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Trabecular bone score and phalangeal quantitative ultrasound are associated with muscle strength and fracture risk in hemodialysis patients.
Catalano, A, Gaudio, A, Bellone, F, La Fauci, MM, Xourafa, A, Gembillo, G, Basile, G, Natale, G, Squadrito, G, Corica, F, et al
Frontiers in endocrinology. 2022;:940040
Abstract
There is growing interest in the relationship between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and fragility fracture risk. Bone mineral density (BMD) is a major determinant of bone strength, although its role as a predictor of fracture in advanced CKD and hemodialysis is still under debate. We aimed to further investigate surrogates of bone quality and their associations with muscle strength and fracture risk in hemodialysis. Multiple clinical risk factors for fracture and an estimated 10-year probability of fracture, BMD at lumbar spine and femur, trabecular bone score (TBS), X-ray vertebral morphometry, phalangeal bone quantitative ultrasonography (QUS), tibial pulse-echo ultrasonography (PEUS), and handgrip strength were evaluated in a setting of hemodialysis patients in treatment with acetate-free biofiltration (AFB) or bicarbonate hemodialysis. The bone ultrasound measurements, both at phalangeal and tibial sites, were significantly associated with lumbar and femoral DXA values. Handgrip strength was significantly associated with the 10-year probability of fracture (r = -0.57, p < 0.001 for major fractures and r = -0.53, p < 0.001 for hip fracture, respectively), with femur neck, total femur, and L1-L4 BMD values (r = 0.47, p = 0.04; r = 0.48, p = 0.02; r = 0.58, p = 0.007, respectively), with TBS at the lumbar spine (r = 0.71, p < 0.001) and with the phalangeal QUS measure of AD-SoS (r = 0.369, p = 0.023). In the hemodialysis group, 10 participants (24.3%) reported at least one morphometric vertebral fracture (Vfx); conversely, only six participants (15%) showed Vfx in the control group. In the hemodialysis group, participants with Vfx compared with participants without Vfx reported significantly different TBS, bone transmission time (BTT), cortical thickness, and handgrip strength (p < 0.05). At multiple regression analysis, by identifying as dependent variable the 10-year fracture risk for major fracture, after correcting for age, BMI, time since dialysis, AD-SoS, cortical bone thickness, and handgrip strength, only BTT (β = -15.21, SE = 5.91, p = 0.02) and TBS (β = -54.69, SE = 21.88, p = 0.02) turned out as independently associated with fracture risk. In conclusion, hemodialysis patients showed a higher fracture risk and lower surrogate indices of bone strength as TBS and QUS parameters. In this cohort of patients, handgrip strength measurements appeared to be a useful instrument to identify high-fracture-risk subjects.
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The prognostic value of 123I-mIBG SPECT cardiac imaging in heart failure patients: a systematic review.
Pontico, M, Brunotti, G, Conte, M, Corica, F, Cosma, L, De Angelis, C, De Feo, MS, Lazri, J, Matto, A, Montebello, M, et al
Journal of nuclear cardiology : official publication of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology. 2022;(4):1799-1809
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Abstract
This systematic review aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of Iodine123 Metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-mIBG) SPECT myocardial imaging in patients with heart failure (HF) and to assess whether semi-quantitative SPECT scores can be useful for accurate risk stratification concerning arrhythmic event (AE) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in this cohort. A systematic literature search of studies published until November 2020 regarding the application of 123I-mIBG SPECT in HF patients was performed, in Pubmed, Scopus, Medline, Central (Cochrane Library) and Web Of Science databases, including the words "MIBG", "metaiodobenzylguanidine", "heart", "spect", and "tomographic". The included studies had to correlate 123I-mIBG SPECT scores with endpoints such as overall survival and prevention of AE and SCD in HF patients. According to the sixteen studies included, the analysis showed that 123I-mIBG SPECT scores, such as summed defect score (SDS), regional wash-out (rWO), and regional myocardial tracer uptake, could have a reliable prognostic value in patients with HF. An increased SDS or rWO, as well as a reduced 123I-mIBG myocardial uptake, have proven to be effective in predicting AE- and SCD-specific risk in HF patients. Despite achieved results being promising, a more reproducible standardized method for semi-quantitative analysis and further studies with larger cohort are needed for 123I-mIBG SPECT myocardial imaging to be as reliable and, thus, accepted as the conventional 123I-mIBG planar myocardial imaging.
