Nutritional Intervention for the Elderly during Chemotherapy: A Systematic Review.

This study aims to review existing literature on the effect of oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) during chemotherapy in older cancer patients. Electronic databases were searched for relevant studies up to March 2024. The risk of bias in the included studies was evaluated using the Cochrane tool.

The Role of Combined Muscle Ultrasound and Bioimpedentiometry Parameters for Sarcopenia Diagnosis in a Population of Hospitalized Older Adults.

Background: For the study of quantitative and qualitative muscle parameters, ultrasound and bioelectric impedance analysis are reliable, non-invasive, and reproducible. The aim of this study was to test the combined role of those techniques for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in a population of hospitalized older males and females.

Methods: A total of 70 subjects were recruited, including 10 healthy adults and 60 hospitalized elderly patients with a good level of independence and cooperation, with and without sarcopenia.

Arterial stiffness and cardiovascular risk in patients with nephrolithiasis: a 10-year prospective study.

Background: Nephrolithiasis is frequently associated with cardiovascular diseases. These conditions present common risk factors: systemic inflammation that promotes oxidative stress leading to arterial wall stiffening may also play a role in plaque formation predisposing to nephrolithiasis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate arterial stiffness indices at baseline and after a 10-year follow-up, in patients with nephrolithiasis compared with patients without.

Sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and arterial stiffness among older adults.

Background: Aging is associated with a higher prevalence of sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity (SO), and increased arterial stiffening, with possible detrimental effects on morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess the relationships between sarcopenia, SO, and different indexes of arterial stiffness in older adults.

Methods: A total of 77 hospitalized patients (mean age 78.

Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index and Aging: Differences between CAVI and CAVI0.

Background: Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and CAVI0 (a mathematical expression derived from CAVI, supposed to be less dependent on blood pressure), can describe arterial stiffness, considering a wide proportion of the arterial tree. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between CAVI, CAVI0 and aging, looking at the differences between the two arterial stiffness indexes.

Methods: A total of 191 patients (68 male, mean age 68.

Myocardial Fibrosis and Steatosis in Patients with Aortic Stenosis: Roles of Myostatin and Ceramides.

Aortic stenosis (AS) involves progressive valve obstruction and a remodeling response of the left ventriculum (LV) with systolic and diastolic dysfunction. The roles of interstitial fibrosis and myocardial steatosis in LV dysfunction in AS have not been completely characterized. We enrolled 31 patients (19 women and 12 men) with severe AS undergoing elective aortic valve replacement.

The Role of Ultrasound Muscle Parameters for Myosteatosis and Myofibrosis Measurement in Young, Older, and Obese Subjects.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare quantitative and qualitative ultrasound parameters between healthy young adults and post-acute hospitalized older adults with and without physical disability, as well as between normal weight and overweight/obese persons.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Setting And Participants: A total of 120 individuals were recruited: 24 healthy young adults, 24 normal weight and 24 overweight/obese community-dwelling adults, and 48 post-acute hospitalized older adults with different degrees of functional autonomy.

Senescent adipocytes as potential effectors of muscle cells dysfunction: An in vitro model.

Recently, there has been a growing body of evidence showing a negative effect of the white adipose tissue (WAT) dysfunction on the skeletal muscle function and quality. However, little is known about the effects of senescent adipocytes on muscle cells. Therefore, to explore potential mechanisms involved in age-related loss of muscle mass and function, we performed an in vitro experiment using conditioned medium obtained from cultures of mature and aged 3 T3-L1 adipocytes, as well as from cultures of dysfunctional adipocytes exposed to oxidative stress or high insulin doses, to treat C2C12 myocytes.

Correlation between epicardial adipose tissue and atrial fibrillation burden in coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Aims: Recent studies suggest an association between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and atrial fibrillation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of EAT in relation to atrial fibrillation burden after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

Methods: This prospective single-centre study included patients undergoing CABG.

The Role of Crosstalk between Adipose Cells and Myocytes in the Pathogenesis of Sarcopenic Obesity in the Elderly.

As a result of aging, body composition changes, with a decline in muscle mass and an increase in adipose tissue (AT), which reallocates from subcutaneous to visceral depots and stores ectopically in the liver, heart and muscles. Furthermore, with aging, muscle and AT, both of which have recognized endocrine activity, become dysfunctional and contribute, in the case of positive energy balance, to the development of sarcopenic obesity (SO). SO is defined as the co-existence of excess adiposity and low muscle mass and function, and its prevalence increases with age.

The Correlation of Arterial Stiffness Parameters with Aging and Comorbidity Burden.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationships between carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PVW-cf), cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and CAVI0 (which is a mathematical elaboration of CAVI, theoretically less dependent on blood pressure), age and comorbidity burden. Furthermore, 183 patients (119 female, mean age 67.5 ± 14.

The Role of Obesity, Body Composition, and Nutrition in COVID-19 Pandemia: A Narrative Review.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has spread worldwide, infecting nearly 500 million people, with more than 6 million deaths recorded globally. Obesity leads people to be more vulnerable, developing worse outcomes that can require hospitalization in intensive care units (ICU). This review focused on the available findings that investigated the link between COVID-19, body composition, and nutritional status.

Arterial Stiffness, Subendocardial Impairment, and 30-Day Readmission in Heart Failure Older Patients.

Arterial stiffness and subendocardial perfusion impairment may play a significant role in heart failure (HF) outcomes. The aim of the study was to examine the main predictors of 30-day readmission in geriatric patients, hospitalized with HF, explore hemodynamical parameters, arterial stiffness indexes, and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR). In total, 41 hospitalized patients, affected by HF, were included; they underwent clinical evaluation, routine laboratory testing, and echocardiography.

