Search

Objectives Prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia is a key health priority among older adults. Understanding individuals’ attitudes to, the prevention of these conditions, particularly when delivered through novel eHealth tools, could help in designing effective prevention programmes. The aim of the study was to explore the attitudes of older adults at increased risk of CVD and dementia regarding engagement in eHealth self-management prevention programmes, and to describe the facilitators and barriers. Design A qualitative research approach was used. Data were collected through eight focus groups in Finland, France and the Netherlands. Data were analysed following the principles of grounded theory. Setting and participants Forty-four community-dwellers aged 65+ atrisk of CVD were recruited from a previous trial cohort in Finland, and through general practices in France and the Netherlands. Results The study identified three categories: access to reliable information, trust in the healthcare providers and burden and stigma of dementia. A core category was also identified: the interactive process of the three categories influencing engagement in self-management prevention programme. The categories were interconnected through an interactive process and influenced by the local healthcare culture and context which shaped them differently, becoming either facilitators or barriers to engage in eHealth self-management prevention programmes. Conclusions The study emphasises the importance of considering the interactions between the identified categories in this study, grounded in the local healthcare culture and context in further developments of eHealth self-management interventions that aim to prevent CVD and dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Global ageing is linked to an increased burden of cardiovascular disease and dementia, which calls for better prevention strategies. Self-management and eHealth applications are regarded as promising strategies to support prevention. The aim of this study was to explore nurses' best practices concerning behaviour change guidance for cardiovascular (CV) prevention in order to learn how to optimally integrate them into a coachsupported internet platform for CV self-management. Design Qualitative focus group study in Finland and the Netherlands. Discussions were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were thematically analysed following principles of grounded theory. Setting Dutch and Finnish primary care settings. Participants Six Finnish and seven Dutch primary care nurses with experience in CV prevention. Results Similar best practices were found in both countries and comprised of (1) establishing a relationship of trust, (2) managing awareness and expectations and (3) appropriate timing and monitoring of the process of behaviour change. However, the Finnish and Dutch nurses used different approaches for accomplishment of these practices, which was reflected in their recommendations for online support. Both groups emphasised that online support should be combined with human support and integrated into regular care. Finnish nurses had more confidence in patient self-management and remote communication than Dutch nurses, who emphasised the importance of face-to-face contact and preferred to keep control of medical aspects of prevention. Conclusions Differences in Dutch and Finnish's nurses' practices for supporting CV prevention appear to reflect their local healthcare practices, which should be taken into account when designing internet platforms for health selfmanagement. Including cognitive health as a goal of CV prevention might stimulate motivation for health behaviour change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many healthy volunteers choose to take part in Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention studies because they want to know whether they will develop dementia-and what they can do to reduce their risk-and are therefore interested in learning the results of AD biomarker tests. Proponents of AD biomarker disclosure often refer to the personal utility of AD biomarkers, claiming that research participants will be able to use AD biomarker information for personal purposes, such as planning ahead or making important life decisions. In this paper, the claim that AD biomarkers have personal utility for asymptomatic individuals is critically assessed. It demonstrates that in the absence of clinical validity, AD biomarkers cannot have personal utility and do not serve research participants' autonomy. Over the next few years, many research groups will be confronted with participants' preferences to learn the results of AD biomarker tests. When researchers choose to make results available upon explicit request, they should ensure adequate information provision and education, notably on the uncertain clinical significance of AD biomarker information. Routine disclosure of AD biomarkers to cognitively unimpaired individuals in research settings cannot be justified with an appeal to the personal utility of AD biomarker information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To explore general practitioners' (GPs) routines and considerations on (de)prescribing antihypertensive medication (AHM) in older patients, their judgement on usability of the current guideline and needs for future support. Design Semistructured interviews. Setting Dutch general practice. Participants Fifteen GPs were purposively sampled based on level of experience and practice characteristics until saturation was reached. Results GPs appeared reluctant to start AHM, especially in patient >80 years. High systolic blood pressure and history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes were enablers to start or intensify treatment. Reasons to refrain from this were frailty and patient preference. GPs described a tendency to continue AHM regimens unchanged, influenced by daily time constraints, automated prescription routines and anticipating discomfort when disturbing patients' delicate balance. GPs were only inclined to deprescribe AHM in terminally ill patients or after prolonged achievement of target levels in combination with side effects or patient preference. Deprescription was facilitated when GPs had experience with patients showing increased quality of life after deprescription and was withheld by anticipated regret (ie, GPs' fear of a stroke after deprescribing). GPs felt insufficient guidance from current guidelines, especially on deprescription. Conclusions GPs are reluctant to start or deprescribe AHM in older people and have a propensity to continue AHM within a daily routine that insufficiently supports