Aging / Geriatrics
The latest information on gerontology — summaries and comments on Alzheimer Disease, arthritis, dementia, Parkinson Disease, and more — from across our primary care and specialty care areas. Sign up now for monthly e-mail alerts on new content.
CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE WATCH
Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule for 2010
- February 9, 2010
- Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, FASAM
- General Medicine
Few changes this year
- Reviewing:
- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Ann Intern Med 2010 Jan 5; 152:36
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Does the Choice of Antihypertensive Agent Affect Risk for AFib?
- February 3, 2010
- Joel M. Gore, MD
- Cardiology
In a case-control study, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and beta-blockers were associated with a reduction in incident AF compared with calcium-channel blockers.
- Reviewing:
- Schaer BA et al. Ann Intern Med 2010 Jan 19; 152:78
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Cardiovascular Safety of Inhaled Anticholinergic Agents for COPD
- February 2, 2010
- Allan S. Brett, MD
- General Medicine
Two new analyses of tiotropium and ipratropium yield different results.
- Reviewing:
- Celli B et al. Chest 2010 Jan; 137:20
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Doxycycline Plus Steroids for COPD Exacerbations
- February 2, 2010
- Allan S. Brett, MD
- General Medicine
Adding doxycycline to steroids helped resolve symptoms at 10 days in a subgroup of COPD patients.
- Reviewing:
- Daniels JMA et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2010 Jan 15; 181:150
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Physical Activity, BMI, and Diabetes Risk in the Physicians' Health Study
- February 2, 2010
- Jamaluddin Moloo, MD, MPH
- General Medicine
Exercise lowered diabetes risk, but obese patients benefited significantly only by exercising at least 5 times weekly.
- Reviewing:
- Siegel LC et al. Am J Med 2009 Dec; 122:1115
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Ca and D
- January 29, 2010
- Mark V. Dahl, MD
- Dermatology
Higher serum 25(OH)D levels were associated with lower levels of nonmelanoma skin cancer in elderly men.
- Reviewing:
- Tang JY et al. Cancer Causes Control 2009 Nov 18
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Consequences of Increasing Co-Payments for Ambulatory CareFree
- January 28, 2010
- Allan S. Brett, MD
- General Medicine
Even small increases in cost-sharing were associated with fewer outpatient visits and more inpatient admissions among elders. CME
- Reviewing:
- Trivedi AN et al. N Engl J Med 2010 Jan 28; 362:320
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Do Marine 
-3 Fatty Acids Slow Cellular Aging?
- January 28, 2010
- Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
- General Medicine
Telomere length might tie together benefits of fatty acids and exercise.
- Reviewing:
- Farzaneh-Far R et al. JAMA 2010 Jan 20; 303:250
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Overweight and Mortality in an Older Population
- January 19, 2010
- Allan S. Brett, MD
- General Medicine
Above-normal BMI was somewhat protective in women.
- Reviewing:
- Stessman J et al. J Am Geriatr Soc 2009 Dec; 57:2232
SUMMARY AND COMMENT
Air Pollution and Pneumonia
- January 13, 2010
- Neil M. Ampel, MD
- Infectious Diseases
Among older adults, long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine particulates was associated with hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia.
- Reviewing:
- Neupane B et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2010 Jan 1; 181:47
