ABSTRACT
The identification of biological markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be extremely useful to improve diagnostic accuracy and/or to monitor the efficacy of putative therapies. In this regard, peripheral cells may be of great importance, because of their easy accessibility. After subjects were grouped according to diagnosis, the expression of conformationally mutant p53 in blood cells was compared by immunoprecipitation or by a cytofluorimetric assay. In total, 104 patients with AD, 92 age-matched controls, 15 patients with Parkinson's disease and 9 with other types of dementia were analyzed. Two independent methods to evaluate the differential expression of a conformational mutant p53 were developed. Mononuclear cells were analyzed by immunoprecipitation or by flow-cytometric analysis, following incubation with a conformation-specific p53 antibody, which discriminates unfolded p53 tertiary structure. Mononuclear cells from AD patients express a higher amount of mutant-like p53 compared to non-AD subjects, thus supporting the study of conformational mutant p53 as a new putative marker to discriminate AD from non-AD patients. We also observed a strong positive correlation between the expression of p53 and the age of patients. The expression of p53 was independent from the length of illness and from the Mini Mental State Examination value.
Subject(s)
Alzheimer Disease/genetics , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/chemistry , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Aging/genetics , DNA/blood , DNA/genetics , DNA/isolation & purification , Dementia/blood , Dementia/genetics , Flow Cytometry , Humans , Italy , Leukocytes , Parkinson Disease/blood , Parkinson Disease/genetics , Poland , Protein Conformation , Reference Values , Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/bloodABSTRACT
This study evaluates the prevalence and clinical significance of the main neurological diseases in 246 hospitalized elderly patients with hip fracture, who have to undergo rehabilitative treatment. Eighty-three patients already had clinically noticeable neurological diseases before fracture; they were compared to other components the survey. As for the type of fracture and surgical treatment, differences have not been found. Medical conditions have proved worse among neurological disease bearers; the same patients also had to run into more complications. What results from the study, considering the high prevalence of neurological diseases in patients with hip fractures, suggests that these neurological diseases are important risk factors for accidental falls and it's necessary to provide these patients with careful, continuous hospital assistance.
Subject(s)
Hip Fractures/complications , Nervous System Diseases/complications , Accidental Falls/prevention & control , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Dementia/complications , Female , Fracture Fixation , Hemiplegia/complications , Hip Fractures/etiology , Hip Fractures/surgery , Hip Prosthesis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Parkinson Disease/complicationsABSTRACT
We interviewed 120 elderly hemiplegic patients 1 year after their acute stroke to assess cognitive impairment using the Mini-Mental State Examination, functional autonomy using the Barthel Index, mood disorders using the Hamilton Rating Depression Scale, and social integration using the Social Functioning Exam. Of the 76 patients admitted to this study, eight (12.1% of those testable) had significant cognitive impairment, 41 (53.9%) were functionally self-sufficient, 27 (35.5%) showed depressive symptoms, and 44 (57.9%) had problems in social and family integration. We suggest that a complete rehabilitation program aimed at producing a good quality of life for elderly hemiplegic patients should take into account all these aspects of human existence.
