Frailty is associated with susceptibility and severity of pneumonia in older adults (A JAGES multilevel cross-sectional study)

Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an adult pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, V116 (STRIDE-3): a randomised, double-blind, active comparator controlled, international phase 3 trial

BACKGROUND

The same pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have been used in adults and children in many settings. Differences in the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease between populations necessitates an adult-specific PCV. We aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of V116, an investigational 21-valent PCV designed for adults.

METHODS

This randomised, double-blind, active comparator controlled, international phase 3 trial enrolled adults with or without stable chronic medical conditions at 112 clinical sites in 11 countries or territories. Random assignment was performed using a central electronic interactive response technology system. Cohort 1 (≥50 years) was stratified by age (50-64, 65-74, 75-84, and ≥85 years) and randomised 1:1 to receive one intramuscular dose of V116, or the active comparator, PCV20. Cohort 2 (18-49 years) was randomised 2:1 to receive one intramuscular dose of V116 or PCV20. Pneumococcal serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) and IgG responses were measured before (day 1) and after vaccination (day 30). Four primary immunogenicity outcomes were assessed per-protocol. First, in cohort 1, non-inferiority of V116 to PCV20 was tested using serotype-specific OPA geometric mean titres (GMT) ratios for serotypes common to both vaccines; the lower bound of the 95% CI had to be greater than 0·5 for non-inferiority. Second, superiority of V116 to PCV20 was tested for OPA GMT ratios for the serotypes unique to V116; the lower bound of the 95% CI had to be greater than 2·0 for superiority. Third, superiority of V116 to PCV20 was evaluated by the proportions of participants with a four-fold or greater rise from day 1 to day 30 for serotypes unique to V116; the lower bound of the 95% CI of the differences in proportions (V116 - PCV20) had to be greater than 10% for superiority. Finally, in cohort 2, immunobridging was assessed for all 21 serotypes in V116 for adults aged 18-49 years to 50-64 years; the lower bound of the 95% CI for the OPA GMTs had to be greater than 0·5 for non-inferiority. The safety analysis included all randomly assigned participants who received study vaccine. The primary safety outcome was the proportion of participants with solicited injection site and solicited systemic adverse events until day 5 and vaccine-related serious adverse events up to 6 months after vaccination. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05425732).

FINDINGS

Between July 13, and Nov 22, 2022, 2754 individuals were screened and 2663 participants were randomly assigned. 2656 individuals were vaccinated (1179 in V116 cohort 1; 1177 in PCV20 cohort 1; 200 in V116 cohort 2; and 100 in PCV20 cohort 2). V116 met non-inferiority criteria compared with PCV20 for the ten serotypes common to both vaccines at day 30 in cohort 1 (p<0·0001 for each common serotype). V116 met superiority criteria compared with PCV20 in cohort 1 for ten of the 11 serotypes unique to V116 at day 30 (OPA GMT ratio: p<0·0001 for all unique serotypes except 15C, which was p=0·41; four-fold or greater rise in OPA from day 1-30: p<0·0001 for all serotypes except 15C, which was p=0·67). Immune responses in V116 participants aged 18-49 years were non-inferior compared with V116 participants aged 50-64 years for all V116 serotypes (p<0·0001 for all V116 serotypes). In cohort 1, 685 (58·2%) of participants in V116, and 778 (66·2%) of participants in PCV20 reported one or more adverse event. In cohort 2, 164 (82·0%) participants in V116 and 79 participants (79·0%) in PCV20 reported one or more adverse event. Six deaths were reported, all in cohort 1, none of which were considered vaccine-related (in V116: one due to sepsis, one due to cerebrovascular accident, one due to myocardial infarction, and one due to hepatic cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy; in PCV20: one due to cardiac arrest and one due to abdominal abscess). There were no vaccine-related serious adverse events.

INTERPRETATION

V116 was non-inferior to PCV20 for the ten serotypes common to both vaccines and superior to PCV20 for all serotypes unique to V116, except for 15C. Immune responses successfully immunobridged between younger and older adults for all serotypes in V116. V116 was generally well tolerated with safety profile similar to PCV20.

FUNDING

Merck Sharp & Dohme, subsidiary of Merck & Co, Rahway, NJ, USA (MSD).

