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Objectives To define the prevalence of dysphagia and its associated factors and to investigate the influence of dysphagia and nutritional therapies performed in dysphagic subjects on clinical outcomes, including nutritional status, pressure ulcers, hospitalization, and mortality. Design A prospective observational study. Setting and participants Thirty-one Italian nursing homes participating in the ULISSE project and 1490 long-stay nursing home residents, older than 65 years, assessed at baseline and reassessed after 6 and 12 months. Measures All participants underwent a standardized comprehensive assessment using the Italian version of the nursing home Minimum Data Set. The activities of daily living Long-Form scale was used to evaluate functional status. Health care professionals assessed dysphagia by means of clinical evaluation. Nutritional status was assessed using the information on weight loss. Results The prevalence of dysphagia was 12.8%, and 16% of the subjects were treated with artificial nutrition. The mortality rate in subjects with dysphagia was significantly higher compared with that of nondysphagic subjects (27.7% vs 16.8%; P = .0001). The prevalence of weight loss and pressure ulcers was also higher in dysphagic subjects. At variance, dysphagia was not associated with a higher hospitalization risk. Conclusion/Implications Dysphagia is common in nursing home residents, and it is associated with higher mortality. Therefore, early diagnosis and optimal management of dysphagia should become a priority issue in nursing homes.

Background and aims Increased uric acid levels correlate with cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular/overall mortality. To identify a uric acid threshold above which cardiovascular mortality rises, we studied the relationship between uric acid concentration and overall/cardiovascular mortality. Methods and results We analyzed data from the InCHIANTI study, a cohort study of Italian community-dwelling people with 9 years of follow-up. We selected a sample of 947 individuals over 64 years of age, free from cardio-cerebrovascular disease and with available uric acid measurement at baseline. The sample was divided according to plasma uric acid tertiles. The Hazard ratio (HR) for mortality was calculated by multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Mean age of participants was 75.3 ± 7.3 years; the mean value of uric acid was 5.1 ± 1.4 mg/dl. Over 9-years of follow-up, 342 (36.1%) participants died, 143 deaths (15.1%) were due to cardiovascular disease. Subjects with higher uric acid concentrations presented a higher cardiovascular mortality [II (4.6–5.5 mg/dl) vs I (1.8–4.5 mg/dl) tertile HR: 1.98, 95%C.I. 1.22–3.23; III (≥5.6 mg/dl) vs I tertile HR: 1.87, 95%C.I. 1.13–3.09]. We found a non-linear association between uric acid concentrations and cardiovascular mortality with the lowest mortality for values of about 4.1 mg/dl and a significant risk increment for values above 4.3 mg/dl. Conclusion In community-dwelling older individuals free from cardio-cerebrovascular events, the lowest 9-year cardiovascular mortality was observed for uric acid values far below current target values. If confirmed, these data might represent the background for investigating the efficacy of uric acid levels reduction in similar populations.

It is well recognized that poor muscle function and poor physical performance are strong predictors of clinically relevant adverse events in older people. Given the large number of approaches to measure muscle function and physical performance, clinicians often struggle to choose a tool that is appropriate and validated for the population of older people they deal with. In this paper, an overview of different methods available and applicable in clinical settings is proposed. This paper is based on literature reviews performed by members of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) working group on frailty and sarcopenia. Face-to-face meetings were organized afterwards where the whole group could amend and discuss the recommendations further. Several characteristics should be considered when choosing a tool: (1) purpose of the assessment (intervention, screening, diagnosis); (2) patient characteristics (population, settings, functional ability, etc.); (3) psychometric properties of the tool (test–retest reliability, inter-rater reliability, responsiveness, floor and ceiling effects, etc.); (4) applicability of the tool in clinical settings (overall cost, time required for the examination, level of training, equipment, patient acceptance, etc.); (5) prognostic reliability for relevant clinical outcomes. Based on these criteria and the available evidence, the expert group advises the use of grip strength to measure muscle strength and the use of 4-m gait speed or the Short Physical Performance Battery test to measure physical performance in daily practice. The tools proposed are relevant for the assessment of muscle weakness and physical performance. Subjects with low values should receive additional diagnostic workups to achieve a full diagnosis of the underlying condition responsible (sarcopenia, frailty or other).

Purpose: To investigate: (1) the cross-sectional association between polypharmacy, hyperpolypharmacy and presence of prefrailty or frailty; (2) the risk of incident prefrailty or frailty in persons with polypharmacy, and vice versa. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase from 01/01/1998 to 5/2/2018. Pooled estimates were obtained through random effect models and Mantel–Haenszel weighting. Homogeneity was assessed with the I 2 statistic and publication bias with Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Results: Thirty-seven studies were included. The pooled proportion of polypharmacy in persons with prefrailty and frailty was 47% (95% CI 33–61) and 59% (95% CI 42–76), respectively. Increased odds ratio of polypharmacy were seen for prefrail (pooled OR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.32–1.79) and frail persons (pooled OR = 2.62, 95% CI 1.81–3.79). Hyperpolypharmacy was also increased in prefrail (OR = 1.95; 95% CI 1.41–2.70) and frail (OR = 6.57; 95% CI 9.57–10.48) persons compared to robust persons. Only seven longitudinal studies reported data on the risk of either incident prefrailty or frailty in persons with baseline polypharmacy. A significant higher odds of developing prefrailty was found in robust persons with polypharmacy (pooled OR = 1.30; 95% CI 1.12–1.51). We found no papers investigating polypharmacy incidence in persons with prefrailty/frailty. Conclusions: Polypharmacy is common in prefrail and frail persons, and these individuals are also more likely to be on extreme drug regimens, i.e. hyperpolypharmacy, than robust older persons. More research is needed to investigate the causal relationship between polypharmacy and frailty syndromes, thereby identifying ways to jointly reduce drug burden and prefrailty/frailty in these individuals. Prospero registration number: CRD42018104756.

WOS: 000462615200022, PubMed ID: 30423032, the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS-GMS) recommendations for training in Geriatric Medicine were published in 1993. The practice of Geriatric Medicine has developed considerably since then and it has therefore become necessary to update these recommendations. under the auspices of the UEMS-GMS, the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS) and the European Academy of Medicine of Ageing (EAMA), a group of experts, representing all member states of the respective bodies developed a new framework for education and training of specialists in Geriatric Medicine using a modified Delphi technique. Thirty-two expert panel members from 30 different countries participated in the process comprising three Delphi rounds for consensus. The process was led by five facilitators. the final recommendations include four different domains: General Considerations on the structure and aim of the syllabus as well as quality indicators for training (6 sub-items), Knowledge in patient care (36 sub-items), Additional Skills and Attitude required for a Geriatrician (9 sub-items) and a domain on Assessment of postgraduate education: which items are important for the transnational comparison process (1 item). the current publication describes the development of the new recommendations endorsed by UEMS-GMS, EuGMS and EAMA as minimum training requirements to become a geriatrician at specialist level in EU member states., EUGMS, The project was supported by EUGMS by a restricted grant in 2017, which was used to support the administrative work during the Delphi procedure.

