Episódio depressivo maior, prevalência e impacto sobre qualidade de vida, sono e cognição em octogenários The prevalence of major depression and its impact in the quality of life, sleep patterns and cognitive function in a octogenarian population

OBJETIVOS: Determinar a prevalência de depressão maior em uma população de sujeitos acima de 80 anos residentes na comunidade, comparar os padrões de sono e a função cognitiva entre controles normais e sujeitos com depressão maior e estimar a freqüência de outros transtornos psiquiátricos entre controles e sujeitos deprimidos. MÉTODOS: De uma população de 219 habitantes com mais de 80 anos, residentes em um município semi-rural no sul do Brasil (município de Veranópolis, RS), selecionou-se uma amostra randômica e representativa de 77 sujeitos (35%). Desse grupo, 5 sujeitos que apresentavam critérios de DSM-IV para depressão maior foram comparados com 50 controles sem diagnóstico de demência, delirium ou qualquer transtorno do humor. Os padrões de sono foram avaliados pelo Índice de Pittsburgh de Qualidade do Sono e por um diário do ciclo sono/vigília completado ao longo de duas semanas. Para a avaliação cognitiva, foram usados 5 testes neuropsicológicos: teste de lembranças seletivas de Buschke-Fuld; teste lista de palavras da bateria do CERAD; teste de fluência verbal; e 2 subtestes da bateria de memória de Wechsler. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de depressão maior foi de 7,5%. Sujeitos com esse diagnóstico, quando comparados a sujeitos do grupo-controle, apresentavam mais freqüentemente comorbidade com transtorno de ansiedade generalizada, usavam mais benzodiazepínicos e tinham uma pior qualidade de vida pela escala "Short-form 36". Os idosos deprimidos, quando comparados aos controles, tinham os mesmos padrões de sono e apresentavam o mesmo desempenho nos testes neuropsicológicos. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados corroboram o conceito de que episódios depressivos são freqüentes entre idosos com mais de 80 anos, causando impacto sobre a qualidade de vida associada à saúde e cursando comorbidade freqüente com transtorno de ansiedade generalizada. Entre os idosos octogenários residentes na comunidade, a depressão maior não aparecia clinicamente sob a forma de "pseudodemência" depressiva e nem tinha impacto sobre os padrões de sono.<br>OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of major depression in a community-dwelling population aged 80 years or more. The secondary objective was to compare this population's sleep patterns, cognitive function and frequency of other psychiatric disorders with a normal control group and other subjects with major depression. METHODS: A representative sample of 77 subjects (35%) aged 80 years or more was randomly selected from the rural southern county of Veranopolis, Brazil. Of them, 5 subjects met the DSM-IV criteria for major depression disorder and 50 control subjects (without dementia, delirium or any mood disorder) were compared. Sleep patterns were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and a 2-week-sleep/wake diary. Five neuropsychological tests (the Buschke-Fuld Selective Reminding Test, the CERAD battery word list, the Verbal Fluency Test, and two sub-tests of the Wechsler memory scale) were used for cognitive evaluation. RESULTS: The point prevalence rate for major depression was 7.5%. When compared to the control group, subjects with major depression had a higher frequency of generalized anxiety disorder as a comorbid condition, used more benzodiazepines and had a worse life quality according to the Short-form 36 scale. Depressed elderly people showed the same sleep patterns, and performed in the same manner in the cognitive tests as controls. CONCLUSION: The results corroborate the hypothesis that major depressive disorder is frequently found among the elderly population aged 80 or more. This disorder causes impact on life quality concerning health, and often occurs in association with generalized anxiety disorder. Among elderly aged 80 or more living in this community, major depression neither manifested as a form of depressive pseudo-dementia, nor did it have any impact on sleep patterns

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in general practice: Results from a pilot study in Vorarlberg, Austria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) programs refer to hospital-based settings. However the body of geriatric healthcare is provided by general practitioners in their office. Structured geriatric problem detection by means of assessment instruments is crucial for efficient geriatric care giving in the community.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We developed and pilot tested a German language geriatric assessment instrument adapted for general practice. Nine general practices in a rural region of Austria participated in this cross-sectional study and consecutively enrolled 115 persons aged over 75 years. The prevalence of specific geriatric problems was assessed, as well as the frequency of initiated procedures following positive and negative tests. Whether findings were new to the physician was studied exemplarily for the items visual and hearing impairment and depression. The acceptability was recorded by means of self-administered questionnaires.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>On average, each patient reported 6.4 of 14 possible geriatric problems and further consequences resulted in 43.7% (27.5% to 59.8%) of each problem.</p> <p>The items with either the highest prevalence and/or the highest number of initiated actions by the GPs were osteoporosis risk, urinary incontinence, decreased hearing acuity, missing pneumococcal vaccination and fall risk. Visual impairment was newly detected in only 18% whereas hearing impairment and depression was new to the physician in 74.1% and 76.5%, respectively.</p> <p>A substantial number of interventions were initiated not only following positive tests (43.7% per item; 95% CI 27.5% to 59.8%), but also as a consequence of negative test results (11.3% per item; 95% CI 1.7% to 20.9%).</p> <p>The mean time expenditure to accomplish the assessment was 31 minutes (SD 10 min). Patients (89%) and all physicians confirmed the CGA to provide new information in general on the patient's health status. All physicians judged the CGA to be feasible in everyday practice.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This adapted CGA was feasible and well accepted in the general practice sample. High frequencies of geriatric problems were detected prompting high numbers of problem-solving initiatives. But a substantial number of actions of the physicians following negative tests point to the risks of too aggressive treatment of elderly patients with possibly subsequent negative effects.</p

Mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

The genetic make-up of an individual contributes to the susceptibility and response to viral infection. Although environmental, clinical and social factors have a role in the chance of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and the severity of COVID-191,2, host genetics may also be important. Identifying host-specific genetic factors may reveal biological mechanisms of therapeutic relevance and clarify causal relationships of modifiable environmental risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection and outcomes. We formed a global network of researchers to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity. Here we describe the results of three genome-wide association meta-analyses that consist of up to 49,562 patients with COVID-19 from 46 studies across 19 countries. We report 13 genome-wide significant loci that are associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe manifestations of COVID-19. Several of these loci correspond to previously documented associations to lung or autoimmune and inflammatory diseases3,4,5,6,7. They also represent potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection. Mendelian randomization analyses support a causal role for smoking and body-mass index for severe COVID-19 although not for type II diabetes. The identification of novel host genetic factors associated with COVID-19 was made possible by the community of human genetics researchers coming together to prioritize the sharing of data, results, resources and analytical frameworks. This working model of international collaboration underscores what is possible for future genetic discoveries in emerging pandemics, or indeed for any complex human disease