Conocimiento de las enfermeras comunitarias sobre cuidados de la enfermedad de Alzheimer / Community health nursing knowledge about nursing care in the Alzheimer diseases

INTRODUCCIÓN: la demencia representa un alto costo social y económico; la enfermedad de Alzheimer la causa más frecuente, de ahí la importancia que los profesionales que intervienen en la atención y cuidado del paciente con enfermedad de Alzheimer y su cuidador dispongan de conocimientos y habilidades suficientes para su prevención, captación, diagnóstico inicial, seguimiento y tratamiento de los síntomas más comunes. OBJETIVO: identificar los conocimientos que tienen las enfermeras comunitarias sobre los cuidados en la enfermedad de Alzheimer. MÉTODOS: estudio descriptivo transversal en 20 enfermeras (os) que laboran en el Policlínico Docente "Julio Antonio Mella" del municipio Guanabacoa, durante enero y marzo del año 2018. Las variables estudiadas fueron: edad, sexo, años en el ejercicio profesional, titulación y cuidados al cuidador de pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer. La información se obtuvo del cuestionario de conocimiento. Se utilizó la media, desviación estándar, frecuencia absoluta, porcentaje y el Alpha de Cronbach. RESULTADOS: La media de edad fue de 46,05 años. El 95,0% de los participantes fueron del sexo femenino, el 75,0% Licenciado en Enfermería, con un ejercicio profesional de 30 años y más (60.0%); el 15,0% no refieren cuidados a realizar al cuidador de pacientes con enfermedad de Alzheimer. CONCLUSIONES: las enfermeras comunitarias que laboran en el Policlínico Docente "Julio Antonio Mella" presentan escasos conocimientos sobre los cuidados a realizar al cuidador del paciente con enfermedad de Alzheimer.

INTRODUCTION: dementia represents a high social and economic cost; the Alzheimer diseases is the most frequent cause, for this reason is important that the professionals that intervene in the attention and the patient's care with illness of Alzheimer and their caregiver have knowledge and enough abilities for their prevention, reception, initial diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of the most common symptoms. OBJECTIVE: to identify the knowledge that has the community nurses about the cares in the Alzheimer diseases. METHOD: a descriptive and transversal study was carried out in 20 nursing that works at the Julio Antonio Mella Teaching Policlinic in Guanabacoa municipality, from January to March of 2018. The variables studied were: age, sex, years in the professional exercise, degree and cares to the caregiver of patients with Alzheimer diseases. The information was obtained of the knowledge questionnaire. It was used means, standard deviation, absolute frequencies, percentage and Alpha of Cronbach. RESULTS: the mean was of 46.05 years. 95.0% of the participants were of the female sex, 75.0% were Registered Nurse, with 30 year-old and more of professional exercise (60.0%); 15.0% didn't refer cares to carry out to the caregivers of patient with Alzheimer diseases. CONCLUSIONS: the community nurses that work at the Julio Antonio Mella Teaching Policlinic present little knowledge about the cares to carry out to the caregiver of patient with Alzheimer diseases.

Complement factor H levels are decreased and correlated with serum C-reactive protein in late-onset Alzheimer's disease / Os níveis de fator H do complemento estão diminuídos e correlacionados com a proteína C-reativa sérica na doença de Alzheimer de início tardio

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. Despite numerous studies on the subject, the pathologies for AD are still unclear and there is still no ideal biomarker for diagnosis. The present study aimed to investigate clinical significance of human complement factor H (CFH) in patients with late-onset AD. Methods: The present prospective study included 187 late-onset AD patients who went to our hospital from January 2015 to December 2017. One hundred patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 80 healthy individuals who were age and gender matched to AD patients were enrolled as controls. Demographic data such as age, gender, and education duration were recorded. Blood samples were collected and serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), CFH, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were determined by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) score was measured for all patients. Results: No significant difference was found in age, gender, and education duration for all participants. The MMSE scores showed AD patients had lower MMES scores than the other two groups. All factors of CFH, CRP, and BDNF were dramatically decreased in AD patients compared with the MCI and the ealthy control. Levels of CFH were found to be positively correlated with levels of CRP; however, no significant correlation was found between CFH and BDNF, nor CFH and MMSE. Conclusion: CFH was decreased in late-onset AD patients, and serum levels of CFH was correlated with serum levels of CRP, but not MMSE and BDNF. These results may provide more clinical evidences for the role of CFH in AD patients.

