The standard method for collection of respiratory secretions, by use of a nasal wash (NW) to measure virus-specific IgA, is problematic in frail elderly adults. Therefore, a simplified collection approach using a nasal swab (NS) is described. NW and NS samples were collected from healthy young and frail elderly adults, and IgA titers to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion and attachment gl...

Background: Clinical frailty syndrome is a common geriatric syndrome, which is characterized by physiological reserve decreases and increased vulnerability. The changes associated to ageing and frailties are associated to changes in gait characteristics and the basic functional capacities. Traditional clinical evaluation of Sit-to-Stand (Si-St) and Stand-to-Sit (St-Si) transition is based on vi...

BACKGROUND Clinical frailty syndrome is a common geriatric syndrome, which is characterized by physiological reserve decreases and increased vulnerability. The changes associated to ageing and frailties are associated to changes in gait characteristics and the basic functional capacities. Traditional clinical evaluation of Sit-to-Stand (Si-St) and Stand-to-Sit (St-Si) transition is based on vis...

Despite moves to enhance the autonomy of clients of health care services, the use of a variety of physical restraints on the freedom of movement of frail, elderly patients continues in nursing homes. This paper confronts the use of restraints on two grounds. First, it challenges the assumption that use of restraints is necessary to protect the welfare of frail, elderly patients by drawing on a ...

Falls are a major public health problem for older people. Recent research suggests that fear of falling may be a more pervasive and serious problem than falls among the elderly. The present study was conducted to determine whether frail elderly persons with fear of falling have lower physical function. A total of 47 subjects (aged 73 to 95) were recruited from a geriatric health services facili...

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation may be a cardinal pathophysiologic feature in the pathogenesis of frailty. Interferon-gamma (INF-γ) is an understudied proinflammatory cytokine in frailty that induces many inflammatory pathways including the guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase 1 (GTP-CH1) pathway. Our aim was to evaluate the GTP-CH1 pathway in Egyptian frail elderly subjects. ...

With the aging of the population, the interest in clinical trials concerning frail elderly patients has increased. Evidence-based practice for the elderly patient is difficult because elderly patients, especially the frail, are often excluded from clinical trials. To facilitate the participation of frail elderly patients in clinical trials, investigators should be more aware of possible barrier...

Skeletal muscle power decreases earlier than muscle strength with advancing age and is more strongly associated with functional test performance than muscle strength in elderly populations. In addition, some studies have shown that resistance training designed to improve muscle power output (high speed of movement) enhances several functional outcomes in the healthy elderly. Therefore, muscle p...

CONTEXT Physical frailty is associated with reduced muscle strength, impaired physical function, and quality of life. Testosterone (T) increases muscle mass and strength in hypogonadal patients. It is unclear whether T has similar effects in intermediate-frail and frail elderly men with low to borderline-low T. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to determine the effects of 6 months T treatment in in...

Organisation of health care for frail elderly is no longer adequate. Their complex requirements within the domains of prevention, care, cure, welfare and residence demand a new care model. Partitions need to be broken down and care-providers should work together on a single, integral basis, from diagnosis to treatment. This type of integrated care model has recently been implemented in the regi...