Oculomic stratification of COVID-19 patients' intensive therapy unit admission status and mortality by retinal morphological findings

To investigate if retinal thickness has predictive utility in COVID-19 outcomes by evaluating the statistical association between retinal thickness using OCT and of COVID-19-related mortality. Secondary outcomes included associations between retinal thickness and length of stay (LoS) in hospital. In this retrospective cohort study, OCT scans from 230 COVID-19 patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ITU) were compared with age and gender-matched patients with pneumonia from before March 2020. Total retinal, GCL + IPL, and RNFL thicknesses were recorded, and analysed with systemic measures collected at the time of admission and mortality outcomes, using linear regression models, Pearson's R correlation, and Principal Component Analysis. Retinal thickness was significantly associated with all-time mortality on follow up in the COVID-19 group (p = 0.015), but not 28-day mortality (p = 0.151). Retinal and GCL + IPL layer thicknesses were both significantly associated with LoS in hospital for COVID-19 patients (p = 0.006 for both), but not for patients with pneumonia (p = 0.706 and 0.989 respectively). RNFL thickness was not associated with LoS in either group (COVID-19 p = 0.097, pneumonia p = 0.692). Retinal thickness associated with LoS in hospital and long-term mortality in COVID-19 patients, suggesting that retinal structure could be a surrogate marker for frailty and predictor of disease severity in this group of patients, but not in patients with pneumonia from other causes.

Impact of lower-respiratory tract infections on healthcare utilization and mortality in older adults: a Swedish population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) have an immediate significant impact on morbidity and mortality among older adults. However, the impact following the infectious period of LRTI remains understudied. We aimed to assess the short- to long-term impact of LRTIs on hospitalization, mortality, and healthcare utilization in older adults.

METHODS

Data from the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K) was analyzed, with data from 2001 to 2019 for mortality and 2001-2016 for healthcare utilization. LRTI-exposed participants were identified and matched with LRTI-nonexposed based on sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, and functional and clinical characteristics. Statistical models evaluated post-LRTI hospitalization risk, days of inpatient hospital admissions, healthcare visits, and mortality.

RESULTS

567 LRTIs-exposed participants during the study period and were matched with 1.701 unexposed individuals. LRTI-exposed individuals exhibited increased risk of hospitalization at 1-year (HR 2.14, CI 1.74, 2.63), 3-years (HR 1.74, CI 1.46, 2.07), and 5-years (HR 1.59, CI 1.33, 1.89). They also experienced longer post-LRTI hospital stays (IRR 1.40, CI 1.18, 1.66), more healthcare visits (IRR 1.47, CI 1.26, 1.71), specialist-care visits (IRR 1.46, CI 1.24, 1.73), and hospital admissions (IRR 1.57, CI 1.34, 1.83) compared to nonexposed participants over 16-years of potential follow-up. Additionally, the 19-year risk of mortality was higher among LRTI-exposed participants (HR 1.45, CI 1.24, 1.70). Men exhibited stronger associations with these risks compared to women.

CONCLUSIONS

LRTIs pose both short- and long-term risks for older adults, including increased risks of mortality, hospitalization, and healthcare visits that transpire beyond the acute infection period, although these effects diminish over time. Men exhibit higher risks across these outcomes compared to women. Given the potential preventability of LRTIs, further public health measures to mitigate infection risk are warranted.

Clinical risk factors and blood protein biomarkers of 10-year pneumonia risk

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation may increase susceptibility to pneumonia.

RESEARCH QUESTION

To explore associations between clinical comorbidities, serum protein immunoassays, and long-term pneumonia risk.

METHODS

Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort participants ≥65 years were linked to their Centers for Medicare Services claims data. Clinical data and 88 serum protein immunoassays were evaluated for associations with 10-year incident pneumonia risk using Fine-Gray models for competing risks of death and least absolute shrinkage and selection operators for covariate selection.

RESULTS

We identified 1,370 participants with immunoassays and linkage to Medicare data. During 10 years of follow up, 428 (31%) participants had a pneumonia diagnosis. Chronic pulmonary disease [subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) 1.87; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33-2.61], current smoking (SHR 1.79, CI 1.31-2.45), heart failure (SHR 1.74, CI 1.10-2.74), atrial fibrillation/flutter (SHR 1.43, CI 1.06-1.93), diabetes (SHR 1.36, CI 1.05-1.75), hospitalization within one year (SHR 1.34, CI 1.09-1.65), and age (SHR 1.06 per year, CI 1.04-1.08) were associated with pneumonia. Three baseline serum protein measurements were associated with pneumonia risk independent of measured clinical factors: growth differentiation factor 15 (SHR 1.32; CI 1.02-1.69), C-reactive protein (SHR 1.16, CI 1.06-1.27) and matrix metallopeptidase 8 (SHR 1.14, CI 1.01-1.30). Addition of C-reactive protein to the clinical model improved prediction (Akaike information criterion 4950 from 4960; C-statistic of 0.64 from 0.62).

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical comorbidities and serum immunoassays were predictive of pneumonia risk. C-reactive protein, a routinely-available measure of inflammation, modestly improved pneumonia risk prediction over clinical factors. Our findings support the hypothesis that prior inflammation may increase the risk of pneumonia.