Sarcopenia and cognitive impairment are associated with an increased risk of negative outcomes, but their prognostic interplay has not been investigated so far. We aimed to investigate the prognostic interaction of sarcopenia and cognitive impairment concerning 12-month mortality among older patients discharged from acute care wards in Italy. Our series consisted of 624 patients (age = 80.1 &plusmn, 7.0 years, 56.1% women) enrolled in a prospective observational study. Sarcopenia was defined following the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria. Cognitive impairment was defined as age- and education-adjusted Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score &lt, 24 or recorded diagnosis of dementia. The study outcome was all-cause mortality during 12-month follow-up. The combination of sarcopenia and cognitive ability was tested against participants with intact cognitive ability and without sarcopenia. Overall, 159 patients (25.5%) were identified as having sarcopenia, and 323 (51.8%) were cognitively impaired. During the follow-up, 79 patients (12.7%) died. After adjusting for potential confounders, the combination of sarcopenia and cognitive impairment has been found associated with increased mortality (HR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.05&ndash, 4.13). Such association was also confirmed after excluding patients with dementia (HR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.06&ndash, 4.17), underweight (HR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.03&ndash, 3.91), high comorbidity burden (HR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.09&ndash, 6.32), and severe disability (HR = 2.88, 95% CI = 1.10&ndash, 5.73). The co-occurrence of sarcopenia and cognitive impairment may predict 1-year mortality in older patients discharged from acute care hospitals.

Background Delirium is a geriatric syndrome that presents in 1 out of 5 hospitalized older patients. It is also common in the community, in hospices, and in nursing homes. Delirium prevalence varies according to clinical setting, with rates of under 5% in minor elective surgery but up to 80% in intensive care unit patients. Delirium has severe adverse consequences, but despite this and its high prevalence, it remains undetected in the majority of cases. Optimal delirium care requires an interdisciplinary, multi-dimensional diagnostic and therapeutic approach involving doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists. However, there are still important gaps in the knowledge and management of this syndrome. Main body The objective of this paper is to promote the interdisciplinary approach in the prevention and management of delirium as endorsed by a delirium society (European Delirium Association, EDA), a geriatrics society (European Geriatric Medicine Society, EuGMS), a nursing society (European Academy of Nursing Science, EANS), an occupational therapy society (Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries, COTEC), and a physiotherapy society (International Association of Physical Therapists working with Older People of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy, IPTOP/WCPT). Short conclusion In this paper we have strongly promoted and supported interdisciplinary collaboration underlying the necessity of increasing communication among scientific societies. We have also provided suggestions on how to fill the current gaps via improvements in undergraduate and postgraduate delirium education among European Countries.

The efficacy of non-pharmacological stroke rehabilitation approaches for older stroke survivors is largely unknown, particularly in relation to psychosocial outcomes such as quality of life. This systematic review examined the evidence for such interventions as part of the Optimal Evidence-Based Non-Drug Therapies in Older Persons (ONTOP) project conducted under an European Union funded project called the Software Engine for the Assessment and Optimisation of Drug and Non-Drug Therapies in Older Persons (SENATOR) [ http://www.senator-project.eu ].Thirteen experts in geriatric medicine, as part of a Delphi panel, agreed quality of life to be a critical outcome of stroke rehabilitation. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and databases were searched for eligible systematic reviews from which trials meeting our criteria were identified. Eligible papers were then double reviewed. Due to heterogeneity, narrative analysis was performed. Cochrane risk of bias and GRADE assessment tools were used to assess bias and quality of evidence.We identified 28 trials, spanning ten types of intervention. Limited evidence supports the use of additional occupational therapy and physiotherapy, with very limited evidence supporting our recommendation to explore caregiver training, constraint-induced movement therapy, device-assisted physiotherapy, and self-management education further.Limited evidence suggests a range of non-pharmacological interventions may improve the quality of life of older stroke survivors. However, evidence is limited by low study quality and the small number of studies targeting older stroke survivors. We recommend future studies explore such interventions exclusively in older adult populations and improve methodological and outcome reporting.

Frailty is a condition of extreme vulnerability to poor resolution of homeostasis after endogenous or exogenous stressors, which causes an increased risk of adverse health-related outcomes. Different models have been developed to operationalize frailty and standardize its diagnosis in research setting and clinical practice, but at present there is no agreed gold standard. Frailty is a common condition among older adults. Interestingly, frailty is not a static condition, but rather is a process, and as such it is dynamic and potentially reversible. In its early stages, frailty may be considered a pre-disability condition to target to prevent its progression. An effective intervention against frailty at a population level should consider a life-course approach, including also young and adult individuals with modifiable risk factors. Currently, the gold standard for the management of frailty in clinical practice is the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). Multiple approaches targeting frailty have been investigated. Strong evidence supports the efficacy of exercise interventions in frail older people to slow down frailty and prevent its negative consequences.

Globally, stroke remains a leading cause of death and disability, with older adults disproportionately affected. Numerous non-pharmacological stroke rehabilitation approaches are in use to address impairments, but their efficacy in older persons is largely unknown. This systematic review examined the evidence for such interventions as part of the Optimal Evidence-Based Non-Drug Therapies in Older Persons (ONTOP) project conducted under an European Union funded project called the Software Engine for the Assessment and Optimisation of Drug and Non-Drug Therapies in Older Persons (SENATOR) [http://www.senator-project.eu]. A Delphi panel of European geriatric experts agreed activities of daily living and disability to be of critical importance as stroke rehabilitation outcomes. A comprehensive search strategy was developed and five databases (Pubmed, CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) searched for eligible systematic reviews. Primary studies meeting our criteria (non-pharmacologic interventions, involving stroke survivors aged ≥65 years, assessing activities of daily living and/or disability as outcome) were then identified from these reviews. Eligible papers were double reviewed, and due to heterogeneity, narrative analysis performed. Cochrane risk of bias and GRADE assessment tools were used to assess bias and quality of evidence, allowing us to make recommendations regarding specific non-pharmacologic rehabilitation in older stroke survivors. In total, 72 primary articles were reviewed spanning 14 types of non-pharmacological intervention. Non-pharmacological interventions based on physiotherapy and occupational therapy techniques improved activities of daily living amongst older stroke survivors. However, no evidence was found to support use of any non-pharmacological approach to benefit older stroke survivors' disability. Evidence was limited by poor study quality and the small number of studies targeting older stroke survivors. We recommend future studies explore such interventions exclusively in older adult populations and improve methodological and outcome reporting.

