Personal dignity in people with early-stage dementia: A longitudinal study.

Background: A psychosocial problem faced by people with early-stage dementia (PwESD) is the perception of threats to personal dignity. Insights into its dynamics are important for understanding how it changes as dementia advances and to develop suitable interventions. However, longitudinal studies on this change in PwESD are lacking.

[Statin therapy in elderly patients].

Cardiovascular events occur most frequently in patients at higher age groups. The elderly suffer not only more advanced and complex changes of cardiovascular system but, also, other chronic conditions. Moreover, compared to middle-age, different therapeutic response is often observed due to changes of pharmaco-kinetics and -dynamics; these patients use other medications, which may trigger drug interactions.

Psychometric Validation of the Czech Version of the Quality of Life - Alzheimer's Disease Scale in Patients with Early-Stage Dementia.

Background/aims: The aim of this study was to perform a psychometric validation of the Czech version of the Quality of Life - Alzheimer's Disease scale (QoL-AD) for patients with early-stage dementia.

Methods: The sample included 212 patient-proxy pairs. For convergent validity, the Czech version of the Bristol Activities of Daily Living Scale (BADLS-CZ), the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were used.

The impact of combinations of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-hypertensive agents on blood pressure.

Nowadays NSAIDs are the most frequently used groups of drugs, especially because of their availability. Their consumption is high among older people, who are much more sensitive to the side effects, and who are often also taking other drugs which can interact with them. Moreover, the majority of the older population is suffering from hypertension.

Biogerontology in the Czech Republic.

Authors provide results of their review of research in the field of biogerontology. Despite the fact that the term "biogerontology" is not commonly used in Czech scientific practice, there have been many research efforts in this field. Up to present, the Czech research teams have focused on the theoretical and biological models of ageing, its immunological aspects, the risk factors of unsuccessfull human ageing, and also metabolic and nutritional factors.

Effect of the Exercise Dance for Seniors (EXDASE) program on lower-body functioning among institutionalized older adults.

Objective: The authors conducted a randomized control trial to examine the effect of the Exercise Dance for Seniors (EXDASE) program on lower-body functioning among older individuals from residential care facilities in the Czech Republic.

Method: Participants were randomly assigned into an experimental or control group. The experimental group completed a 3-month EXDASE program.

Fluorimetric determination of the levels of urinary neopterin and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the nonagenarians.

Twelve self-sustaining nonagenarians, 10 women and two men, aged 94+/-3 years, and eight institutionalised nonagenarians, eight women, aged 91+/-1 year as well as 11 control subjects, seven women and four men, aged 84+/-5 years entered the study. Urinary neopterin, an indicator of systemic immune activation, and serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), a marker of lipoperoxidation, were determined initially, and collection of the blood and urine samples was repeated at 3-month interval. Neopterin was measured in the urine specimens by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.

A changed view of serum prealbumin in the elderly: prealbumin values influenced by concomitant inflammation.

Aims: We are currently witnessing changes in views on the evaluation of serum proteins. A decrease may signal not only malnutrition. It may also be an indicator of simultaneously occurring inflammatory disease.

Present state of evaluating malnutrition in the elderly - analysing indicators.

Objectives: Malnutrition in old age is a significant problem. The study presents a survey of the basic methods used in the diagnosis of malnutrition in the elderly such as nutritional anamnesis, anthropometrical, laboratory a functional examinations and indicating specific differences as compared with a younger population.

Methods: We conducted a search of Czech and foreign literature (using PubMed, Medline) focused on diagnostic methods and examinations of nutritional markers especially by geriatric patients published from 1994 to 2006.