BMP Signaling Is a Prognostic Marker in Patients With Colorectal Cancer and Associates With Frailty

Background/Aim

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily of ligands and have been shown to promote or suppress colorectal cancer (CRC) growth. Developing treatments that target BMPs is challenging due to their multiple roles, including involvement in the inflammatory response and nutritional status. The present study evaluated the prognostic value of BMP-4, which is believed to be highly expressed in CRC, and its correlation with inflammatory and nutrition statuses in patients with CRC.

Materials and Methods

We analyzed BMP-4 expression in tumor tissues from 144 patients who underwent CRC surgery using immunohistochemistry and evaluated the relationship between BMP-4 levels and clinical outcomes.

Results

Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that patients with high expression levels of BMP-4 exhibited a shorter overall survival rate than those with low levels of expression. Multivariate analysis revealed that BMP-4 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and death from other diseases in CRC patients. Furthermore, high BMP-4 expression was significantly correlated with high C-reactive protein/Albumin ratio, sarcopenia, and osteopenia.

Conclusion

BMP-4 is a significant prognostic factor in CRC, particularly in predicting death from other diseases, while also showing associations with inflammatory and nutritional statuses.

Effect of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Cough Strength in Older People With Frailty: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on cough strength in older people with frailty.

DESIGN

Single-blind randomized controlled trial.

SETTING

Day health care centers at 2 sites.

PARTICIPANTS

Older people with frailty (N=60).

INTERVENTIONS

Eligible people were randomly assigned to receive IMT program in addition to general exercise training (IMT group), or general exercise training alone (control group). The IMT group performed training using a threshold IMT device with the load set at 30% of maximum inspiratory mouth pressure in addition to the general exercise training program throughout the 8 weeks. The IMT took place twice a day and each session consisted of 30 breaths.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome was cough strength, measured as the cough peak flow (CPF), at the beginning and the end of the program.

RESULTS

Data from 52 participants (26 in each group) were available for the analysis. The mean age was 82.6 years; 33% were men. The change in CPF at the end of the program was 28.7±44.4 L/min in the IMT group and -7.4±26.6 L/min in the control group. A linear regression model showed that the presence or absence of IMT was associated with changes in CPF (mean difference between groups, 36.3; 95% confidence interval, 16.7-55.9; effect size, 0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

IMT may be a useful intervention to improve cough strength in frail older people.

Association between oral frailty and Prevotella percentage in the oral microbiota of community-dwelling older adults who participated in the CHEER Iwamizawa project, Japan

BACKGROUND

Prevotella bacteria are associated with inherent diseases of the oral cavity, such as periodontal disease, and systemic diseases. Oral frailty (OF) has been associated with nursing necessity and death. However, the relationship between OF and oral microbiota has not been fully clarified.

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between OF and Prevotella percentage in the oral microbiota of community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

Oral bacteria species from saliva were identified in 208 community-dwelling older individuals aged ≥60 years in Japan. The proportion of Prevotella in the oral microbiota was classified into three tertile groups, and its relationship with each test item for OF (number of remaining teeth, masticatory performance, oral diadochokinesis, tongue pressure, difficulties eating tough foods, difficulties swallowing tea or soup, number of applicable OF judgement items, and existence of OF) was examined using ordinal logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The Prevotella proportions were classified into lower, middle and upper groups, comprising 70, 69 and 69 participants, respectively. The three groups showed a significant relationship between the number of remaining teeth (odds ratio [OR]: 0.946, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.915-0.977), masticatory performance (OR: 0.897, 95% CI: 0.844-0.953), number of applicable OF judgement items (OR: 1.477, 95% CI: 1.14-1.915), and existence of OF (OR: 4.194, 95% CI: 1.519-11.576).

CONCLUSION

The proportion of Prevotella in oral microbiota was high in individuals with OF. Among the older adults, the type of oral microbiota and systemic diseases may be related to the examination and management of oral function decline.

Neutrophil-mediated innate immune resistance to bacterial pneumonia is dependent on Tet2 function

Individuals with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) are at increased risk of aging related health conditions and all-cause mortality, but whether CHIP affects risk of infection is much less clear. Using UK Biobank data, we revealed a positive association between CHIP and incident pneumonia in 438,421 individuals. We show that inflammation enhanced pneumonia risk, as CHIP carriers with a hypomorphic IL6 receptor polymorphism were protected. To better characterize the pathways of susceptibility, we challenged hematopoietic Tet Methylcytosine Dioxygenase 2-knockout (Tet2-/-) and floxed control mice (Tet2fl/fl) with Streptococcus pneumoniae. As with human CHIP carriers, Tet2-/- mice had hematopoietic abnormalities resulting in the expansion of inflammatory monocytes and neutrophils in peripheral blood. Yet, these cells were insufficient in defending against S. pneumoniae and resulted in increased pathology, impaired bacterial clearance, and higher mortality in Tet2-/- mice. We delineated the transcriptional landscape of Tet2-/- neutrophils and found that, while inflammation-related pathways were upregulated in Tet2-/- neutrophils, migration and motility pathways were compromised. Using live-imaging techniques, we demonstrated impairments in motility, pathogen uptake, and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation by Tet2-/- neutrophils. Collectively, we show that CHIP is a risk factor for bacterial pneumonia related to innate immune impairments.

