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Using serum biomarkers that reflect fruit and vegetable (FV) intake offers a significant advantage over traditional dietary assessments by providing a more objective, accurate measure, meaningfully minimizing recall bias and misreporting common in self-reported dietary data. This study investigated the relationship between these serum biomarkers and mortality risk using data from 19,168 adults aged 30 and older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1988 to 2006. Mortality follow-up was determined by linkage to the National Death Index through December 31, 2019, and diet by 24-h recalls. Cox proportional hazards models were employed to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality outcomes by tertiles of serum biomarkers of FV intake. Higher serum concentrations of total carotenoids were associated with a reduced risk of all-cause (Tertile 3 vs. Tertile 1 HR=0.69, 95% CI=0.61-0.78) and cancer mortality (HR=0.53, 95% CI=0.39-0.71). Greater serum concentrations of individual carotenoids, such as α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin, were also linked to lower risks of all-cause and cancer mortality. Higher serum potassium concentrations showed a trend toward an association with a greater risk of all-cause mortality. No significant associations were found between serum vitamin C concentrations and mortality outcomes in the overall analysis; however, in sex-stratified analyses, higher vitamin C concentrations were associated with reduced risk of all-cause and cancer mortality in women. These findings suggest that specific serum biomarkers of FV intake, particularly carotenoids and vitamin C, may serve as indicators of reduced mortality risk.
Previous studies have highlighted the health benefits of coffee and tea, but they only focused on the comparisons between different consumptions. Consequently, the association estimate lacked a clear interpretation, as the substitution of beverages and distribution of doses were not explicitly prescribed. We focused on the “relative association” to ascertain the optimal consumption strategy (including total intake and optimal allocation strategy) for coffee, tea, and plain water associated with decreased mortality. Self-reported coffee, tea, and plain water intake were used from the UK Biobank. Within a compositional data analysis framework, multivariate Cox model was used to assess the relative associations after adjusting for a range of potential confounders. The lower mortality risk was observed with at least approximately 7 to 8 drinks per day of total consumption. When the total intake > 4 drinks per day, substituting plain water with coffee or tea was linked to reduced mortality, nevertheless the benefit was not seen for ≤ 4 drinks per day. Besides, a balanced consumption of coffee and tea (roughly a ratio of 2:3) associated with the lowest hazard ratios of 0.55 (95% CI: 0.47−0.64) for all-cause mortality, 0.59 (95% CI: 0.48−0.72) for cancer mortality, 0.69 (95% CI: 0.49−0.99) for cardiovascular disease mortality, 0.28 (95% CI: 0.15−0.52) for respiratory disease mortality, and 0.35 (95% CI: 0.15−0.82) for digestive disease mortality than other combinations. These results highlight the importance of the rational combination of coffee, tea, and plain water, with particular emphasis on ensuring adequate total intake, offering more comprehensive and explicit guidance for individuals.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of gillnet soak time to gain a better understanding of fish welfare, mortality, stress, and quality (as measured as muscle haemoglobin) during experimental gillnet fishery of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). An experimental study was conducted in a large-scale tank at a research facility with 131 wild-caught fish in four groups with gillnet soak times of 0, 2, 12, and 24 h (23–34 fish per soak time). Longer soak time caused higher mortality, with a mortality rate of 0, 7, 18, and 25% in the 0-, 2-, 12- and 24-h groups, respectively. Blood lactate levels were significantly affected by soak time, peaking at 2 h (with the widest confidence interval) and showing their lowest concentrations at 0 and 24 h. Soak time also significantly increased blood glucose and serum cortisol levels. Magnesium, creatinine, and iron increased significantly in all groups compared with control levels, but there was no significant difference between soak times. Haemoglobin content in the loin increased significantly only after 24 h of soak time for live fish. There was no significant increase in haemoglobin in the belly as a function of soak time. However, for all soak times, the belly had significantly more haemoglobin than the loin. Physiological evidence of traumatic injuries and stress were noted prior to increased muscle haemoglobin, meaning that good quality did not necessarily equate to good welfare. However, a higher level of muscle haemoglobin is a strong indication of poor welfare.
