| 1. |
- Akenine, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Attitudes of at-risk older adults about prevention of cardiovascular disease and dementia using eHealth : a qualitative study in a European context
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMJ Open. - 2044-6055. ; 10:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia is a key health priority among older adults. Understanding individuals’ attitudes to, the prevention of these conditions, particularly when delivered through novel eHealth tools, could help in designing effective prevention programmes. The aim of the study was to explore the attitudes of older adults at increased risk of CVD and dementia regarding engagement in eHealth self-management prevention programmes, and to describe the facilitators and barriers.Design A qualitative research approach was used. Data were collected through eight focus groups in Finland, France and the Netherlands. Data were analysed following the principles of grounded theory.Setting and participants Forty-four community-dwellers aged 65+ at risk of CVD were recruited from a previous trial cohort in Finland, and through general practices in France and the Netherlands.Results The study identified three categories: access to reliable information, trust in the healthcare providers and burden and stigma of dementia. A core category was also identified: the interactive process of the three categories influencing engagement in self-management prevention programme. The categories were interconnected through an interactive process and influenced by the local healthcare culture and context which shaped them differently, becoming either facilitators or barriers to engage in eHealth self-management prevention programmes.Conclusions The study emphasises the importance of considering the interactions between the identified categories in this study, grounded in the local healthcare culture and context in further developments of eHealth self-management interventions that aim to prevent CVD and dementia.
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| 2. |
- Antila, Kari, et al.
(författare)
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The PredictAD project : development of novel biomarkers and analysis software for early diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease
- 2013
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Ingår i: Interface Focus. - : The Royal Society Publishing. - 2042-8898 .- 2042-8901. ; 3:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia affecting 36 million people worldwide. As the demographic transition in the developed countries progresses towards older population, the worsening ratio of workers per retirees and the growing number of patients with age-related illnesses such as AD will challenge the current healthcare systems and national economies. For these reasons AD has been identified as a health priority, and various methods for diagnosis and many candidates for therapies are under intense research. Even though there is currently no cure for AD, its effects can be managed. Today the significance of early and precise diagnosis of AD is emphasized in order to minimize its irreversible effects on the nervous system. When new drugs and therapies enter the market it is also vital to effectively identify the right candidates to benefit from these. The main objective of the PredictAD project was to find and integrate efficient biomarkers from heterogeneous patient data to make early diagnosis and to monitor the progress of AD in a more efficient, reliable and objective manner. The project focused on discovering biomarkers from biomolecular data, electrophysiological measurements of the brain and structural, functional and molecular brain images. We also designed and built a statistical model and a framework for exploiting these biomarkers with other available patient history and background data. We were able to discover several potential novel biomarker candidates and implement the framework in software. The results are currently used in several research projects, licensed to commercial use and being tested for clinical use in several trials.
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| 3. |
- Barbera, Mariagnese, et al.
(författare)
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Designing an Internet-Based Multidomain Intervention for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults : The HATICE Trial
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. - 1387-2877 .- 1875-8908. ; 62:2, s. 649-663
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Many dementia and cardiovascular disease (CVD) cases in older adults are attributable to modifiable vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors, providing opportunities for prevention. In the Healthy Aging Through Internet Counselling in the Elderly (HATICE) randomized controlled trial, an internet-based multidomain intervention is being tested to improve the cardiovascular risk (CVR) profile of older adults. Objective: To design a multidomain intervention to improve CVR, based on the guidelines for CVR management, and administered through a coach-supported, interactive, platform to over 2500 community-dwellers aged 65+ in three European countries. Methods: A comparative analysis of national and European guidelines for primary and secondary CVD prevention was performed. Results were used to define the content of the intervention. Results: The intervention design focused on promoting awareness and self-management of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and overweight, and supporting smoking cessation, physical activity, and healthy diet. Overall, available guidelines lacked specific recommendations for CVR management in older adults. The comparative analysis of the guidelines showed general consistency for lifestyle-related recommendations. Key differences, identified mostly in methods used to assess the overall CVR, did not hamper the intervention design. Minor country-specific adaptations were implemented to maximize the intervention feasibility in each country. Conclusion: Despite differences inCVRmanagement within the countries considered, itwas possible to design and implement the HATICE multidomain intervention. The study can help define preventative strategies for dementia and CVD that are applicable internationally.