Frailty, periinterventional complications and outcome in patients undergoing percutaneous mitral and tricuspid valve repair

BACKGROUND

Frailty is common in elderly and multimorbid patients and associated with increased vulnerability to stressors.

METHODS

In a single centre study frailty according to Fried criteria was assessed in consecutive patients before transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve repair. Postprocedural infections, blood transfusion and bleeding and renal failure were retrospectively assessed from records. Median follow-up time for survival was 560 days (IQR: 363 to 730 days).

RESULTS

90% of 626 patients underwent mitral valve repair, 5% tricuspid valve repair, and 5% simultaneous mitral and tricuspid valve repair. 47% were classified as frail. Frailty was associated with a significantly increased frequency of bleeding (16 vs 10%; p = 0.016), blood transfusions (9 vs 3%; p =  < 0.001) and infections (18 vs 10%; p = 0.006), but not with acute kidney injury (20 vs 20%; p = 1.00). Bleeding and infections were associated with longer hospital stays, with a more pronounced effect in frail patients (interaction test p < 0.05, additional 3.2 and 4.1 days in frail patients, respectively). Adjustment for the occurrence of complications did not attenuate the increased risk of mortality associated with frailty (HR 2.24 [95% CI 1.62-3.10]; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Bleeding complications and infections were more frequent in frail patients undergoing transcatheter mitral and tricuspid valve repair and partly explained the longer hospital stay. Albeit some of the complications were associated with higher long-term mortality, this did not explain the strong association between frailty and mortality. Further research is warranted to explore interventions targeting periprocedural complications to improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Serum Albumin as Prognostic Marker for Older Adults in Hospital and Community Settings

Serum albumin, known for its multifaceted role in health, is hypothesized to serve as a prognostic marker for older adults, both in hospital and community settings. Nine studies were included in the review, revealing consistent associations between low serum albumin levels and increased mortality risk in hospitalized older individuals. In community settings, low serum albumin levels were linked to higher mortality rates compared to those with normal levels. The synthesis of evidence underscores the potential of serum albumin as a prognostic marker for older adults, offering valuable insights for risk stratification and targeted interventions. While robust evidence supports its utility in hospital settings, further research is warranted in community settings to address current limitations and enhance the applicability of serum albumin as a prognostic tool. This review merges existing knowledge of the prognostic significance of serum albumin in older adults across hospital and community settings. The findings emphasize the importance of serum albumin as a potential prognostic marker, urging continued research efforts to refine its application in diverse healthcare contexts and improve outcomes for the aging population.

Multimorbidity Pattern and Risk for Mortality Among Patients With Dementia: A Nationwide Cohort Study Using Latent Class Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Individuals with dementia are at a substantially elevated risk for mortality; however, few studies have examined multimorbidity patterns and determined the inter-relationship between these comorbidities in predicting mortality risk.

METHODS

This is a prospective cohort study. Data from 6,556 patients who were diagnosed with dementia between 1997 and 2012 using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed. Latent class analysis was performed using 16 common chronic conditions to identify mortality risk among potentially different latent classes. Logistic regression was performed to determine the adjusted association of the determined latent classes with the 5-year mortality rate.

RESULTS

With adjustment for age, a three-class model was identified, with 42.7% of participants classified as "low comorbidity class (cluster 1)", 44.2% as "cardiometabolic multimorbidity class (cluster 2)", and 13.1% as "FRINGED class (cluster 3, characterized by FRacture, Infection, NasoGastric feeding, and bleEDing over upper gastrointestinal tract)." The incidence of 5-year mortality was 17.6% in cluster 1, 26.7% in cluster 2, and 59.6% in cluster 3. Compared with cluster 1, the odds ratio for mortality was 9.828 (95% confidence interval [CI]=6.708-14.401; p<0.001) in cluster 2 and 1.582 (95% CI=1.281-1.953; p<0.001) in cluster 3.

CONCLUSION

Among patients with dementia, the risk for 5-year mortality was highest in the subpopulation characterized by fracture, urinary and pulmonary infection, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and nasogastric intubation, rather than cancer or cardiometabolic comorbidities. These findings may improve decision-making and advance care planning for patients with dementia.