The current study aims to assess associations between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels and mortality and to investigate modification effects of genetics. A total of 500 participants from a family-based cohort study were enrolled from 2005 to 2017 and followed up until 2020 in Fangshan District, Beijing, China. Serum TMAO levels were measured using the ELISA kit. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and deaths from CVD and stroke. During a median follow-up time of 7·38 years, thirty-eight deaths were recorded, including twenty deaths due to CVD and nineteen deaths due to stroke. Compared with the lowest TMAO quartile group, the HR for all-cause mortality was 1·35 (95 % CI: 0·44, 4·15), 1·65 (95 % CI: 0·58, 4·64) and 2·45 (95 % CI: 0·91, 6·57), respectively, in higher groups. No association was observed between TMAO and CVD mortality. However, compared with the lowest TMAO concentration group, the HR for stroke mortality was 1·93 (95 % CI: 0·40, 9·39), 1·91 (95 % CI: 0·41, 8·96) and 4·16 (95 % CI: 0·94, 18·52), respectively, in higher groups (Pfor trend = 0·046). Furthermore, polygenic risk score (PRS) for longevity modified the association of TMAO with all-cause mortality (Pfor interaction = 0·008). The risk of mortality (HR = 2·20, 95 % CI: 1·06, 4·57) was higher among participants with lower PRS compared with higher PRS (HR = 1·00, 95 % CI: 0·71, 1·40). The study indicates that elevated serum TMAO levels are potentially associated with long-term mortality risk in rural areas of northern China, especially for stroke deaths. Additionally, it provides novel evidence that genetic variations might modify the association.
Case Presentation: A 68 year old man. Hospitalized with decreased consciousness. Experienced severe shortness of breath 3 days before entering the hospital. The patient also had wounds on his right and left legs since 1 month ago. But then became more widespread. The patient has kidney failure and routinely undergoes hemodialysis. The patient had diabetes since 6 years ago. Laboratory: Hemoglobin 7.5 Leukocytes 17.8 Netrophils 91.70 Lymphocytes 4.20 Albumin 2.2 Creatinine 2.5 Ureum 61 Artery 2.30, urine bacteria+++. Pus culture results: Enterobacter cloacae with the antibiotic meropenem. Sputum culture results Klebsiella pneumoniae ss. Pneumoniae with amikacin. After 1 week pus culture results: Pseudomonas aeruginosa with amikacin. Blood culture results: Staphylococcus epidermidis suggested vancomycin. The patient underwent debriment in the operating room. However, the condition did not improve. Discussion: This patient experienced sepsis with MDRO. Apart from geriatric age, the patient also has diabetes with complications of kidney failure. This worsens the patient’s immune system. So the patient’s diabetic ulcers and decubitus ulcers worsened with the results of cultures with various antibiotic-resistant multiorganisms. And also the respiratory infections increase the risk of mortality. Conclusion : MDRO is a risk factor for inappropriate antibiotic therapy, which is undoubtedly associated with increased mortality.
With numbers of very old adults (85+ years) expected to increase, and very old adults often being excluded from research and clinical trials, further knowledge about depressive disorders, antidepressant treatment and mortality among this demographic is of pressing importance.
Aims
To investigate the impact of depressive disorders and antidepressant treatment on 2-year mortality among very old adults and to explore any differences between men and women.
Method
This cross-sectional study used data from the Umeå 85+/Gerontological Regional Database home visit interviews. The data were collected between 2000 and 2017. The total sample consisted of 2551 participants, of whom 918 had a depressive disorder. Logistic and Cox regression models were used to explore factors associated with depressive disorders and time to death. Mortality rates were illustrated and analysed using Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests.
Results
Having a depressive disorder both with and without antidepressant treatment was associated with increased risk of death within 2 years for both men and women. No survival differences were found between responders and non-responders to treatment. Depressive disorders were significant predictors of 2-year mortality in men. Antidepressant treatment was not independently associated with mortality.
Conclusion
Depressive disorders are significantly associated with increased 2-year mortality among very old adults, especially men, and measures to reduce mortality are urgently needed. Further exploration of the effects of antidepressant treatment among very old adults is warranted.
Lithium treatment is associated with reduced mortality in bipolar disorder (BD), but the role of treatment continuity remains underexplored. This study investigated the association between patterns of lithium exposure and all-cause mortality in a population-based cohort.
