Application of the Updated Movement Disorder Society Criteria for Prodromal Parkinson's Disease to a Population‐Based 10‐Year Study

Funder: “Assessorat fuer Gesundheit”, Province of Bolzano, ItalyFunder: “Pustertaler Verein zur Prävention von Herz‐ und Hirngefaesserkrankungen”, Province of Bolzano, ItalyFunder: Austrian Society of NeurologyFunder: Dr.‐Johannes‐and‐Hertha‐Tuba FoundationFunder: Gesundheitsbezirk Bruneck, Province of Bolzano, Ital

Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Participants of the Healthy Brain Ageing Study (HeBA)

Subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) have the potential for earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Currently, the results of the completed online survey in the frame of the HeBA study reveal that 23% of the Luxembourgish participants have SCC with the SCC group having a higher prevalence rate of depression

German S3 guideline "actinic keratosis and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma" – long version of the update 2023

Actinic keratosis (AK) are common lesions in light-skinned individuals that can potentially progress to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Both conditions may be associated with significant morbidity and constitute a major disease burden, especially among the elderly. To establish an evidence-based framework for clinical decision making, the guideline “actinic keratosis and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma” was updated and expanded by the topics cutanepus squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen’s disease) and actinic cheilitis. This guideline was developed at the highest evidence level (S3) and is aimed at dermatologists, general practitioners, ear nose and throat specialists, surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and radiation oncologists in hospitals and office-based settings, as well as other medical specialties, policy makers and insurance funds involved in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with AK and cSCC

METACOHORTS for the study of vascular disease and its contribution to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration: an initiative of the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Dementia is a global problem and major target for health care providers. Although up to 45% of cases are primarily or partly due to cerebrovascular disease, little is known of these mechanisms or treatments because most dementia research still focuses on pure Alzheimer's disease. An improved understanding of the vascular contributions to neurodegeneration and dementia, particularly by small vessel disease, is hampered by imprecise data, including the incidence and prevalence of symptomatic and clinically “silent” cerebrovascular disease, long-term outcomes (cognitive, stroke, or functional), and risk factors. New large collaborative studies with long follow-up are expensive and time consuming, yet substantial data to advance the field are available. In an initiative funded by the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, 55 international experts surveyed and assessed available data, starting with European cohorts, to promote data sharing to advance understanding of how vascular disease affects brain structure and function, optimize methods for cerebrovascular disease in neurodegeneration research, and focus future research on gaps in knowledge. Here, we summarize the results and recommendations from this initiative. We identified data from over 90 studies, including over 660,000 participants, many being additional to neurodegeneration data initiatives. The enthusiastic response means that cohorts from North America, Australasia, and the Asia Pacific Region are included, creating a truly global, collaborative, data sharing platform, linked to major national dementia initiatives. Furthermore, the revised World Health Organization International Classification of Diseases version 11 should facilitate recognition of vascular-related brain damage by creating one category for all cerebrovascular disease presentations and thus accelerate identification of targets for dementia prevention

Comparison of different risk scores for Parkinson disease in a population‐based 10‐year study