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The association between hypoparathyroidism and cognitive impairment: a systematic review.
Sardella, A, Bellone, F, Morabito, N, Minisola, S, Basile, G, Corica, F, Catalano, A
Journal of endocrinological investigation. 2021;(5):905-919
Abstract
CONTEXT AND PURPOSE Hypocalcemia and low parathyroid hormone levels have been commonly suggested as factors able to induce central nervous system disturbances. However, evidences on the occurrence of cognitive impairment are limited or underestimated. The aim of this review is, therefore, to systematically summarize the available evidence concerning the occurrence of cognitive impairment among subjects suffering from idiopathic or secondary hypoparathyroidism. METHODS A systematic selection of the available literature was performed by searching the online databases PubMed, Scopus and Web of Knowledge. RESULTS The present systematic review included sixteen case report articles and one cross-sectional controlled study. Case reports were the most representative literature sources and involved ten women and seven men. The presence of cognitive impairment was mostly discussed in association with idiopathic hypoparathyroidism (HPT); five articles described the occurrence of cognitive impairment following postsurgical HPT. The case-controlled study reported a significant presence of peculiar cognitive deficits (e.g. reduced inhibitory control, impairment in visuo-spatial functioning among, and psychomotor retardation) among HPT subjects compared to healthy controls, with serum total calcium and its product with phosphorus as independent predictors of neuropsychological dysfunctions. CONCLUSION Even though mostly based on single case reports, the presence of neuropsychological dysfunctions in the context of HPT appears to be a consistent core finding.
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Vitamin D Boosts Alendronate Tail Effect on Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women with Osteoporosis.
Catalano, A, Bellone, F, Santoro, D, Schwarz, P, Gaudio, A, Basile, G, Sottile, MC, Stoian, SA, Corica, F, Morabito, N
Nutrients. 2021;13(6)
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Post-menopausal women are at an increased risk for bone associated disorders such as osteoporosis. Treatments with drugs known as bisphosphonates aim to increase bone density, bone strength, and reduce bone fractures. However long-term treatment may be associated with poor outcomes and short treatment breaks where use is discontinued, may be of benefit. Vitamin D, which has shown to be of benefit during treatment with bisphosphonates, may be of increased importance during these treatment breaks. This retrospective study of postmenopausal women aimed to determine if vitamin D status influenced bone density after osteoporosis treatment had ceased in 1686 patients. The results showed that in those who discontinued osteoporosis treatment, individuals with the highest levels of vitamin D had a greater increase in bone mineral density. Bone density was also associated with a change in vitamin D level. It was concluded that in those who have discontinued osteoporosis treatment improving vitamin D status may be of benefit to bone density. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand how vitamin D supplementation may be of benefit in osteoporotic, post-menopausal women who have stopped treatment due to worries of long-term side effects.
Abstract
Vitamin D modulates bisphosphonate (BP) efficacy, but its contribution to bone mineral density (BMD) after BP discontinuation is not known. To address this topic, we performed a retrospective analysis of postmenopausal women exposed to alendronate (ALN) to treat osteoporosis who regularly continued the supplementation of cholecalciferol or calcifediol at recommended doses. In the ninety-six recruited women (age 61.1 ± 6.9 years), ALN was administered for 31.2 ± 20.6 months and then discontinued for 33.3 ± 18.9 months. The modification of 25(OH)D serum levels over time was associated with a change of alkaline phosphatase (r = -0.22, p = 0.018) and C-terminal collagen type 1 telopeptide (r = -0.3, p = 0.06). Women in the tertile of the highest increase in 25(OH)D level showed a 5.7% BMD gain at lumbar spine, that was twice as great in comparison with participants with a lower 25(OH)D variation. At a multiple regression analysis, BMD change was associated with time since menopause (ß = 2.28, SE 0.44, p < 0.0001), FRAX score for major fracture (ß = -0.65, SE 0.29, p = 0.03), drug holiday duration (ß = -2.17, SE 0.27, p < 0.0001) and change of 25(OH)D levels (ß = 0.15, SE 0.03, p = 0.0007). After ALN discontinuation, improving the vitamin D status boosts the ALN tail effect on BMD.
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Early Changes of VEGF Levels After Zoledronic Acid in Women With Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Potential Role of Vitamin D.