Methods
We analyzed electronic health records from 15,384 individuals with BD in Catalonia, Spain (2010–2019). Patients were classified as having sustained, partial/intermittent, or no lithium exposure based on annual defined daily doses (DDDs). All-cause mortality was the primary outcome. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses (adjusted for sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment-related variables) estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality risk. Interaction and sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the role of comorbidity burden and dose effects.
Results
Over the study period, 715 deaths were recorded. In fully adjusted models, sustained lithium exposure was associated with a significantly lower mortality risk compared to no exposure (HR = 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.51–0.93, p = 0.016). In the lithium-exposed subgroup, sustained use was also protective compared to partial/intermittent exposure (HR = 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51–0.97, p = 0.03). No significant interaction was observed between sustained lithium use and comorbidity burden. Sensitivity analyses confirmed this effect at lower dose thresholds but not at higher ones.
Conclusions
Sustained lithium use is associated with improved survival in BD. Discontinuous exposure does not confer the same benefit. Ensuring treatment continuity may maximize lithium’s protective effect and improve long-term outcomes.
Schizophrenia is known to be a disabling psychiatric condition with wide reaching impact on everyday functioning and outcomes. These functional outcomes include increases in all-cause mortality (especially suicide and injury), cognitive and functional capacity deficits, lower reported levels of quality of life (QoL), increased incarceration, higher risk for violence and victimization, and homelessness. Studies have shown that medications and outpatient services can improve each of these functional outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia. However, most studies of pharmacological treatment utilize rating scales that do not reflect these real-world outcomes. This review looks at available studies focused on real-world outcomes and argues for an expansion of this body of research.
To assess the association between coffee consumption and life expectancy among the US adults.
Design:
Prospective cohort.
Setting:
National representative survey in the United States, 2001–2018.
Participants:
A total of 43 114 participants aged 20 years or older with complete coffee consumption data were included from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001–2018.
Results:
Over a median follow-up of 8·7 years, 6234 total deaths occurred, encompassing 1929 deaths from CVD and 1411 deaths from cancer. Based on the nationally representative survey, we found that coffee consumption is associated with longer life expectancy. The estimated life expectancy at age 50 was 30·06 years (95 % CI, 29·68, 30·44), 30·82 years (30·12, 31·57), 32·08 years (31·52, 32·70), 31·24 years (30·29, 32·19), and 31·45 years (30·39, 32·60) in participants consuming 0, ≤ 1, 1 to ≤ 2, 2 to ≤ 3, and > 3 cups of coffee per day, respectively. Consequently, compared with non-coffee drinkers, participants who consumed 1 to ≤ 2 cups/day had a gain of 2·02 years (1·17, 2·85) in life expectancy on average, attributable to a 0·61-year (29·72 %) reduction in CVD deaths. Similar benefits were found in both males and females.
Conclusion:
Our findings suggest that moderate coffee consumption (approximately 2 cups per day) could be recommended as a valuable component of a healthy diet and may be an adjustable effective intervention measure to increase life expectancy.
Adherence to healthy dietary patterns, including fruits, vegetables and whole grains, is linked to improved health outcomes. However, limited research has explored this association in Latin American populations. This study aimed to investigate the association between adherence to a healthy eating score (unweighted and weighted) and all-cause mortality risk in a Chilean population. This longitudinal study included 5336 Chilean participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2016 and 2017. Six healthy eating habits were considered to produce the healthy eating score (range: 0–12): consumption of seafood, whole grains, dairy products, fruits, vegetables and legumes. A weighted score was also developed. Participants were categorised into quartiles based on their final scores, with the healthiest quartile used as the reference group. Associations between healthy eating score and all-cause mortality were performed using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders. After a median follow-up of 5·1 years, 276 (5·2 %) participants died. In the fully adjusted model, compared with participants in the healthiest quartile of the score (Q4), those in the unhealthiest quartile (Q1) had 1·61 (95 % CI: 1·14, 2·27) times higher all-cause mortality risk. A similar association was observed for the weighted healthy eating score (1·52 (95 % CI: 1·03, 2·23)). An inverse trend was observed for both scores (P < 0·05). Sensitivity analyses excluding participants who died within the first 2 years showed consistent results 1·63 (95 % CI: 1·09, 2·42). Individuals with the lowest healthy eating score (unweighted or weighted) had a higher mortality risk compared with their counterparts. A healthy eating score is associated with mortality risk in the Chilean population.