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| 4. |
- Beishuizen, Cathrien R. L., et al.
(författare)
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Web-Based Interventions Targeting Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Middle-Aged and Older People : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Internet Research. - : JMIR Publications Inc.. - 1438-8871. ; 18:3
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Web-based interventions can improve single cardiovascular risk factors in adult populations. In view of global aging and the associated increasing burden of cardiovascular disease, older people form an important target population as well.Objective: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluated whether Web-based interventions for cardiovascular risk factor management reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in older people.Methods: Embase, Medline, Cochrane and CINAHL were systematically searched from January 1995 to November 2014. Search terms included cardiovascular risk factors and diseases (specified), Web-based interventions (and synonyms) and randomized controlled trial. Two authors independently performed study selection, data-extraction and risk of bias assessment. In a meta-analysis, outcomes regarding treatment effects on cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, smoking status, weight and physical inactivity) and incident cardiovascular disease were pooled with random effects models.Results: A total of 57 studies (N=19,862) fulfilled eligibility criteria and 47 studies contributed to the meta-analysis. A significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (mean difference -2.66 mmHg, 95% CI -3.81 to -1.52), diastolic blood pressure (mean difference -1.26 mmHg, 95% CI -1.92 to -0.60), HbA1c level (mean difference -0.13%, 95% CI -0.22 to -0.05), LDL cholesterol level (mean difference -2.18 mg/dL, 95% CI -3.96 to -0.41), weight (mean difference -1.34 kg, 95% CI -1.91 to -0.77), and an increase of physical activity (standardized mean difference 0.25, 95% CI 0.10-0.39) in the Web-based intervention group was found. The observed effects were more pronounced in studies with short (<12 months) follow-up and studies that combined the Internet application with human support (blended care). No difference in incident cardiovascular disease was found between groups (6 studies).Conclusions: Web-based interventions have the potential to improve the cardiovascular risk profile of older people, but the effects are modest and decline with time. Currently, there is insufficient evidence for an effect on incident cardiovascular disease. A focus on long-term effects, clinical endpoints, and strategies to increase sustainability of treatment effects is recommended for future studies.
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| 5. |
- Bos, Isabelle, et al.
(författare)
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The frequency and influence of dementia risk factors in prodromal Alzheimer's disease
- 2017
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Ingår i: Neurobiology of Aging. - : Elsevier. - 0197-4580 .- 1558-1497. ; 56, s. 33-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We investigated whether dementia risk factors were associated with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to the International Working Group-2 and National Institute of Aging-Alzheimer's Association criteria, and with cognitive decline. A total of 1394 subjects with mild cognitive impairment from 14 different studies were classified according to these research criteria, based on cognitive performance and biomarkers. We compared the frequency of 10 risk factors between the subgroups, and used Cox-regression to examine the effect of risk factors on cognitive decline. Depression, obesity, and hypercholesterolemia occurred more often in individuals with low-AD-likelihood, compared with those with a high-AD-likelihood. Only alcohol use increased the risk of cognitive decline, regardless of AD pathology. These results suggest that traditional risk factors for AD are not associated with prodromal AD or with progression to dementia, among subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Future studies should validate these findings and determine whether risk factors might be of influence at an earlier stage (i.e., preclinical) of AD.
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| 6. |
- Clerx, Lies, et al.
(författare)
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Measurements of medial temporal lobe atrophy for prediction of Alzheimer's disease in subjects with mild cognitive impairment
- 2013
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Ingår i: Neurobiology of Aging. - : Elsevier BV. - 1558-1497 .- 0197-4580. ; 34:8, s. 2003-2013
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our aim was to compare the predictive accuracy of 4 different medial temporal lobe measurements for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Manual hippocampal measurement, automated atlas-based hippocampal measurement, a visual rating scale (MTA-score), and lateral ventricle measurement were compared. Predictive accuracy for AD 2 years after baseline was assessed by receiver operating characteristics analyses with area under the curve as outcome. Annual cognitive decline was assessed by slope analyses up to 5 years after baseline. Correlations with biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were investigated. Subjects with MCI were selected from the Development of Screening Guidelines and Clinical Criteria for Predementia AD (DESCRIPA) multicenter study (n = 156) and the single-center VU medical center (n = 172). At follow-up, area under the curve was highest for automated atlas-based hippocampal measurement (0.71) and manual hippocampal measurement (0.71), and lower for MTA-score (0.65) and lateral ventricle (0.60). Slope analysis yielded similar results. Hippocampal measurements correlated with CSF total tau and phosphorylated tau, not with beta-amyloid 1-42. MTA-score and lateral ventricle volume correlated with CSF beta-amyloid 1-42. We can conclude that volumetric hippocampal measurements are the best predictors of AD conversion in subjects with MCI. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Damian, Marinella, et al.