The impact of respiratory infections and probiotic use on the nasal microbiota of frail residents in long-term care homes

Background

Residents in long-term care homes, who tend to be of advanced age and frail, are at increased risk of respiratory infections. The respiratory microbiota is known to change with age, but whether these changes contribute to the risk of infection is not known. Our goal was to determine how the nasal microbiota of frail older adults changes during symptoms of influenza-like illness (ILI) and how this may be impacted by enrolment in a placebo-controlled trial testing the feasibility of administering a Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG probiotic to prevent respiratory infection (2014-2017).

Methods

The microbiome of the nasal (mid-turbinate) of 150 residents of long-term care homes was interrogated using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results

We identified a diverse and individualised microbiota which could be separated into nine distinct clusters based on Bray-Curtis distances. Samples collected during symptoms of ILI differed statistically from those collected pre- and post-cold and influenza season, and we observed decreased temporal stability (as measured by movement between clusters) in individuals who experienced ILI compared to those who did not.

Conclusions

The use of probiotics decreased ILI-induced changes to the microbiota; however, it is not clear whether this decrease is sufficient to prevent respiratory illness.

Acceleration of sarcopenia in elderly patients who develop asymptomatic pneumonia shadow within one year after surgery for early gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Although early gastric cancer is curable with local treatment, the overall survival in elderly patients did not reach 80% at five years after surgery. The major cause of death in elderly patients with early gastric cancer is not cancer itself but is related to postoperative sarcopenia. Elderly patients frequently develop postoperative asymptomatic pneumonia shadow, which is associated with a poor prognosis. However, why asymptomatic pneumonia shadow worsens the prognosis remains unclear. We investigated whether sarcopenia is accelerated in patients who developed asymptomatic pneumonia shadow.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined patients of > 75 years of age who underwent R0 gastrectomy for gastric cancer and were diagnosed with T1 disease at National Cancer Center Hospital between 2005 and 2012. The diagnosis of asymptomatic pneumonia shadow was defined by diagnostic findings of pneumonia (consolidation type, reticular type, and nodular type) which were newly observed on chest computed tomography performed one year after surgery in comparison to preoperative computed tomography. Postoperative muscle loss was assessed by a computed tomography-based analysis using the L3 skeletal muscle index before and two years after surgery and the rate of decrease was calculated. Patients were classified into two groups according to the rate of decrease (cut-off value: 10%).

RESULTS

Of the 3412 patients who underwent gastrectomy in our hospital during the study period, 142 were included in this study. Asymptomatic pneumonia shadow was found in 26 patients (18%). Patients who developed asymptomatic pneumonia shadow showed a significantly greater loss of muscle volume in comparison to patients who did not develop asymptomatic pneumonia shadow. In the multivariate analysis, total gastrectomy and asymptomatic pneumonia shadow were the independent risk factors for severe muscle loss. However, there was no significant difference in prognosis between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia was accelerated in elderly patients who developed asymptomatic pneumonia shadow after surgery for early gastric cancer. However, the poor prognosis in these patients may not be related to accelerated sarcopenia.

Prognostic significance of frailty in hospitalized elderly patients with community-acquired pneumonia: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Frailty is associated with poor prognosis in a wide range of illnesses. However, its prognostic implications for older patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) are not adequately addressed.

METHODS

In this study, patients were classified into 3 groups according to the frailty index based on standard laboratory tests (FI-Lab) score: robust (FI-Lab < 0.2), pre-frail (FI-Lab 0.2-0.35), and frail (FI-Lab ≥ 0.35). The relationships between frailty and all-cause mortality and short-term clinical outcomes (length of stay, duration of antibiotic therapy, in-hospital mortality) were examined.

RESULTS

Finally, 1164 patients were included, the median age was 75 years (interquartile range: 69, 82), and 438 patients (37.6%) were women. According to FI-Lab, 261(22.4%), 395(33.9%), and 508(43.6%) were robust, pre-frail, and frail. After adjustment for confounding variables, frailty was independently associated with prolonged antibiotic treatment (p = 0.037); pre-frailty and frailty were independently associated with longer inpatient days (p < 0.05 for both). The risk of in-hospital mortality was independently increased in frail patients (HR = 5.01, 95% CI = 1.51-16.57, p = 0.008) but not pre-frail patients (HR = 2.87, 95% CI = 0.86-9.63, p = 0.088) compared to robust patients. During a median follow-up of 33.9 months (interquartile range: 32.8 to 35.1 months), 408 (35.1%) patients died, of whom 29 (7.1%) were robust, 112 (27.5%) were pre-frail, and 267 (65.9%) were frail. Compared to robust patients, frail and pre-frail were significantly associated with increased risk for all-cause death (HR = 4.29, 95%CI: 1.78-10.35 and HR = 2.42 95%CI: 1.01-5.82, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty is common among older patients with CAP and is strongly associated with increased mortality, longer length of stay, and duration of antibiotics. A routine frail assessment at the admission of elderly patients with CAP is necessary as the first step for appropriate multidisciplinary interventions.

