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Increased β-adrenergic receptor activity has been hypothesized to cause bone loss in those with dementia. We investigated the effect of long-term β-blocker use on rate of bone loss in older adults with dementia. We used a linear mixed-effects model to estimate the relationship between long-term β-blocker use and rate of bone loss in participants from the Health Aging and Body Composition study. Records of 1198 participants were analyzed, 44.7% were men. Among the men, 25.2% had dementia and 20.2% were on β-blockers, while in the women, 22.5% had dementia and 16.6% received β-blockers. In the 135 men with dementia, 23 were taking β-blockers, while 15 of 149 women with dementia were using β-blockers. In men with dementia, β-blocker users had 0.00491 g/cm 2 less bone mineral density (BMD) loss per year at the femoral neck (i.e., 0.63% less loss per year) than non-users (p < 0.05). No differences were detected in women with or without dementia and men without dementia. β-blockers may be protective by slowing down bone loss in older men with dementia., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To determine the association between diuretic use and falls in community-dwelling older women with urinary incontinence (UI)., Methods: We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study using patients' electronic medical records. Patients were women with UI, 65 years or older seen at a urogynecology clinic between January 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019. We used logistic regression analysis to explore the associations between falls and diuretic use., Results: The study included 108 women, mean age of 75.2 ±7.5 years. Twenty-two (20%) reported one or more falls within the past year and 32 (30%) were diuretic users. Fall prevalence in diuretic users and non-users were 25% (8/32) and 18.4% (14/76), respectively. Diuretic use was not associated with falls (OR = 0.74, 95%CI = 0.22-2.52). Post-hoc analysis revealed inadequate sample size., Conclusions: Diuretics use may not be a risk factor for falls in ambulatory older women with UI. A larger sample will be needed to confirm., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Smoking is associated with many diseases and is a target for primary preventive efforts in numerous morbidities. Studies show that smoking and depression may be associated. Never-smokers are at significantly lower risk than current and former smokers. Despite this observation, the effect of smoking on depression risk reduction has not been adequately explored. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of smoking on depression risk reduction in adult patients seen in a primary care clinic at an academic medical center 6 months after they were identified as being at risk for depression. Findings may influence the direction and intensity of our smoking cessation endeavors in patients at risk of depression who smoke., Methods: We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study using electronic medical records of patients 18 years and older seen a primary care setting between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. All participants included had an initial depression risk score (assessed by the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)) of 5 or higher, information on smoking status and a PHQ-9 score at 6 months. We determined the percentage of patients with PHQ-9 score decrease of 5 or more at 6 months and used logistic regression to determine the association depression risk reduction (of 5 units or more) at 6 months and smoking, adjusting for demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics., Results: Number of patients included were 120, mean age was 55 (16), years, 88 (74%) were female, 68 (57%) were African American, and 31 (26%) were Caucasian. Fifty (44%) had a history of smoking and 31 (25.8%) had improvement (ie, a decrease of 5 units or more) in their PHQ-9 score at 6 months. Smoking was associated with decreased odds of improvement in depressive symptoms (Odds ratio = 0.32, 95% Confidence interval: 0.12-0.87)., Conclusion: Risk of depression was more likely to persist in smokers than non-smokers at 6 months. Addressing smoking behavior in those with risk of depression may be beneficial., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: The health and economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have prompted the need for a timely and effective vaccine development. While the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in record time is being hailed as a scientific feat, skepticism about the safety, side effects, and even its long-term effects remain. Acceptance of the vaccine may therefore be a challenge among healthcare workers (HCWs), whose role is considered a proxy to determining the COVID-19 vaccine uptake response by the general population., Methods: In December 2020, prior to the arrival and receipt of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the readiness for vaccine uptake among HCWs at three community-based, university-affiliated health centers., Results: A total of 205 (82%) respondents out of 250 completed the questionnaire. Fifty-four percent of respondents agreed to receive vaccine once available. Females (odds ratio (OR) =0.22, p=0.014), non-Hispanic Blacks (OR=0.066, p=0.010), and Hispanics (OR=0.11, p=0.037) were less likely to accept the vaccine. Respondents with moderate-risk perception were more likely to accept (OR=2.79, p=0.045) compared to those with low-risk perception while no association was found between high-risk perception and vaccine acceptance (p=0.226). After adjusting for perceived risk, sex, race/ethnicity, and age, acceptance in non-Hispanic Black population remained statistically significant (adjusted OR=0.07, p=0.014), with Hispanic (AOR=0.12, p=0.051) showing a trend., Conclusions: Enthusiastic acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine is lacking among surveyed HCWs of certain racial/ethnic groups. Provision of resources and public health interventions targeting underserved, minority populations are necessary to halt opposition to vaccine uptake., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Primary care physicians (PCPs) often struggle with elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in osteoporotic patients on antiresorptive treatment, specifically, denosumab. As iPTH and calcium levels need to be within normal ranges to receive the next dose of denosumab, continuously high serum iPTH may necessitate additional tests to rule out pathological causes. We aimed to determine factors associated with iPTH elevation in a cohort of postmenopausal women receiving osteoporosis treatment., Method: A cross-sectional analysis of electronic medical records of patients 50 years and older who visited a geriatric osteoporosis clinic between October 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019, was conducted. We divided patients into 3 categories: not currently on treatment, on bisphosphonates or on denosumab. Percentage change in iPTH levels from baseline to 1 year follow-up was the outcome measure. Other variables used are age, body mass index, chronic co-morbidities, 25OH-vitamin D, calcium, TSH, glomerular filtration rate and femoral neck BMD. Linear regression models were used to assess independent associations between treatment group and iPTH changes., Results: Mean (SD) age of 173 participants in our study was 78 (± 10) years, and 71% were Caucasian. At follow-up, mean percent change of iPTH was 13.47 ± 62.76, 30.35 ± 61.17, and 39.60 ± 35.51 in the "no treatment", "bisphosphonate" and "denosumab" groups, respectively. Age was a predictor of elevated percent change of iPTH in the denosumab group., Conclusion: Increasing age is associated with iPTH elevations in osteoporotic patients on denosumab. In the absence of any pathology, continuation of denosumab may be safe in lowering fracture risk. However, a larger study may be required to confirm this., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Geriatric Medicine Society.)