Medications with anticholinergic properties, although widely used, may negatively affect cognitive and functional status in older patients. To date there is still no standardized method to quantify anticholinergic exposure. We analyzed the relationship of two different tools for the evaluation of the anticholinergic drug burden with cognitive and functional impairment in a sample of older hospitalized patients. A retrospective and longitudinal analysis with 1-year follow-up of 1123 older hospitalized patients enrolled in seven Italian acute care wards was conducted. We assessed anticholinergic burden with the Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden (ACB) and Anticholinergic Risk Scale (ARS). Cognitive and functional status were evaluated at hospital discharge and during follow-up (3, 6, 12 months) using the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and five basic activities of daily living (ADLs). Associations between anticholinergic burden and cognitive decline and incident disability were estimated using linear regression models for repeated measures and logistic models, respectively. The mean age of the study population was 81 ± 7.5 years. ACB and ARS classifications showed low correlation (Spearman’s rho = 0.39–0.43). Anticholinergic burden increased during hospitalization and was associated with cognitive and functional status. Patients with an ARS of ≥ 1 at discharge had significantly lower baseline MMSE scores (ARS = 0: 23.1; ARS ≥ 1: 20.8; p = 0.002) and during follow-up presented a significantly steeper MMSE score decline (− 0.15/month). Moreover, patients with an ACB of ≥ 1 at discharge had an almost threefold increased risk of developing disability (odds ratio 2.77, 95% confidence interval 1.39–5.54). ACB and ARS have only a moderate degree of correlation. Use of drugs with anticholinergic properties in elderly patients is independently associated with cognitive and functional decline.

In the original publication of this article, the members of the FORTA group were provided in such a way that they could not be indexed as collaborators on PubMed. The article should have included an Acknowledgement section as shown below.

Frailty reflects a state of high vulnerability to stressors, even at low intensity, putting frail older adults at high risk of adverse outcomes. Sarcopenia (i.e. skeletal muscle decline) explains many of the clinical manifestations of the frailty syndrome and is the key component of physical frailty. Many frailty assessment tools are built around the concept of sarcopenia. Frailty is not only a consequence of the ageing process, but cardiovascular disease can contribute to its genesis, also sharing common pathogenetic pathways. Falls are very common in older individuals and are the best example of the interplay between age-related conditions and diseases. Falls, as well as frailty and sarcopenia, are most often multifactorial in nature. Cardiovascular disorders are among the risk factors that have been identified to cause falls in older adults; in particular, unexplained and recurrent falls. Orthostatic hypotension, carotid sinus syndrome, and adverse drug effects are the most important cardiovascular disease-related factors that have been found to be associated with falls in older people. Implementing the comprehensive geriatric assessment, a multidomain and multidisciplinary evaluation and management approach, represents the best strategy to properly manage older patients with cardiovascular disease.

Objectives To determine whether anticholinergic burden may predict differently 1-year mortality in older patients discharged from acute care hospitals with or without dependency in basic activities of daily living (BADL). Design Prospective observational study. Setting and participants Our series consisted of 807 patients aged 65 years or older consecutively discharged from 7 acute care geriatric wards throughout Italy between June 2010 and May 2011. Measures Overall anticholinergic burden was assessed by the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) score. Dependency was rated by BADL, and dependency in at least 1 BADL was considered as a potential mediator in the analysis. The study outcome was all-cause mortality during 12-months of follow-up. Results Patients included in the study were aged 81.0 ± 7.4 years, and 438 (54.3%) were female. During the follow-up period, 177 out of 807 participants (21.9%) died. After adjusting for potential confounders, discharge ACB score = 2 or more was significantly associated with the outcome among patients with dependency in at least 1 BADL [hazard ratio (HR) 2.25 95% confidence (CI) 1.22‒4.14], but not among independent ones (HR 1.06 95% CI 0.50‒2.34). The association was confirmed among dependent patients after adjusting for the number of lost BADL at discharge (HR 2.20 95% CI 1.18‒4.04) or ACB score at 3-month follow-up (HR 2.18 95% CI 1.20‒3.98), as well as when considering ACB score as a continuous variable (HR 1.28 95% CI 1.11‒1.49). The interaction between ACB score at discharge and BADL dependency was highly significant (P Conclusions/Implications ACB score at discharge may predict mortality among older patients discharged from an acute care hospital carrying at least 1 BADL dependency. Hospital physicians should be aware that prescribing anticholinergic medications in this population may have negative prognostic implications and they should try to reduce anticholinergic burden at discharge whenever possible.

Objectives To investigate the association between total urinary polyphenols (TUPs) and total dietary polyphenols (TDPs) and cognitive decline in an older population. Design The Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) study, a cohort study with 3 years of follow-up. Setting Tuscany, Italy. Participants Individuals without dementia aged 65 and older (N = 652). Measurements TUP and TDP concentrations were analyzed at baseline using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay and a validated food frequency questionnaire, respectively. Cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Trail-Making Test (TMT) at baseline and after 3 years of follow-up. Substantial cognitive decline was defined as a reduction in MMSE score of three or more points and an increase of at least 29 seconds on the TMT Part A (TMT-A) and 68 seconds on the TMT Part B (TMT-B) (the worst 10% of the distribution of decline) or as test discontinued because of multiple mistakes on the TMT A and B at follow-up. Results Higher TUP levels were associated with lower risk of substantial cognitive decline on the MMSE (odds ratio (OR) comparing extreme tertiles = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.34–0.85, P-trend = .008) and on the TMT-A (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.28–0.96, P-trend = .03), but not on TMT-B in a logistic regression model that adjusted for baseline cognitive score and potential confounding factors. TDP did not affect the development of substantial cognitive decline in either test. Conclusion High concentrations of polyphenols, a nutritional biomarker of polyphenol intake, were associated with lower risk of substantial cognitive decline in an older population studied over a 3-year period, suggesting a protective effect against cognitive impairment.

Depression is very common in older people and it is associated with negative consequences such as functional decline, increased morbidity and mortality and higher healthcare costs. Despite this, it is still underdiagnosed and undertreated and the issue is particularly relevant for people older than 80 years. The main reasons for underdiagnosis are: atypical presentation, concomitant cognitive decline, inadequate diagnostic tools, and prejudice that depression is a normal part of ageing. On the other hand, the main reasons for undertreatment are: multimorbidity, concerns about adverse events and drug interactions, lack of confidence in the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments in the oldest old depressed patients, who are underrepresented in clinical studies. The new antidepressants are the drugs most frequently used, due to their perceived more favorable safety profile than older antidepressants. Psychotherapy is equally effective but less frequently used and should request some adaptive strategies for the peculiarities of octogenarians. Electroconvulsive therapy is limited to severe psychotic late-life depression resistant to other treatments. In light of the heterogeneity of people aged 80 years and over, with multiple and different medical, functional, socioeconomic problems, a multidimensional approach is probably the most suitable both for diagnosis and treatment, in order to develop an individualized care plan. These considerations should guide the formulation of future research studies, specifically tailored for the oldest depressed patients.