Acute organ injury and long-term sequelae of severe pneumococcal infections

Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is a major public health problem, as it is a main cause of otitis media, community-acquired pneumonia, bacteremia, sepsis, and meningitis. Acute episodes of pneumococcal disease have been demonstrated to cause organ damage with lingering negative consequences. Cytotoxic products released by the bacterium, biomechanical and physiological stress resulting from infection, and the corresponding inflammatory response together contribute to organ damage accrued during infection. The collective result of this damage can be acutely life-threatening, but among survivors, it also contributes to the long-lasting sequelae of pneumococcal disease. These include the development of new morbidities or exacerbation of pre-existing conditions such as COPD, heart disease, and neurological impairments. Currently, pneumonia is ranked as the 9^th leading cause of death, but this estimate only considers short-term mortality and likely underestimates the true long-term impact of disease. Herein, we review the data that indicates damage incurred during acute pneumococcal infection can result in long-term sequelae which reduces quality of life and life expectancy among pneumococcal disease survivors.

Peak expiratory flow, but not tongue pressure, can predict pneumonia development in older adults

PURPOSE

Pneumonia is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in aging populations. Major causes of pneumonia in older adults are swallowing dysfunction and decreased airway clearance capacity, including an impaired cough reflex. Maximal tongue pressure is useful for evaluating swallowing function, and peak expiratory flow indirectly reflects cough strength. However, it is unclear whether they can predict pneumonia development in older adults. In this study, we investigated whether tongue pressure and peak expiratory flow could predict pneumonia development in older adults.

METHODS

This two-center prospective observational study included older adults aged 65 years or older without respiratory disease or head and neck cancer. We enrolled 383 consenting participants, many of whom had a history of stroke, and followed them for 2 years. The association between time to pneumonia development and tongue pressure or peak expiratory flow at enrollment was examined in a Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The mean age of the participants was 77.1 ± 6.2 years, and 36.0% of them were women. The mean tongue pressure was 35.4 ± 10.5 kPa and median peak expiratory flow was 218 L/min at enrollment. Six patients developed pneumonia during the study period. A low peak expiratory flow at enrollment was significantly associated with pneumonia development in the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, but this association was not observed for tongue pressure.

CONCLUSION

Decreased peak expiratory flow may predict pneumonia development in older adults. Future studies should investigate interventions for peak expiratory flow improvement.

Associations of influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations with burdens of older family caregivers: The Japan Gerontological Evaluation study (JAGES) cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Influenza and pneumonia tend to be severe in older adults; thus, vaccination is necessary to prevent these illnesses. Vaccination is especially important for older family caregivers (OFCs) not only to prevent them from becoming ill, but also to prevent secondary infections in the family care receivers (FCRs), who are mostly frail older adults and have a higher risk of severe illness. Thus, we investigated whether caregiving burdens were associated with the vaccinations among older adults.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES), which was conducted in 64 Japanese municipalities from November 2019 to January 2020. The target population consisted of 26,177 individuals aged 65 years or older who were independent and did not need public long-term care. The primary outcome was the uptakes of either or both influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. Multinomial logistic regressions were performed, setting those who underwent neither vaccinations as the reference group.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 23.3 %, 25.8 %, 9.4 %, or 41.5 % underwent neither, only influenza, only pneumococcal, or the both vaccinations, respectively. The caregiving frequency, time length in a day, or dementia of FCR were negatively associated with influenza vaccination (caregiving almost every day: relative risk ratio {RRR}: 0.39, 95 % confident interval {95 % CI} [0.24-0.63]; caregiving almost all day: 0.44, 95 % CI: 0.23-0.85; caregiving for FCR: RRR:0.55, 95 % CI: 0.34-0.91). On the other hand, those caregiving burdens were not associated with pneumococcal only or the both vaccinations. Having a family physician mitigated all the negative effect of the caregiving burdens on the vaccinations.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that the caregiving burden is a barrier to influenza vaccination but not to pneumococcal vaccination and that having a physician mitigates the negative effect regardless of the burden kind.

Translational research into frailty from bench to bedside: Salivary biomarkers for inflammaging

Frailty is a complex physiological syndrome associated with adverse ageing and decreased physiological reserves. Frailty leads to cognitive and physical disability and is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality and economic costs. The underlying cause of frailty is multifaceted, including immunosenescence and inflammaging, changes in microbiota and metabolic dysfunction. Currently, salivary biomarkers are used as early predictors for some clinical diseases, contributing to the effective prevention and treatment of diseases, including frailty. Sample collection for salivary analysis is non-invasive and simple, which are paramount factors for testing in the vulnerable frail population. The aim of this review is to describe the current knowledge on the association between frailty and the inflammatory process and discuss methods to identify putative biomarkers in salivary fluids to predict this syndrome. This study describes the relationship between i.-inflammatory process and frailty; ii.-infectious, chronic, skeletal, metabolic and cognitive diseases with inflammation and frailty; iii.-inflammatory biomarkers and salivary fluids. There is a limited number of previous studies focusing on the analysis of inflammatory salivary biomarkers and frailty syndrome; hence, the study of salivary fluids as a source for biomarkers is an open area of research with the potential to address the increasing demands for frailty-associated biomarkers.

