Publications by authors named "Patrizia D'amelio"

Background: Osteoporosis treatments reduce fracture risk but cannot fully eliminate it, and the concept of treatment failure (TF) or inadequate clinical response (ICR) remains debated.

Aims: The TAILOR study aims to assess the prevalence of ICR and TF in osteoporotic women undergoing active drug treatment for postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Methods: TAILOR is a retrospective study conducted in an Italian outpatient service.

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Osteoporosis and osteoarthritis are key diseases of musculoskeletal ageing and are increasing in prevalence and burden with the progressively ageing population worldwide. These conditions are thus particularly common in 'the oldest old', and there are complexities of managing them within the context of extensive multimorbidity, physical and mental disability, and polypharmacy, the rates for all of which are high in this population. In this narrative review, we explore the epidemiology of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis in the oldest old before examining trials and real-world data relating to the pharmacological treatment of these diseases in older adults, including anti-resorptives and bone-forming agents in osteoporosis and symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis, paracetamol, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteoarthritis, recognising that the oldest old are usually excluded from clinical trials.

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Neurocognitive disorders are a major public health challenge, affecting 55 million people, and are projected to triple by 2050. This year's research highlights pathological mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction and brain inflammation. Modifiable risk factors, such as vision loss, underscore the importance of early prevention.

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Mild cognitive impairment, dementia and osteoporosis are common diseases of ageing and, with the increasingly ageing global population, are increasing in prevalence. These conditions are closely associated, with shared risk factors, common underlying biological mechanisms and potential direct causal pathways. In this review, the epidemiological and mechanistic links between mild cognitive impairment, dementia and skeletal health are explored.

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This article explores the diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in general practice. It examines the subtypes of MCI and their specific diagnostic criteria for different neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, fronto-temporal dementia and cerebrovascular disorders. It highlights the preferential use of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) over the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for detecting MCI.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Elderly patients with multiple health issues are more likely to experience problems from direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC), especially if they have kidney issues, are very old or underweight, or take many medications.
  • - A medication review and assessment of DOAC use can help identify those at risk for bleeding, utilizing the expertise of coagulation specialists and specific blood tests to measure drug levels and clotting indicators.
  • - If DOAC-related issues are found, experts can recommend tailored solutions, like reducing the dosage or switching to a different anticoagulant medication.
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Patients aged 80 years and older represent a growing proportion of admissions to intensive care units (ICU) and are burdened by high mortality rates. Due to the complexity of their medical and social needs, a holistic approach is essential. Collaboration between intensivists and geriatricians could improve the overall management of older patients.

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Aging is one of the greatest risk factors for several chronic diseases and is accompanied by a progressive decline of cellular and organ function. Recent studies have highlighted the changes in metabolism as one of the main drivers of organism dysfunctions during aging and how that strongly deteriorate immune cell performance and function. Indeed, a dysfunctional immune system has been shown to have a pleiotropic impact on the organism, accelerating the overall aging process of an individual.

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The aim of this article is to draw attention to sex- and gender-related differences in the management of elderly patients. This issue is illustrated with two diseases linked to gender and sex: osteoporosis and high blood pressure. On one hand, patients of the sex less affected by the disease may feel less concerned; on the other hand, these patients are at greater risk of being under-diagnosed by medical and nursing staff.

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Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is associated with a poor prognosis and remains an incurable fatal disease. Therefore, the identification of molecular markers involved in cancer progression is urgently needed to develop more-effective therapies. The present study investigated the role of the Wnt signaling modulator Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) in the growth and metastatic progression of mCRPC.

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Background: Anxiety disorders are frequent but remain often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Hence, valid screening instruments are needed to enhance the diagnostic process. The Clinical Anxiety Scale (CAS) is a 25-item anxiety screening tool derived from the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A).

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Background & Aims: The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism published its first clinical guidelines for use of micronutrients (MNs) in 2022. A two-day web symposium was organized in November 2022 discussing how to apply the guidelines in clinical practice. The present paper reports the main findings of this symposium.

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Introduction: Osteoporosis, which is characterized by compromised bone density and heightened susceptibility to fractures, is a substantial public health concern, especially among the aging population. Underdiagnosis, undertreatment, and therapy non-adherence contribute to its impact. Anabolic and dual-action agents like teriparatide, abaloparatide, and romosozumab have emerged as effective treatments, allowing rapid gains in bone mineral density (BMD) and reducing fracture risk.

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An accurate assessment of renal function is crucial for the diagnosis and follow up of kidney diseases. However, there is currently no clear consensus on the optimal method on how to measure renal function in older individuals (>65 years of age). The Cockcroft-Gault formula, the MDRD equation, and the CKD-EPI equation are among the most used equations.

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Sarcopenia is an age-related disease characterized by loss of muscle strength, mass and performance. Malnutrition contributes to sarcopenia pathogenesis. The aim of this systematic review is to analyze existing evidence on the efficacy of nutritional supplementation on muscle and mitochondrial health among sarcopenic or malnourished older adults.

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Background: Hyponatremia is frequent in older age; whether it is a key player, a surrogate marker, or an innocent bystander in age-related diseases is still unclear.

Objective: To understand the role of hyponatremia in falls, osteoporosis, fractures, and cognitive impairment in old patients.

Method: Eligibility criteria for study inclusions were: written in English, peer-reviewed observational and intervention studies, clinical trial, prospective and retrospective controlled cohort studies, and case-controlled studies without limitations regarding the date of publication.

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The number of older patients is constantly growing, and early hospital readmissions in this population represent a major problem from a health, social and economic point of view. Furthermore, the early readmission rate is often used as an indicator of the quality of care. We performed a systematic review of the literature to better understand the risk factors of early readmission (30 and 90 days) in the geriatric population and to update the existing evidence on this subject.

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Aging is associated with changes in the immune system, increased inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. The relationship between these phenomena and the clinical phenotype of frailty is unclear. Here, we evaluated the immune phenotypes, T cell functions and mitochondrial functions of immune cells in frail and robust older subjects.

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Frailty syndrome severely burdens older age, and musculoskeletal diseases are of paramount importance in its development. The aim of this study is to unravel the contribution of musculoskeletal diseases to frailty syndrome. This is a case-control study, and we enrolled 55 robust community-dwelling age- and gender-matched patients, with 58 frail and pre-frail subjects.

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The vitamin D and microRNA (miR) systems may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disorders, including hypertension. The HYPODD study was a double-blind placebo-controlled trial aiming to assess the effects of cholecalciferol treatment in patients with well-controlled hypertension and hypovitaminosis D (25OHD levels < 50 nmol/L). In addition to this clinical trial, we also evaluated the effects of cholecalciferol and calcitriol treatment on miR-21 expression in vivo and in vitro, respectively.

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Background: Loneliness and social isolation are associated with anxiety and psychological discomfort, especially amongst the oldest and fragile persons.

Aims: SILVER evaluates the acceptance of video calls by old hospitalized patients and their relatives during the ban on visits due to the COVID-19. Moreover, SILVER evaluates if the use of different communication technology is associated with different outcomes in terms of anxiety, fear of self and of others' death and mood.

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With extended life expectancy, the older population is constantly increasing, and consequently, so too is the prevalence of age-related disorders. Sarcopenia, the pathological age-related loss of muscle mass and function; and malnutrition, the imbalance in nutrient intake and resultant energy production, are both commonly occurring conditions in old adults. Altered nutrition plays a crucial role in the onset of sarcopenia, and both these disorders are associated with detrimental consequences for patients (e.

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