A general consensus about the need to manage geriatric conditions in their early phase has emerged following the disappointing results of several therapeutic trials, and as a consequence of accumulating research demonstrating that pathological processes begin years before the appearance of clinical symptoms. Several lessons have been learned from previous prevention trials. The targeted populations were too diverse, the interventions were probably not well-fitted and strong enough, and the time of exposure too short. In this paper, we focus on a new approach (Precision Medicine) that incorporates several components: 1. multi-pronged primary prevention at the population level (vascular and metabolic risk factors, physical activity, cognitive stimulation, and diet), 2. targeting persons at risk identified by specific criteria including biomarkers with the help of primary care health professionals (e.g., weight loss, subjective memory impairment, frailty, sarcopenia), 3. robust and specific interventions for the targeted population (e.g., a multi-domain interventions for a large heterogeneous population vs. interventions that target specific mechanisms of action in at risk populations). This new approach towards the therapy of geriatric conditions requires new concepts that integrate the specialist geriatric and primary care settings and that implements new health technologies. To achieve these goals, efforts must be made by healthcare authorities to maximize change in this field, taking into account the need to balance priorities, needs, and resources.

Summary Background & aims To date, studies assessing the relationship between sarcopenia and delirium, two of the most common geriatric syndromes, are lacking. We sought to explore this association by investigating the co-occurrence of these two conditions and the independent association between them in a population of hospitalized older adults. Methods Cross-sectional multicenter analysis of older adults consecutively admitted to 12 acute geriatric units (AGUs). Sarcopenia was assessed upon admission by evaluating the presence of low skeletal mass index (kg/m 2 ), and either low handgrip strength or low walking speed (European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, EWGSOP criteria). Skeletal muscle mass was estimated using bioimpedance analysis. Participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment upon admission; information concerning demographics, cognition (Short Portable Status Mental Questionnaire, SPMSQ) functional (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, IADL and Basic-Activities of Daily Living, BADL), and health status (Charlson Index and specific diseases) was evaluated. The presence of delirium upon admission was ascertained as an explicit clinical diagnosis recorded by the researcher of each centre on the data form. All association estimates were reported as Prevalence Ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using a Cox hazard proportional regression model with robust variance and constant time. Results Of the 588 analyzed patients (mean age = 80.9 ± 6.8, 53.2% females), 199 (33.8%) had sarcopenia upon admission to the AGU. According to a multivariable Cox regression, delirium upon admission (PR 1.66, 95% CI: 1.12–2.45), IADL total score (PR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.87–0.98), Body Mass Index values (BMI) ranging from 18.5 to 25.0 (PR 1.70, 95% CI: 1.33–2.18), BMI values >18.5 (PR 2.53, 95% CI: 1.81–3.53), previous stroke (PR 1.51, 95% CI: 1.10–2.07) and chronic heart failure (CHF) (PR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.02–1.68) were significantly and independently associated with sarcopenia upon admission to the AGU. Conclusion The study, carried out in a population of hospitalized older patients, shows that a diagnosis of delirium upon admission to the AGU was more frequent in those with sarcopenia than in others. Furthermore, the study found that delirium was independently associated with the risk of being sarcopenic upon admission to the AGU. Future studies are needed to confirm this association.

Clinical trials are considered to be one of the best methodologies in health research and they are used primarily to test interventions in medicine. Aging research is no exception for this goal, and clinical trials are used to test different interventions in older adults with a number of variations in this particular research. In addition to drugs, in older adult’s diverse non-pharmacological interventions are experimented for a wide-array of diseases and conditions that are particular for this age group. A careful design and sometimes adaptation of clinical trials methodology are necessary to have accurate results and translate them into actions in everyday clinical care of the older adult. Below, we provide a general and schematic review of the theoretical concept of clinical trials and their variants, followed by examples of interventions and specific outcomes in research on older adults.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, are conditions that increase with age. Anticoagulant therapy is strongly recommended both in patients with AF for the prevention of cardioembolic stroke, and for treatment of VTE and prevention of recurrent VTE. Until recently, vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) were the only oral drugs for long-term anticoagulation. In the past decade, four direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) were approved: a direct thrombin inhibitor (dabigatran) and three factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban, rivaroxaban, edoxaban). Despite increasing evidence demonstrating the efficacy and safety of DOACs in older patients, there are still gray areas where the use of VKAs might be valuable.

However, semantics aside, we think that DXA can indeed serve as a reference standard for measuring muscle mass. Obviously, CT and MRI are advanced techniques that can and have been used to obtain important information such as muscle size/volume and more recently amount and distribution of intra‐ and intermuscular adipose tissue. Also individual muscles can be assessed separately. However, with respect to muscle mass, the comparison of DXA with CT/MRI is rather difficult because DXA and QCT/MRI measure different physical parameters

Background Functional decline from preadmission to admission may represent an important predictor of functional trajectories during hospitalization among older patients. Therefore, we aimed at describing the impact of preadmission decline on functional trajectories among older hospitalized patients. Methods Our series consisted of 2,011 patients aged 65 years or more consecutively admitted to four acute care wards of Geriatric Medicine participating to a multicenter observational study. Enrolled patients underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) by Inter-RAI Minimum Data Set. Main outcomes were functional decline or improvement from hospital admission to discharge based on Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale. The main exposure variable was ADL decline during the preadmission period (ie, 3 days before the onset of acute illness), and its impact on functional trajectories during stay was investigated by Cox regression models after adjusting for potential confounders. Results After adjusting for potential confounders, preadmission functional decline was significantly associated with functional improvement during stay (hazard ratio [HR] = 6.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.01-8.84), but not with functional decline. Severe cognitive impairment (HR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.13-0.60), visual impairment (HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.41-0.89), and weight loss (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.47-0.94) were associated with functional improvement during stay. Hearing impairment (HR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.17-3.23) and mild (HR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.41-4.58) or severe cognitive impairment (HR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.13-6.56) were associated with functional decline during stay. Conclusions Patients experiencing recent preadmission functional decline should be considered as those for which the geriatric approach may lead to the better functional result in the acute care setting. CGA allows to individuate risk factors to be addressed in the acute care setting.

The association between anticholinergic burden and mortality is controversial. We aimed to investigate whether the anticholinergic cognitive burden (ACB) score predicts 1-year mortality in older patients discharged from acute care hospitals.Our series consisted of 807 hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years. Patients were followed up for 12 months after discharge. All-cause mortality was the outcome of the study. The ACB score at discharge (0, 1, ≥2) and increasing ACB score from admission to discharge (no increase, +1, +2 or more) were calculated and used as exposure variables. Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for potential confounders were used for the analysis. Interactions between the ACB score and cognitive impairment or history of falls were also investigated.During the follow-up period, 177 out of 807 participants (21.9%) died. After adjusting for potential confounders, a discharge ACB score of ≥2 (HR 1.69, 95% CI 1.09-2.65) was significantly associated with the outcome, whereas the association between increasing ACB score of +2 or more and mortality was weaker (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.95-1.92). The interaction between the ACB score at discharge or increasing ACB score and cognitive impairment was statistically significant (P = 0.003 and P = 0.004, respectively), whereas that between the ACB score and falls was not.The ACB score at discharge and, to a lesser extent, an increasing ACB score during hospital stay are associated with an increased risk of 1-year mortality in older patients discharged from hospital. Such an association is stronger among patients with cognitive impairment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 705-713.

