Respiratory Virus Vaccines: Pathways to Recommendations and Enhanced Coverage for At-Risk Populations.

While marked differences exist between influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is substantial overlap in the vulnerability of populations most at risk for severe disease following infection, chief among them being advanced age, multiple comorbidities, and immunocompromise. Vaccination is an established and effective preventative strategy to protect against respiratory viral infections (RVIs), reducing morbidity and mortality, minimizing the potential for long-term complications, and mitigating exacerbation of existing health conditions. Despite the demonstrated benefits of immunization throughout the life course and recommendations by health authorities, coverage rates of at-risk populations against vaccine-preventable diseases remain suboptimal and vary considerably by country and demographic strata.

Immune microenvironment dynamics in breast cancer during pregnancy: impact of gestational age on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and prognosis.

Background: Breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) is a rare condition known for its aggressive clinical behavior. The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has been shown to have a significant impact on the prognosis of these patients. Despite some biological characteristics of the tumor that may differ depending on the gestational age, little is known about the dynamics of the immune landscape within the tumor microenvironment (TME) in PrBC.

Breast Cancer during Pregnancy as a Special Type of Early-Onset Breast Cancer: Analysis of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Risk Profiles.

Breast cancer during pregnancy (PrBC) is a rare tumor with only a little information on its immune landscape. Here, we sought to characterize the cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment (TME) of PrBC and identify its differences from early-onset breast cancer (EOBC) in non-pregnant women. A total of 83 PrBC and 89 EOBC were selected from our Institutional registry and subjected to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) profiling and immunohistochemistry for CD4, CD8, forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (clone 22C3).

The prevalence of frailty and its associated factors in an Italian institutionalized older population: findings from the cross-sectional Alvise Cornaro Center Study.

Background: While it is well established that frail older people have a higher risk of negative health outcomes, the prevalence of frailty and its associated factors in Italian older institutionalized population has never been investigated.

Aims: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of frailty and to identify its associated factors in an Italian residential care home population.

Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was designed to evaluate older people aged 70 or over of an Italian residential care home.

Physical Activity and Exercise in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: An Umbrella Review of Intervention and Observational Studies.

Objectives: The aim of this umbrella review was to determine the effect of physical activity/exercise on improving cognitive and noncognitive outcomes in people with MCI (mild cognitive impairment) and dementia.

Design: Umbrella review of systematic reviews (SR), with or without meta-analyses (MAs), of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.

Settings And Participants: People with MCI or dementia, confirmed through validated assessment measures.

The Effect of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet on Late-Life Cognitive Disorders: A Systematic Review.

Objectives: Although some results are conflicting, numerous investigations have demonstrated that the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) has positive effects on brain health. This review intends to provide an update on the scientific evidence regarding the effects of adherence to the MedDiet on late-life cognitive disorders.

Design: A systematic review was performed.

Quality of life outcomes in patients undergoing knee replacement surgery: longitudinal findings from the QPro-Gin study.

Background: Many patients report postoperative pain, limited improvement in physical function and poor quality of life (QOL) after knee replacement surgery. Our study uses baseline predictors of change to investigate the QOL of patients with knee osteoarthritis 3-months after knee replacement surgery.

Methods: A prospective observational study was designed to evaluate patients (n = 132) scheduled for uni-compartmental or total knee replacement surgery who were assessed at baseline (preoperatively) and 3-months after.

Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Marital Status and the Development of Frailty: A Swedish Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

The gender-specific role of marital status for the development of frailty has not been clarified. This study evaluates the gender differences in the association between marital status and frailty development, and the possible modifying effect by age cohort in such a relationship. The sample included 2179 community-dwelling older adults involved in the Swedish National Study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, followed up for 6 years.

Judgment Capacity, Fear of Falling, and the Risk of Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: The Progetto Veneto Anziani Longitudinal Study.

Little is known of the factors that transform fear of falling (FOF) from a normal adaptive to a maladaptive response that could alter its impact on fall risk. Focusing on judgment capacity, we investigated whether it is associated with FOF and FOF-related activity restriction (AR), and whether it modifies the influence of FOF on fall risk. Data came from 2625 community-dwelling older adults enrolled in the Progetto Veneto Anziani.

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.

Breast Cancer Systemic Treatments and Upper Limb Lymphedema: A Risk-Assessment Platform Encompassing Tumor-Specific Pathological Features Reveals the Potential Role of Trastuzumab.

Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is frequent but strategies for an individualized risk assessment are lacking. We aimed to define whether tumor-specific pathological features, coupled with clinical and therapeutic data, could help identify patients at risk. Data from 368 patients with node-positive breast cancers were retrospectively collected, including 75 patients with BCRL (0.