Bellone, F, Catalano, A, Sottile, AR, Gaudio, A, Loddo, S, Corica, F, Morabito, N
Frontiers in medicine. 2021;:748438
Abstract
Zoledronic acid (Zol) is a widely used intravenous aminobisphosphonate to treat both benign and malignant skeletal diseases, and bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a serious side effect whose pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) has been recognized to mediate BRONJ in cancer patients undergoing Zol treatment, however data on VEGF are lacking in patients with osteoporosis. Increasing evidences demonstrate that vitamin D influences VEGF levels. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Zol on VEGF levels and the possible role for vitamin D on the Zol mediated changes of VEGF concentration in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Twenty-eight postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were enrolled and randomized into two groups to receive Zol (5 mg) or placebo. At baseline, at day-3 and day-30 VEGF serum levels were measured; bone turnover markers, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and serum calcium were evaluated at baseline. In Zol-treated women, VEGF increased significantly on day-3, and then decreased on day-30. In the Zol-treated women, the percent change of VEGF levels between baseline and day-30 (-18% at day-30 vs. baseline, p = 0.01) was significantly associated with serum 25(OH)D values (r = 0.29, p = 0.028). At a stepwise multiple regression analysis, after correcting for age, BMI, time since menopause, femoral neck BMD, osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen, and baseline VEGF levels, 25(OH)D levels were independently associated with VEGF change (β = 1.7, SE = 0.71, p = 0.03). For the first time, we detected early modifications of circulating VEGF in postmenopausal women receiving Zol for osteoporosis, identifying a vitamin D-dependent modulation of these changes.
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Magnesium and elderly patient: the explored paths and the ones to be explored: a review.
Lo Piano, F, Corsonello, A, Corica, F
Magnesium research. 2019;(1):1-15
Abstract
Magnesium is an essential bivalent cation. Its fine balance in human organism is extremely important and is involved in a wide range of functions. We need to maintain its amount in human organism within range considered as physiological. This is particularly true for elderly people, and especially for "frail" elderly people, whose systems and apparatuses are in a state of serious homeostatic precariousness. In fact, hypomagnesemia is involved in a very large range of pathological conditions (requiring multiple therapies) that could compromise elderly's autonomy. The aim of this review has been to go through the most important trials, in order to understand the direction taken by research during the last years and to detect the room for improvement in this field. We have tried to understand when magnesium content is truly physiological or pathological, and how we could prevent an inappropriately low magnesium intake in elderly people. First of all, we have remarked the absolute need of an adequate evaluation method for magnesium content in human organism. Current literature appropriately encourages the use of a synoptic assessment of magnesium serum concentration, urinary excretion, and dietary intake. We have also discussed the most important trials relating hypomagnesaemia with human pathology. Specific studies conducted on elderly patients have extensively demonstrated its decisive role in maintaining bone health, adequate glyco-metabolic compensation, a correct cardiac and vascular functional profile, and probably also a physiological psycho-cognitive profile. From the implications discussed above, therefore, it is essential to ensure physiological levels of magnesium in body, particularly in geriatric patient, itself more prone to a reduction in the level of cation. We have concluded, according to the literature, that the best way to prevent hypomagnesemia and its clinical implications in elderly subjects is represented by a proper diet (more fiber and complex carbohydrates, more vegetable proteins, less sugars and fats), which ensures an adequate supply of cation. If with diet alone (due to comorbidity or other concomitant factors) it has not been possible to guarantee suitable serum levels of cation, or in the case of a patient defined as "frail elderly", a reintegration therapy (per os) will be undertaken, after a careful analysis of renal function.
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Polypharmacy and sarcopenia in hospitalized older patients: results of the GLISTEN study.
Agosta, L, Bo, M, Bianchi, L, Abete, P, Belelli, G, Cherubini, A, Corica, F, Di Bari, M, Maggio, M, Manca, GM, et al
Aging clinical and experimental research. 2019;(4):557-559
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II) showed that polypharmacy is associated with clinically relevant sarcopenia among community-dwelling older persons. Here we report findings from the GLISTEN study about the association of polypharmacy with sarcopenia among older medical in-patients. METHODS The GLISTEN study investigated prevalence and clinical correlates of sarcopenia in older patients admitted to geriatric and internal medicine acute care wards of 12 Italian hospitals. RESULTS In this sample of older medical in-patients with high prevalence of sarcopenia (34.7%) and polypharmacy (70.2%) we did not observe a significant association of polypharmacy with sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS Present findings demonstrate that the association of polypharmacy with sarcopenia, observed in the BASE-II study, is not evident in the GLISTEN sample, being our patients significantly older, more multi-morbid, with high prevalence of sarcopenia and polypharmacy, suggesting that this association might vary according to the heterogeneous health, functional, and nutritional characteristics of older people.