Objective: Delirium is a frequent clinical complication in geriatric patients admitted to the hospital, because of the simultaneous presence and synergistic effect of predisposing and precipitating factors. Also anaemia is a common concern in geriatric population. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between anaemia (precipitating factor) and delirium in a sample of Italian older hospitalized patients with different degree of cognitive impairment (predisposing factor). Design, setting, participants: Cross-sectional analysis of 1069 participants enrolled in the CRIME study, with assessment of hemoglobin levels at hospital admission. Measurements: Delirium was assessed using DSM-IV criteria, whereas cognitive status was categorized as dementia, cognitive impairment or normal, according to clinical history, specific treatment and MMSE score. Anaemia was defined according to sex-specific WHO criteria. The association of hemoglobin levels and delirium was investigated with multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Mean age of study participants was 81.4±7.2 years, 52.2% had prevalent anaemia, 6.1% had delirium. According to cognitive status 20.8% had dementia and 40.9% had cognitive impairment. Overall there was no association between anaemia and delirium. However, among patients with cognitive impairment (MMSE

The objective of this review is to examine the use of grip strength analysis in well and unwell populations in adults 65 years and over as a tool to establish muscle strength in sarcopenia.More specifically, the main review question is:1. What protocol, if any, is most commonly used among older adults with sarcopenia and does this match the standardized protocol suggested in 2011 by Roberts et al.1?Secondary review questions are:2. What are the reported cut-off values being used to determine sarcopenia in older adults, with consideration for ethnic and gender variability?3. Is grip strength, as a tool to measure muscle strength, suitable for people with common comorbidities and geriatric syndromes, such as osteoarthritis, often associated with sarcopenia?Sarcopenia, a commonly used concept in geriatrics and gerontology, is characterized by a loss of muscle mass, muscle strength and/or physical functioning. Prevalence rates vary between 1-39% in community dwelling older populations and 14-33% in long-term care populations. Several epidemiological studies have shown the association of sarcopenia with adverse health outcomes such as falls, disability, hospitalization and mortality. Originally, sarcopenia refers to the loss of muscle mass with aging, which was later complemented with loss of muscle strength and physical functioning.In 2010, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) reported a consensus definition of sarcopenia, which included measurement of low muscle mass and low muscle function (strength or physical performance). This consensus definition can be used to identify sarcopenia patients in clinical practice and to select individuals for clinical trials. Well-designed clinical trials could ultimately lead to effective treatment and prevention strategies for sarcopenia. Since the publication of the consensus report, many studies have adopted this definition, which could potentially lead to better comparison of results between studies. On the other hand, within this definition there still is wide variability in measurement tools and use of cut-off values, which could actually hamper comparability between studies.To assess muscle strength, the EWGSOP has recommended grip strength measurement which is easy and inexpensive. A recent systematic review on the measurement properties of tools to assess sarcopenia concluded that grip strength measurement is a valid and reliable method. In a comprehensive review of the measurement of grip strength in clinical and epidemiological studies by Roberts et al., it was shown that there is wide variability in the choice of equipment and protocols for measuring grip strength. To enable comparison between studies, a standardized approach, incorporating more consistent measurement of grip strength is warranted. Based on the results of the review, a standardized approach was described including the utilization of the widely used Jamar hydraulic hand dynamometer, as was a clear assessment protocol. So far, it is unknown whether this approach has been adopted in studies investigating grip strength for sarcopenia. The primary aim of this current review is to identify whether studies are adhering to the suggested protocol, or whether a more common method is prevalent. The EWGSOP has suggested multiple cut-off values to define sarcopenia regarding muscle strength: an absolute cut-off score of 20 kilograms (kg) for women and 30 kg for men, and Body Mass Index (BMI) specific cut-off values for men and women. Alternatively, the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) Sarcopenia Study suggested cut-off points of 26kg for males and 16kg for females, based on the likelihood of mobility impairment. Similar values have also been suggested by Dodds et al., who generated grip strength reference values and calculated cut-off points 2.5 standard deviations below the mean from 12 United Kingdom (U.K)based epidemiology studies.Recently, Beaudart et al. showed that large differences in sarcopenia prevalence occur when both cut-off values are compared, especially in women. Additionally, prevalence has also shown to be dependent upon the tool used to assess muscle strength. Evidently, cut-off values are highly varied and may be selected for statistical, theoretical or practical reasons, and/or are based on the type and magnitude of association with clinical endpoints such as hospitalization, falls or mobility. Difficulties arise in promoting a clear-cut definition of sarcopenia with no consistent recommendation for cut-off values of grip strength available. It is therefore important to identify which grip strength cut-off values should be used for the identification of sarcopenia patients and how comorbidities such as osteoarthritis may affect such values. This review will aim to report on the cut-off values used, the justification for and the considerations of comorbidities within the identified articles. Furthermore, a study has suggested that cut-off values may be different within Asian populations. Therefore, ethnicity will also be taken into account for variations in appropriate cut-off values.The overarching objective of this review is to provide insight into the current use of grip strength within the literature among older adults aged 65 and over and, subsequently, to provide commentary on the consistency of protocol and cut-off values reported for grip strength measures. This insight into current research practice will lead to well-considered recommendations concerning the measurement of grip strength in research and clinical practice. A preliminary search for sarcopenia revealed five systematic reviews in the Cochrane Library and two within the JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, but none that examine the protocol of grip strength measures. A single study was identified through a search of Medline [Via EBSCOhost] which examines the psychometric properties of common measures of muscle mass, strength and physical performance in sarcopenia, but it was not specific to grip strength measures, nor did it examine the used protocol within studies. A lack of research into this area warrants further research and the need for the conduct of this proposed review.

In the last decades, evidence-based medicine has emerged as the approach to promote the best clinical practice for health problems. It collates the best published evidence, preferentially based on randomized clinical trials, to guide clinical practice. However, the growing older population challenges the evidence underpinning ‘best practice’. Many older patients are characterized by multimorbidity and polypharmacotherapy, present various degrees of functional and cognitive impairment, and are at risk of developing geriatric syndromes. For these reasons they have been almost systematically excluded from clinical trials. In addition, the results of clinical trials are difficult to apply to patients with these characteristics, given the high risk of drug–drug and drug–disease interactions. An effort to promote a greater involvement of older patients in clinical research is needed, using specific measures to facilitate the participation of complex older patients, who are representative of those treated in clinical practice.