Impaired subendocardial perfusion in patients with metabolic syndrome.

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MS) is associated to vascular damage, increased arterial stiffness, and impaired myocardial perfusion. Subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) is a noninvasive estimation of myocardial workload, oxygen supply, and perfusion. The aim of the study was to describe the relation between arterial stiffness, SEVR, and cardio-metabolic risk factors.

Relationships between subendocardial perfusion impairment, arterial stiffness and orthostatic hypotension in hospitalized elderly individuals.

Background: Orthostatic hypotension is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Arterial stiffness has been shown to be a pathophysiological mechanism linking orthostatic hypotension and increased cardiovascular risk. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between arterial stiffness, orthostatic hypotension and subendocardial viability ratio (SEVR) and moreover to identify the main predictors of orthostatic hypotension, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV-cf) and SEVR.

The Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment (MSRA) Questionnaire score as a predictor of skeletal muscle mass loss.

Background: Previous studies showed a strong relationship between reduction of appendicular muscle mass and worsening disability; hence, accuracy in assessing muscle mass is considered a key feature for a sarcopenia screening tool.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate if the 7 items of Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment (MSRA) questionnaire predict muscle mass loss in a population of community-dwelling elderly subjects over a 5.5-y follow-up.

Adipokines and Arterial Stiffness in the Elderly.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between adipokines and arterial stiffness in a group of 85 elderly subjects and the role of leptin and adiponectin on subclinical vascular damage, defined by a PWV>10 m/s.

Methods: In each subject, we evaluated anthropometry, body composition by DXA (fat mass, fat mass%, lean mass), metabolic variables, leptin, adiponectin, systolic, diastolic, mean arterial pressure and pulse pressure (SBP, DBP, MAP, PP), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity (crPWV).

Results: In the study population, significant associations were observed between cfPWV and crPWV, age, SBP, MAP, waist circumference, fat body mass and leptin.

Disability assessment in an Italian cohort of patients with obesity using an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-derived questionnaire.

Background: Obesity is a clinical condition that contributes to the development of related disability in different areas (physical, psychological and social). Multidisciplinary treatment calls for specific instruments able to evaluate all related functional problems. We have developed a tool (an ICF-based assessment instrument, the ICF-OB schedule) to evaluate obesity-related disability, composed of an inventory of 71-items from the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Worsening Disability and Hospitalization Risk in Sarcopenic Obese and Dynapenic Abdominal Obese: A 5.5 Years Follow-Up Study in Elderly Men and Women.

A general lack of studies comparing the effect of both dynapenic abdominal obesity and sarcopenic obesity on worsening disability and hospitalization risk should be recognized. The aim of the current study was to evaluate, with a 5.5-year follow-up, the prognostic value of sarcopenic obesity and dynapenic abdominal obesity definitions on worsening disability and hospitalization risk in a sample of older adults.

Weight Loss and Hypertension in Obese Subjects.

Arterial hypertension is strongly related to overweight and obesity. In obese subjects, several mechanisms may lead to hypertension such as insulin and leptin resistance, perivascular adipose tissue dysfunction, renal impairment, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system activation and sympathetic nervous system activity. Weight loss (WL) seems to have positive effects on blood pressure (BP).

Brown and Beige Adipose Tissue and Aging.

Across aging, adipose tissue (AT) changes its quantity and distribution: AT becomes dysfunctional with an increase in production of inflammatory peptides, a decline of those with anti-inflammatory activity and infiltration of macrophages. Adipose organ dysfunction may lead to age-related metabolic alterations. Aging is characterized by an increase in adiposity and a decline in brown adipose tissue (BAT) depots and activity, and UCP1 expression.

Weight Cycling as a Risk Factor for Low Muscle Mass and Strength in a Population of Males and Females with Obesity.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether multiple weight cycles in adulthood are an independent predictor of lower muscle mass and reduced strength, with potential implication for sarcopenia in adults with obesity.

Methods: A total of 60 males and 147 females with obesity were included, with a mean BMI of 37.9 ± 6.

Effects of Aortic Valve Replacement on Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Patients With Aortic Valve Stenosis.

The afterload increase imposed by severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) creates concentric left ventricular (LV) remodeling and diastolic dysfunction (DD), which are both markers of poor clinical outcome. Ideally, a correctly timed surgery for isolated AS can reverse the LV remodeling. However, data on LV DD after aortic valve replacement (AVR) are sparse and contrasting.

In vitro model of chronological aging of adipocytes: Interrelationships with hypoxia and oxidation.

Aging is a physiological process characterized by an age-progressive decline in intrinsic physiological functions, with an increased risk of developing chronic metabolic conditions, such as insulin resistance and diabetes. Furthermore, from a physiopathological point of view, several authors describe an association between oxidative stress, hypoxia and these metabolic conditions. It had been suggested that adipose tissue (AT) dysfunction, senescent cell accumulation and proinflammatory pathways may be involved in this processes.

Physical performance measures in screening for reduced lean body mass in adult females with obesity.

Background & Aims: Little is known about the reduction of lean body mass (LBM) in obesity, or how to identify it in standard clinical settings. We therefore aimed to assess the prevalence of low LBM in adult females with obesity, and to identify the reliability of simple tools for its screening in this population.

Methods And Results: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition assessment was used to categorise 147 female participants with obesity as with or without low LBM, according to the new definition that takes into account both appendicular lean mass (ALM) and body mass index (BMI)-ALM/BMI <0.