Resumo A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é a causa mais comum de demência. Apesar de inúmeros estudos sobre DA, suas patologias ainda não são claras e ainda não existe um biomarcador ideal para o diagnóstico da condição. O presente estudo teve como objetivo investigar a significância clínica do fator H do complemento humano (CFH) em pacientes com DA de início tardio. Métodos: O presente estudo prospectivo incluiu um total de 187 pacientes com DA de início tardio que foram ao nosso hospital entre janeiro de 2015 e dezembro de 2017. Cem pacientes com comprometimento cognitivo leve (CCL) e 80 indivíduos saudáveis com idade e sexo pareados com pacientes com DA foram incluídos como controle. Dados demográficos como idade, sexo e duração da educação foram registrados. As amostras de sangue foram coletadas e os níveis séricos de proteína C-reativa (PCR), CFH e fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF) foram determinados pelo ensaio imunoabsorvente ligado à enzima (ELISA). O escore do miniexame do estado mental (MEEM) foi medido para todos os pacientes. Resultados: Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas em idade, sexo e duração da educação para todos os participantes. Pacientes com DA tinham os menores escores de MEEM em relação aos outros dois grupos. Todos os fatores de CFH, PCR e BDNF diminuíram drasticamente em pacientes com DA em comparação com o CCL e o controle saudável. Os níveis de CFH mostraram correlação positiva com os níveis de PCR; no entanto, não foi encontrada correlação significativa entre CFH e BDNF, nem CFH e MEEM. Conclusão: A CFH diminuiu nos pacientes com DA de início tardio e os níveis séricos de CFH foram correlacionados com os níveis séricos de PCR, mas não o MEEM e o BDNF. Esses resultados podem fornecer mais evidências clínicas do papel da CFH em pacientes com DA.

Oxidative stress, Mitochondrial dysfunction and Neuro-degenerative diseases: A Review

Oxidative stress is produced by the reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) which involves mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondria is one of the main sources of oxidative stress, as it utilizes the oxygen for the energy production. Overproduction of ROS, results in oxidative stress, which injures the cell structures, lipids, proteins, and DNA. Various oxidative events implicated in many diseases is due to oxidative stress which include alteration in mitochondrial proteins, mitochondrial lipids and mitochondrial DNA, which in turn leads to damage nerve cells as they are metabolically very active. Reactive oxygen/nitrogen species at moderate concentrations also play roles in normal physiology of many processes like signalling pathways, induction of mitogenic response and in defence against infectious pathogens. Oxidative stress has been considered to be the main cause in the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases, which includes Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recent research on the dysfunction and function of PD associated genes has provided new fundamental insights into biochemical pathways that are linked with the disease process This review includes source of free radical generation, mitochondrial dysfunction and the mechanism involved in neurodegenerative diseases which involves both PD as well as in AD. This makes the mitochondria, the main target of PD and AD research

Photobiomodulation as a treatment for neurodegenerative disorders: current and future trends

Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a rapidly growing as an innovative therapeutic modality for various types of diseases in recent years. Neuronal degeneration is irreversible process and it is proven to be difficult to slow down or stop the progression. Pharmacologic approaches to slow neuronal degeneration have been studied, but are limited due to concerns about the side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new therapeutic approach to stabilize neuronal degeneration and achieve neuronal protection against several neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we have introduced several previous studies showing the positive effect of PBM over neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and different types of epilepsy. Despite excellent outcomes of animal researches, not many clinical studies are conducted or showed positive outcome of PBM against neurodegenerative disease. To achieve clinical application of PBM against neurodegenerative disorder, determination of exact mechanism and establishment of effective clinical protocol seems to be necessary.

