1.
Cardiovascular disease risk among women living with HIV in North America and Europe.
Stone, L, Looby, SE, Zanni, MV
Current opinion in HIV and AIDS. 2017;(6):585-593
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To examine the epidemiology and mechanistic underpinnings of heightened cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in North America and Europe. RECENT FINDINGS WLHIV in North America and Europe exhibit high CVD incidence rates, which are at par with those of compatriot men living with HIV. Compared with uninfected women, WLHIV in these regions face a 2-4-fold increased relative risk for myocardial infarction, stroke, and heart failure. HIV-associated CVD risk is fuelled by a negative synergy of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors and heightened systemic immune activation/inflammation. Among WLHIV, female sex and endogenous sex hormone production influence both traditional cardiometabolic risk factors and patterns of systemic immune activation/inflammation. WLHIV in North America and Europe may also experience heightened CVD risk in relation to a relatively increased prevalence of behavioral and psychosocial CVD risk factors, coupled with suboptimal therapeutic targeting of known traditional cardiometabolic risk factors. SUMMARY Additional research on sex-specific mechanisms of HIV-associated CVD - based not only out of North America and Europe but also and especially out of Africa, Asia, and South America - will inform the development of CVD prediction algorithms and prevention guidelines clinically relevant to the approximately 17 million women aging with HIV globally.
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Subjective perceived impact of Tai Chi training on physical and mental health among community older adults at risk for ischemic stroke: a qualitative study.
Zheng, G, Xiong, Z, Zheng, X, Li, J, Duan, T, Qi, D, Ling, K, Chen, L
BMC complementary and alternative medicine. 2017;(1):221
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence from quantitative studies suggest that Tai Chi produces a variety of health-related benefits, but few qualitative studies have investigated how older adults perceive the benefit of Tai Chi. The objective of the current study was to qualitatively evaluate the perceived benefits of Tai Chi practice among community older population. METHODS This study was conducted with participants from a trial examining the effects of a 12-week Tai Chi training on ischemic stroke risk in community older adults (n = 170). A total of 20 participants were randomly selected from a convenience sample of participants who had completed 12-week Tai Chi training (n = 68) were interviewed regarding their perceived benefit on physical and mental health and whether Tai Chi exercise was suitable for the elderly. RESULTS All participants agreed that Tai Chi training could relax their body and make them comfortable. Most of them thought Tai Chi training could promote physical health, including relieving pain, enhancing digestion, strengthening immunity, enhancing energy and improving sleep quality, enhancing their mental and emotional state (e.g. improving mood and reducing anxiety, improving concentration and promoting interpersonal relationship). Most of participants also agreed that Tai Chi exercise was appropriate for community older people. Three primary themes emerged from content analysis: Improving physical health; Enhancing mental and emotional state; Conforming with the request of the elderly. CONCLUSION The findings indicate that regular Tai Chi exercise may have positive benefits in terms of improved physical health and mental state among community elderly population, and may be useful and feasible body-mind exercise to community elderly population for its positive effects and advantages. TRIAL REGISTRATION ChiCTR ChiCTR-TRC-13003601 . Registered 23 July 2014.