Maturitas
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Early age at menarche has been reported to be associated with increased risks of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and coronary heart disease (CHD) in adulthood, but a late menarche has also been found to be associated with an increased risk of CHD. Both T2D and CHD are important risk factors for developing heart failure (HF). We examined the relationship between age at menarche (AAM) and HF incidence in women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - Netherlands (EPIC-NL) cohort study. ⋯ Older AAM reduced the risk of HF in this study. BMI, prevalent CHD, hypertension and prevalent T2D seemed to mediate this association. Future research with a longer follow-up should establish whether there is an independent effect of AAM on HF risk. Also, further phenotyping of HF cases is necessary to enable whether the associations differ for the various subtypes of HF.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The impact of physical exercise on cognitive and affective functions and serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in nursing home residents: A randomized controlled trial.
To determine the effects of a multicomponent physical exercise program on cognitive and affective functioning among nursing home residents and to clarify whether there are any changes in serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) among participants. ⋯ A six-month individualized, progressive, multicomponent physical exercise intervention is effective at maintaining cognitive function and decreasing perceptions of loneliness among nursing home residents. Blood levels of BDNF were not affected by the intervention.