Insulin signaling pathway and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer′s diseases / 国际药学研究杂志

Alzheimer′s disease(AD)is a degenerative metabolic disease,whose exact pathological mechanism still remains unknown. Currently,studies have found that patients in AD accompany with insulin signaling pathway impairment and cerebral glu?cose metabolism dysfunction. As insulin signaling pathway and cerebral glucose metabolism homeostasis play a key role in AD ,some researches consider AD as“typeⅢdiabetes”. This review aims to discuss the alteration of cerebral insulin signaling pathway and glu?cose metabolism in AD,as well as their relationship with AD. We will also elaborate the advance in anti-AD drugs based on cerebral insulin signaling pathway.

Insulin signaling pathway and glucose metabolism in Alzheimer’s diseases / 国际药学研究杂志

Alzheimer’s disease AD is a degenerative metabolic disease, whose exact pathological mechanism still remains unknown. Currently, studies have found that patients in AD accompany with insulin signaling pathway impairment and cerebral glucose metabolism dysfunction. As insulin signaling pathway and cerebral glucose metabolism homeostasis play a key role in AD, some researches consider AD as“type III diabetes”. This review aims to discuss the alteration of cerebral insulin signaling pathway and glucose metabolism in AD, as well as their relationship with AD. We will also elaborate the advance in anti-AD drugs based on cerebral insulin signaling pathway.

Changes in serum homocysteine and its correlation with altitude, folacin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in Tibetan patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease at different altitudes / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To study changes in serum homocysteine(Hcy) and its correlation with serum levels of folic acid and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)in Tibetan patients with mildto-moderate Alzheimer's disease at various high altitude areas,so as to direct the clinical diagnosis and treatment of AD in plateau hypoxia environment Method 108 cases were divided into four groups:23 AD Tibetan patients at middle altitude(AD/middle altitude group)and 23 healthy Tibetan subjects (healthy/middle altitude group) in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Xining region,altitude at 2,260 m,31 AD Tibetan patients (AD/high altitude group)and 31 healthy Tibetan elderly subjects (healthy/high altitude group)in Yushu region at altitude of 3,800 m.Among the total study subjects,half are males,aged from 60 to 85 years.The levels of serum Hcy,Vitamin B12 and folic acid(FA)were measured by the Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay(FPIA).Serum hs-CRP,triglyceride(TG)and low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C)were measured by automatic biochemistry analyzer.Correlation of Hcy with FA and hs-CRP was analyzed.Result Both high altitude and middle altitude group showed the levels of Hcy and hs-CRP were significantly higher in AD Tibetan patients than in healthy control at the same altitude(allP＜0.05).The levels of Hcy,LDL-C and hs-CRP of subjects were higherat high altitude than at middle altitude(P＜0.05).In contrast,folic acid levels in AD and control groups were lower at the high altitude than at middle altitude(P＜0.05).The levels of vitamin B12 and TG were not significantly different among all four groups.Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that altitude,folacin and hs-CRP were the risk factors for Hcy in patients with AD at plateau(OR =0.351,2.794,3.021,P=0.045,0.037,0.016).Conclusion Along with increased altitude,serum level of Hcy is significantly increased in AD Tibetan patients living in high altitude area.High altitude,high hs-CRP and lower folacin may be the risk factors for hyper-homocysteine in AD Tibetan patients with high altitude,and their combined effects are involved in the occurrence and development of AD.

