Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Mitigates Inflammation and Hospital Stay in Frail Elderly Patients: A Moderation Analysis.

Unlabelled: Understanding the interaction between dietary patterns and nutritional status in influencing health outcomes is crucial, especially in vulnerable populations. Our study investigates the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and nutritional status on inflammatory markers (CRP) and the length of stay (LOS) in hospitalized frail elderly patients.

Methods: We conducted two-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis to evaluate the effects of nutritional status and MD adherence on the CRP levels and LOS in a cohort of 117 frail elderly patients aged 65 years or older.

An Amino Acid Mixture to Counteract Skeletal Muscle Atrophy: Impact on Mitochondrial Bioenergetics.

Skeletal muscle atrophy (SMA) is caused by a rise in muscle breakdown and a decline in protein synthesis, with a consequent loss of mass and function. This study characterized the effect of an amino acid mixture (AA) in models of SMA, focusing on mitochondria. C57/Bl6 mice underwent immobilization of one hindlimb (I) or cardiotoxin-induced muscle injury (C) and were compared with controls (CTRL).

Prognostic Nutritional Index and Instant Nutritional Assessement Are Associated with Clinical Outcomes in a Geriatric Cohort of Acutely Inpatients.

Background: Among elderly inpatients, malnutrition is one of the most important predictive factors affecting length of stay (LOS), mortality, and risk of re-hospitalization.

Methods: We conducted an observational, retrospective study on a cohort of 2206 acutely inpatients. Serum albumin and lymphocytes were evaluated.

Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) Score as a Predictive Marker in Hospitalized Frail Elderly Patients.

The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score is a simple screening tool able to detect altered nutritional status as well as to predict clinical adverse outcomes in specific populations. No data are available in frail patients. This study aims to investigate the predictive role of the CONUT score on mortality and length of stay (LOS) in frail patients admitted to an Internal Medicine Department.

Alteration of circulating redox balance in coronavirus disease-19-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Mechanisms underpinning ARDS induced by COVID-19 are mostly immune-mediated, but need to be completely clarified. This study aimed to investigate redox balance in COVID-19 patients with ARDS, trying to recognize possible differences from typical ARDS related to the pathophysiology of severe disease.

Methods: Patients affected by ARDS and positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus (N = 40, COVID-19) were compared to ARDS patients negative to the molecular test (N = 42, No COVID-19).

Increasing Our Understanding of How Dietary Components Can Affect Cellular Mechanisms That Regulate Aging and Slow the Onset of Frailty and Chronic Diseases.

The current average life expectancy at birth is well over 80 years [...

Whole-Grain Intake in the Mediterranean Diet and a Low Protein to Carbohydrates Ratio Can Help to Reduce Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease, Slow Down the Progression of Aging, and to Improve Lifespan: A Review.

Increase in the aging population is a phenomenon all over the world. Maintaining good functional ability, good mental health, and cognitive function in the absence of severe disease and physical disability define successful aging. A healthy lifestyle in middle age predisposes successful aging.

The Mediterranean Diet Slows Down the Progression of Aging and Helps to Prevent the Onset of Frailty: A Narrative Review.

The aging population is rapidly increasing all over the world. This results in significant implications for the planning and provision of health and social care. Aging is physiologically characterized by a decrease in lean mass, bone mineral density and, to a lesser extent, fat mass.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet, Malnutrition, Length of Stay and Mortality in Elderly Patients Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Wards.

This investigation aimed to explore the adherence to a Mediterranean Diet and its relationship with length of stay and in-hospital mortality, circulating interleukins, body composition, and frailty, in elderly patients hospitalized in internal medicine wards. Thus, a cross-sectional study in 194 acute hospitalized, community-dwelling elderly patients was performed. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet was evaluated by the Italian Mediterranean Index (IMI).

The Mediterranean Diet Reduces the Risk and Mortality of the Prostate Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in the world among men, and is the fifth most common cause of cancer death among men. The aim of our review was to analyze observational and case-control studies to point out the effects of overweight and diets components on the cancer risk, particularly on risk of prostate cancer, and the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MD) on the reduction of risk and mortality of prostate cancer. It is known that incidence and progression of cancer is multifactorial.

Vascular effects of the Mediterranean diet-part II: role of omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil polyphenols.