The comparison of prognoses between total and distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer in elderly patients ≥ 80 years old

PURPOSE

In Japan, the number of distal gastrectomy for patients ≥ 80 years old is increasing, whereas that of total gastrectomy is decreasing. Surgeons seem to avoid total gastrectomy for elderly patients. Total gastrectomy is reported to have a poorer prognosis than distal gastrectomy, and postoperative pneumonia may be involved in the cause.

METHODS

The medical records of 39 and 108 patients ≥ 80 years old who underwent total and distal gastrectomy, respectively, at 2 affiliated institutions between 2010 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Prognoses were compared between the two groups, focusing on death from pneumonia.

RESULTS

The median overall survival time after total and distal gastrectomy was 21.3 and 74.1 months, respectively, with a significantly poorer prognosis after total gastrectomy than after distal gastrectomy (p < 0.01, hazard ratio [HR] 2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-3.53). The gastric cancer-specific survival time was significantly worse after total gastrectomy than after distal gastrectomy (p < 0.01, HR 2.73, 95% CI 1.29-5.79). The pneumonia-specific survival time was also significantly worse after total gastrectomy than after distal gastrectomy (p = 0.01, HR 3.44, 95% CI 1.25-9.48).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent total gastrectomy had a poorer prognosis than those who underwent distal gastrectomy, because many patients died of pneumonia early after total gastrectomy.

Family social support and stability of preferences regarding place of death among older people: a 3-year longitudinal study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study

BACKGROUND

it remains unclear how family relationships could affect stability of end-of-life care preferences.

OBJECTIVE

to describe change patterns of preferred place of death (POD) among older people and to examine associations between family social support and stability of preferences regarding POD.

METHODS

this longitudinal study of 1,200 noninstitutionalized independent Japanese older people aged over 65 years used panel data between 2016 and 2019 from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). Preference stability was defined as the congruence of preferred POD based on questionnaires between baseline and follow-up. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis and gender-stratified analysis to examine associations between social support (spouse, children living together and children living apart) and preference stability.

RESULTS

only 40.9% of participants had stable preferences. For a spouse, both receiving and providing social support was associated with less stable preferences (OR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43-0.93; OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.38-0.80, respectively), and providing social support to children living apart was associated with more stable preferences (OR: 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03-1.76). In gender-stratified analysis, significant associations between preference stability and providing social support to a spouse among women (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.34-0.82) and providing social support to children living apart among men (OR: 1.72, 95% CI: 1.16-2.55) were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

family social support was associated with the stability of preferences, and the associations differed by support resources and gender. Incorporating family members in the process of end-of-life care discussion may be necessary for establishing stable preferences.

Exploration of Aging-Care Parameters to Predict Mortality of Patients Aged 80-Years and Above with Community-Acquired Pneumonia

Purpose

The study explores a clinical model based on aging-care parameters to predict the mortality of hospitalized patients aged 80-year and above with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

Patients and methods

In this study, four hundred and thirty-five CAP patients aged 80-years and above were enrolled in the Central Hospital of Minhang District, Shanghai during 01,01,2018–31,12,2021. The clinical data were collected, including aging-care relevant factors (ALB, FRAIL, Barthel Index and age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index) and other commonly used factors. The prognostic factors were screened by multivariable logistic regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to predict the mortality risk.

Results

Univariate analysis demonstrated that several factors, including gender, platelet distribution width, NLR, ALB, CRP, pct, pre-albumin, CURB-65, low-density, lipoprotein, Barthel Index, FRAIL, leucocyte count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and aCCI, were associated with the prognosis of CAP. Multivariate model analyses further identified that CURB-65 (p < 0.0001, OR = 5.44, 95% CI = 3.021–10.700), FRAIL (p < 0.0001, OR = 5.441, 95% CI = 2.611–12.25) and aCCI (p = 0.003, OR = 1.551, 95% CI = 1.165–2.099) were independent risk factors, whereas ALB (p = 0.005, OR = 0.871, 95% CI = 0.788–0.957) and Barthel Index (p = 0.0007, OR = 0.958, 95% CI = 0.933–0.981) were independent protective factors. ROC curves were plotted to further predict the in-hospital mortality and revealed that combination of three parameters (Barthel Index+ FRAI +CURB-65) showed the best performance.