Comparison of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms between Early and Late Onset Alzheimer's Disease According to the Progression of Dementia

The aim of this study was to investigate behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) measured by caregiver-administered neuropsychiatric inventory (CGA-NPI) as a function of dementia severity in early onset (EOAD) versus late onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). A total of 113 patients with AD consisting of 49 patients with EOAD and 64 patients with LOAD were enrolled consecutively. General cognitive function and severity of dementia were assessed by the Korean version of mini-mental status examination and clinical dementia rating (CDR), respectively. In the mild stage (CDR 0.5-1), LOAD patients had a significantly higher total CGA-NPI score than EOAD patients. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that disinhibition and night-time behavior were more common and severe in the LOAD group than the EOAD group. However, in the moderate to severe stage (CDR 2-3), EOAD patients had a significantly higher total CGA-NPI score with higher subscores in hallucination, agitation/aggression, irritability/lability, aberrant motor behavior, and appetite/eating change. This study suggested that the heterogeneity of BPSD in AD might be accounted for by dementia severity as well as age at symptoms onset.

Toma de Decisiones en pacientes con demencia avanzada / Making decisions in advance dementia

El envejecimiento poblacional ha permitido que sea cada vez más frecuente encontrarse con pacientes que tiene enfermedades cuya probabilidad de presentación aumenta con la edad. Este es el caso de las demencias, que en las etapas más avanzadas presentan variadas complicaciones que requieren tomar decisiones que implican dilemas éticos, recursos y consideraciones clínicas complejas. Existen hoy en día estudios que han permitido conocer mejor el curso de la demencia avanzada y establecer pronósticos según los distintos estadios de la patología los cuales se ven determinados por la situación funcional del paciente. Por otra parte es imperativo conocer la efectividad de las intervenciones evitando las acciones fútiles o aquellas que impliquen riesgos o molestias que superan los beneficios. El objetivo de este artículo es entregar herramientas que sean útiles para los clínicos que atendemos personas mayores en diversos ámbitos tanto médicos como quirúrgicos para aunar las voluntades anticipadas si las hay, los valores y deseos de las familias y los conocimientos médicos existentes para entregar la mejor decisión a un paciente portador de demencia avanzada.

Population ageing has allowed it to be increasingly frequent to encounter patients having diseases whose presentation probability increases with age. This is the case of dementia which in the more advanced stages presents varied complications requiring decisions that involve ethical dilemmas, resources and complex clinical considerations. Today there are studies that have helped better understand the course of advanced dementia and establish prognosis according to the different stages of the disease, which are determined by the patient's functional status. On the other hand it is imperative to know the effectiveness of interventions while avoiding ineffective actions or those involving hazards or inconveniences that outweigh the benefits. This article aims to provide tools that are useful for those of us that as clinicians assist senior patients in both medical and surgical fields, help to bring together wills, if there are, values and wishes of families and existing medical knowledge, in order to deliver the best decision for a patient with advanced dementia.

The Association of Heavy Metal of Blood and Serum in the Alzheimer's Diseases

This study has attempted to establish an analysis method through validation against heavy metals in the body (Pb, Cd and Hg) using ICP-MS and Gold amalgamation and find out the relevance between heavy metal and Alzheimer's disease after analyzing the distribution of heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg) and correlations between a control group and Alzheimer's disease group. In this study, Pb and Cd levels in the blood and serum were validation using ICP-MS. For analysis of Hg levels in the blood and serum, the gold amalgamation-based 'Direct Mercury Analyzer' has been used. According to an analysis on the heavy metal concentration (Pb, Cd and Hg concentration) in the blood, Cd concentration was high in the Alzheimer's disease group. In the serum, on the contrary, Pb and Hg were high in the Alzheimer's disease group. For analysis of correlations between heavy metal levels in the blood and serum and Alzheimer's disease, t-test has been performed. Even though correlations were observed between the blood lead levels and Alzheimer's disease, they were statistically insignificant because the concentration was higher in a control group. No significance was found in Cd and Hg. In the serum, on the other hand, no statistical significance was found between the heavy metal (Pb, Cd and Hg) and Alzheimer's disease. In this study, no statistical significance was observed between heavy metal and decrease in cognitive intelligence. However, it appears that a further study needs to be performed because the results of the conventional studies were inconsistent.

