Effect of long-term omega-3 supplementation and a lifestyle multidomain intervention on intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults: Secondary analysis of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial (MAPT study).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation and a multidomain intervention (MI) (physical activity counselling, cognitive training and nutritional advice) among community-dwelling older adults on levels of intrinsic capacity (IC), a construct recently proposed by the World Health Organization. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis from the factorial-design 3-year Multidomain Alzheimer Preventive Trial (MAPT) with 1445 subjects (64.2 % female, mean age 75.3 years, SD = 4.4) randomized to one group of MI plus ω-3 (800 mg docosahexaenoic acid and 225 mg eicosapentaenoic acid/day); MI plus placebo; ω-3 supplementation alone; or placebo alone. Data collection was held between 2008 and 2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: IC domains were examined with the Geriatric Depression Scale (psychological); Short Physical Performance Battery (mobility); Z-score combining four tests (cognitive function); and handgrip strength (vitality). All domains were combined into a composite IC Z-score. RESULTS: After 3 years, IC Z-score decreased among all groups when time was considered continuous (MI plus ω-3: -0.16, 95 %CI: -0.22 to -0.10; MI alone: -0.13, 95 %CI: -0.19 to -0.07; ω-3 alone: -0.19, 95 %CI: -0.25 to -0.10; placebo: -0.20, 95 %CI: -0.26 to -0.14; all p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between groups. In a sensitivity analysis with categorical time, significant within-group declines were first identified at 24 months for all groups. CONCLUSIONS: This trial designed to improve cognitive function was unable to find effects of the intervention on the composite IC Z-score. Further investigations are needed, especially trials providing stronger interventions (such as exercise training and a controlled diet) and also embracing the sensorial domain of IC.

Integrated Care for Older People and the Implementation in the INSPIRE Care Cohort.

BACKGROUNDS: The World Health Organization has published the Integrated Care for Older People, ICOPE handbook Guidance on person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care. This is an integrated individual care tool focused on the individual and healthy ageing. The ICOPE tool proposes step by step, a screening, a fine assessment, the development of a personalized care plan, its implementation and follow up and finally the consideration of the caregivers and community. The new Geroscience field is focusing on preventing age-related diseases, and should now investigate with the ICOPE tool the optimal maintenance of intrinsic capacity (IC) through mobility, cognition, psychology, vitality, hearing and vision. This article aims to present this new tool and to presents its innovative implementation at the Toulouse University Hospital through the INSPIRE study. We believe that the ICOPE integrated care program will also be a pragmatic way to maintain cognitive functions and detect early Alzheimer. OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the INSPIRE study is to build a Bio-resource Research Platform for Healthy Ageing gathering biological, clinical and digital resources in order to identify markers of ageing, age-related diseases and IC evolution. The study will be also testing the implementation and follow up of the ICOPE tool. METHODS: The Inspire Platform will gather clinical data and bio-specimens from 1000 subjects in the Occitania Region, of different ages (from 30 years and over) over 10 years. Data will be collected annually. Using the ICOPE tool IC domains will be monitored every 4 months. Once IC decline is identified, participants will have a thorough clinical assessment and blood sampling to investigate the response of markers of ageing at the time of decline. The French ethic committee approved the study. RESULTS: The Inspire platform aims to develop an integrative approach to promote novel new technologies for the assessment and monitoring of functional capacities.

ICFSR Task Force Perspective on Biomarkers for Sarcopenia and Frailty.

Biomarkers of frailty and sarcopenia are essential to advance the understanding of these conditions of aging and develop new diagnostic tools and effective treatments. The International Conference on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research (ICFSR) Task Force - a group of academic and industry scientists from around the world -- met in February 2019 to discuss the current state of biomarker development for frailty and sarcopenia. The D3Cr dilution method, which assesses creatinine excretion as a biochemical measure of muscle mass, was suggested as a more accurate measure of functional muscle mass than assessment by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Proposed biomarkers of frailty include markers of inflammation, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to stress, altered glucose insulin dynamics, endocrine dysregulation, aging, and others, acknowledging the complex multisystem etiology that contributes to frailty. Lack of clarity regarding a regulatory pathway for biomarker development has hindered progress; however, there are currently several international efforts to develop such biomarkers as tools to improve the treatment of individuals presenting these conditions.

Moving Towards Common Data Elements and Core Outcome Measures in Frailty Research.

