Vitamin D deficiency and SARS‑CoV‑2 infection: A retrospective case-Control study with big-data analysis covering March 2020 to March 2021.

Background: Vitamin D may have immunomodulatory functions, and might therefore play a role in the pathogenesis of acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, no conclusive evidence exists regarding its impact on the prevalence of this infection, the associated course of disease, or prognosis.

Objective: To study the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and vitamin D deficiency in patients attending a tertiary university hospital, and to examine the clinical course of infection and prognosis for these patients.

Differences in the baseline characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with hip fractures depending on their pre-fracture place of residence: the Spanish National Hip Fracture Registry (RNFC) cohort.

Purpose: One in four hip fracture patients comes from an aged care facility. This study aimed to compare the characteristics of these subjects with their community-dwelling counterparts at baseline, during hospitalization and 1-month post-fracture.

Methods: We analyzed data from a cohort of older adults admitted with hip fractures to 75 Spanish hospitals, collected prospectively in the Spanish National Hip Fracture Registry between 2016 and 2018.

Handgrip strength predicts 1-year functional recovery and mortality in hip fracture patients.

Objectives: Muscle strength is a possible predictor of adverse events. It could have prognostic value in patients with hip fracture (HF). The aim of this study was to determine if handgrip strength is associated with functional impairment, readmissions, and mortality at one year in elderly patients with HF.

Development of a new comprehensive preoperative risk score for predicting 1-year mortality in patients with hip fracture: the HULP-HF score. Comparison with 3 other risk prediction models.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a new comprehensive preoperative risk score for predicting mortality during the first year after hip fracture (HF) and its comparison with 3 other risk prediction models.

Methods: All patients admitted consecutively with a fragility HF during 1 year in a co-managed orthogeriatric unit at a university hospital were assessed and followed for 1 year. Factors independently associated with 1-year mortality were used to create the HULP-HF (Hospital Universitario La Paz - Hip Fracture) score.

Minimal clinically important decline in physical function over one year: EPOSA study.

Background: The Australian/Canadian hand Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities knee and hip Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) are the most commonly used clinical tools to manage and monitor osteoarthritis (OA). Few studies have as yet reported longitudinal changes in the AUSCAN index regarding the hand. While there are published data regarding WOMAC assessments of the hip and the knee, the two sites have always evaluated separately.

Within-Person Pain Variability and Mental Health in Older Adults With Osteoarthritis: An Analysis Across 6 European Cohorts.

Unlabelled: Pain is a key symptom of osteoarthritis (OA) and has been linked to poor mental health. Pain fluctuates over time within individuals, but a paucity of studies have considered day-to-day fluctuations of joint pain in relation to affective symptoms in older persons with OA. This study investigated the relationship of pain severity as well as within-person pain variability with anxiety and depression symptoms in 832 older adults with OA who participated in the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA): a 6-country cohort study.

Baseline and pre-operative 1-year mortality risk factors in a cohort of 509 hip fracture patients consecutively admitted to a co-managed orthogeriatric unit (FONDA Cohort).

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the patient characteristics that predict 1-year mortality after a hip fracture (HF).

Methods: All patients admitted consecutively with fragility HF during 1 year in a co-managed orthogeriatric unit of a university hospital (FONDA cohort) were assesed. Baseline and admission demographic, clinical, functional, analytical and body-composition variables were collected in the first 72 h after admission.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment for identifying older people at risk of hip fracture: cross-sectional study with comparative group.

Background: Hip fracture (HF) is by far the most common serious fragility fracture. Its care is a major challenge to all healthcare systems.

Aim: To determine whether there are characteristics of older people identified via comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) that help identify those with an increased risk of HF.

How Hand Osteoarthritis, Comorbidity, and Pain Interact to Determine Functional Limitation in Older People: Observations From the European Project on OSteoArthritis Study.

Objective: To examine the role of comorbidity and pain in the associations of hand osteoarthritis (OA) with self-reported and performance-based physical function in a general population of elderly persons.

Methods: We studied data from 2,942 participants ages 65-85 years in the European Project on OSteoArthritis, a collaborative observational study of 6 European cohorts (from Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Outcome measures included self-reported physical function of the hands measured by the AUStralian/CANadian Osteoarthritis Hand Index (AUSCAN) for hand OA physical function subscale and performance-based grip strength measured using a strain gauge dynamometer.

The Influence of Weather Conditions on Outdoor Physical Activity Among Older People With and Without Osteoarthritis in 6 European Countries.

Background: Older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) often report that their disease symptoms are exacerbated by weather conditions. This study examines the association between outdoor physical activity (PA) and weather conditions in older adults from 6 European countries and assesses whether outdoor PA and weather conditions are more strongly associated in older persons with OA than in those without the condition.

Methods: The American College of Rheumatology classification criteria were used to diagnose OA.

Osteoarthritis and frailty in elderly individuals across six European countries: results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis (EPOSA).

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common cause of disability in the elderly. Clinical frailty is associated with high mortality, but few studies have explored the relationship between OA and frailty. The objective of this study was to consider the association between OA and frailty/pre-frailty in an elderly population comprised of six European cohorts participating in the EPOSA project.

Prevalence of sarcopenia in acute hip fracture patients and its influence on short-term clinical outcome.

Aim: Current international criteria provide standardized procedures to diagnose sarcopenia in older people. However, to date few data exist on patients with acute disease. The present study was carried out to determine the frequency of sarcopenia in acute hip fracture patients, and its association with their baseline characteristics and prognosis during hospitalization.

The Influence of Weather Conditions on Joint Pain in Older People with Osteoarthritis: Results from the European Project on OSteoArthritis.

Objective: This study examined whether daily weather conditions, 3-day average weather conditions, and changes in weather conditions influence joint pain in older people with osteoarthritis (OA) in 6 European countries.

Methods: Data from the population-based European Project on OSteoArthritis were used. The American College of Rheumatology classification criteria were used to diagnose OA in older people (65-85 yrs).

[Consumption of drugs in over 65 in Porto (Portugal) and risk of potentially inappropriate medication prescribing].

Objective: To determine medication consumption in the older people from a central area of Oporto; determine the prevalence of prescription of Potentially Inappropriate Medication and to analyse the polypharmacy and other important connected factors.

Design, Setting And Patients: Cross-sectional study with a sample of 747 patients older than 64 years, who were attended in a Primary care health centre: USF Rainha D. Amélia, Oporto, Portugal.

Frailty prevalence and slow walking speed in persons age 65 and older: implications for primary care.

Background: Frailty in the elderly increases their vulnerability and leads to a greater risk of adverse events. According to various studies, the prevalence of the frailty syndrome in persons age 65 and over ranges between 3% and 37%, depending on age and sex. Walking speed in itself is considered a simple indicator of health status and of survival in older persons.