Detection of urine neural thread protein for diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and its clinical significance / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective To develop urine AD7C-NTP diagnostic kit,analyze and evaluate its application value on AD.Methods Immunogenicity AD7C-NTP peptide fragments had synthesized by solidphase methods.The animals immunized to prepare antibodies.After matching screening.mouse antibody was uesed as coating antibody.biotin-labeled rabbit antibody wag used as testing antibody,and horseradish peroxidase was labeied with avidin.The urine AD7C-NTP ELISA detective method was established.The AD7C-NTP levels in morning urine samples of 121 AD patients and 118 age-matched controls were collected.Results AD7C-NTP antibodies were identified.Mouse anti-AD7C-NTP antibody titer in ELISAwas 1:8 000,and rabbit anti-AD7C-NTP antibody titer in ELISA was 1:32 000:WB was uesd to detect human brain specimens and there was a single band with molecular weight of 41 000.The lowst detection limit of ELISA methodology was 0.5μg/L The linear range was 0-10μg/L,normal reference value ≤1.5μg/J,the average recovery rate was 100.2%.The intra and inter of CV were 3.8%,4.5%,7.6%,6.8% respectively.The AD7C-NTP levels[2.25(0.43-8.62)μg/L]of urine in AD group was higher than those in contorl group[0.82(0.47-2.77)μg/L,P<0.01].The positive rates in AD group and control group were 89.3% and 15.3% respectively.The sensitivity Was 89.3%and specificity was 84.7%.Conclusions The animals are immunized with the self-designed synthetic peptide fragment to prepare AD7C-NTP antibodies successfully.The established ELISA method for detection of urine AD7C-NTP with high sensitivity,and precision can be used as an assistant examination in clinical diagnosis of AD.

Investigation of risk factors for mild cognitive impairment in elderly people / 中华老年医学杂志

Objective To investigate the risk factors for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in elderly people in Beijing.Methods Using multistage cluster random sampling,129 elderly people aged 60-80 years living around Dongzhimen communities were interviewed by mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/ Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS-ADRDA) criteria for screening MCI and Alzheimer's disease (AD).Results Thirty-seven cases (28.7%) had amnestic MCI (aMCI),thirty-six cases (27.9%) had AD,and fifty-six cases (43.4%) were with normal cognitive state (NCS).The age was older in aMCI patients or AD patients than in NCS[(67.6±7.5)y vs.(62.5±7.9)y,(67.6±7.5)y vs.(62.5±7.9)y,both P<0.01],Andthe aMCI or AD patients had low level of education (P<0.05).The blood pressure was higher in the patients suffered from aMCI or AD than in people with NCS more or less (P<0.05).The prevalence of aMCI was related to the body mass index (BMI) (P<0.05),while that of AD had no significant relation with BMI (P>0.05).The prevalence of aMCI or AD was not significantly different between male and female or between different birth months.(all P>0.05).Conclusions The prevalence of aMCI increases with age,lower level of education,higher level of blood pressure and BMI,while it has no significant relations with gender or birth month.

Effects of Bushen Yizhi Decoction on Somatostatin-like Neurons in Hippocampal Gyrus of Rat Models with Alzheimer's Disease / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the effects of Bushen Yizhi Decociton (BYD) on somatostatin-like (SS-like)neurons in hippocampal gyrus of rat models with Alzheimer's disease(AD). Methods Fifteen-month_old AD rat models were established by intraperitoneral injection of D-galactose for 4 weeks combined with ibotenic acid injection into bilateral nucleus basalis of Meynert. AD model rats were randomly allocated to AD model group(Group C), Hup-A treatment group(Group D) and BYD treatment groups (Group E and Group F,treated with high dosage and low dosage respectively), and 10 normal aged rats (Group B)and 10 normal youth rats (Group A)served as the normal control groups. The methods of immunohistochemistry and dig_labeling c-DNA probe in situ hibridization were used to detect the number of SS-like immunoreactive positive and SS mRNA expressed positive neurons in hippocampal CA1 and CA3 fields and the dentate gyrus. Results The number and optic density of SS-like immunoreactive positive and SS mRNA expressed positive neurons were higher in BYD treatment groups than those in Group C (P