Predictors for Adherence to Treatment Strategies in Elderly HNSCC Patients

Finding a cure may be less important than ensuring the quality of life in elderly patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The aim of this study was to determine predictors for adherence. Clinical and pathological data from patients ≥70 years with HNSCC (initial diagnoses 2004-2018) were investigated retrospectively. Evaluated clinical predictors included biological age (Charlson Comorbidity Index; CCI), patient health (Karnofsky Performance Status; KPS) and therapy data. A total of 1125 patients were included. The median age was 75 years, 33.1% reached CCI ≥6, and 53.7% reached KPS ≤ 70%. In total, 968 patients were adherent, whereas 157 were nonadherent. Nonadherent patients were significantly more often smokers (p = 0.003), frequent drinkers (p = 0.001), had a worse health status (p ≤ 0.001) and a lower biological age (p = 0.003), an advanced T classification and lymph node involvement or UICC stage (each p ≤ 0.001). Approximately 88.0% of the included patients received a curative treatment recommendation. A total of 6.9% discontinued the therapy, and 7.0% refused the therapy. With the increasing complexity of a recommended therapy, adherence decreased. The 5-year overall survival was significantly higher in adherent patients (45.1% versus 19.2%). In contrast to the chronological patient age, biological age is a significant predictor for adherence. The evaluated predictors for nonadherence need to be verified prospectively.

Correlation of cutaneous blood microcirculation parameters with biological age in diabetic patients

Известно, что с возрастом и при ряде хронических заболеваний происходит снижение реактивности микроциркуляторного звена кровообращения. Целью данного исследования стала оценка взаимосвязи параметров кожной микроциркуляции с биологическим и хронологическим возрастом у пациентов с сахарным диабетом. В исследование были включены 11 человек с сахарным диабетом [медиана возраста 57 (51; 64) лет]; биологический возраст определяли с помощью калькулятора Aging.AI. Показатели кожной микроциркуляции оценивали с помощью метода лазерной допплеровской флоуметрии в ходе окклюзионно-теплового теста. Для анализа взаимосвязи количественных параметров рассчитывали коэффициенты ранговой корреляции Спирмена. Были выявлены значимые множественные отрицательные корреляции биологического возраста с показателями реактивности микрососудов как при тепловом, так и при окклюзионном воздействии (сила корреляций от -0,618 до -0,97, p<0,05). У лиц с сахарным диабетом снижение реактивности микрососудов в большей мере ассоциировано с биологическим возрастом, чем с хронологическим. It has been established that the age together with the number of chronic diseases cause the decrease of the reactivity of the microcirculatory bed. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between cutaneous microcirculation parameters and biological and chronological age of patients with diabetes mellitus. 11 diabetic patients (median age 57 (51; 64) years) were examined in course of this study; biological age was figured by Aging.AI calculator. Cutaneous microcirculation parameters were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry with an occlusion-heating test. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated to analyze the relationships between quantitative parameters. Significant multiple negative correlations of biological age and microvascular reactivity indices on exposure to both heat and occlusion (correlation strength from -0,618, to -0,97, p<0,05) were found. Diabetic patients have decreased microvascular reactivity that is more associated with biological age than with chronological age.