The purpose of this guideline is to present evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations for the prevention and treatment of postoperative delirium. The cornerstones of the guideline are the preoperative identification and handling of patients at risk, adequate intraoperative care, postoperative detection of delirium and management of delirious patients. The scope of this guideline is not to cover ICU delirium. Considering that many medical disciplines are involved in the treatment of surgical patients, a team-based approach should be implemented into daily practice. This guideline is aimed to promote knowledge and education in the preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative setting not only among anaesthesiologists but also among all other healthcare professionals involved in the care of surgical patients.

SCOPE: We prospectively evaluated the association between self-reported dietary intake and urinary metabolomic markers of habitual nut exposure with cognitive decline over a 3-year follow-up in an older Italian population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We selected 119 older participants, from the InCHIANTI cohort based on self referred nut intake: the non-nut consumer (n=72) and the regular nut consumer (≥2.9 g/d, n=47) groups. Nut exposure was measured at baseline either with the use of a validated food frequency questionnaire or with an HPLC-Q-ToF-MS metabolomic approach. Three years after, 28 from non-consumers group and 10 from consumers group experienced cognitive decline. Dietary nut exposure was characterized by urinary metabolites of polyphenols and fatty acids pathways. Nut consumption estimated either by the dietary marker or by the urinary marker model was in both cases associated with less cognitive decline (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.61,0.99; P = 0.043 and OR: 0.995, 95% CI: 0.991,0.999; P = 0.016, respectively) with AUCs 73.2 (95% CI: 62.9,83.6) and 73.1 (62.5,83.7), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A high intake of nuts may protect older adults from cognitive decline. The use of a panel of metabolites provides accurate and complementary information of the nut exposure and reinforces the results obtained using dietary information.

There is general agreement that the growth of the numbers of older people throughout the world has significant implications for both health and social care and for the prevention and treatment of disease and disability. The optimum use of pharmaceuticals and possibly nutraceuticals is, and will to a greater extent, therefore be of crucial importance. A snapshot of the current status of older people in relation to the issues discussed in this review is provided in an informative report published by Age UK.

Objective: To investigate the association of polypharmacy and physical performance measures in a sample of elderly patients aged ≥65 years admitted to acute care hospitals. Design, setting and participants: Prospective study conducted among 1123 hospitalized older adults participating to the CRiteria to Assess Appropriate Medication Use among Elderly Complex Patients (CRIME) project. Measurements: Physical performance was measured at hospital admission by the 4-meter walking speed (WS) and the grip strength (GS). Polypharmacy was defined as the use of ≥10 drugs during hospital stay. Results: Mean age of 1123 participants was 81.5±7.4 years and 576 (51.3%) were on polypharmacy. Prevalence of polypharmacy was higher in patients with low WS and GS. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest tertile of WS were less likely to be on polypharmacy as compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.35–0.96). Similarly, participants in the highest tertile of GS had a significantly lower likelihood of polypharmacy as compared with those in the lowest tertile (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.36–0.84). When examined as continuous variables, WS and GS were inversely associated with polypharmacy (WS: OR 0.77 per 1 SD increment; 95% CI 0.60–0.98; GS: OR 0.71 per 1 SD increment; 95% CI 0.56–0.90). Conclusion: Among hospitalized older adults WS and GS are inversely related to polypharmacy. These measures should be incorporated in standard assessment of in-hospital patients.

Aim To investigate if older adults using multiple drugs have an increased risk of rehospitalization and mortality after hospital discharge. Methods This was a prospective cohort study carried out in acute care hospitals. The primary outcomes of the study were rehospitalization and mortality within 1 year after discharge from acute care hospitals. The study population was categorized in two groups according to the number of drugs prescribed at hospital discharge: no polypharmacy (

BACKGROUND Body composition has been shown to be correlated with physical performance, but data in older persons with diverse chronic diseases are lacking. OBJECTIVE We aimed at investigating the associations of body composition to gait speed and nutritional status of older people in different stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS Cross-sectional analysis of data from Pulmonary Rehabilitation Geriatric Unit at INRCA in Casatenovo, Italy including 132 consecutively admitted COPD patients (mean age: 75 years) with data on body composition, walking speed and respiratory parameters. METHODS Body mass parameters were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Pulmonary function tests included spirometry and arterial blood gases. Differences among body composition markers were compared according to gender. Separate multivariate linear regression models with gait speed as the dependent variable were used to test for independent associations with body composition markers after adjusting for multiple confounders. RESULTS Walking speed deteriorated with increasing severity of COPD. Men were heavier and had more lean mass than women. Participants in the fastest gait tertile were younger, had lower body mass index and fat mass (FM); higher lean-to-fat ratio and albumin levels and better respiratory function (FEV1, FVC) compared with those in the slower tertiles. Total body FM was an independent determinant of walking speed, while fat-free mass and lean-to-fat ratio were not. CONCLUSIONS Excess body fat may be harmful for physical functioning among elders with COPD.

Polyphenols might have a role in the prevention of several chronic diseases, but evaluating total dietary polyphenol (TDP) intake from self-reported questionnaires is inaccurate and unreliable. A promising alternative is to use total urinary polyphenol (TUP) concentration as a proxy measure of intake. The current study evaluated the relationship between TUPs and TDPs and all-cause mortality during a 12-y period among older adult participants. The study population included 807 men and women aged 65 y and older from the Invecchiare in Chianti study, a population-based cohort study of older adults living in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Italy. TUP concentrations were measured at enrolment (1998–2000) using the FolinCiocalteau assay after a solid-phase extraction. TDPs were also estimated at baseline throughout a validated food frequency questionnaire and using our database based on USDA and Phenol-Explorer databases. We modeled associations using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards models, with adjustment for potential confounders. During the 12-y follow-up, 274 participants (34%) died. At enrollment, TUP excretion adjusted for age and sex tended to be greater in participants who survived [163 6 62 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/d)] than in those who died (143 6 63 mg GAE/d) (P = 0.07). However, no significant differences were observed for TDPs. In the multivariable Cox model, participants in the highest tertile of TUP at enrolment had a lower mortality rate than those in the lowest tertile [HR = 0.70 (95% CI: 0.49–0.99); P-trend = 0.045], whereas no significant associations were found between TDP and overall mortality. TUP is an independent risk factor for mortality among community-dwelling older adults, suggesting that high dietary intake of polyphenols may be associated with longevity. J. Nutr. 143: 1445–1450, 2013.

