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During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical residents had the task of being the frontline of the response, being exposed to high risk of infection, increased clinical duty, and long and irregular working hours in highly restricted environments, increasing their levels of stress. We sought to expose the experiences of a group of geriatrics residents during this period of change in their professional and personal lives through the photovoice methodology. Thirteen participants were recruited and had 2 weeks to take photographs. The photographs were discussed in group meetings; the content of the conversations was transcribed and analyzed using interpretive description. Sixteen themes were identified. They were divided into personal life (11 themes) and life as a resident (5 themes). Adaptation was the main theme that came into discussion. The photographs and themes show how life changed for the participants, having a feeling of isolation, especially from their families, and highlighting their experiences as a team and community. While the pandemic, particularly at its beginning, was a period of uncertainty and a heavy load of work, it also provided learning and experience to this group of young physicians, which should not hide the fact that mental health concerns and burnout were a common situation. An online gallery was created which is publicly accessible.

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PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review aims to summarize the current evidence regarding the prognostic role of frailty in older patients diagnosed with cancer and to explore the evidence regarding its prognostic implications in cancer survivors. RECENT FINDINGS: Frailty has been consistently associated with mortality/overall survival, postoperative complications, short- and long-term postoperative mortality, length of stay, among other adverse health-related outcomes in several oncological contexts. The possible association between frailty and treatment toxicity has been less explored, however most studies suggest frailty is a predictor of treatment induced toxicity. In addition, in cancer survivors, frailty is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, incident type 2 diabetes mellitus, mortality, altered cognitive performance and increased symptom severity. Due to its usefulness in establishing prognosis and informing treatment decision making, it is expected that frailty screening and assessment will continue to gain popularity as part of the pretreatment evaluation of older patients with cancer.

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INTRODUCTION: Outpatient appointment nonattendance (NA) represents a public health problem, increasing the risk of unfavorable health-related outcomes. Although NA is significant among older adults, little is known regarding its correlates. This study aimed to identify the correlates (including several domains from the geriatric assessment) of single and repeated NA episodes in a geriatric medicine outpatient clinic, in general and in the context of specific comorbidities. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study including data from 3,034 older adults aged ≥60 years with ≥1 scheduled appointments between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016. Appointment characteristics as well as sociodemographic, geographical, and environmental information were obtained. Univariate and multivariate multinomial regression analyses were carried out. RESULTS: The mean age was 81.8 years (SD 7.19). Over a third (37.4%) of participants missed one scheduled appointment, and 14.4% missed ≥2. Participants with a history of stroke (OR 1.336, p = 0.041) and those with a greater number of scheduled appointments during the study time frame (OR 1.182, p < 0.001) were more likely to miss one appointment, while those with Parkinson's disease (OR 0.346, p < 0.001), other pulmonary diseases (OR 0.686, p = 0.008), and better functioning for activities of daily living (ADL) (OR 0.883, p < 0.001) were less likely to do so. High socioeconomic level (OR 2.235, p < 0.001), not having a partner (OR 1.410, p = 0.006), a history of fractures (OR 1.492, p = 0.031), and a greater number of scheduled appointments (OR 1.668, p < 0.001) increased the risk of repeated NA, while osteoarthritis (OR 0.599, p = 0.001) and hypertension (OR 0.680, p = 0.002) decreased it. In specific comorbidity populations (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cancer), better ADL functioning protected from a single NA, while better mobility functioning protected from repeated NA in older patients with hypertension and cancer. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: Identifying geriatric factors linked to an increased probability of NA may allow one to anticipate its likelihood and lead to the design and implementation of preventive strategies and to an optimization of the use of available health resources. The impact of these factors on adherence to clinical visits requires further investigation.

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Cancer is primarily a disease of older persons. Given the heterogeneity of aging, physiological age, rather than chronological age, better expresses the cumulative effect of environmental, medical, and psychosocial stressors, which modifies life expectancy. Comprehensive geriatric assessment, a tool that helps ascertain the physiological age of older individuals, is the gold standard for assessing older adults with cancer. Several international organizations recommend using the geriatric assessment domains to identify unrecognized health problems that can interfere with treatment and predict adverse health-related outcomes, aiding complex treatment decision making. More recently, it has been shown that geriatric assessment-guided interventions improve quality of life and mitigate treatment toxicity without compromising survival. In this review, we discuss the role of comprehensive geriatric assessment in cancer care for older adults and provide the reader with useful information to assess potential treatment risks and benefits, anticipate complications, and plan interventions to better care for older people with cancer.

