[Prevalence and features of peptic ulcers in the elderly: a retrospective study on a not hospitalized population aged 65 or over]. / Caratteristiche e prevalenza dell'ulcera peptica nell'anziano: studio endoscopico retrospettivo su una coorte di pazienti ultrasessantacinquenni non istituzionalizzati.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of peptic ulcer increases with aging. Data relative to peptic ulcer in the elderly are around 5.2% to 9.9%. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence and the features of peptic ulcer in a non hospitalized population aged 65 or over. METHODS: We performed, for the first time, EGDS on 706 patients with symptoms related to the superior gastroenteric tract. We considered the following risk factors: familiarity for peptic disease, habits, eventual use of FANS, infection of Hp. RESULTS: Our data show that peptic ulcer increases with aging and with physiopathological age-related changes. 114 (16.1%) patients were affected by DU; 84 (11.9%) patients were affected by GU Symptoms thereafter were not clear: epigastralgy was present in 46.4% of patients affected by GU; pyrosis, belchings, swellings, epigastric headness were present in 37.7% of patients with DU. Several times PU may arise with some complications: melena was present in 14.9% of patients with DU vs 11.9% of patients with GU, hematemesis was present in 1.7% of patients with DU vs 5.9% of patients with G.U. The most important risk factor was the infection of Hp, at was present in 71.9% patients with GU and 81.6% patients with DU FANS assumption, often with high dose, was present in 30.9% of patients with GU and 18.4% of patients with DU.

[Polydistrectual atherosclerosis in the elderly. Ischemic cardiopathy and obliterative peripheral arteriopathy of the lower limbs]. / Aterosclerosi polidistrettuale nell'anziano. Cardiopatia ischemica e arteriopatie obliteranti periferiche degli arti inferiori.

BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies have recently drawn attention to the polydistrict nature of atherosclerotic disease. In particular, it has been made clear the frequent association between coronary heart disease and peripheral arterial disease of the lower limbs. We have therefore evaluated the frequency of peripheral arterial disease in a consecutive unselected series of patients affected by coronary heart disease, over 65 and under 65. We have besides evaluated the frequency of some factors of risk for atherosclerotic disease on the subjects affected by coronary heart disease alone and in those with associated peripheral arterial disease. METHODS: We have studied 502 patients (280 males and 222 females) with coronary heart disease admitted to the II Division of General Medicine of Pugliese-Ciaccio Hospital of Catanzaro. Of the 502 patients examined, 367 (72.7%) over 65 and 137 (27.3%) under 65. Factors of risk considered were familiarity, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidosis, arterial hypertension. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral arterial disease was present in 37% of the subjects examined. In the elderly group there was a frequency of 87.6%, while in subjects under 65 the frequency was 12.4%. Symptoms of claudicatio were present in 100% of the subjects under 65 and 58.6% of the elderly subjects. Risk factors that apply with greater frequency were diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension and smoking. The results of our study show the importance of searching for stenosis even if asymptomatic in patients with coronary heart disease, above all if elderly.

Aspects of sleep in centenarians.

Sleeping habits of 48 Calabrian centenarians (12 males, 36 females) were evaluated. Their average age was 102 +/- 1.87 years (range 100-107 years). Quantitative and qualitative aspects of sleep were recorded, such as the length of sleeping (hrs), the time of falling asleep (regular or variable) and the time of awakening (regular or variable). Moreover, we recorded and included in the global hours an eventual afternoon sleeping, during a 24-hour-period. The quality of sleeping was classified as: night sleeping, and morning sleeping; and for the subjects were grouped as short sleepers (subjects that fall asleep easily), and long sleepers (subjects with problems to fall asleep). We also considered if sleeping was uninterrupted or interrupted during the night and if the subjects followed particular habits to facilitate the sleeping (sleeping pills, alcohol, etc.). This study demonstrated that all the examined centenarians go to sleep early in the evening, have no problems in falling asleep, wake up early in the morning, take a nap in the afternoon and do not take pills before going to bed. Among the environmental factors, the quality, the quantity and the habits of sleeping might have great influence for longevity.