Conclusion

This study showed that CURB-65, frailty and aCCI were independent risk factors influencing prognosis. In addition, ALB and Barthel Index were protective factors for in CAP patients over 80-years old. AUC was calculated and revealed that combination of three parameters (Barthel Index+ FRAI +CURB-65) showed the best performance.

Association of Oral Function and Dysphagia with Frailty and Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Studies investigating the associations of oral function and dysphagia with frailty and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults are increasing; however, they have not been systematically summarized. We conducted a systematic review to investigate these associations. We searched electronic databases and synthesized relevant data using conventional (frequentist-style) and Bayesian meta-analyses. Twenty-four studies were found to be eligible for our review, including 20 cross-sectional and four prospective cohort studies. Older adults with frailty or sarcopenia had lower tongue pressure, according to the results of conventional meta-analysis (mean difference [95% confidence interval or credible interval]: -6.80 kPa [-10.22 to -3.38] for frailty and -5.40 kPa [-6.62 to -4.17] for sarcopenia) and Bayesian meta-analysis (-6.90 kPa [-9.0 to -4.8] for frailty, -5.35 kPa [-6.78 to -3.89] for sarcopenia). People with frailty had a higher odds ratio (OR) for dysphagia according to the results of conventional meta-analysis (3.99 [2.17 to 7.32]) and Bayesian meta-analysis (1.38 [0.77 to 1.98]). However, the results were inconclusive for people with sarcopenia. A prospective association could not be determined because of the lack of information and the limited number of studies. Decreased oral function and dysphagia can be important characteristics of frailty and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.

Long-term postoperative pneumonia in elderly patients with early gastric cancer

Background

Pneumonia is a major cause of death in the elderly population. Considering body weight loss, muscle loss, and reflux after gastrectomy, elderly patients are considered to be at very high risk for pneumonia, which could decrease overall survival because early gastric cancer is mostly curable only by surgery. We aimed to clarify the incidence of pneumonia in the long-term period after gastrectomy in elderly patients who were diagnosed with early gastric cancer and its risk factors.

Methods

We retrospectively examined patients of > 75 years of age who underwent R0 gastrectomy for gastric cancer and who were diagnosed with T1 disease at National Cancer Center Hospital between 2005 and 2012. Long-term postoperative pneumonia was diagnosed by chest computed tomography every year until 2 years after surgery. The presence of preoperative sarcopenia was assessed using preoperative L3 skeletal muscle index.

Results

167 patients were included in this study. Long-term postoperative pneumonia was observed in 44 (26%) patients. Of the 44 people diagnosed with long-term postoperative pneumonia, 33 were diagnosed in the 1st year and 11 in the 2nd year. 117 patients (70%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia which was significantly frequently found in the patients who developed long-term postoperative pneumonia (91%) than those without (63%). Preoperative sarcopenia was the only independent risk factor in multivariate analysis. Type of gastrectomy was not a significant risk factor.

Conclusions

Long-term postoperative pneumonia was frequently observed in the elderly patients. Preoperative sarcopenia was associated with long-term postoperative pneumonia in elderly patients who underwent curative surgery for gastric cancer. After gastrectomy, long-term special care would be required for elderly patients, especially with sarcopenia.

Frailty as a Predictor of In-Hospital Outcome in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

(1) Background: Frailty is a condition associated with aging, co-morbidity, and disability. We aimed to investigate the relationship between frailty and in-hospital outcome in patients with myocardial infarction (MI), including the occurrence of delirium, hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), and length of hospital stay. (2) Methods: We analyzed 55 patients ≥ 75 years old with ST-elevation and non-ST-elevation MI. Assessment with Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS), Activity of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was performed. (3) Results: In ROC analysis, IADL and CFS presented good predictive values for the occurrence of delirium (AUC = 0.81, p = 0.023, and AUC = 0.86, p = 0.009, respectively). For predicting HAP, only AMTS showed a significant value (AUC = 0.69, p = 0.036). In regression analyses, all tests presented significant predictive values for delirium. For predicting HAP, only IADL and CFS presented significant values (in an analysis adjusted for age, gender and type of MI). Frail patients (≥5 points in CFS) had longer hospital stays (10 days IQR: 8–17 vs. 8 days IQR: 7–10; p = 0.03). (4) Conclusions: While recognizing the limitations of our study associated with the relatively low sample size, we believe that our analysis shows that frailty is a predictor of poorer in-hospital outcomes in patients with MI, including higher rates of delirium, HAP and longer hospital stay.

COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in longer-term care facilities

This essay considers the factors that have contributed to very high COVID-19 mortality in longer-term care facilities (LTCFs). We compare the demographic characteristics of LTCF residents with those of community-dwelling older adults, and then we review the evidence regarding prevalence and infection fatality rates (IFRs), including links to frailty and some comorbidities. Finally, we discuss policy measures that could foster the physical and mental health and well-being of LTCF residents in the present context and in potential future pandemics.