Lymphovascular invasion and extranodal tumour extension are risk indicators of breast cancer related lymphoedema: an observational retrospective study with long-term follow-up.

Background: Breast cancer related lymphoedema (BCRL) occurs in a substantial proportion of breast cancer survivors and is a major contributor to patients' disability. Regrettably, there are no validated predictive biomarkers, diagnostic tools, and strong evidence-supported therapeutic strategies for BCRL. Here, we provide an integrative characterization of a large series of women with node-positive breast cancers and identify new bona fide predictors of BCRL occurrence.

Association Between Gait Speed With Mortality, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Prospective Cohort Studies.

Objectives: Slow gait speed may be associated with premature mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer, although a comprehensive meta-analysis is lacking. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we explored potential associations between gait speed and mortality, incident CVD, and cancer.

Design: A systematic search in major databases was undertaken from inception until March 15, 2018 for prospective cohort studies reporting data on gait speed and mortality, incident CVD, and cancer.

Management of diabetes in older adults.

Type 2 diabetes prevalence is high in older adults and is expected to rise in the next decades. Diabetes in the population of frail older adults is accompanied by functional disability, several comorbidities, and premature mortality. A comprehensive geriatric assessment, including functional, cognitive, mental and social status, is advisable for identifying the glycemic targets and glucose-lowering therapies, focused on patient preferences, needs, and risks.

Frailty and Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases in Older Persons: The Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study.

Frailty is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but the studies available have not considered the presence of subclinical atherosclerotic disease as potential confounders. We investigated the association between frailty and the onset of CVD independently of subclinical atherosclerotic disease. For this reason, a sample of 3818 older participants participating in the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study without CVD at baseline was followed for a median of 8.

Prevalence and conversion to dementia of Mild Cognitive Impairment in an elderly Italian population.

Background: Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) represents a significant risk factor for dementia but there are only a few Italian population studies on its prevalence and its rate of conversion to dementia.

Aims: Aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of MCI, its subtypes, and rates of conversion to dementia 1 year later in an elderly Italian population.

Methods: The data are based on an Italian multicenter population-based cohort study with both cross-sectional and longitudinal components.

Risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality in frail and pre-frail older adults: Results from a meta-analysis and exploratory meta-regression analysis.

Frailty is common and associated with poorer outcomes in the elderly, but its role as potential cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor requires clarification. We thus aimed to meta-analytically evaluate the evidence of frailty and pre-frailty as risk factors for CVD. Two reviewers selected all studies comparing data about CVD prevalence or incidence rates between frail/pre-frail vs.

Role of Osteoarthritis, Comorbidity, and Pain in Determining Functional Limitations in Older Populations: European Project on Osteoarthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the role of comorbidity and pain in the association between hip/knee osteoarthritis (OA) with self-reported as well as performance-based functional limitations in a general elderly population.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 2,942 individuals, ages between 65 and 85 years, who participated in the European Project on Osteoarthritis, which was made up of 6 European cohorts (from Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Outcomes included self-reported physical function measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the participants' performance-based physical function was evaluated using the walking test.

Severe hypoglycemia is associated with antidiabetic oral treatment compared with insulin analogs in nursing home patients with type 2 diabetes and dementia: results from the DIMORA study.

Objectives: Severe hypoglycemia is associated with cognitive decline and dementia in older persons with type 2 diabetes. The role of antidiabetic treatments on severe hypoglycemia is unknown in dementia. The aims were to determine the prevalence of severe hypoglycemic events and investigate associations among severe hypoglycemic and specific antidiabetic treatments (classes of oral agents and types of insulin analogs) in a large sample of nursing home patients with diabetes according to dementia status.

Preventing and managing herpes zoster: key actions to foster healthy aging.

Population aging is the demographic phenomenon characterizing all countries in the world, and it is challenging the national infrastructures, in particular health systems. However, aging itself is not associated with increased medical spending, but disability and comorbidity that affect older individuals are the actual drivers for health expenditures. Therefore, if people age in better health, medical spending may be significantly reduced.

Prevalence of diabetes and depressive symptomatology and their effect on mortality risk in elderly Italians: The Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Aim: This study assessed the prevalence of depressive symptomatology (DS) in older individuals with diabetes to determine whether diabetes and DS are independent predictors of mortality, and if their coexistence is associated with an increased mortality risk.

Methods: Analyses were based on data from the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA), a prospective community-based cohort study in which 5632 individuals aged 65-84years were enrolled. The role of diabetes and DS in all-cause mortality was evaluated using the Cox model, adjusted for possible confounders, for four groups: 1) those with neither diabetes nor DS (reference group); 2) those with DS but without diabetes; 3) those with diabetes but no DS; and 4) those with both diabetes and DS.