The objective of the study was to establish the prevalence rate of depression among the elderly population (those 60 and older) who frequent community centers. From February to July of 2001, a cross-sectional survey was conducted with elderly people from community centers in Taguatinga, Brasilia, FD (Federal District). The sample included 118 elderly people, distributed in five-year age brackets, who responded to a simplified version of the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale with 15 questions. Anova and the Tukey test were performed to analyze differences between the age groups with 95% confidence intervals. The sample was predominantly female (90%) with the majority reporting being in the age bracket of 60 to 64 years old (31%). Depression was reported by 36 respondents (31%) and severe depression was reported by 4% of those interviewed, all of whom were in the age bracket of 60 to 64 (representing 14% of this group). National programs should be developed in community centers focused on decreasing depression among the elderly population.

Objective. To determine the factors related to falls of a group of independent and autonomous elderly women.MethOds. This was a descriptive study of 83 elderly women enrolled on the Elderly Health Promotion Project at the Universidade Católica de Brasília. They replied to questionnaires on their age, sociodemographic factors, dizziness, use of continuous medication, self-perception of health and vision and underwent the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale, Functional Reach Test and Tinetti PerformanceOriented Mobility Assessment. Results. No statistical relationship was identified between age, social demographic factors, dizziness, or negative self-perception of health and vision and fall phenomena. However there was a significant statistical relationship with the Functional Reach Test and Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment. cOnclusiOn. Elderly women's ability to balance was the major factor related to fall events. Functional Reach Test and Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment were considered effective for predicting risk of falling, indicating that they could be used for assessment and identification of improved balance after training.

entre pessoas com 9 a 11 anos de educação formal. Entre as regiões, quanto menor o nível de escolaridade, maior a prevalência de hipertensão. Conclusão: a prevalência da HAS acima dos 65 anos não seguiu uma tendência linear, mas manteve-se elevada, com predomínio em idosos do sexo feminino e em idosos com baixa escolaridade, chamando a atenção para a necessidade de ações de prevenção dos fatores de risco e acompanhamento em longo prazo dos idosos hipertensos. AbstractObjective: to observe the evolution of the prevalence of hypertension in the Brazilian elderly population between 2006 and 2010. Methods: descriptive, ecological, quantitative study of the prevalence of hypertension among the Brazilian population aged 65 years or above, with data collected through telephone interviews from 2006 to 2010, obtained from the Information Technology Department of the Brazilian Public Health System (DATASUS), related to sex, region and education. Results: we found no significant difference in the prevalence of hypertension across Brazilian regions in the period analyzed. In women aged 65 years or above, the prevalence of hypertension was higher than in men in that same age group. With regard to education, we found that in people with 9-11 years of schooling the prevalence of hypertension in 2006 was significantly lower than in 2008 and 2009. Across Brazilian regions, the lower the education level the higher the prevalence of hypertension. Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension in the population aged 65 years or above did not follow a linear trend but remained elevated, predominantly in elderly females and elderly people with low schooling, calling attention to the importance of preventing risk factors and to the long-term follow-up of people with hypertension. ResumenObjetivo: observar la evolución de la prevalencia de la hipertensión arterial (HTA) en los ancianos entre 2006 y 2010 en Brasil. Métodos: estudio descriptivo, ecológico, cuantitativo, de un periodo comprendido entre 2006 a 2010 con datos recogidos del Departamento de Informática del Sistema Único de Salud (DATASUS), relacionada con el sexo, la región y la educación en un grupo de edad de 65 años o más. Resultados: en el análisis entre las regiones de Brasil no hay diferencia significativa en los años analizados. En la comparación entre los sexos, la prevalencia de hipertensión en personas con 65 años o más fue mayor en mujeres que en hombres. En la escolaridad, fue encontrado que, con 9-11 años de estudio, la prevalencia en 2006 fue significativamente menor que en los años 2008 y 2009. Entre las regiones, cuanto menor sea el nivel de escolaridad, mayor es la prevalencia de la hipertensión. Conclusión: la prevalencia de la hipertensión en personas con más de 65 años no siguió una tendencia lineal, sino que se mantuvo elevada, sobre todo en mujeres de edad avanzada y en las personas mayores con baja escolaridad, llamando la atención sobre las acciones preventivas y de vigilancia de factores de riesgo en largo plazo en los hipertensos.