We assessed whether the motor component of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCSm) is independently associated with unfavorable outcomes in aggressively treated poor-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients.
Methods:
Retrospective cohort of poor-grade SAH patients (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) grades IV and V). The best GCSm score achieved within 24 h of admission was stratified into four categories (<4, 4, 5 or 6). Outcomes were classified as favorable [modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 2] or unfavorable (mRS ≥ 3). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of unfavorable outcome.
Results:
A total of 179 patients were admitted during the study period (mean age 55.9 ± 12.1; 68.2% female). Thirty-three patients (33/179 – 18%) died before aneurysm treatment, one patient had missing GCSm data at 24 h and sixteen patients (16/179; 9%) were lost to follow-up. One hundred and twenty-nine patients (129/179 – 72%) were included in the final analysis. No patient with GCSm < 4 had a favorable outcome (sensitivity 22.4%, specificity 100%, positive predictive value 100% and negative predictive value 67.8% for unfavorable outcome). Delayed cerebral ischemia-related cerebral infarction (odds ratio (OR) 4.06; 1.56−11.11 95% CI, p = 0.004) and the best GCSm score were independently associated with unfavorable outcome. There was a stepwise decrease in the rate of unfavorable outcome from GCSm < 4 to GCSm = 6 (<4 = 100%; 4 = 80%; 5 = 46% and 6 = 20%). Each one-point decrease in GCSm score was associated with an OR of 3.52 (1.77−7.92 95% CI, p = < 0.001) for unfavorable outcome.
Conclusion:
The GCSm score was independently associated with unfavorable outcome. All patients with a GCSm score < 4 experienced an unfavorable outcome.
Considering the high likelihood of chronicity, it is imperative to understand the risk factors and outcomes associated with severe anorexia nervosa (AN), for which Danish registers provide a unique opportunity. We developed a measure of AN severity adapted from clinical literature for use in register-based research.
Methods
The study population included all Danish individuals born between 1963 and 2007 who were diagnosed with AN from 1969 to 2013. Using register data, we constructed the anorexia nervosa register-based severity index (AN-RSI), incorporating early or late illness onset, number of inpatient admissions and outpatient treatments, cumulative treatment length, and illness duration, each weighted based on clinical importance. Associations between AN-RSI scores, evaluated 5 years after first AN diagnosis, and mortality were estimated using survival analysis.
Results
Among 9167 individuals diagnosed with AN, 132 died during follow-up: 17 from AN, 30 from suicide, and 85 from other causes. Higher AN-RSI scores were associated with increased rates of mortality from AN, somatic anorexia diagnosis, suicide, alcohol-related causes, and any cause. AN cases who scored in the top 20% of AN-RSI had especially high mortality rates. Furthermore, severe AN cases were also more likely to be in treatment in the next 5 years after severity was established.
Conclusions
AN-RSI effectively captures mortality and long-term treatment in the absence of detailed patient records and is associated with later mortality in AN patients. AN-RSI could serve as a tool to examine epidemiological and genetic risk factors associated with AN course and outcomes.
As the population ages, the provision of adult long-term care (LTC) is one of the major challenges facing the UK and other developed nations. LTC funding for the elderly is complex, reflecting the range and level of services provided, with the total cost depending on the duration of LTC required. Institutional care settings (e.g., nursing/residential care homes) represent the most expensive form of LTC. Planning and funding for institutional LTC requires an understanding of the factors affecting the mortality (and hence duration and cost of care) of such LTC recipients. Using data provided by Bupa, one of the largest LTC providers in Britain, this paper investigates factors affecting the mortality of residents of institutional LTC facilities over the period 2016-2019. Consistent with existing research, most residents were female and had a higher average age profile compared with male residents. For those residents who died during the investigation period, the average length of stay was approximately 1.6 times longer for females relative to males. For both males and females, new residents experienced higher mortality in the first-year post admission compared to existing residents. Variations in the mortality of the residents were analysed by condition, funding status and care type on admission.
People with opioid use disorder (OUD) have substantially higher standardised mortality rates compared with the general population. However, lack of individualised prognostic information presents challenges in personalisation of addiction treatment delivery.
Aims
To develop and validate the first prognostic models to estimate 6-month all-cause and drug-related mortality risk for people diagnosed with OUD using indicators recorded at baseline assessment in addiction services in England.