O câncer é principalmente uma doença de pessoas idosas. Diante da heterogeneidade do envelhecimento, a idade fisiológica expressa, melhor do que a idade cronológica, o efeito cumulativo dos estressores ambientais, médicos e psicossociais que modificam a expectativa de vida. A avaliação geriátrica ampla é uma ferramenta que ajuda a determinar a idade fisiológica de um indivíduo idoso e o padrão ouro para avaliar idosos com câncer. Diversas organizações internacionais recomendam considerar os domínios da avaliação geriátrica a fim de identificar problemas de saúde não reconhecidos capazes de interferir no tratamento, e prever resultados adversos relacionados à saúde, auxiliando na complexa tomada de decisão do tratamento. Mais recentemente, intervenções direcionadas com base na avaliação geriátrica também demonstraram melhorar a qualidade de vida e mitigar a toxicidade do tratamento, sem comprometer a sobrevida. Nesta revisão discutimos o papel da avaliação geriátrica ampla no tratamento do câncer para idosos e fornecemos ao leitor informações úteis para avaliar os riscos e benefícios potenciais do tratamento, antecipar complicações e intervir para melhor cuidar dos idosos com câncer

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OBJECTIVES: Older adults with cancer in developing countries face challenges accessing healthcare due to a lack of personnel and infrastructure. A decline in physical activity (defined as a decrease in the number of daily steps) may be a novel method for the timely detection of toxicity in older adults receiving chemotherapy in resource-constrained settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this feasibility study, patients aged ≥65years starting first-line chemotherapy for solid tumors were given a smartphone with a pedometer application. Daily steps were monitored daily for one cycle. If a ≥15% decrease from baseline was identified, the patient was called and the presence of toxicity assessed. The intervention would be feasible if ≥75% of the subjects recorded steps for ≥75% of the planned chemotherapy days. RESULTS: Forty patients (median age 73; 57% [N=23] female) were included. Seventy percent (N=28) had stage III-IV disease with 45% (N=18) gastrointestinal, 23% (N=9) breast, and 32% (N=13) other malignancies. Mean pre-treatment daily steps was 3111 (Standard Deviation [SD] 1731), and median follow-up was 21days (range 2-28). Despite having limited exposure to mobile technology, most (93%) patients used the smartphone appropriately, and 85% found it easy to use. Sixty percent of patients (N=24) had toxicities managed over the phone, 27.5% (N=10) were sent for urgent medical attention and 15% (N=6) were hospitalized. CONCLUSION: Using smartphones to monitor older adults with cancer receiving chemotherapy in a resource-constrained setting is feasible and acceptable. A decrease in the number of daily steps was common and helped to identify chemotherapy toxicity.

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The aging of the population is a global challenge. The number of older adults is rapidly growing, leading to an increase in the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases associated with aging, such as cancer. Worldwide, older adults account for approximately half of all cancer cases, and this proportion is projected to increase globally. Furthermore, the majority of older adults live in less developed regions, where health systems are generally ill-equipped to provide care for complex chronic conditions. Worldwide, there is paucity of geriatric training, and most of the oncology workforce lacks the skills and knowledge to provide comprehensive care for older patients. Various initiatives aimed at providing adequate clinical care for older adults, increasing the geriatric skills and knowledge of healthcare professionals, and developing geriatric oncology research, have been successfully implemented. However, most developments in geriatric oncology have taken place in high-income countries, and there are still large inequalities in the availability of clinical, educational, and research initiatives across different regions of the world. This article provides an overview of geriatric oncology initiatives in Asia, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America, and the United States and Canada. Understanding the achievements and challenges of geriatric oncology around the world, and fostering international collaboration in research and training are essential for improving the care of all older adults with cancer.

