Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between glycemic control and mental health in community-dwelling older people with diabetes mellitus (DM) from insights that contribute to the management of diabetes in consideration of quality of life (QOL).

Methods: We used the data of the Septuagenarians, Octogenarians and Nonagenarians Investigation with Centenarians (SONIC) study, a prospective cohort study of community-dwelling older people. The present study included 2,051 older subjects of 70±1 years, 80±1 years and 90±1 years of age. We conducted medical interviews, blood sampling, and the subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire (WHO-5-J) at the venue. Three hundred sixty-eight people were diagnosed with DM. The subjects of this study were 192 people who were undergoing drug therapy for glycemic control. A multiple regression analysis was performed to clarify the relationship between glycemic control (divided as follows: HbA1c<7.0%, good control group; HbA1c≥7.0%, poor control group) and the WHO-5-J score, as the dependent variable, after adjusting for any confounding factors.

Results: In subjects of 70 years of age, a negative association was found between glycemic control and the WHO-5-J score, with the good control group showing a significantly lower score (β: −0.468, p<0.01) in comparison to the poor control group. In detail, we observed a significant difference in the sub-items of WHO-5-J, question item 3, "I have felt active and vigorous" at 70 years of age (good control group, 2.56±1.37; poor control group, 3.21±1.18; p=0.021) and question item 5, "My daily life has been filled with things that interest me" (good control group, 2.44±1.21; poor control group, 3.11±1.11; p=0.009). As for the two questions, the WHO-5-J scores were lower in the good control group. These associations showed no statistical significance at 80 years of age or 90 years of age.

Conclusion: The results obtained in this study indicated that strict glycemic control management of diabetes mellitus may lead to a lower mental QOL in younger elderly individuals (70 years of age). Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the mental burdens of the management of glycemic control in older people with DM.

Aim: Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used. However, reports of their adverse effects are increasing. Older patients are prone to developing hyponatremia due to various factors. The special environment of a geriatric healthcare facility tends to subject these patients to long-term medication use. Therefore, we hypothesized that nursing home residents receiving PPIs will present hyponatremia.

Methods: The residents of Shonan Silver Garden, a long-term care health facility for older adults, were divided into two groups: a control group (n=61) which did not receive proton-pump inhibitors and a PPI group (n=29), which received proton-pump inhibitors for at least 6 months. The PPI group was further divided into the lansoprazole group (LPZ group) and the other PPI group. Other PPI users were excluded due to small numbers. The blood test results were compared between the control and LPZ groups. In the LPZ group, blood samples were taken 1 month after the discontinuation of lansoprazole, and serum Na level was compared to the level before discontinuation.

Results: Blood Na levels in the PPI were lower than those in the control group, and hyponatremia (<136 mEq/L) was more frequent in the LPZ group than in the control group. There were no significant differences in other blood test parameters between the control and LPZ groups. At one month after the discontinuation of lansoprazole, serum Na levels were significantly increased; however, they remained lower than those in the control group.

Conclusion: A higher rate of hyponatremia was induced in older residents of long-term care facilities who took lansoprazole for >6 months in comparison to those who did not take lansoprazole.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to categorize and clarify transitions in the health status of older adults living in the community during the coronavirus disease (coronavirus disease 2019: COVID-19) pandemic.

Methods: The participants were older adults (≥65 years of age) who lived in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture. The survey items included basic information and subjective health perception (questionnaire for medical checkup of old-old). Latent class analyses were conducted for the first (baseline) and second surveys (6 months). The scores for each item were compared to identify the characteristics of each class at baseline and at 6 months. In addition, transitions in class affiliation from baseline to 6 months were summarized.

Results: A total of 434 of 1,953 participants (mean age: 79.1 years, 98 males and 336 females) completed the survey (22.2%). In both time periods, the responses were categorized into four classes: 1) good, 2) poor physical, oral and cognitive function, 3) poor social status and lifestyle, and 4) poor in all except social status and lifestyle. During 6 months of follow-up, a transition from the generally good class to the poor physical, oral and cognitive functions class was observed in many cases.

Conclusions: The health status of the older adults living in the community was classified into four classes, and changes in health status occurred even within a short period of time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To evaluate the screening performance and validity of the "Koshi-heso" (waist-umbilicus) test for visceral fatty obesity in elderly diabetic patients.

Methods: Subjects were diabetic patients ≥65 years old visiting our outpatient clinic. As a "Koshi-heso" test, the distance between the umbilicus and the superior border of the iliac crest (waist) was measured with the patient's own finger. When the index finger reached the umbilicus and there was a gap between the finger and the abdominal wall, the patient was classified as "smaller"; when the index finger reached the umbilicus and there was no gap between the finger and the abdominal wall, the patient was classified as "just fit"; and when the index finger did not reach the umbilicus, the patient was classified as "bigger". Abdominal circumference was used to assess visceral fat obesity, with a cut-off value of ≥85 cm for men and ≥90 cm for women. Visceral fat mass and body fat percentage were evaluated by the multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance method. The sensitivity and specificity of the waist-umbilical test for visceral fat obesity were calculated. Pearson's correlation coefficients between the "Koshi-heso" test and visceral fat mass and body fat percentage were calculated to evaluate the validity of the test. Furthermore, the association between the "Koshi-heso" test and risk factors for vascular disease, microvascular complications and cardiovascular disease was assessed by a logistic analysis.

Results: A total of 221 patients were included in the analysis population of the study. The cut-off values of "just fit" in men (sensitivity 0.96, specificity 0.62) and "bigger" in women (sensitivity 0.76, specificity 0.78) were optimal. Furthermore, the "Koshi-heso" test was significantly correlated with abdominal visceral fat mass and body fat percentage as well as with vascular disease risk factors and microvascular complications.

Conclusion: The "Koshi-heso" test was able to be used as a screening method for visceral fatty obesity in elderly diabetic patients.

A 79-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute noncardioembolic stroke on division of the left middle cerebral artery with non-fluent aphasia. Although she was treated with dual antiplatelet therapy of aspirin and clopidogrel at first, she suffered a second stroke with enlargement of the same stroke lesion and worsening aphasia symptoms. There were only 46 days between the initial onset and recurrent stroke event.

She had been diagnosed with polycythemia vera (PV) based on an increase in the blood cell count and a JAK2 mutation. The administration of hydroxyurea was effective for normalizing the blood cell count and preventing stroke recurrence. Cerebral infarction with or without any risk factors accompanied by an elevated blood cell count with a hematocrit value >45% can be PV, so it is necessary to start cytoreductive therapy as soon as possible in such cases.

We herein report the outcomes of rehabilitation intervention for a patient in his 80s with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on prolonged mechanical ventilation after COVID-19 infection. The patient was forced to be long-term bedridden due to respirator dependence, showing notable muscle weakness and needing full assistance for all of his activities of daily living (ADL). We implemented rehabilitation for the purposes of withdrawal from mechanical ventilation and improvement of his physical function. We provided a combination program of range of motion exercise, resistance training, and gradual mobilization, such as sitting on the edge of the bed, moving between the bed and wheelchair, sitting on the wheelchair, standing and walking. After rehabilitation for 24 days, the patient was withdrawn from mechanical ventilation, his muscle strength recovered to a level of 4 (Good) on manual muscle testing (MMT) and he became able to walk using a walker. A follow-up survey one year later confirmed that he performed ADL without assistance and returned to work.