Method
Thirteen candidate prognostic variables, including sociodemographic, injecting status and health and mental health factors, were identified from nationally linked addiction treatment, hospital admission and death records from 1 April 2013 to 1 April 2022. Multivariable Cox regression models were developed with a fractional polynomial approach for continuous variables, and missing data were addressed using multiple imputation by chained equations. Validation was undertaken using bootstrapping methods. Discrimination was assessed using Harrel’s C and D statistics alongside examination of observed-to-predicted event rates and calibration curve slopes.
Results
Data were available for 236 064 people with OUD, with 2427 deaths due to any cause, including 1289 due to drug-related causes. Both final models demonstrated good optimism-adjusted discrimination and calibration, with all-cause and drug-related models, respectively, demonstrating Harrell’s C statistics of 0.73 (95% CI 0.71–0.75) and 0.74 (95% CI 0.72–0.76), D-statistics of 1.01 (95% CI 0.95–1.08) and 1.07 (95% CI 0.98–1.16) and calibration slopes of 1.01 (95% CI 0.95–1.08) and 1.01 (95% CI 0.94–1.10).
Conclusions
We developed and internally validated Roberts’ OUD mortality risk, with the first models to accurately quantify individualised absolute 6-month mortality risks in people with OUD presenting to addiction services. Independent validation is warranted to ensure these models have the optimal utility to assist wider future policy, commissioning and clinical decision-making.
Educational opportunities and outcomes will determine whether a society thrives or merely survives a 100-year-life. Nations should ensure that educational opportunity gaps do not continue to leave behind children of color and children from low-income households who too often receive inferior educational opportunities. The US should adopt law and policy reforms that help to close these gaps and ensure that all children receive a high-quality education that will empower them to make the personal and professional adaptations that are essential for thriving over a 100-year-life.
We examine the impact of decentralisation on COVID-19 mortality and various health outcomes. Specifically, we investigate whether decentralised health systems, which facilitated greater regional participation and information sharing, were more effective in saving lives. Our analysis makes three contributions. First, we draw on evidence from several European countries to assess whether the decentralisation of health systems influenced COVID-19 mortality rates. Second, we explore the regional disparities in one of the most decentralised health systems, Spain, to untangle some of the determinants shaping health outcomes. Third, we estimate the regional loss of Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) due to COVID-19 mortality, broken down by the wave of the pandemic. Our findings suggest that coordinated decentralisation played a critical role in saving lives throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although dementia is a terminal condition, palliation can be a challenge for clinical services. As dementia progresses, people frequently develop behavioural and psychological symptoms, sometimes so severe they require care in specialist dementia mental health wards. Although these are often a marker of late disease, there has been little research on the mortality of people admitted to these wards.
Aims
We sought to describe the mortality of this group, both on-ward and after discharge, and to investigate clinical features predicting 1-year mortality.
Method
First, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 576 people with dementia admitted to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust dementia wards over an 8-year period. We attempted to identify predictors of mortality and build predictive machine learning models. To investigate deaths occurring during admission, we conducted a second analysis as a retrospective service evaluation involving mental health wards for people with dementia at four NHS trusts, including 1976 admissions over 7 years.
Results
Survival following admission showed high variability, with a median of 1201 days (3.3 years). We were not able to accurately predict those at high risk of death from clinical data. We found that on-ward mortality remains rare but had increased from 3 deaths per year in 2013 to 13 in 2019.
Conclusions
We suggest that arrangements to ensure effective palliation are available on all such wards. It is not clear where discussions around end-of-life care are best placed in the dementia pathway, but we suggest it should be considered at admission.
A fundamental problem in descriptive epidemiology is how to make meaningful and robust comparisons between different populations, or within the same population over different periods. The problem has several dimensions. First, the data we have to work with (e.g. incident and prevalent cases, and deaths) is rarely usable in its raw form. We must therefore transform it in some way before undertaking the comparison itself. Second, our data usually tells us about fundamentally different attributes of the populations we are seeking to compare. If we are only ever interested in comparing any one of these attributes at a time (mortality, for example), then one of several simple and well-established transformations is all that is typically required. Increasingly, however, epidemiologists are being asked to bring these attributes together into more integrated and meaningful comparisons.