Background Despite older adults use emergency department more appropriately than other age groups, there is a significant share of admissions that can be considered potentially preventable. Objective To identify socio-demographic characteristics and health care resources use of older adults admitted to emergency department for a potentially preventable visit. Design Data come from the Multipurpose Survey “Health conditions and use of health services”, edition 2012–2013. A stratified multi-stage probability design was used to select a sample using municipal lists of households. Subject 50474 community dwelling Italians were interviewed. In this analysis, 27003 subjects aged 65 years or older were considered. Methods Potentially preventable visits were defined as an emergency department visit that did not result in inpatient admission. Independent variables were classified based on the socio-behavioral model of Andersen-Newman. Descriptive statistics and a logistic regression model were developed. Results In the twelve months before the interview 3872 subjects (14.3%) had at least one potentially preventable visit. Factors associated with an increased risk of a potentially preventable visit were older age (75–84 years: OR 1.096, CI 1.001–1.199; 85+years: OR 1.022, CI 1.071–1.391), at least one hospital admission (OR 3.869, IC 3.547–4.221), to waive a visit (OR 1.188, CI 1.017–1.389) or an exam (OR 1.300, CI 1.077–1.570). Factors associated with a lower risk were female gender (OR 0.893, CI 0.819–0.975), area of residence (Center: OR 0.850; CI 0.766–0.943; Islands: OR 0.617, CI 0.539–0.706, South: OR 0.560; CI 0.505–0.622), private paid assistance (OR 0.761, CI 0.602–0.962); a better health-related quality of life (PCS score 46–54: OR 0.744, CI 0.659–0.841; PCS score >55: OR 0.746, CI 0.644–0.865). Conclusions Our study identified several characteristics associated with an increased risk of potentially preventable visits to the emergency department. This might allow the development of specific interventions to prevent the access of at risk subjects to the emergency department.

Introduction Well-conducted observational studies may represent valuable tools for getting insight to disease etiology, detecting the effect of age-related changes, and providing an important perspective on health risk factors and disabilities in an aging population. Nevertheless, this kind of research poses several challenges for researchers. The main aim of this narrative review was to address the potential methodological issues in performing the observational studies in the elderly, the factors that influence their participation, and the possible solutions for overcoming the barriers to research in this population. Methods Comprehensive search for the papers published in the period from January 1st 1980 until 31st July 2016 in English or Italian was conducted through MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science electronic databases. Findings from the included papers were finally summarized. Results In cohort studies, the following barriers were addressed: sample size calculation, ascertainment of the target population, frequency of data collection, exposure determination, multifactorial loss to follow-up (drop-outs), cognitive impairment, definition of confounders, and ethical aspects. Case-control studies were reported to be prone to the issues like ascertainment of cases and controls, willingness to participate, data accuracy, recall bias, issues related to patients’ multimorbidity, and cognitive impairment. Conclusions Important factors to consider in research in elderly people include: precise definition of the study population, well conducted recruitment process, engagement with family and home care staff, cognitive impairment assessment and the consequent relevant ethical and legal issues, relief of participant burden in order to minimize withdrawal, and engagement with the media.

Purpose of review Healthy aging is a public health priority. The maintenance of adequate physical function is recognized as a key element of healthy aging. In recent years, scientific evidence has increased concerning the ability of lipids, in particular omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs), to positively influence muscle and overall physical function in older patients. The article will critically review observational as well as intervention studies on this topic, and it will elucidate the potential biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of n-3 PUFA on physical function. Recent findings Observational studies and clinical trials performed in healthy older patients and in older patients with chronic diseases mostly found positive effects of n-3 PUFA on muscle metabolism, muscle strength and in general physical function. Summary Although the use of n-3 PUFA might represent an important intervention to preserve physical function in older adults, several key questions still need to be answered. Above all, large randomized controlled trials should be performed to confirm the utility of n-3 PUFA as therapeutic agents to prevent and treat physical function decline in old age.

In the present article, the rationale that guided the operationalization of the theoretical concept of physical frailty and sarcopenia (PFS), the condition of interest for the "Sarcopenia and Physical Frailty in Older People: Multicomponent Treatment Strategies" (SPRINTT) trial, is presented. In particular, the decisions lead to the choice of the adopted instruments, and the reasons for setting the relevant thresholds are explained. In SPRINTT, the concept of physical frailty is translated with a Short Physical Performance Battery score of ≥3 and ≤9. Concurrently, sarcopenia is defined according to the recent definitions of low muscle mass proposed by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health-Sarcopenia Project. Given the preventive purpose of SPRINTT, older persons with mobility disability (operationalized as incapacity to complete a 400-m walk test within 15 min; primary outcome of the trial) at the baseline are not included within the diagnostic spectrum of PFS.

Quitting smoking has several health benefits, including an improvement in health-related quality of life. It is not well established if there is a relationship between the age when people stop smoking and health-related quality of life in older adults. The primary aim was to investigate the relationship between health-related quality of life and the age when people quit smoking in a national representative sample of community-dwelling older Italian adults. The secondary aim was to describe the characteristics of older former smokers according to their age when they stopped smoking. Data were drawn from the “Health and use of health care in Italy”, a national cross-sectional survey (2004–2005). Seven thousand five hundred and sixty-two former smokers, aged 65 years and older, were evaluated by age of smoking cessation. Socio-demographic characteristics, physical activity, the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) score and its physical (PCS-12) and mental (MCS-12) component summary scores, disability and comorbidities were analyzed. Educational level, marital status and area of residence were associated with a different age of smoking cessation, as a higher level of disability and comorbidity. PCS-12 (β −0.144; p

Background While the relationship between total cholesterol (TC) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) progressively weakens with aging, several studies have shown that low TC is associated with increased mortality in older individuals. However, the possible additive/synergic contribution of the two most important cholesterol rich fractions (LDL-C and HDL-C) to mortality risk has not been previously investigated. Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline LDL-C and HDL-C, both separately and combined, and 9-years mortality in a sample of community dwelling older individuals from the InCHIANTI study. Methods and findings 1044 individuals over 64 years were included. CVD and cancer mortality were defined by ICD-9 codes 390–459 and 140–239, respectively. LDL-C

The continuous increase of life expectancy is responsible for the increasing number of patients suffering from heart diseases being older than 65 years of age. Moreover, the reduction of mortality due to heart diseases implies that patients survive for longer periods and often reach very advanced age. Frailty, a biological syndrome that reflects a state of decreased physiological reserve and higher vulnerability to stressors, is common in these patients and strongly increases the risk of negative health outcomes. Therefore, it should be systematically assessed, using validated instruments. However, the impact of frailty on the management of heart diseases is still incompletely understood. Until further research clarifies this issue, it is recommended to identify frailty, in order to provide a personalized approach to the treatment of cardiac diseases as well as to implement the interventions that can counteract frailty, including referral for comprehensive geriatric assessment, as needed.

