Therapeutic Applications of Oxysterols and Derivatives in Age-Related Diseases, Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, and Cancers.

Oxysterols, resulting from the oxidation of cholesterol, are formed either by autoxidation, enzymatically, or by both processes. These molecules, which are provided in more or less important quantities depending on the type of diet, are also formed in the body and their presence is associated with a normal physiological activity. Their increase and decrease at the cellular level and in biological fluids can have significant consequences on health due or not to the interaction of some of these molecules with different types of receptors but also because oxysterols are involved in the regulation of RedOx balance, cytokinic and non-cytokinic inflammation, lipid metabolism, and induction of cell death.

Identification of resources and skills developed by partners of patients with advanced colon cancer: a qualitative study.

Purpose: Family caregivers play an important role in caring for patients with advanced cancer. To become competent, individuals must draw on and mobilise an adequate combination of resources. Our goal was to identify the skills developed by caregivers of patients with advanced cancer and the associated resources mobilised.

[Type 2 diabetes in the elderly, which specific features?].

Type 2 diabetes, whose prevalence has increased among elderly aged over 75 years, has a number of specific features which differ from that in young people: heterogeneous population, association with other cardiovascular risk factors and several comorbidities, different therapeutic constraints and risks, and lower life expectancy. By using a standardized geriatric assessment it is possible to determine therapeutic and glycemic goals for each patient. In the elderly, main complications of diabetes are hypoglycemia and foot lesions.

[Antidepressant use in demented elderly subjects: current data].

Depression and behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) have a significant impact on the worsening of dementia because they increase the cognitive and functional decline and they have a significant impact on the vital prognosis. Physicians should be particularly careful in the use of antidepressants in the elderly, particularly in the frail elderly. Indeed, most studies have included patients aged at least 65 years without frailty criteria, but rarely those aged over 75 years and/or frail.

A new formula for correction of total calcium level into ionized serum calcium values in very elderly hospitalized patients.

Ionized calcium (Ca(2+)) seems to be the best measure of active serum calcium but, in France, numerous laboratories do not have Ca(2+) analyzers so that numerous clinicians use Payne's formula to obtain adjusted calcium (Ca(Ad)) values. In frail very elderly patients with protein/energetic malnutrition and very low concentrations of albumin, "correction" with Payne's formula usually gives false hypercalcemic results, so that hypocalcemia may be seriously underdiagnosed. Two hundred and ninety-four patients of 80 years and older with serum albumin level < 35 g/l were included in four French hospitals for elderly people.

Mini motor test: a clinical test for rehabilitation of patients showing psychomotor disadaptation syndrome (PDS).

Direct observation of postural and motor abilities appears as very important in assessment of patients showing psychomotor disadaptation syndrome (PDS). We examine feasibility and reliability of mini motor test (MMT) which has been developed in order to establish rehabilitation goals in this population. MMT is a 20-item score which assesses abilities in bed, quality of sitting position, abilities in the standing position, and quality of gait.

A 4-year follow-up of very old patients presenting with frontal-subcortical dysfunction compared with Alzheimer's disease patients.

Background: Frontal-subcortical clinical syndrome (FSCS) is frequently described in elderly patients and consists of specific alterations in cognition and motor functions. This clinical picture may be associated with a high level of dependence and a high mortality risk.

Objective: We report the risks of institutionalization and death during a follow-up of 4 years in patients showing FSCS.

Enteral nutrition in French institutionalized patients: a multicentric study.

Background: No previous studies have demonstrated either a nutritional improvement, or a survival benefit from tube placement in an institutionalized population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine current indications for tube feeding in French geriatric centers and to evaluate clinical outcome and mortality rates in these frail very old patients.

Design: Between November 1, 2000 and April 31, 2001, we prospectively recruited all hospitalized or institutionalized patients who received enteral nutrition (EN) in 7 Departments of Geriatric Medicine in France.

Vasculitis in the very elderly.

Background: Whatever may be their clinical presentation, vasculitis syndromes (VS) have a bad prognosis in the very elderly.

Objective: The aim of this work was to study VS particularities in very old people. Most published studies on VS in elderly people concern patients older than 60 years; studies concerning very old patients are unusual.