Publications by authors named "Ester Manes-Gravina"

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to evaluate a population of young patients affected by Spina Bifida (SB) to describe their cardiorespiratory function and bone mineral density profile, analyzing any differences between people performing and those who do not perform sports activity. The study also aimed to rule out possible congenital heart disease associated with spina bifida, considering the common origin of certain cardiac structures with those found to be altered in SB patients.

Methods: Thirty-four young patients, aged between 12 and 22 years, diagnosed with spinal dysraphism (SD), have been clinically described and, in order to evaluate their physical fitness, functional capacity and bone mass, almost all of them underwent a complete cardiorespiratory assessment, including electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiogram, Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET), body composition analysis using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) and Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), as well as the estimation of bone mineral density (BMD) with Computerized Bone Mineralometry (CBM).

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Frailty is a clinically measurable state of vulnerability to developing increased dependency and/or mortality when exposed to a stressor. Chronic diseases, aggressive treatments, antibiotic overuse, microbiota changes, immune senescence, and increased use of medical devices and implants (i.e.

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The incidence of elderly patients who come to the emergency room is progressively increasing. The specialization of the physician units might not be adequate for the evaluation of this complexity. The present study aimed to present a standard procedure, called 'The Geriatric Frailty Network', operating at the Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS Foundation, which is configured specifically for the level II assessment of frail elderly patients.

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Background: To assess the event rates of myocarditis detected by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) in athletes who recovered from COVID-19.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify studies reporting abnormal CMR findings in athletes who recovered from COVID-19. Secondary analyses were performed considering increased serum high sensitivity troponin (hs-Tn) levels and electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic (ECHO) abnormalities.

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Data on clinical characteristics of adults with Down syndrome (DS) are limited and the clinical phenotype of these persons is poorly described. This study aimed to describe the occurrence of chronic diseases and pattern of medication use in a population of adults with DS. Participants were 421 community dwelling adults with DS, aged 18 years or older.

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Background: The aim of our study was to identify independent predictors of functional decline in older nursing home (NH) residents, taking into account both resident and facility characteristics.

Methods: Longitudinal observational study involving 1,760 older (≥65 y) residents of NH participating in the SHELTER* study (57 NH in eight countries). All residents underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment using the interRAI LTCF.

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Objectives: To assess 1-year incidence and factors related to deprescribing in nursing home (NH) residents in Europe.

Design: Longitudinal multicenter cohort study based on data from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study.

Setting: NHs in Europe and Israel.

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Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia and its prevalence increases with age. There is a significant correlation between frailty, morbidity and mortality in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease, but the relation between AF and frailty is still under debate. The aim of this study is to systematically review evidence on the association between AF and frailty.

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Objectives: To test the association between polypharmacy and 1-year change in physical and cognitive function among nursing home (NH) residents.

Design: Longitudinal multicenter cohort study based on data from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study.

Setting: NH in Europe (n = 50) and Israel (n = 7).

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Background: Frailty is common in seniors and is characterized by diminished physiological reserves and increased vulnerability to stressors. Frailty can change the prognosis and treatment approach of several chronic diseases, including COPD. The association between frailty and COPD has never been systematically reviewed.

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Background: Home care (HC) patients are characterized by a high level of complexity, which is reflected by the prevalence of multimorbidity and the correlated high drug consumption. This study assesses prevalence and factors associated with polypharmacy in a sample of HC patients in Europe.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis on 1873 HC patients from six European countries participating in the Identifying best practices for care-dependent elderly by Benchmarking Costs and outcomes of community care (IBenC) project.

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Aim: Drugs may interact with geriatric syndromes by playing a role in the continuation, recurrence or worsening of these conditions. Aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of interactions between drugs and three common geriatric syndromes (delirium, falls and urinary incontinence) among older adults in nursing home and home care in Europe.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional multicenter study among 4023 nursing home residents participating in the Services and Health for Elderly in Long-TERm care (Shelter) project and 1469 home care patients participating in the Identifying best practices for care-dependent elderly by Benchmarking Costs and outcomes of community care (IBenC) project.

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Article Synopsis
  • Mitochondrial quality control (MQC) involves processes like biogenesis, dynamics, and mitophagy that keep mitochondria functional, and its dysfunction is linked to aging and muscle wasting disorders.
  • Dysfunctional MQC leads to the release of mitochondria-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can trigger inflammation similar to how the body responds to pathogens.
  • Recent research suggests that these mitochondrial DAMPs are connected to chronic inflammation in aging and degenerative diseases, and the potential for leveraging this signaling for treating muscle wasting conditions is still being explored.
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Osteoporosis is a condition featured by bone mass loss and bone tissue microarchitectural alterations due to impaired tissue homeostasis favoring excessive bone resorption versus deposition. The trigger of such an impairment and the downstream molecular pathways involved are yet to be clarified. The natural course of osteoporosis is particularly worrisome because, through a "silent" progression, it enhances bone fragility, increases the risk of fractures and is associated with increased risk of disability and mortality.

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Sarcopenia, the progressive and generalized loss of muscle mass and strength/function, is a major health issue in older adults, given its high prevalence and burdensome clinical ramifications. The absence of a unified operational definition for sarcopenia has hampered its full appreciation by healthcare providers, researchers and policy-makers. At the same time, this unresolved debate and the complexity of musculoskeletal aging pose major challenges to the identification of clinically meaningful biomarkers.

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Aim: To assess the predictors of readmission among older adults hospitalized in acute care wards.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was carried out among 921 hospitalized older adults participating in the CRiteria to Assess Appropriate Medication Use among Elderly Complex Patients (CRIME) project. The primary outcome of the study was rehospitalization within 1 year after discharge from acute care hospitals.

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Background: The authors describe the prevalence of moderate-intensity physical activity in a population of older persons living in the community. In addition, they explore the relationship between physical activity and mortality.

Methods: In this longitudinal observational study, the authors analyzed data from patients admitted to home care programs collected as part of the Italian Silver Network Home Care project.

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Background And Aims: The annual winter outbreak of influenza is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among frail elderly people. The aims of the present study were to describe the prevalence of vaccination against influenza in a population of older people living in the community, and to examine the relationship between influenza vaccination and mortality.

Methods: This was an observational cohort study.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Ester Manes-Gravina"

  • Ester Manes-Gravina's recent research focuses on the intersection of chronic diseases, frailty, and physical fitness in various patient populations, particularly the elderly and individuals with specific conditions like Spina Bifida and Down syndrome.
  • Her studies evaluate the impact of leisure sports on the cardiorespiratory function and bone health of young patients with Spina Bifida, as well as the burden of chronic diseases and medication use in adults with Down syndrome.
  • Additionally, her work addresses pathways for improving care in nursing homes, including predictors of functional decline, polypharmacy, and the relationship between frailty and conditions like atrial fibrillation and COVID-19 recovery.

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