critical medication review. (De)prescription is influenced by patient preferences and anticipated regret and current guidelines provide insufficient guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To study older peoples’ experiences with an interactive internet platform for cardiovascular self-management, to assess which factors influence initial and sustained engagement. To assess their views on future use within primary care. Design Qualitative semistructured interview study, with thematic analysis. Setting Primary care in the Netherlands. Participants People ≥65 years with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease who used the ‘Healthy Ageing Through Internet Counselling in the Elderly’ internet platform with remote support of a coach. Participants were selected using a purposive sampling method based on gender, age, level of education, cardiovascular history, diabetes, duration of participation and login frequency. Results We performed 17 interviews with 20 participants, including three couples. In the initial phase, platform engagement was influenced by perceived computer literacy of the participants, user-friendliness, acceptability and appropriateness of the intervention and the initial interaction with the coach. Sustained platform use was mainly facilitated by a relationship of trust with the coach. Other facilitating factors were regular automatic and personal reminders, clear expectations of the platform, incorporation into daily routine, social support and a loyal and persistent attitude. Perceived lack of change in content of the platform could work both stimulating and discouraging. Participants supported the idea of embedding the platform into the primary care setting. Conclusions Human support is crucial to initial and sustained engagement of older people in using an interactive internet platform for cardiovascular self-management. Regular reminders further facilitate sustained use, and increased tailoring to personal preference is recommended. Embedding the platform in primary healthcare may enhance future adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease and dementia share a number of risk factors including hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking, obesity, diabetes and physical inactivity. The rise of eHealth has led to increasing opportunities for large-scale delivery of prevention programmes encouraging self-management. The aim of this study is to investigate whether a multidomain intervention to optimise self-management of cardiovascular risk factors in older individuals, delivered through an coach-supported interactive internet platform, can improve the cardiovascular risk profile and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. Methods and analysis: HATICE is a multinational, multicentre, prospective, randomised, open-label blinded end point (PROBE) trial with 18 months intervention. Recruitment of 2600 older people (≥65 years) at increased risk of cardiovascular disease will take place in the Netherlands, Finland and France. Participants randomised to the intervention condition will have access to an interactive internet platform, stimulating self-management of vascular risk factors, with remote support by a coach. Participants in the control group will have access to a static internet platform with basic health information. The primary outcome is a composite score based on the average z-score of the difference between baseline and 18 months follow-up values of systolic blood pressure, low-density-lipoprotein and body mass index. Main secondary outcomes include the effect on the individual components of the primary outcome, the effect on lifestyle-related risk factors, incident cardiovascular disease, mortality, cognitive functioning, mood and cost-effectiveness. Ethics and dissemination: The study was approved by the medical ethics committee of the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Comité de Protection des Personnes Sud Ouest et Outre Mer in France and the Northern Savo Hospital District Research Ethics Committee in Finland. We expect that data from this study will result in a manuscript published in a peer-reviewed clinical open access journal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the incremental value of MRI and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis after a short memory test for predicting progression to Alzheimer's disease from a pragmatic clinical perspective. Design: Diagnostic accuracy study in a multicentre prospective cohort study. Setting: Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative participants with complete data on neuropsychological assessment, MRI of the brain and CSF analysis. Participants: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n=181) were included. Mean follow-up was 38.9 months (range 5.5--75.9). Main outcome measures: Diagnostic accuracy of individual instruments and incremental value of entorhinal cortex volume on MRI and p-τ/Aβ ration in CSF after administration of Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Memory Test are calculated and expressed as the 'Net Reclassification Improvement' (NRI), which is the change in the percentage of individuals that are correctly diagnosed as Alzheimer or non-Alzheimer case. Results: Tested in isolation, a short memory test, MRI and CSF all substantially contribute to the differentiation of those MCI patients who remain stable during follow-up from those who progress to develop Alzheimer's disease. The memory test, MRI and CSF improved the diagnostic classification by 21% (95% CI 15.1 to 26.9), 22.1% (95% CI 16.1 to 28.1) and 18.8% (95% CI 13.1 to 24.5), respectively. After administration of a short memory test, however, the NRI of MRI is +1.1% (95% CI 0.1 to 3.9) and of CSF is -2.2% (95% CI -5.6 to -0.6). After administration of a brief test of Conclusions: memory, MRI or CSF do not substantially affect diagnostic accuracy for predicting progression to Alzheimer's disease in patients with MCI. The NRI is an intuitive and easy to interpret measure for evaluation of potential added value of new diagnostic instruments in daily clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "What Do We Mean By Alzheimer's Disease?," by M. Richards

The article discusses a study on the usefulness of data from magnetic resonance imaging to improve the prediction of dementia incident, by Blossom C. M. Stephan and colleagues, which appeared within the issue. Topics covered include the unclear objective for predicting dementia in older people without cognitive complaints and the complexity of the interpretation of findings on the discrimination performance in dementia.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.