In worldwide studies, interleukin-6 (IL-6) is implicated in age-related disturbances. The aim of the present report was to determine the possible association of IL-6 -174 C/G promoter polymorphism with the cytokine profile as well as with the presence of selected cardiovascular risk features. This was a cross-sectional study on Brazilian women aged 60 years or older. A sample of 193 subjects was investigated for impaired glucose regulation, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Genotyping was done by direct sequencing of PCR products. IL-6 and C-reactive protein were quantified by high-sensitivity assays. General linear regression models or the Student t-test were used to compare continuous variables among genotypes, followed by adjustments for confounding variables. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables. The genotypes were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium proportions. In a recessive model, mean waist-to-hip ratio, serum glycated hemoglobin and serum glucose were markedly lower in C homozygotes (P = 0.001, 0.028, and 0.047, respectively). In a dominant hypothesis, G homozygotes displayed a trend towards higher levels of circulating IL-6 (P = 0.092). Non-parametric analysis revealed that impaired fasting glucose and hypertension were findings approximately 2-fold more frequent among G homozygous subjects (P = 0.042 and 0.043, respectively). Taken together, our results show that the IL-6 -174 G-allele is implicated in a greater cardiovascular risk. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of IL-6 promoter variants and agerelated disturbances in the Brazilian elderly population.

97 Fatores de risco e medidas profiláticas nas pneumonias adquiridas na comunidade

Objective: To determine the prevalence of smoking among elderly patients admitted to long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and to determine whether the degree of nicotine dependence is associated with sociodemographic variables, affective ties, motivation for smoking cessation and depression. Methods: Cross-sectional, population-based study involving 573 individuals over the age of 60, admitted to 13 LTCFs in the Federal District of Brasília, Brazil. We analyzed the following variables: type of LTCF, gender, age, level of education, monthly income, marital status, retirement status, affective ties, probable depression, motivation for smoking cessation and degree of nicotine dependence. In order to collect these data, the following instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire; the Flanagan Quality of Life Scale; the Mini-Mental State Examination; the Geriatric Depression Scale; the Richmond test; and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Results: The prevalence of smokers in the study sample (573 individuals) was 23.0%. Of the 132 smokers, there were 90 males (25.8%) and 42 females (18.7%). Of these, 116 smokers were included in the study, 70 of whom (60.3%) presented with probable depression. The degree of nicotine dependence was found to be significantly associated with level of education, monthly income, affective ties, motivation for smoking cessation and probable depression, although not with the type of LTCF, gender, age, retirement status or marital status. Conclusions: Among elderly patients admitted to LTCFs in the Federal District of Brasília, the prevalence of smoking is high and the motivation for smoking cessation is low. Keywords:Smoking; Homes for the aged; Health services for the aged. ResumoObjetivo: Determinar a prevalência de tabagismo entre idosos internados em instituições de longa permanência para idosos (ILPIs) e verificar a associação do grau de dependência nicotínica com variáveis sociodemográficas, vínculo afetivo, motivação para cessação e depressão. Métodos: Estudo transversal de base populacional, incluindo 573 idosos com idade ≥ 60 anos, internados em 13 ILPIs no Distrito Federal. Foram analisadas as seguintes variáveis: tipo de ILPI, gênero, idade, escolaridade, renda mensal, estado civil, condição previdenciária, vínculo afetivo, motivação para a cessação, depressão provável e o grau de dependência nicotínica. Para a obtenção dos dados, foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos: questionário sociodemográfico, Escala de Qualidade de Vida de Flanagan, Miniexame do Estado Mental, Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, teste de Richmond e Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina. Resultados: A prevalência geral de fumantes na amostra (573 indivíduos) foi de 23,0%. Dos 132 fumantes, havia 81 homens (24,9%) e 35 mulheres (20,1%). Foram incluídos no estudo 116 fumantes, dos quais 70 (60,3%) apresentavam depressão provável. Houve significativas associações entre o grau de dependência nicotínica e as seguintes variáveis: escolaridade, renda mensal, vínculo afetivo, m...

Studies show that genetic polymorphisms in apolipoproteins, which are in charge of lipid transport, predispose to atherogenic dyslipidemia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of apolipoprotein E, A5, and B genotypes and dietary intake on lipid profile in a sample of elderly women in Brazil. Two hundred and fifty-two women (60 years or older) living in the outskirts of the Brazilian Federal District underwent clinical and laboratory assessments to characterize glycemic and lipidemic variables, and also to exclude confounding factors (smoking, drinking, hormone replacement, cognitive impairment, physical activity). Three-day food records were used to determine usual dietary intake, whereas genotypic evaluations were in accordance to established methodologies. Genotype frequencies were consistent with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Prior to adjustment, individuals carrying the epsilon2 allele showed higher serum levels of triglycerides (P<0.05) and VLDL (P<0.005) compared to epsilon4 carriers, whereas LDL levels were considerably elevated in epsilon4 compared to epsilon2 carriers. In the presence of high intake of total fat or a low ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid, epsilon4 carriers lost protection against hypertriglyceridemia. There was no association of the apolipoprotein A5 and B genotypes with lipidemic levels independently of the fat intake regimen. Results are suggestive of a dysbetalipoproteinemic-like phenotype in postmenopausal women, with remarkable gene-diet interaction.

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