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AIM: Older adults frequently report problems of transportation. Little is known about the correlates of transportation deficiency in Latin America. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the correlates of subjective transportation deficiency (STD) among community-dwelling older adults attending a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 228 participants aged ≥70 years being followed in any of the outpatient clinics of a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. Data were obtained through a structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out in order to identify the correlates of STD. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 79.8 years (SD 6.4) and 67.1% were women. STD was present in 46% of participants. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that female sex, illiteracy, mobility disability and the use of an assistive walking device had an independent and statistically significant association with STD. CONCLUSIONS: Female sex, illiteracy, mobility disability and the use of an assistive walking device were independent correlates of STD in the present study. Identifying the frequency and correlates of transportation deficiency in vulnerable populations will allow for the identification and implementation of useful public policies, as well as for the optimization of prevention and treatment strategies in an attempt to preserve mobility and autonomy, especially in low- and middle-income countries where previous work on transportation deficiency is lacking. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1893-1898.

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Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both developing and developed countries. It is also a particularly significant health problem in older populations since half of all malignancies occur in patients aged 70 years or older. Cancer is a disease of aging, and as such there is a strong biological association between the mechanisms of aging and carcinogenesis. During the past few decades, mechanisms of aging exerting pro- and anti-oncogenic effects have been described, and the role of these mechanisms in cancer treatment and prognosis is currently being investigated. In this review we describe the different theories of aging and the evidence on the biological link between these mechanisms and carcinogenesis. Additionally, we review the implications of the biology of aging on the treatment and prognosis of older adults with cancer, and the opportunities for translational research into biomarkers of aging in this patient population.

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PURPOSE: Understanding how the convergence between chronic and complex diseases-such as cancer-and emerging conditions of older adults-such as frailty-takes place would help in halting the path that leads to disability in this age group. The objective of this manuscript is to describe the association between a past medical history of cancer and frailty in Mexican older adults. METHODS: This is a nested in cohort case-control study of the Mexican Health and Aging Study. Frailty was categorized by developing a 55-item frailty index that was also used to define cases in two ways: incident frailty (incident >0.25 frailty index score) and worsening frailty (negative residuals from a regression between 2001 and 2012 frailty index scores). Exposition was defined as self-report of cancer between 2001 and 2012. Older adults with a cancer history were further divided into recently diagnosed (<10 years) and remotely diagnosed (>10 years from the initial diagnosis). Odds ratios were estimated by fitting a logistic regression adjusted for confounding variables. RESULTS: Out of a total of 8022 older adults with a mean age of 70.6 years, the prevalence of a past medical history of cancer was 3.6 % (n = 288). Among these participants, 45.1 % had been diagnosed with cancer more than 10 years previously. A higher risk of incident frailty compared to controls [odds ratio (OR) 1.53 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.04-2.26, p = 0.03); adjusted model OR 1.74 (95 % CI 1.15-2.61, p = 0.008)] was found in the group with a recent cancer diagnosis. Also, an inverse association between a remote cancer diagnosis and worsening frailty was found [OR = 0.56 (95 % CI 0.39-0.8), p = 0.002; adjusted model OR 0.61 (95 % CI 0.38-0.99, p = 0.046)]. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer is associated with a higher frailty index, with a potential relevant role of the time that has elapsed since the cancer diagnosis. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Cancer survivors may be more likely to develop frailty or worsening of the health status at an older age. This relationship seems especially evident among individuals with a recent oncological diagnosis. Health professionals in charge of older adult care should be aware of this association in order to improve outcomes of older adults who survived cancer.

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OBJECTIVE: Since vitamin D is an important regulator of muscle function, the effect of vitamin D deficiency on frailty syndrome has been recently studied. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the association between 25(OH)-vitamin D levels and frailty status in Mexican community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: Sample of 331 community-dwelling elderly aged 70 or older, a subset of those included in the "Coyoacán cohort" were included. 25(OH)-vitamin D assay and frailty status were measured. RESULTS: Mean age was 79.3 years and 54.1% were women. Those classified as frail were more likely to have lower Mini-Mental State Examination score (p = 0.015), more disability for instrumental activities of daily living (p < 0.001) and for activities of daily living (p < 0.001). Serum 25(OH)-vitamin D levels were lower in the frail subgroup when compared with the non-frail one (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed a significant association between intermediate tertile [odds ratios (OR) = 4.13; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.00-8.56] or insufficient tertile (OR = 8.95; 95% CI 2.41-33.30) of vitamin D levels and frailty even after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that older adults with low 25(OH)-vitamin D levels are associated with the probability to being frail compared with those with sufficient vitamin D levels.

