DESIGN: This study was a 36 months prospective cohort study.
SETTING: Community-dwelling older participants recruited through a stratified random sampling method from four states representing Malaysia's central, north-west, northeast and southern regions.
PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-nine Malay Muslim older adults (n= 99) aged 60 and above with MCI and no known critical illnesses were included in the current analysis. The participants were divided into regularly practicing IF (r-IF), irregularly practicing IF (i-IF) and not practicing IF (n-IF) groups.
MEASUREMENTS: Fasting venous blood was collected and used to determine the levels of oxidative stress, DNA damage, inflammatory and metabolic biomarkers. Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Digit Span and Digit symbol were used to evaluate the cognitive function. Then, the mediation analysis was conducted using a multistep regression model to determine the mediating role of various biomarkers between IF practice and cognitive function.
RESULTS: When comparing the r-IF and n-IF groups, higher SOD activity, lower DNA damage (percentage of DNA in tail), lower CRP levels and higher HDL-cholesterol levels established partial mediation while lower insulin levels established complete mediation between IF practice and better cognitive function. Meanwhile, when comparing the r-IF and i-IF groups, higher SOD activity and lower CRP levels completely mediated the effects of IF practice on better cognitive function.
CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that changes in antioxidant function, DNA damage, inflammation and a limited set of metabolic biomarkers (insulin and HDL cholesterol) may mediate improvements in cognitive function among older participants with MCI who practice Islamic Sunnah IF.
METHOD: Cognitive decline was determined by Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde-MDA and superoxide dismutase-SOD) were determined and DNA damage was assayed using Alkaline Comet Assay. Toenail samples were taken and analyzed using ICP-MS to determine trace element levels.
RESULTS: A total of 62.1 % of subjects had cognitive impairment. Subjects with cognitive impairment had significantly higher levels of MDA and DNA damage as compared to the group with normal cognitive function; MDA (2.07 ± 0.05 nmol/L vs 1.85 ± 0.06 nmol/L) (p<0.05) and DNA damage (% Tail Density, 14.52 ± 0.32 vs 10.31 ± 0.42; Tail Moment, 1.79 ± 0.06 vs 1.28 ± 0.06) (p<0.05 for all parameters). However, the level of SOD among subjects with cognitive impairment (6.67 ± 0.33 u.e/min/mg protein) was lower than the level among those with normal cognitive functions (11.36 ± 0.65 u.e/min/mg protein) (p<0.05). Multiple logistic regression revealed the predictors for cognitive impairment among the subjects were DNA damage (Adjusted odd ratio [OR], 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.59), level of trace elements in toenails namely, lead (OR, 2.471; CI, 1.535-3.980) and copper (OR, 1.275; CI, 1.047-1.552) (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION: High levels of lead and copper can lead to increase in oxidative stress levels and are associated with DNA damage that eventually could be associated with cognitive decline.
Methods: Towards Useful Aging (TUA) is a three-year longitudinal study conducted at baseline (2013-2014) and at follow-up (2015-2017) surveys. The number of participants dropped from 2322 during baseline study to 1787 and 1560 during the 18th and 36th month follow-up, respectively. Data on socio-demography, use of dietary supplement, biochemical indices, anthropometry, cognitive function, physical fitness and depressive symptoms were obtained. Longitudinal associations were done using the linear mixed model analysis among 1285 subjects with complete data.
Results: The most common vitamin and mineral supplementations consumed were multivitamin, B-complex, and calcium. Meanwhile, the herbal supplements consumed by participants were Eurycoma longifolia, Morinda citrifolia and Orthosiphon aristatus. Longitudinal analysis adjusted for multiple covariates showed improvement in both supplement users and non-users for global cognitive function, working memory, visual memory, 2-minute step test, chair stand test, chair sit and reach and time up and go test, waist circumference and hip circumference in both the supplement users and non-users.
Conclusion: Our findings indicated that dietary supplement intake is not associated with cognitive function, physical fitness, nutritional status, depressive symptoms or biochemical indices since improvement in the parameters was observed among both supplement users and non-users.