The lower occurrence of cardiovascular disease and cancer in populations around the Mediterranean basin as detected in the 1950s was correctly attributed to the peculiar dietary habits of those populations. Essentially, until the mid-20th century, typical Mediterranean diets were rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-wheat bread, nuts, fish, and, as a common culinary trait, the routine use of extra-virgin olive oil. Nowadays, the regular adoption of such dietary patterns is still thought to result in healthful benefits.

From excess adiposity to insulin resistance: the role of free fatty acids.

With a positive caloric balance, adipocytes undergo excessive hypertrophy, which causes adipocyte dysfunction, as well as adipose tissue endocrine and immune responses. A preferential site of fat accumulation is the abdominal-perivisceral region, due to peculiar factors of the adipose tissue in such sites, namely an excess of glucocorticoid activity, which promotes the accumulation of fat; and the greater metabolic activity and sensitivity to lipolysis, due to increased number and activity of β3-adrenoceptors and, partly, to reduced activity of α2-adrenoceptors. As a consequence, more free fatty acids (FFA) are released into the portal system.

Polymorphisms in glutathione S-transferase omega-1 gene and increased risk of sporadic Alzheimer disease.

Previous studies examining the association between the glutathione S-transferase omega-1 (GSTO1) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and Alzheimer disease (AD) have yielded conflicting results. Furthermore, an effect of GSTO1 rs4925 on the age-at-onset (AAO) of AD was found in different studies on sporadic and familial AD cases, but with contrasting findings. A total sample of 103 AD patients, and 157 age- and sex-matched unrelated caregivers from Apulia, southern Italy, were genotyped for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) polymorphism and the GSTO1 rs4925 and rs1804834 SNPs.

Metabolic syndrome and cognitive impairment: current epidemiology and possible underlying mechanisms.

A possible role of vascular and lifestyle-related factors was recently proposed for age-related changes of cognitive function, predementia syndromes, and cognitive decline of degenerative (Alzheimer's disease, AD) or vascular origin (vascular dementia, VaD). At present, cumulative evidence suggests that vascular risk factors may be important in the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, and AD. Among vascular-related factors, metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been associated with the risk of cognitive decline, overall dementia, and VaD, but contrasting findings also existed on the possible role of MetS in AD.

REVIEW: γ-Secretase inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease: The current state.

Aims: Drugs currently used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) partially stabilize patients' symptoms without modifying disease progression. Brain accumulation of oligomeric species of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides, the principal components of senile plaques, is believed to play a crucial role in the development of AD. Based on this hypothesis, huge efforts are being spent to identify drugs able to interfere with proteases regulating Aβ formation from amyloid precursor protein (APP).

Polymorphism C in the serotonin transporter gene in depression-free elderly patients with vascular dementia.

Background: Genotypes of the solute carrier family 6 (neurotransmitter transporter, serotonin) member 4 (SLC6A4) have been variously associated with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, memory impairment, and anxiety. Less clear are data regarding their association with severe dementia, in particular with vascular dementia (VaD).

Aims: To evaluate the possible involvement of different SLC6A4 genotypes/haplotypes in VaD.

Metabolic-cognitive syndrome: a cross-talk between metabolic syndrome and Alzheimer's disease.

A growing body of epidemiological evidence suggested that metabolic syndrome (MetS) and Mets components (impaired glucose tolerance, abdominal or central obesity, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) may be important in the development of age-related cognitive decline (ARCD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), vascular dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). These suggestions proposed in these patients the presence of a "metabolic-cognitive syndrome", i.e.

Is insulin resistant brain state a central feature of the metabolic-cognitive syndrome?

Cumulative evidence suggests that metabolic syndrome (MetS) may be important in the development of mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). As such, these patients might be described as having "metabolic-cognitive syndrome"--MetS plus cognitive impairment of degenerative or vascular origin. While peripheral insulin resistance appears to be of primary pathophysiological importance in MetS, the definitions of MetS and its components do not include any reference to insulin resistance or hyperinsulinemia.

Aluminum in the diet and Alzheimer's disease: from current epidemiology to possible disease-modifying treatment.

In recent years, interest in the potential role of metals in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has grown considerably. In particular, aluminum (Al) neurotoxicity was suggested after its discovery in the senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles that represent the principal neuropathological hallmarks of AD. Al is omnipresent in everyday life and can enter the human body from several sources, most notably from drinking water and food consumption.