Assessment of executive functions in chronic hepatitis c virus infected patients

Chronic infection with HCV is one of the most important causes of chronic liver disease, which can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC]. It is well established that advanced forms of the disease .are accompanied by overt and global cognitive deficits [hepatic encephalopathy] but now there is a growing evidence that the alterations in cerebral function in patients with chronic HCV infection may appear long before the development of severe liver cirrhosis, it has been hypothesized that it is related to a direct effect of HCV on the brain; or the neurotoxic effect of HCV-related systemic inflammation. The purpose of the study was to assess the possible existence of executive dysfunction in chronic HCV infected patients without cirrhosis. case control study. 100 elderly patients aged 60 years and above, 50 patients are HCV positive [cases] and 50 patients are HCV negative [controls] both groups have no liver cirrhosis. All participants were subjected to the following: Diagnosis of HCV by detection of HCV ab using ELISA technique, non invasive assessment of liver cirrhosis using abdominal ultrasound, and evaluation of executive functions using 5 neuropsychological tests [block design, digit span backwards, animal verbal fluency, clock drawing, and EXIT 25]. The study showed that there is a significant difference between cases and controls regarding Exit 25 and Digit span backwards tests scores indicating affection of the phonological loop component of working memory among HCV positive patients. Executive functions are affected in patients with chronic HCV infection without liver cirrhosis

Risk factors of degenerative calcification of cardiac valves in the elderly

The underlying cause of age related degenerative valvular calcifications is largely unknown. As a result, a case control study was used to evaluate the hypothesized risk factors. One hundred seventy two elderly matched for age and gender participated in this study [86 cases and 86 matched controls]. Assessment of risk factors for atherosclerosis was done with medical history as well as measurement of body mass index [BMI], blood sugar, lipid profile, and homocysteine. Measurement of bone minerals, parathyroid hormone [PTH] and bone mass density [BMD] were also done. This study confirmed the vascular hypothesis of degenerative calcification of cardiac valves. It showed that with multiple logistic regression analysis, the magnitude of the risk conveyed by atherosclerotic risk factors was particularly high for high cholesterol level, low HDL level, high LDL level and high homocysteine level. Those factors were independent risk factors for degenerative calcification of cardiac valves [P = 0.019]

Anxiety and depression in lone elderly living in their own homes and going to geriatric clubs versus those living in geriatric homes

Anxiety and depression are common in elderly. Studies have shown a relatively low prevalence of anxiety disorders in older individuals. While, other studies have shown that among elderly, anxiety disorders occur two to seven times more often than depression problems. The rate of anxiety disorders may be even higher among elderly living in institutional settings. Of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in lone elderly living in their own homes and going to geriatric clubs regularly or living in geriatric homes. 164 lone elderly participants from geriatric clubs [group I] and 168 lone elderly participants from geriatric homes [group II] were included in this study. Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale were used for detection of anxiety and depression respectively. Were as follows: The co-occurrence of anxiety and depression i 34.1% and 57.1% in group I and group II respectively, while depression per se is 22.0% and 23.8% and anxiety per se is 2.4% and 1.2% in group I and group II respectively [p < 0.001]. Living in geriatric homes and age group 60 to 70 are independent risk factors for anxiety, depression or mixed anxiety and depression. While, male gender is an independent risk factor for depression. In lone elderly, living in institutional settings such as geriatric homes is an independent risk factor for anxiety, depression or mixed anxiety and depression. Mixed anxiety and depression is more prevalent than anxiety or depression per se