(författare)
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Single-Domain Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Identified by Cluster Analysis Predicts Alzheimer's Disease in the European Prospective DESCRIPA Study
- 2013
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Ingår i: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. - : S. Karger AG. - 1420-8008 .- 1421-9824. ; 36:1-2, s. 1-19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background/Aims: To identify prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) subjects using a data-driven approach to determine cognitive profiles in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: A total of 881 MCI subjects were recruited from 20 memory clinics and followed for up to 5 years. Outcome measures included cognitive variables, conversion to AD, and biomarkers (e. g. CSF, and MRI markers). Two hierarchical cluster analyses (HCA) were performed to identify clusters of subjects with distinct cognitive profiles. The first HCA included all subjects with complete cognitive data, whereas the second one selected subjects with very mild MCI (MMSE >= 28). ANOVAs and ANCOVAs were computed to examine whether the clusters differed with regard to conversion to AD, and to AD-specific biomarkers. Results: The HCAs identified 4-cluster solutions that best reflected the sample structure. One cluster (aMCIsingle) had a significantly higher conversion rate (19%), compared to subjective cognitive impairment (SCI, p < 0.0001), and non-amnestic MCI (naMCI, p = 0.012). This cluster was the only one showing a significantly different biomarker profile (A beta(42), t-tau, APOE epsilon 4, and medial temporal atrophy), compared to SCI or naMCI. Conclusion: In subjects with mild MCI, the single-domain amnestic MCI profile was associated with the highest risk of conversion, even if memory impairment did not necessarily cross specific cut-off points. A cognitive profile characterized by isolated memory deficits may be sufficient to warrant applying prevention strategies in MCI, whether or not memory performance lies below specific z-scores. This is supported by our preliminary biomarker analyses. However, further analyses with bigger samples are needed to corroborate these findings. Copyright (C) 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel
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| 9. |
- Escott-Price, Valentina, et al.
(författare)
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Gene-Wide Analysis Detects Two New Susceptibility Genes for Alzheimer's Disease
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 9:6, s. e94661-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Alzheimer's disease is a common debilitating dementia with known heritability, for which 20 late onset susceptibility loci have been identified, but more remain to be discovered. This study sought to identify new susceptibility genes, using an alternative gene-wide analytical approach which tests for patterns of association within genes, in the powerful genome-wide association dataset of the International Genomics of Alzheimer's Project Consortium, comprising over 7 m genotypes from 25,580 Alzheimer's cases and 48,466 controls. Principal Findings: In addition to earlier reported genes, we detected genome-wide significant loci on chromosomes 8 (TP53INP1, p = 1.4x10(-6)) and 14 (IGHV1-67 p = 7.9x10(-8)) which indexed novel susceptibility loci. Significance: The additional genes identified in this study, have an array of functions previously implicated in Alzheimer's disease, including aspects of energy metabolism, protein degradation and the immune system and add further weight to these pathways as potential therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's disease.
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| 10. |
- Eskelinen, Marjo H, et al.
(författare)
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Midlife healthy-diet index and late-life dementia and Alzheimer's disease
- 2011
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Ingår i: Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra. - Basel : S. Karger. - 1664-5464. ; 1:1, s. 103-112
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: To study long-term effects of dietary patterns on dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS: Of 525 subjects randomly selected from population-based cohorts surveyed at midlife, a total of 385 (73%) subjects were re-examined 14 years later in the CAIDE study. A healthy-diet index (range 0-17) was constructed including both healthy and unhealthy dietary components. RESULTS: Persons with a healthy diet (healthy-diet index >8 points) had a decreased risk of dementia (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.85) and AD (OR 0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.89) compared with persons with an unhealthy diet (0-8 points), adjusting for several possible confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy diet at midlife is associated with a decreased risk of dementia/AD in late life. These findings highlight the importance of dietary patterns and may make more effective measures for dementia/AD prevention or postponement possible.
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