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Anticholinergic burden and 1-year mortality among older patients discharged from acute care hospital.
Lattanzio, F, Corica, F, Schepisi, R, Amantea, D, Bruno, F, Cozza, A, Onder, G, Volpato, S, Cherubini, A, Ruggiero, C, et al
Geriatrics & gerontology international. 2018;(5):705-713
Abstract
AIM: 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. METHODS 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. RESULTS 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. CONCLUSIONS 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.
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The incidence of sarcopenia among hospitalized older patients: results from the Glisten study.
Martone, AM, Bianchi, L, Abete, P, Bellelli, G, Bo, M, Cherubini, A, Corica, F, Di Bari, M, Maggio, M, Manca, GM, et al
Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle. 2017;(6):907-914
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BACKGROUND New evidence is emerging on the importance of lean body mass during periods of illness and recovery. The preservation of lean body mass during such periods of intense stress impacts both patient and treatment outcomes. However, data concerning the incidence of sarcopenia among older people during hospitalization are scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the development of sarcopenia in a sample of hospitalized older subjects. METHODS We used data of 394 participants from the multicentre Italian Study conducted by the Gruppo Lavoro Italiano Sarcopenia-Trattamento e Nutrizione (GLISTEN) in 12 Acute Care Wards (Internal Medicine and Geriatrics) of University Hospitals across Italy. This study was designed to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia at hospital admission and the change in muscle mass and strength during hospitalization. Sarcopenia was defined as low skeletal mass index (kg/m2 ) along with either low handgrip strength or slow walking speed [European Working Groups on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria]. Estimation of skeletal muscle mass was performed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). RESULTS The mean age of the 394 enrolled patients (including 211 females who accounted for 53% of the sample) was 79.6 ± 6.4 years. Among those without sarcopenia at hospital admission, 14.7% of the study sample met the EWGSOP sarcopenia diagnostic criteria at discharge. The incidence of sarcopenia during hospitalization was significantly associated with the number of days spent in bed but was not correlated with the total length of hospital stay. In particular, patients who developed sarcopenia spent an average of 5.1 days in bed compared with 3.2 days for those with no sarcopenia at discharge (P = 0.02). Patients with sarcopenia showed a significantly lower body mass index compared with non-sarcopenic peers (25.0 ± 3.8 kg/m2 vs. 27.6 ± 4.9 kg/m2 , respectively; P < 0.001). Similarly, the skeletal mass index at admission was significantly lower among patients who developed sarcopenia during hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS Incident sarcopenia during hospital stay is relatively common and is associated with nutritional status and the number of days of bed rest.
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Obesity in the Context of Aging: Quality of Life Considerations.
Corica, F, Bianchi, G, Corsonello, A, Mazzella, N, Lattanzio, F, Marchesini, G
PharmacoEconomics. 2015;(7):655-72
Abstract
The progressive increase in the prevalence of obesity and aging in the population is resulting in increased healthcare and disability spending. The burden of obesity is particularly relevant in old age, due to accumulating co-morbidities and changes in body composition. Sarcopenic obesity, a mix of over- and under-nutrition, causes frailty, disability, and problems in social and psychological areas, impacting overall health-related quality of life (HR-QOL). The relationship between obesity, aging, and HR-QOL is, however, much more complex than generally acknowledged and is difficult to disentangle. The impact of obesity on HR-QOL is particularly strong in young people, who are free of co-morbidities. It progressively attenuates, compared with the general population, with advancing age, when co-morbid conditions are diffusely present and reduce the perceived health status, independent of obesity. However, even this apparent 'obesity paradox' should not minimize the importance of obesity on HR-QOL, as other obesity-associated limitations and disabilities do impact HR-QOL in older age. A patient-centered approach aimed at reducing the disability and social isolation of advancing age is mandatory to improve HR-QOL in any class of obesity.