The exploration of frailty as a pre-disability geriatric condition represents one of the most promising research arenas of modern medicine. Frailty is today indicated as a paradigmatic condition around which the traditional healthcare systems might be re-shaped and optimized in order to address the complexities and peculiarities of elders. Unfortunately, the lack of consensus around a single operational definition has limited the clinical implementation of frailty in clinical practice. In these last years, growing attention (even beyond the traditional boundaries of geriatric medicine) has been given to physical performance measures. These instruments have shown to be predictive of negative health-related events and able to support an accurate estimation of the "biological age" in late life. The strong construct of physical performance measures also makes them particularly suitable for the assessment of the frailty status. Furthermore, the adoption of physical performance measures may help render the frailty condition more organ-specific (i.e., centred on the skeletal muscle quality) and less heterogeneous than currently perceived. The translation of the frailty concept by means of physical performance measures implicitly represents an attempt to go beyond traditional paradigms. In this context, the recently funded "Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multi-componenT Treatment strategies" (SPRINTT) project (largely based on such a novel approach) may indeed fill an important gap in the field and provide key insights for counteracting the disabling cascade in the elderly.

Introduction: Various operational definitions have been proposed to assess the frailty condition among older individuals. Our objective was to assess how practitioners measure the geriatric syndrome of frailty in their daily routine. Methods: An online survey was sent to national geriatric societies affiliated to the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) and to members of the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases (ESCEO). Results: A total of 388 clinicians from 44 countries answered to the survey. Most of them were medical doctors (93%), and their primary field of practice was geriatrics (83%). Two hundred and five clinicians (52.8%) always assessed frailty in their daily practice, 38.1% reported to "sometimes" measure it, and 9.1% never assess it. A substantial proportion of clinicians (64.9%) diagnose frailty using more than one instrument. The most widely used tool was the gait speed test, adopted by 43.8% of the clinicians, followed by clinical frailty scale (34.3%), the SPPB test (30.2%), the frailty phenotype (26.8%) and the frailty index (16.8%). Conclusion: A variety of tools is used to assess frailty of older patients in clinical practice highlighting the need for standardisation and guidelines.

Objective To provide an overview of non-pharmacological interventions for behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD). Design Systematic overview of reviews. Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL and PsycINFO (2009–March 2015). Eligibility criteria Systematic reviews (SRs) that included at least one comparative study evaluating any non-pharmacological intervention, to treat BPSD. Data extraction Eligible studies were selected and data extracted independently by 2 reviewers. The AMSTAR checklist was used to assess the quality of the SRs. Data analysis Extracted data were synthesised using a narrative approach. Results 38 SRs and 142 primary studies were identified, comprising the following categories of non-pharmacological interventions: (1) sensory stimulation interventions (12 SRs, 27 primary studies) that encompassed: acupressure, aromatherapy, massage/touch therapy, light therapy and sensory garden; (2) cognitive/emotion-oriented interventions (33 SRs; 70 primary studies) that included cognitive stimulation, music/dance therapy, dance therapy, snoezelen, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, reminiscence therapy, validation therapy, simulated presence therapy; (3) behaviour management techniques (6 SRs; 32 primary studies) and (4) other therapies (5 SRs, 12 primary studies) comprising exercise therapy, animal-assisted therapy, special care unit and dining room environment-based interventions. Music therapy was effective in reducing agitation (SMD, −0.49; 95% CI −0.82 to −0.17; p=0.003), and anxiety (SMD, −0.64; 95% CI −1.05 to −0.24; p=0.002). Home-based behavioural management techniques, caregiver-based interventions or staff training in communication skills, person-centred care or dementia care mapping with supervision during implementation were found to be effective for symptomatic and severe agitation. Conclusions A large number of non-pharmacological interventions for BPSD were identified. The majority of the studies had great variation in how the same type of intervention was defined and applied, the follow-up duration, the type of outcome measured, usually with modest sample size. Overall, music therapy and behavioural management techniques were effective for reducing BPSD.

The sustainability of health and social care systems is threatened by a growing population of older persons with heterogeneous needs related to multimorbidity, frailty, and increased risk of functional impairment. Since disability is difficult to reverse in old age and is extremely burdensome for individuals and society, novel strategies should be devised to preserve adequate levels of function and independence in late life. The development of mobility disability, an early event in the disablement process, precedes and predicts more severe forms of inability. Its prevention is, therefore, critical to impede the transition to overt disability. For this reason, the Sarcopenia and Physical fRailty IN older people: multi-componenT Treatment strategies (SPRINTT) project is conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test a multicomponent intervention (MCI) specifically designed to prevent mobility disability in high-risk older persons. SPRINTT is a phase III, multicenter RCT aimed at comparing the efficacy of a MCI, based on long-term structured physical activity, nutritional counseling/dietary intervention, and an information and communication technology intervention, versus a healthy aging lifestyle education program designed to prevent mobility disability in 1500 older persons with physical frailty and sarcopenia who will be followed for up to 36 months. The primary outcome of the SPRINTT trial is mobility disability, operationalized as the inability to walk for 400 m within 15 min, without sitting, help of another person, or the use of a walker. Secondary outcomes include changes in muscle mass and strength, persistent mobility disability, falls and injurious falls, disability in activities of daily living, nutritional status, cognition, mood, the use of healthcare resources, cost-effectiveness analysis, quality of life, and mortality rate. SPRINTT results are expected to promote significant advancements in the management of frail older persons at high risk of disability from both clinical and regulatory perspectives. The findings are also projected to pave the way for major investments in the field of disability prevention in old age.

Oxidized LDLs (ox.LDLs) uptake by macrophages inside the arterial wall is a crucial step in atherosclerotic disease, and some studies suggest that high ox.LDLs plasma levels might be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether high ox.LDLs continue to be a CVD risk factors in older persons is unknown. We investigated the clinical correlates of plasma ox.LDLs, and their role in predicting long-term CVD/cardiac mortality in 1025 older community dwelling individuals (mean age: 75.5 ± 7.4 years; females: 55%) from the InCHIANTI study. Kaplan–Meier curves were fitted to explore the relationship between tertiles of ox.LDLs (ox.LDL/LDL-C ratio) and time to CVD/cardiac death. Hazard Ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox regression analysis. At multivariate analysis, ox.LDLs were independently associated with LDL-C, triglycerides, and HDL-C (adjusted r2: 0.42; P = 0.001). The ox.LDL/LDL-C ratio (the extent of LDLs oxidation) was independently correlated with HDL-C, triglycerides, and beta-carotene (adjusted r2: 0.15, P = 0.001). Among 1025 individuals, 392 died after 9 years, 166 from CVD. The HR for CVD/cardiac mortality was not significantly different across tertiles of ox.LDLs or ox.LDL/LDL-C ratio, both in the whole sample and in individuals with prevalent CVD. We conclude that in an elderly population LDL-C, triglycerides, and HDL-C are the most important determinants of ox.LDLs levels, indirectly suggesting an association between small dense LDLs and LDLs oxidation. No association emerged between higher ox.LDLs levels and 9 years CVD/cardiac mortality, suggesting that in advanced age the prognostic information added by ox.LDLs on CVD/cardiac mortality might be negligible.