Publications by authors named "P A Owens Merlo"
Article Synopsis
- Dementia, particularly with severe behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD), greatly affects quality of life and is a main cause of death in older adults; this study looked at factors predicting mortality in these patients.
- Over 4 years, 32.5% of 508 participants with severe BPSD died, with non-survivors generally being older, more likely male, and showing greater symptom severity and lower cognitive and functional capabilities at the start.
- Key mortality predictors identified were male sex, older age at diagnosis, higher BPSD severity scores, lower cognitive function, worse daily living capabilities, and lower quality of life, while the use of antidepressants was linked to a reduced mortality risk.
Article Synopsis
- New research shows that non-human animals, like common marmosets, can combine specific vocal calls into longer sequences, challenging the idea that syntax is unique to human language.
- While many studies have focused on simple two-call combinations, this research explores more complex sequences of up to nine calls, indicating potential internal organization in their communication.
- The findings suggest that analyzing the entire repertoire of animal calls is crucial for understanding their combinatorial abilities and comparing them to language syntax.
Hypercontractile phenotype (HP) of the left ventricle (LV) is an actionable therapeutic target in patients with chronic coronary syndromes (CCS) or heart failure (HF), but its clinical recognition remains difficult. To assess the clinical variables associated with the HP. In a prospective, observational, multicenter study, we recruited 5122 patients (age 65 ± 11 years, 2974 males, 58%) with CCS and/or HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is widely used for assessing patients in the intensive care unit, with cardiac output measurement being crucial for hemodynamic monitoring. This is achieved by measuring the velocity-time integral (VTI) of the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT), which serves as a surrogate of stroke volume. However, conducting TTE in the critical care setting presents several challenges.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMost researchers have assessed cognitive functions in post-COVID-19 patients by means of screening tools and found cognitive sequelae in addition to anxiety, stress, depression, and a reduced quality of life (QoL). This study was aimed at investigating cognitive and psychological sequelae in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) six months (t6) and one year (t12) after discharge from the hospital, the impact of critical illness on well-being and QoL, and the protective role of cognitive reserve (CR). Twenty-three ICU patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological test battery at t6 and t12; a healthy control group underwent the same evaluation.
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