With aging populations around the world, frailty is becoming more prevalent increasing the need for health systems and social systems to deliver optimal evidence based care. However, in spite of the growing number of frailty publications, high-quality evidence for decision making is often lacking. Inadequate descriptions of the populations enrolled including frailty severity and frailty conceptualization, lack of use of validated frailty assessment tools, utilization of different frailty instruments between studies, and variation in reported outcomes impairs the ability to interpret, generalize and implement the research findings. The utilization of common data elements (CDEs) and core outcome measures (COMs) in clinical trials is increasingly being adopted to address such concerns. To catalyze the development and use of CDEs and COMs for future frailty studies, the Canadian Frailty Network (www.cfn-nce.ca; CFN), a not-for-profit pan-Canadian nationally-funded research network, convened an international group of experts to examine the issue and plan the path forward. The meeting was structured to allow for an examination of current frailty evidence, ability to learn from other COMs and CDEs initiatives, discussions about specific considerations for frailty COMs and CDEs and finally the identification of the necessary steps for a COMs and CDEs consensus initiative going forward. It was agreed at the onset of the meeting that a statement based on the meeting would be published and herein we report the statement.

Effects of Protein, Essential Amino Acids, B-Hydroxy B-Methylbutyrate, Creatine, Dehydroepiandrosterone and Fatty Acid Supplementation on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength and Physical Performance in Older People Aged 60 Years and Over. A Systematic Review on the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review to investigate the effects protein, essential amino acids (EAA), ß-hydroxy ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), creatine, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and fatty acid supplementation on muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance of elderly subjects. METHODS: Using the electronic databases MEDLINE and EMBASE we identified RCTs published until February 2016 which assessed the effects of these nutrient supplementation on muscle strength, muscle mass or physical performance. Study selection and data extraction were performed by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Search strategy allowed us to identify 23 RCTs. Among them, four used proteins as nutritional supplement, seven EAAs, six creatine, four DHEA and finally, two HMB. From our systematic review, it seems that the effects of these supplementations on muscle health are rather limited. Only consistent effects of EAA supplementation on physical performance (3 out of the 4 RCTs using EAA supplementation found significant effect of this supplementation on physical performance) and HMB supplementation on muscle mass (all the 2 identified RCTs using HMB supplementation found significant effect of this supplementation on muscle mass) have been found across studies. No consistent effects were found for the other types of dietary supplementation. Because of the important limitations in study design, inconsistency and lack of directness, the overall quality of the evidence was judged to be low or very low using the GRADE system. CONCLUSION: This systematic review showed a limited effect of nutritional supplementation on muscle mass, muscle power and physical function. Inconsistent positive effects were observed for some specific supplementations but the results only concerned one aspect of the muscle. Well designed and appropriately powered RCTs are needed to provide evidence for appropriate clinical recommendations.

Promoting access to innovation for frail old persons. IAGG (International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics), WHO (World Health Organization) and SFGG (Société Française de Gériatrie et de Gérontologie) Workshop--Athens January 20-21, 2012.

UNLABELLED: Frailty tends to be considered as a major risk for adverse outcomes in older persons, but some important aspects remain matter of debate. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this paper is to present expert's positions on the main aspects of the frailty syndrome in the older persons. PARTICIPANTS: Workshop organized by International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG), World Health Organization (WHO) and Société Française de Gériatrie et de Gérontologie (SFGG). RESULTS: Frailty is widely recognized as an important risk factor for adverse health outcomes in older persons. This can be of particular value in evaluating non-disabled older persons with chronic diseases but today no operational definition has been established. Nutritional status, mobility, activity, strength, endurance, cognition, and mood have been proposed as markers of frailty. Another approach calculates a multidimensional score ranging from "very fit" to "severely frail", but it is difficult to apply into the medical practice. Frailty appears to be secondary to multiple conditions using multiple pathways leading to a vulnerability to a stressor. Biological (inflammation, loss of hormones), clinical (sarcopenia, osteoporosis etc.), as well as social factors (isolation, financial situation) are involved in the vulnerability process. In clinical practice, detection of frailty is of major interest in oncology because of the high prevalence of cancer in older persons and the bad tolerance of the drug therapies. Presence of frailty should also be taken into account in the definition of the cardiovascular risks in the older population. The experts of the workshop have listed the points reached an agreement and those must to be a priority for improving understanding and use of frailty syndrome in practice. CONCLUSION: Frailty in older adults is a syndrome corresponding to a vulnerability to a stressor. Diagnostic tools have been developed but none can integrate at the same time the large spectrum of factors and the simplicity asked by the clinical practice. An agreement with an international common definition is necessary to develop screening and to reduce the morbidity in older persons.