0000000000180866
AUTHOR
Guillermo F. López Sánchez
STEM CELLS FOR TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: AN UMBRELLA REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS
AIMS:\ud \ud Stem cells are a promising therapy for various medical conditions. The literature regarding their adoption for the clinical care of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is still conflicting. Therefore, our aim is to assess the strength and credibility of the evidence on clinical outcomes and application of stem cells derived from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of intervention studies in CVD.\ud \ud METHODS and RESULTS:\ud \ud Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using placebo/no intervention as control group. For meta-analyses of RCTs, outcomes with a random-effect p-value< 0.05, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Ass…
Association between sarcopenia and quality of life among adults aged ≥ 65 years from low- and middle-income countries
Background Sarcopenia has been associated with a lower quality of life (QoL). However, studies on this association from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are scarce. Aims To examine the association between sarcopenia and QoL, in a large nationally representative sample of older adults from six LMICs. Methods Cross-sectional, community-based data from the WHO study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Non-severe sarcopenia was defined as having low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and weak handgrip strength but no slow gait speed, while severe sarcopenia was defined as having low SMM, weak handgrip strength, and slow gait speed. QoL was assessed with the 8-item WHO QoL in…
Chronic physical conditions, physical multimorbidity, and quality of life among adults aged ≥ 50 years from six low- and middle-income countries
Abstract Purpose Multimorbidity (i.e., ≥ 2 chronic conditions) poses a challenge for health systems and governments, globally. Several studies have found inverse associations between multimorbidity and quality of life (QoL). However, there is a paucity of studies from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), especially among the older population, as well as studies examining mediating factors in this association. Thus, the present study aimed to explore the associations, and mediating factors, between multimorbidity and QoL among older adults in LMICs. Methods Cross-sectional nationally representative data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health were analyzed. A total of 11 chroni…
Anxiety symptoms among informal caregivers in 47 low- and middle-income countries: A cross-sectional analysis of community-based surveys.
Background-\ud \ud There are no multi-country studies on the association between informal caregiving and anxiety from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, we investigated this relationship in a large predominantly nationally representative sample from 47 LMICs.\ud \ud Methods-\ud \ud Cross sectional data from the World Health Survey were analyzed. Anxiety symptoms referred to severe or extreme problems with worries or anxiety in the past 30 days.\ud \ud Information on caregiving in the past 12 months was obtained. Multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, marital status, education, household size, employment, disability, and country was conducted. Da…
Metformin and health outcomes:An umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses
Background:\ud \ud The objective was to capture the breadth of outcomes that have been associated with metformin use and to systematically assess the quality, strength and credibility of these associations using the umbrella review methodology.\ud \ud Methods:\ud \ud Four major databases were searched until 31 May 2020. Meta‐analyses of observational studies and meta‐analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (including active and placebo control arms) were included.\ud \ud Results:\ud \ud From 175 eligible publications, we identified 427 different meta‐analyses, including 167 meta‐analyses of observational studies, 147 meta‐analyses of RCTs for metformin vs placebo/no treatment and 11…
Food insecurity and physical multimorbidity among adults aged ≥ 50 years from six low- and middle-income countries
Abstract Purpose Food insecurity and multimoribidity (i.e., ≥ 2 chronic conditions) may be linked bidirectionally, but there are no studies on this topic from LMICs. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the association between food insecurity and physical multimorbidity in a large representative sample of older adults from six LMICs. Methods Cross-sectional, community-based data on adults aged ≥ 50 years from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE) conducted in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa were analyzed. A total of 11 chronic physical conditions were assessed. Past 12 month food insecurity was assessed with tw…
Association between depression and subjective cognitive complaints in 47 low- and middle-income countries
People with depression and subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) may be at particularly high risk for developing dementia. However, to date, studies on depression and SCC are limited mainly to single high-income countries. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between depression and SCC in adults from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Cross-sectional, community-based data were analyzed from the World Health Survey. Two questions on subjective memory and learning complaints in the past 30 days were used to create a SCC scale ranging from 0 (No SCC) to 100 (worse SCC). ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria for Research was used for the diagnosis of subsyndromal de…
Physical Multimorbidity and Sarcopenia among Adults Aged ≥65 Years in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Physical multimorbidity is plausibly linked to sarcopenia. However, to date, only a few studies exist on this topic, and none have examined this association in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between multimorbidity and sarcopenia in a sample of older adults from six LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa). <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Cross-sectional, community-based data from the WHO Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) were analysed. Sarcopenia was defined as having low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and weak handgrip strength, while severe …
Sleep problems and mild cognitive impairment among adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries
Background-\ud \ud The limited available literature suggests that sleep problems are linked to an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, this association has been little studied to date in low-income settings.\ud \ud Objective-\ud \ud To investigate the association between sleep problems and MCI in a large sample of adults from six low-and middle-income countries (LMICs).\ud \ud Design-\ud \ud Cross-sectional.\ud \ud Setting-\ud \ud Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE).\ud \ud Subjects-\ud \ud 32,715 individuals aged ≥50 years with preservation in functional abilities [age range 50–114 years; 51.7% females].\ud \ud Methods-\ud \ud MCI was defined using the Nat…
Physical multimorbidity predicts the onset and persistence of anxiety: A prospective analysis of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.
Background: The aims of the present study were to examine prospective associations of multimorbidity (i.e., >= 2 chronic conditions) at baseline with incident and persistent anxiety over a two-year follow-up period among Irish older adults, and to quantify the extent to which sleep, pain, and disability mediate the multimorbidity-anxiety relationship.& nbsp;Methods: Data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) conducted between 2009 and 2011 with a follow-up after two years were analyzed. Anxiety referred to score >=& nbsp;8 on the anxiety section of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Lifetime diagnosis of 14 chronic conditions was obtained. Outcomes were in…
The association of cooking fuels with depression and anxiety symptoms among adults aged ≥65 years from low- and middle-income countries
Background: We aimed to investigate associations of unclean cooking fuels with depression and anxiety symptoms in a large sample of adults aged ≥65 years from six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: Cross-sectional, community-based, nationally representative data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) were analyzed. Unclean cooking fuel referred to kerosene/paraffin, coal/charcoal, wood, agriculture/crop, animal dung, and shrubs/grass. Depression referred to DSM-IV depression based on past 12-month symptoms or receiving depression treatment in the last 12 months. Anxiety symptoms referred to severe/extreme problems with worry or anxiety in the past 30 day…
Physical multimorbidity and depression: A mediation analysis of influential factors among 34,129 adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries.
Background There is a scarcity of literature on the association between physical multimorbidity (i.e., >= 2 chronic physical conditions) and depression among older adults, especially from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, the mediators in this association are largely unknown. Therefore, we aimed to examine this association among adults aged >= 50 years from six LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa), and to identify potential mediators. Methods Cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health were analyzed. Depression was defined as past-12 months DSM-IV depression or receiving depression treat…
Sleep duration and sarcopenia in adults aged ≥ 65 years from low and middle-income countries
Background: Sleep duration may influence risk for sarcopenia but studies on this topic are scarce, especially from low and- middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between sleep duration and sarcopenia among adults aged ≥ 65 years from five LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Russia, South Africa). Methods: Cross-sectional, community-based data from the WHO study on global ageing and adult health (SAGE) were analysed. Sarcopenia was defined as having low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and weak handgrip strength, while severe sarcopenia was defined as having low SMM, weak handgrip strength, and slow gait speed. Self-reported sleep duration i…