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The growing elderly population of HIV-infected patients is leading to a significant epidemiological transition and HIV infection has been proposed as a premature and accelerated aging model rending the individual more susceptible to premature disability. However, the determinants of disability among this emergent population are still lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the correlates of prevalent disability in adults ≥50 years with HIV infection. A cross-sectional study of 184 HIV-infected adults receiving ambulatory care in an HIV clinic of a tertiary care, university-affiliated hospital in Mexico City was conducted. Disability for instrumental (IADL) and basic activities of daily living (ADL) was established. Sociodemographic factors, clinical variables, current CD4(+) cell count, and HIV viral load (VL) were tested as potential determinants of disability. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the correlates of both types of disability. The mean age was 59.3 years. All participants were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. Of participants 17.9% had disability for IADL and 26.1% for ADL. Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that being older; having a lower CD4(+) cell count, and having a detectable HIV VL were independently associated with both types of disability. In addition, educational level was also independently associated with ADL disability. Age, educational level, low CD4(+) cell count, and detectable HIV VL were independently associated with disability. Whether effective and timely antiretroviral therapy will reduce the risk of disability in HIV-infected elderly patients needs to be evaluated.

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AIM: The phenotype of frailty has been associated with an increased vulnerability for the development of adverse health-related outcomes. The origin of frailty is multifactorial and financial issues could be implicated, as they have been associated with health status, well-being and mortality. However, the association between economic benefits and frailty has been poorly explored. Therefore, the objective was to determine the association between employee benefits and frailty. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 927 community-dwelling older adults aged 70 years and older participating in the Mexican Study of Nutritional and Psychosocial Markers of Frailty was carried out. Employee benefits were established according to eight characteristics: bonus, profit sharing, pension, health insurance, food stamps, housing credit, life insurance, and Christmas bonus. Frailty was defined according to a slightly modified version of the phenotype proposed by Fried et al. Multinomial logistic regression models were run to determine the association between employee benefits and frailty adjusting by sociodemographic and health covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty was 14.1%, and 4.4% of participants rated their health status as "poor." Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that employee benefits were statistically and independently associated with the frail subgroup (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.74-0.98; P = 0.027) even after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer employee benefits are associated with frailty. Supporting spreading employee benefits for older people could have a positive impact on the development of frailty and its consequences. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 606-611.

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BACKGROUND: Delirium is a common and serious disorder among hospitalized elderly individuals. We investigated the association between serum estradiol levels and incident delirium. METHODS: Longitudinal study of 141 women ≥ 70 years old admitted to a tertiary care hospital in Mexico City. All participants underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Blood samples for cortisol and estradiol determination were obtained at hospital admission. Incident delirium was investigated until participants were discharged. Multivariate models were run to test the independent association between estradiol levels and incident delirium. RESULTS: Twenty-three (16.3%) participants developed delirium. Estradiol levels were higher among women with incident delirium compared with non-affected women. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum estradiol levels were associated with incident delirium even after adjusting for multiple confounding covariates, including cortisol levels (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.28-2.92). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly women with high serum estradiol levels at hospital admission had an increased risk for incident delirium. Serum estradiol may be a biomarker for increased risk of delirium.

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BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence (UI) is an important geriatric syndrome that has been associated with a wide range of health-related outcomes. However, UI severity has rarely been examined in the context of a comprehensive geriatric assessment. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the association between UI severity and health-related quality of life (QoL) when frequent geriatric issues are taken into account. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 1,124 participants aged 70 y and older. UI was diagnosed when difficulty with urinary continence was reported, and its severity was assessed through a modified version of the Sandvik Index. Health-related QoL was measured using the SF-36, including its physical and mental component summaries. Multivariate linear regression was performed to determine the association between UI severity and health-related QoL. RESULTS: Prevalence of UI was 18%, and it was severe in 29.3% of cases. Severely incontinent subjects were older and had worse self-perceived health status, greater disability, and more depressive symptoms in comparison with continent participants or with those affected to a lesser degree. Multivariate regression analysis showed a significant inverse association between the physical component summaries and moderate (B = -4.54) as well as severe UI (B = -6.72). The mental component summaries showed similar results (B = -1.44 and -4.43, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: UI severity is associated with lower QoL scores in both its components. This association appears to be more important as severity increases. UI severity must be evaluated thoroughly in the elderly because of its potential adverse effects on physical and mental health.

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