Recommendations for care are evolving, with increasingly sophisticated screening and diagnostic tools and a broadening array of treatment options.

Objective: Prospective long-term observational studies (LOS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) lack a core set of universally collected outcome measures, particularly patient-centered outcomes, precluding accurate comparisons across studies. Our aim was to identify long-term outcome measures collected and reported in these studies., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of registries and LOS of patients with RA, searching in ClinicalTrials.gov, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Registry of Patient Registries, and Google Scholar. The names and acronyms of registries and LOS were further searched in the Medline and Embase databases to retrieve published articles. Two independent reviewers undertook data collection, quality appraisal, and data extraction., Results: We identified 88 registries/LOS that met our eligibility criteria. These were divided into 2 groups: disease-based (52 [59%]) and therapy-based (36 [41%]). Methodologic and reporting standards varied across the eligible studies. For clinical outcomes, disease activity was recorded in 88 (100%) of all LOS/registries. The most commonly reported measure (86 [98%]) was the composite outcome Disease Activity Score using 28 joints. Of the patient-centered outcomes collected, physical functioning was most frequently reported (75 [85%]) with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (75 [85%]) as the most commonly used instrument within this domain. Other domains of patient-centered outcomes were comparatively infrequently recorded: mental (29 [33%]), social (20 [23%]), and health-related quality of life (37 [42%])., Conclusion: Most registries/LOS collect measures of disease activity and physical function. However, there is substantial heterogeneity in the collection of relevant patient-centered outcomes that measure symptom burden and mental and social ramifications of RA., (© 2020, American College of Rheumatology.)

Background: Patients with low bone density or osteoporosis need information for effective prevention or disease management, respectively. However, patients may not be getting enough information from their primary care providers or other sources. Inadequate disease information leaves patients ill-informed and creates misconceptions and unnecessary concerns about the disease., Objective: We systematically reviewed and synthesized the available literature to determine patient knowledge, beliefs, and concerns about osteoporosis and identify potential gaps in knowledge., Methods: A systematic search was conducted for full-text qualitative studies addressing understanding, literacy, and/or perceptions about osteoporosis and its management, using Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ERIC, PsychINFO, Psyc Behav Sci Collec, and PubMed, from inception through September 2016. Studies were selected by two reviewers, assessed for quality, and themes extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction tool. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes and subthemes., Results: Twenty-five studies with a total of 757 participants (including 105 men) were selected for analysis out of 1031 unique citations. Selected studies were from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Four main themes emerged: inadequate knowledge, beliefs and misconceptions, concerns about osteoporosis, and lack of information from health care providers. Participants had inadequate knowledge about osteoporosis and were particularly uninformed about risk factors, causes, treatment, and prevention. Areas of concern for participants included diagnosis, medication side effects, and inadequate information from primary care providers., Conclusion: Although there was general awareness of osteoporosis, many misconceptions and concerns were evident. Education on bone health needs to reinforce areas of knowledge and address deficits, misconceptions, and concerns., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.