Aims: This study evaluated the effectiveness of iron supplementation and nutrition education on improving the levels of haemoglobin and ferritin, and decreasing oxidative stress among iron-deficient female adolescents in Gaza, Palestine.
Methods: A total 131 iron-deficient female adolescents were recruited and allocated randomly into 3 different groups. The iron supplementation group (A) received 200 mg of ferrous fumarate weekly during the 3-month intervention, the iron supplementation with nutrition education group (B) received iron supplements with nutrition education sessions, and the control group (C) did not receive any intervention. The levels of haemoglobin, ferritin and malonyl dialdehyde were measured at baseline, after 3 months (at which point the intervention was stopped), and then 3 months later. Trial registration number: ACTRN12618000960257.
Results: Haemoglobin levels increased significantly after supplementation in both groups A and B. At the follow-up stage (3 months after stopping the intervention), iron and haemoglobin levels in group B continued to increase and malonyl dialdehyde decreased. In Group A, haemoglobin, ferritin and malonyl dialdehyde levels decreased after 3 months of stopping the intervention. No changes were seen in Group C.
Conclusions: A nutrition programme should be adopted and integrated into comprehensive intervention programmes to target iron-deficiency anaemia among female adolescents in Palestine.
METHODS: Cell counting kit 8(CCK8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), transwell and wound healing assays were conducted to study the influence of ZnC in the proliferating, invading and migrating processes of CRC cell lines (HCT116, LOVO) in vitro. The antitumor activity ZnC as well as its effects on tumor immune microenvironment were then assessed using CRC subcutaneous tumors in the C57BL/6 mouse model.
RESULTS: According to CCK8, EdU, transwell and wound healing assays, ZnC inhibited CRC cell lines in terms of proliferation, invasion and migration. ZnC could inhibit miR-570 for up-regulating PD-L1 expression. In vivo experiments showed that gavage (100 mg/kg, once every day) of ZnC inhibited the tumor growth of CRC, and the combination of ZnC and anti-PD1 therapy significantly improved the efficacy exhibited by anti-PD1 in treating CRC. In addition, mass cytometry results showed that immunosuppressive cells including regulatory T cells (tregs), bone marrow-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), and M2 macrophages decreased whereas CD8+ T cells elevated after adding ZnC.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals that ZnC slows the progression of CRC by inhibiting CRC cells in terms of proliferation, invasion and migration, meanwhile up-regulating PD-L1 expression via inhibiting miR-570. The ZnC-anti-PD1 co-treatment assists in synergically increasing anti-tumor efficacy in CRC therapy.
METHODS: This study is part of the Long-term Research Grant Scheme - Towards Useful Ageing cohort study in Malaysia. Of a total of 174 participants with complete trace elements and oxidative and DNA damage data during baseline, only 147 (84.5%) were successfully followed up after 18 months. Participants who experienced any fall events in the previous 18 months during the follow-up were categorized as fallers.
RESULTS: Thirty participants (20.4%) reported at least one fall in the previous 18 months. The mean concentrations of aluminium, lead and zinc were significantly higher (P
METHODS: Data from 1,763 Malaysian community-dwelling older persons aged ≥ 60 years were obtained from the LRGS-TUA longitudinal study. Participants were categorized into three groups according to the presence of a single fall (occasional fallers), ≥two falls (recurrent fallers), or absence of falls (non-fallers) at an 18-month follow-up.
RESULTS: Three hundred and nine (17.53 %) participants reported fall occurrences at an 18-month follow-up, of whom 85 (27.51 %) had two or more falls. The incidence rate for occasional and recurrent falls was 8.47 and 3.21 per 100 person-years, respectively. Following multifactorial adjustments, being female (OR: 1.57; 95 % CI: 1.04-2.36), being single (OR: 5.31; 95 % CI: 3.36-37.48), having history of fall (OR: 1.86; 95 % CI: 1.19-2.92) higher depression scale score (OR: 1.10; 95 % CI: 1.02-1.20), lower hemoglobin levels (OR: 0.90; 95 % CI: 0.81-1.00) and lower chair stand test score (OR: 0.93; 95 % CI: 0.87-1.00) remained independent predictors of occasional falls. While, having history of falls (OR: 2.74; 95 % CI: 1.45-5.19), being a stroke survivor (OR: 8.57; 95 % CI: 2.12-34.65), higher percentage of body fat (OR: 1.04; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.08) and lower chair stand test score (OR: 0.87; 95 % CI: 0.77-0.97) appeared as recurrent falls predictors.
