Biomedical subjects

Wilson Jacob Filho

Publications and source records attributed to Wilson Jacob Filho.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Brain bank of the Brazilian aging brain study group - a milestone reached and more than 1,600 collected brains.

INTRODUCTION: Brain banking remains a necessity for the study of aging brain processes and related neurodegenerative diseases. In the present paper, we report the methods applied at and the first results of the Brain Bank of the Brazilian Aging Brain Study Group (BBBABSG) which has two main aims: (1) To collect a large number of brains of elderly comprising non-demented subjects and a large spectrum of pathologies related to aging brain processes, (2) To provide quality material to a multidisciplinar research network unraveling multiple aspects of aging brain processes and related neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS: The subjects are selected from the Sao Paulo Autopsy Service. Brain parts are frozen and fixated. CSF, carotids, kidney, heart and blood are also collected and DNA is extracted. The neuropathological examinations are carried out based on accepted criteria, using immunohistochemistry. Functional status are assessed through a collateral source based on a clinical protocol. Protocols are approved by the local ethics committee and a written informed consent form is obtained. RESULTS: During the first 21 months, 1,602 samples were collected and were classified by Clinical Dementia Rating as CDR0: 65.7%; CDR0.5:12.6%, CDR1:8.2%, CDR2:5.4%, and CDR3:8.1%. On average, the cost for the processing each case stood at 400 US dollars. To date, 14 laboratories have been benefited by the BBBABSG. CONCLUSION: The high percentage of non- demented subjects and the ethnic diversity of this series may be significantly contributive toward aging brain processes and related neurodegenerative diseases understanding since BBBABSG outcomes may provide investigators the answers to some additional questions.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Falls by elders with moderate levels of movement functionality.

PURPOSE: To trace the socio-functional and clinical profiles of elders with moderate levels of movement functionality as determined by the Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA Ia), and to compare the groups having high and moderate levels of functionality regarding the frequency of falls and identifiable risk factors. METHODS: The research involved 49 elders (with an average age of 71.24, SD 5.47) who were seeking medical care in the geriatric unit of a tertiary care hospital. Study participants were evaluated regarding their balance and gait (POMA Ia assessment), muscle strength (chair-stand test), gait velocity (timed up and go test), incidence of falls, and other clinical risk factors. RESULTS: The moderate functionality group reported significantly more falls (14) compared with the high functionality group (3). Of the risk factors evaluated, the presence of depression or of a psychiatric record was significantly more frequent in the moderate-functionality group but was not correlated with an increase in falls., Muscle weakness was found significantly more frequently in the moderate-functionality group and was significantly correlated with an increased frequency of falls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the POMA Ia assessment can identify individuals with an increased risk of falling, and the treatment of risk factors such as depression or a psychiatric record, and muscle weakness could help prevent the occurrence of falls in elders with moderate functionality as determined by the POMA Ia assessment.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2004

Effect of an exercise program on functional performance of institutionalized elderly.

This study determined the effectiveness of a 6-month program of regular exercises for the improvement of functional performance of the elderly living in a nursing home. The 40 subjects aged 60 to 99 who took part in this trial were assigned either to a comparative group or an exercise group. The following variables were measured: functional performance with the use of an obstacle course, a lower-limb function test, and a 6-minute walk test (gait velocity); isometric strength of the knee extensors; proprioception of the lower limbs; mental status through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE); and depression symptoms with the use of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). In the exercise group, 19 subjects completed the program and attended an average of 32 (68%) sessions. At the end of the trial, the exercise subjects showed significant performance improvement in quantitative and qualitative obstacle course scores, lower-limb function test, gait velocity test, knee extensors strength, and the GDS, while the nonexercise subjects showed significant decrease in qualitative obstacle course score, lower-limb function, gait velocity, MMSE, and the GDS.

Affect↗

PubMed2003

[Combined instruments on the evaluation of dementia in the elderly: preliminary results].

OBJECTIVE: To determine if a functional scale combined with a cognitive test would improve the diagnostic accuracy of dementia. METHOD: Thirty patients with mild to moderate dementia, diagnosed according to ICD-10 and DSM-III-R criteria, and 46 elderly controls, divided into three groups according to their socioeconomic status and educational level (high, medium and low) were investigated. The subjects were assessed with the MMSE, and their informants were assessed with the scales IQCODE and B-ADL. RESULTS: On the logistic regression, the MMSE isolated classified correctly 86.8% of patients and controls (80% sensitivity and 91.3% specificity). The combination MMSE + IQCODE classified correctly 92.1% of the subjects (83.3% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity), and the combination MMSE + B-ADL classified correctly 92.1% of subjects (86.7% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the combination of a cognitive test with a functional scale can improve the detection of mild to moderate cases of dementia even on samples of a very heterogeneous population regarding its socioeconomic status and educational level, as the Brazilian.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Evaluation of health-related quality of life in low-income patients with COPD receiving long-term oxygen therapy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) in a low-income population of patients with hypoxemia and COPD receiving long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Large, tertiary care, university teaching hospital. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six patients with COPD requiring LTOT (mean age, 63.5 years; mean FEV(1), 32.1% of predicted; PaO(2), 50.2 mm Hg) and 33 control subjects with COPD but no severe hypoxemia (mean age, 63.1 years; FEV(1), 35.7%; PaO(2), 66.5 mm Hg). INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent pulmonary function testing to assess physiologic function and the degree of respiratory impairment. A baseline dyspnea index (BDI) was used to determine levels of dyspnea, and a 6-min walk test was performed to evaluate physical performance and exercise capacity. The St. George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36-item questionnaire (SF-36) were used to assess health status and HRQL. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The scores on the SGRQ and SF-36 indicated severe impairment. Patients receiving LTOT showed a trend toward worse scores on most dimensions of the SGRQ and SF-36, but differences between groups were only statistically significant for the physical functioning and social functioning dimensions of the SF-36. Dyspnea, as measured by the BDI, significantly correlated with all questionnaire domains except the SF-36 pain index. CONCLUSIONS: The HRQL of these low-income patients with COPD was markedly impaired, with more pronounced impairment in those receiving LTOT. The severity of dyspnea was a significant predictor of various components of quality of life in these patients.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

PubMed2002

Effects of resistance training on the sit-and-reach test in elderly women.

The study showed the effects of a 10-week resistance training program on flexibility of elderly women (n = 11) between 62 and 78 years of age. The control group was composed of 8 women (62 to 73 years old) who were physically inactive. Flexibility was evaluated through the sit-and-reach test, performed both before and after the training program. After an initial evaluation, individuals started a training program, which consisted of 8 exercises for the entire body, without the performance of any flexibility exercise. The training program resulted in significant increase (p < 0.001) of flexibility in elderly women (approximately equal 13%). No significant differences were found in the control group. We conclude that weight training without performance stretching exercises does increase flexibility in elderly women.

Aged↗