Funder: Assessorat fuer GesundheitFunder: Austrian Society of NeurologyFunder: Dr.‐Johannes‐and‐Hertha‐Tuba FoundationFunder: Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies ‐ COMETFunder: Gesundheitsbezirk BruneckFunder: Mayor of BruneckFunder: Pustertaler Verein zur Prävention von Herz‐ und HirngefaesserkrankungenBackground and purpose: Different algorithms aiming to identify individuals at risk of Parkinson disease (PD) have been proposed. Comparative studies of these scores and their recent updates in the general elder population are needed. Methods: We have previously applied the “basic” PREDICT‐PD algorithm, designed for remote screening, and the original and updated Movement Disorder Society (MDS) criteria for prodromal PD to the longitudinal population‐based Bruneck study cohort. We have now additionally employed the “enhanced” PREDICT‐PD algorithm (which includes motor assessment, olfaction, probable rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder status, pesticide exposure, and diabetes as additional factors). Risk scores were calculated based on comprehensive baseline assessments (2005) in 574 subjects aged 55–94 years (290 females), and cases of incident PD were identified at 5‐year (n = 11) and 10‐year follow‐up (n = 9). We analysed the association of the different log‐transformed risk scores with incident PD at follow‐up (calculated per 1‐SD unit change). Results: The enhanced PREDICT‐PD algorithm was associated with incident PD over 10‐years of follow‐up, yielding higher odds for incident PD (odds ratio [OR] = 4.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.68–7.93, p < 0.001) compared with the basic PREDICT‐PD score (OR = 2.38, 95% CI = 1.49–3.79, p < 0.001). The updated MDS prodromal criteria yielded a numerically higher OR of 7.13 (95% CI = 3.49–14.54, p < 0.001) in comparison with the original criteria as well as the enhanced PREDICT‐PD algorithm, with overlapping 95% CIs. Conclusions: The enhanced PREDICT‐PD algorithm was significantly associated with incident PD. The consistent performance of both the enhanced PREDICT‐PD algorithm and the updated MDS prodromal criteria compared to their original versions supports their use in PD risk screening

An antibody microarray analysis of serum cytokines in neurodegenerative Parkinsonian syndromes

Abstract Background Microarray technology may offer a new opportunity to gain insight into disease-specific global protein expression profiles. The present study was performed to apply a serum antibody microarray to screen for differentially regulated cytokines in Parkinson's disease (PD), multiple system atrophy (MSA), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). Results Serum samples were obtained from patients with clinical diagnoses of PD (n = 117), MSA (n = 31) and PSP/CBS (n = 38) and 99 controls. Cytokine profiles of sera from patients and controls were analyzed with a semiquantitative human antibody array for 174 cytokines and the expression of 12 cytokines was found to be significantly altered. In a next step, results from the microarray experiment were individually validated by different immunoassays. Immunoassay validation confirmed a significant increase of median PDGF-BB levels in patients with PSP/CBS, MSA and PD and a decrease of median prolactin levels in PD. However, neither PDGF-BB nor prolactin were specific biomarkers to discriminate PSP/CBS, MSA, PD and controls. Conclusions In our unbiased cytokine array based screening approach and validation by a different immunoassay only two of 174 cytokines were significantly altered between patients and controls.</p

Disaster Response in Italian Nursing Homes: A Qualitative Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Nursing homes (NHs) have been among the care settings most affected by both the virus itself and collateral damage through infection protection and control measures (IPC). However, there is a paucity of research regarding disaster response and preparedness of these institutions. The present study aimed to analyze disaster response and management and to develop prospective strategies for disaster management in NHs. A qualitative survey including (i) residents, (ii) nursing staff, (iii) relatives of residents, and (iv) NHs&rsquo; medical leads was performed. Data were collected by 45 in-depth interviews. Our results indicate that the shift from resident-centered care towards collective-protective approaches led through the suspending of established care principles to an emergency vacuum: implementable strategies were lacking and the subsequent development of temporary, immediate, and mostly suboptimal solutions by unprepared staff led to manifold organizational, medical, and ethical conflicts against the background of unclear legislation, changing protocols, and fear of legal consequences. IPC measures had long-lasting effects on the health and wellbeing of residents, relatives, and professionals. Without disaster preparedness protocols and support in decision-making during disasters, professionals in NHs are hardly able to cope with emergency situations

Odds ratios of recurrent falls for the various types of gait disorders and gait speed.

<p>Abbreviations: GD, Gait disorders; OR, odds ratios.</p><p>OR are calculated by logistic regression analysis and corrected for age, gender and MMSE-scores.</p>a<p>Numbers too low in the respective category for the calculation of the ORs.</p>b<p>For continuous variables ORs were calculated for a one standard deviation unit change in variable levels in order to render odds comparable.</p

Prevalence of gait disorders, according to sex and age.

<p>Abbreviations: GD, gait disorders.</p>a<p>Significance for sex difference: p = 0.053;</p>b<p>significance for age trends: p<0.001.</p