CONCLUSIONS: Having history of falls and lower muscle strength were predictors for both occasional and recurrent falls among Malaysian community-dwelling older persons. Modifying these predictors may be beneficial in falls prevention and management strategies among older persons.
METHODS: A total of 2322 respondents aged ≥60 years were recruited at baseline using the multistage sampling method, followed up at 18 months and 36 months.
RESULTS: Response rates at baseline, 18 months and 36 months were 87.8%, 77.3% and 67.1%, respectively. At baseline, the prevalence of successful aging, usual aging and mild cognitive impairment was 11%, 73% and 16%, respectively. The prevalence of single and multimorbidity at baseline were 25.9% and 50.3%, respectively. The incidence rates of mild cognitive impairment at 18 months and 36 months were 6.5 and 5.6 per 100 person-years. The incidence rates of multimorbidity at 18 months and 36 months were 23.7 and 21.5 per 100 person-years, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: The Long-Term Research Grant Scheme project: Towards Usual Aging study provides an opportunity to investigate the interactions between wide ranges of aspects of the older population in a nationally representative sample of the older population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 233-239.
Patients and Methods: A total of 253 participants aged 60 years and above participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were subjected to pure tone audiometric assessment. The hearing threshold was calculated for the better ear and classified into pure-tone average (PTA) for the octave frequencies from 0.5 to 4 kHz and high-frequency pure-tone average (HFA) for the octave from 2 to 8kHz. Then, the risk factors associated with PTA hearing loss (HL) and HFAHL were identified by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Results: The prevalence of ARHL based on PTA and HFA among the community-dwelling older adults was 75.5% and 83.0%, respectively. Following multifactorial adjustments, being older (OR: 1.239; 95% CI: 1.062-1.445), having higher waist circumference (OR: 1.158; 95% CI: 1.015-1.322), lower intake of niacin (OR: 0.909; 95% CI: 0.831-0.988) and potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.996-1.000), and scoring lower in RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.905; 95% CI: 0.838-0.978) were identified as the risk factors of PTAHL. Meanwhile, being older (OR: 1.117; 95% CI: 1.003-1.244), higher intake of carbohydrate (OR: 1.018; 95% CI: 1.006-1.030), lower intake of potassium (OR: 0.998; 95% CI: 0.997-0.999), and lower scores on the RAVLT T5 (OR: 0.922; 95% CI: 0.874-0.973) were associated with increased risk of having HFAHL.
Conclusion: Increasing age, having higher waist circumference, lower intake of niacin and potassium, higher intake of carbohydrates and having lower RAVLT T5 score were associated with increased risk of ARHL. Modifying these risk factors may be beneficial in preventive and management strategies of ARHL among older persons.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our present study is to determine the effectiveness of a comprehensive, multidomain intervention on CF; to evaluate its cost effectiveness and the factors influencing adherence toward this intensive intervention.
METHODS: A total of 1,000 community dwelling older adults, aged 60 years and above will be screened for CF. This randomized controlled trial involves recruitment of 330 older adults with CF from urban, semi-urban, and rural areas in Malaysia. Multidomain intervention comprised of physical, nutritional, cognitive, and psychosocial aspects will be provided to participants in the experimental group (n = 165). The control group (n = 165) will continue their usual care with their physician. Primary outcomes include CF status, physical function, psychosocial and nutritional status as well as cognitive performance. Vascular health and gut microbiome will be assessed using blood and stool samples. A 24-month intensive intervention will be prescribed to the participants and its sustainability will be assessed for the following 12 months. The effective intervention strategies will be integrated as a personalized telerehabilitation package for the reversal of CF for future use.
RESULTS: The multidomain intervention developed from this trial is expected to be cost effective compared to usual care as well as able is to reverse CF.
CONCLUSION: This project will be part of the World-Wide FINGERS (Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability) Network, of which common identifiable data will be shared and harmonized among the consortia.