BIOLOGICAL AGE ESTIMATION BASED ON HEART RATE VARIABILITY: A PILOT STUDY

Introduction. Biomarkers of biological age (BA) are essential for anti-aging research and practice because of their prediction of life expectancy, detection of premature aging, and estimation of anti-ageing programs' effectiveness. The purpose of this study is a clinical validation of the method of biological age estimation based on the analysis of heart rate variability (HRV), artificial intelligence technologies, and biometric monitoring. Methods. In 51 patients who received wellness and rehabilitation services in the medical center "Edem Medical", biological age was determined based on the analysis of HRV and machine learning algorithms. A comparison was made between the proposed method and other known methods of biological age estimation. Biological age estimation by physicians which is based on the Frailty Index was chosen as a reference method. The second method was DNA methylation age (DNAm PhenoAge). This method predicts biological age based on nine parameters of blood (albumin, creatinine, glucose, C-reactive protein, lymphocytes [%], mean corpuscular volume [MCV], red cell distribution width [RDW], alkaline phosphatase, WBC count). Using the «leave one out» technique, an additional algorithm was created for approximating biological age in view of blood test parameters and ECG signals as input data. Morning HRV assessment was performed on empty stomach and after 10-minute rest in horizontal position. ECG was recorded using Mawi Vital multisensor device. The following statistical tests were used to reveal associations between different methods of biological age estimation: 1. bivariate correlation, 2. mean absolute error (MAE), 3. qualitative binary age estimation. Results. All tested methods of BA evaluation were strongly correlated with the reference method (physician-determined age). HRV based approach was superior in comparison with other methods. In 9 out of 10 cases, the qualitative binary age assessment using HRV coincided with the reference method. The HRV method was the most accurate for biological age estimation (3.62 vs 12.62) based on MAE. Conclusion. The method based on HRV is an affordable and convenient approach to biological age estimation. This method offers opportunities for early stratification of individuals at risk of accelerated aging. It combines well with the paradigm of 3 P medicine which is based on Prevention, Prediction, and Personalized approach to each patient

Personal factors of biological aging in working and non-working respondents in late maturity period

The aim was to study the influence of personal factors on the index of individual biological aging in men and women of mature age who continue to work and those who no longer work. The participants were 347 people, including 212 women aged 56-65 years and 111 men aged 61-69 years. Measurement of biological age, relative biological aging index, assessment of subjective psychological age, expected retirement age, life path questionnaire. Biological age was estimated using a formula that included indicators of metabolism, the work of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and balance organ systems; a psychological health questionnaire was also used. The lowest index of relative biological aging was found in people who continued to work part-time. There is a relationship between the index of relative biological aging and one's characteristics. For men, the index was lowered by the following factors: changing the place of residence, continuing to work after retirement, a high indicator of the expected retirement age, and increased by living in a large city. For women, the index was lowered by the following factors: changing the place of residence, continuing to work after retirement, a high indicator of the expected retirement age, higher education, creative hobbies, studying after retirement.

Maturation-dependent vulnerability of emotion regulation as a response to COVID-19 related stress in adolescents

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created highly unpredictable circumstances which resulted in increased levels of psychological strain. Here we investigate pandemic-related alterations in emotion regulation in adolescents assessed before and during the pandemic. We also take biological age into account in the response to the pandemic.Methods: We compared baseline data on the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) total scores of a pre-pandemic adolescent cohort (n=241) with those obtained during the second wave of the pandemic (n=266). We estimated biological age based on an ultrasonic boneage assessment procedure in a subgroup of males. We included both grammar school and vocational school students in the 9th and 10th grades and analyzed their data independently.Findings: There is a gender difference in the timing of vulnerability for pandemic-related stress in grammar school students: females are affected a year earlier than males. Vocational school male students mature faster than grammar school male students, and the timing of emotional vulnerability also precedes that of the grammar school students.Discussion: We interpret our findings in a developmental model suggesting that there might be a window of highest vulnerability in adolescent emotion regulation. The timing of the window is determined by both chronological and biological age, and it seems to be different for females and males.Application to Practice: Defining the exact temporal windows of vulnerability for different adolescent cohorts allows for the timely integration of preventive actions into adolescent care to protect mental health during future chronic stressful situations.

Eating and Lifestyle of University Students During the Worldwide Covid-19 Pandemic

Objective: The aim of this article was to find whether the global COVID-19 pandemic could affect eating habits in the form of breakfast as the first meal of the day, and whether due to the global COVID-19 pandemic there was achange in body weight in selected university students studying in the Czech Republic. Design:Structured anonymous online questionnaire survey Participans:Atotal of 628 university students studying in the Czech Republic (68.95% women; 31.05% men) mostly aged 20 to 29 (63.38%) Methods:Mathematical-statistical methods were used to ver- ify the established research questions, namely Pearson's chi- square test and to investigate the strength of the dependence - Cramer's V. Results and Conclusion:There is arelationship between reg- ular eating habits in the form of breakfast as the first morning meal of aday, before and during COVID-19 and gender and also the biological age of respondents. Furthermore, it was found that there is astatistically significant relationship be- tween the change in body weight during COVID-19 and gen- der, as well as the biological age of the respondents.