigated the associations between IADL incapacities and the various known correlates of frailty in a cohort of community-dwelling elderly women.

Nutritional risk factors for institutional placement in Alzheimer's disease after one year follow-up.

Amongst factors associated with the institutional placement of elderly people with dementia, there has been little study of those related to malnutrition. We followed a cohort of 318 individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Patients, who were all living at home at the start of the study were recruited from the outpatient service of a hospital unit specialising in AD.

Descriptive analysis of emergency hospital admissions of patients with Alzheimer disease.

The aim of this project was to study the underlying reasons for emergency hospital admission of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and their characteristics. This prospective 4-month study identified 118 patients with DAT, most of whom were referred to the two emergency departments of the Toulouse University Hospital. The two main reasons for admission were behavioral problems (26.

Relationships between nutritional markers and the mini-nutritional assessment in 155 older persons.

Objective: To investigate the relationships between nutritional status measured by a comprehensive nutritional assessment including anthropometric measurements, nutritional biological markers, evaluation of dietary intake, and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) nutrition screening tool.

Design: A prospective study.

Participants: One hundred fifty-five older subjects (53 men and 102 women; mean age = 78 years; range = 56-97 years).

Changes in dietary intakes with age.

The aim of this study was to describe changes in dietary intakes with age in subjects aging normally within the Toulouse study. Daily caloric intakes were constant in both sexes and in the three age classes considered. Energy distributions among the meals were rather clearly modified in men: the contribution of breakfast and afternoon snacks increased while those of lunch and dinner decreased.

Assessment of the effectiveness of drug therapies on nutritional status in the elderly: "concerning a randomised, double-blind clinical study of the activity of pancreatic extracts and a placebo during the renutrition of elderly subjects suffering from protein caloric undernutrition".

Aims: to study, versus placebo, the value of administering pancreatic extracts in elderly subjects suffering from denutrition.

Methods: 52 subjects over 70 years of age, living in the Toulouse region of France, were included in this study. Each subject was required to present with an impaired nutritional status of their food intake, anthropometric and laboratory markers.

A prospective study of changes on nutritional patterns 6 months before and 18 months after retirement.

To present results from a two year prospective study on diet, 6 months before and 18 months after retirement. The studied population exhibited an increase in social and physical activities over time after retirement. A significant decrease in weight was found in men 18 months after retirement.

[Falls, frailty and osteoporosis in the elderly: a public health problem].

Introduction: Elderly people can be subdivided into three groups: healthy elderly persons (65-70% of the population), elderly subjects with diseases (about 5%) and frail old people. Frailty represents "age-related physiologic vulnerability resulting from impaired homeotasic stock and a reduced capacity of the organism to withstand stress". It could lead elderly subjects to pathological, barely reversible, ageing.

[Alzheimer's disease: from pathology to preventive methods?].

Introduction: Sporadic Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent form of dementia and appears to be associated with increasing age and certain genetic and environmental factors. Some studies have recently been published on potential protective factors.

Current Knowledge And Key Points: Several genes appear to be involved; one of the most common is the ApoE4 allele on chromosome 19.

Feasibility [corrected] of regular physical exercise for patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer disease.

Background: Physical activity delays loss of autonomy in the elderly. In patients with Alzheimer disease (AD), physical activity could be a useful strategy in therapeutic management by delaying loss of functional independence and the usual complications of the disease.

Objective: To determine, using standardized tools, the effects on autonomy (ADL, IADL), cognitive function (MMS), nutritional status (MNA), behavioral problems (NPI) and risk of falls (Tinetti test) of a physical exercise program in patients with AD.

Alzheimer disease: protective factors.

Approximately 6-8% of all persons aged >65 y have Alzheimer disease and the prevalence of the disease is increasing. Any intervention strategy aimed at decreasing risks or delaying the onset of the disease will therefore have a substantial effect on health care costs. Nutrition seems to be one of the factors that may play a protective role in Alzheimer disease.

Weight loss in Alzheimer disease.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have shown that weight loss is commonly associated with Alzheimer disease (AD) and is a manifestation of the disease itself. The etiology of weight loss in AD appears multifactorial. Hypotheses to explain the weight loss have been suggested (eg, atrophy of the mesial temporal cortex, biological disturbances, and higher energy expenditure); however, none have been proven.

Nutritional support and aging in preoperative nutrition.

In the past 20 years, an increased interest geriatric nutrition has induced researchers to document the distribution and magnitude of nutritional problems in the elderly population. It has been observed that the prevalence of malnutrition is greatly affected by the general health status and autonomy of the elderly. Among free-living healthy elderly persons, the prevalence of protein-caloric undernutrition is low.