Persistence of clinically relevant levels of SARS-CoV2 envelope gene subgenomic RNAs in non-immunocompromised individuals.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between COVID-19 severity and active viral load, and to characterize the dynamics of active SARS-CoV-2 clearance in a series of archival samples taken from patients in the first wave of COVID-19 infection in the South West of the UK.

Methods: Subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) and E-gene genomic sequences were measured in a retrospective collection of PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive samples from 176 individuals, and related to disease severity. Viral clearance dynamics were then assessed in relation to symptom onset and last positive test.

Systolic blood pressure and outcomes in frail older adults.

Hypertension is diagnosed in the majority of older people with frailty, in whom blood pressure prognosis is not well understood. This editorial describes recent evidence on blood pressure and outcomes in older people with frailty.

COVID-19 severity is predicted by earlier evidence of accelerated aging.

With no known treatments or vaccine, COVID-19 presents a major threat, particularly to older adults, who account for the majority of severe illness and deaths. The age-related susceptibility is partly explained by increased comorbidities including dementia and type II diabetes [1]. While it is unclear why these diseases predispose risk, we hypothesize that increased biological age, rather than chronological age, may be driving disease-related trends in COVID-19 severity with age.

Proton-Pump Inhibitors and Long-Term Risk of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults.

Objectives: To estimate associations between long-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and pneumonia incidence in older adults in primary care.

Design: Longitudinal analyses of electronic medical records.

Setting: England PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 60 and older in primary care receiving PPIs for 1 year or longer (N=75,050) and age- and sex-matched controls (N=75,050).

Obesity in Older People With and Without Conditions Associated With Weight Loss: Follow-up of 955,000 Primary Care Patients.

Background: Moderate obesity in later life may improve survival, prompting calls to revise obesity control policies. However, this obesity paradox may be due to confounding from smoking, diseases causing weight-loss, plus varying follow-up periods. We aimed to estimate body mass index (BMI) associations with mortality, incident type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease in older people with and without the above confounders.

Safety and Effectiveness of Statins for Prevention of Recurrent Myocardial Infarction in 12 156 Typical Older Patients: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: There is limited evidence on statin risk and effectiveness for patients aged 80+. We estimated risk of recurrent myocardial infarction, muscle-related and other adverse events, and statin-related incremental costs in "real-world" older patients treated with statins versus no statins.

Methods: We used primary care electronic medical records from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Any versus long-term prescribing of high risk medications in older people using 2012 Beers Criteria: results from three cross-sectional samples of primary care records for 2003/4, 2007/8 and 2011/12.

Background: High risk medications are commonly prescribed to older US patients. Currently, less is known about high risk medication prescribing in other Western Countries, including the UK. We measured trends and correlates of high risk medication prescribing in a subset of the older UK population (community/institutionalized) to inform harm minimization efforts.

Much more medicine for the oldest old: trends in UK electronic clinical records.

Background: the oldest old (85+) pose complex medical challenges. Both underdiagnosis and overdiagnosis are claimed in this group.

Objective: to estimate diagnosis, prescribing and hospital admission prevalence from 2003/4 to 2011/12, to monitor trends in medicalisation.