In individuals with severe mental illness (SMI), low muscle strength heightens the risk of mortality and chronic disease development. Routine muscle strength assessments could identify vulnerabilities, thereby reducing the growing burden associated with SMI. However, integration into clinical settings faces obstacles because of limited resources and inadequate healthcare staff training. The 5 sit-to-stand (5-STS) test offers an alternative for measuring muscle strength compared with more complex or demanding tests. Nevertheless, its validity in individuals with SMI remains unexplored.

This study aimed to analyse the criterion validity of the 5-STS test in SMI, considering potential age, gender and body mass index influences.

In a cross-sectional study following the ‘STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology’ (STROBE) guidelines, 82 adults with SMI (aged 18–65, 24 women) were assessed. Participants underwent both the 5-STS test and the isometric knee extension strength (KES) test.

Analysis revealed a significant moderate correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (−0.58 for both) for all participants, indicating that the measures are valid and assess related aspects of the same construct. Strong agreement was observed in women and the older age groups. The 5-STS test demonstrated accuracy, with a standard error of estimate lower than the within-subject variability on the KES test. Bland–Altman plots showed limits of agreement values of −3.39 and 3.52 for the entire sample, and heteroscedasticity analyses indicated consistent differences between the 5-STS and KES tests across all groups analysed, except in the women's group.

The 5-STS test seems to be a valid test for assessing muscle strength in individuals with SMI, supporting its usefulness for routine assessment in clinical settings, facilitating detection and intervention in critical situations.

Electroanatomic mapping (EAM) has been shown to be an alternative procedure to fluoroscopy for the implantation of conduction system pacing (His-bundle pacing [HBP] and left bundle branch pacing [LBBP]) in patients with severe bradyarrhythmias, mainly those vulnerable to ionizing radiation. However, the evidence of its beneficial and harmful effects has not been assessed in a systematic review (SR).

An SR of the available scientific literature was conducted on the safety, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of implantation of the HBP and LBBP using EAM system versus fluoroscopy in patients with bradycardia with an indication for pacing therapy. Cochrane methodology and PRISMA statement for reporting were followed. A partial economic evaluation was carried out to compare the costs of both pacemaker implantation strategies from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System. A budget impact analysis was also conducted with a five-year horizon.

Seven comparative observational studies (N=259) analyzing the use of EAM versus fluoroscopy were selected. Statistically significant differences were observed in total fluoroscopy time: −9.87 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI]: −14.20, −5.53; p<0.01; I2=95%; k=7; n=231); His-lead fluoroscopic time: −8.08 minutes (95% CI: −10.36, −5.81; p<0.01; I2=0%; k=2; n=50); and His-lead radiation dose: −17.21 mGy (95% CI: −24.08, −10.34; p<0.01; k=1; n=20). No differences in total radiation dose, procedural success, immediate procedure-related complications, electrode revision, or device infection were found. The use of EAM represents an increase of EUR1,397.81 (USD1,513.88) per patient and a net budget impact of EUR1.63 million (USD1.77 million).

No differences between EAM and fluoroscopy in terms of procedure success and safety were found. Therefore, EAM is a valuable alternative for patients who should not be exposed to ionizing radiation. The inclusion of EAM systems, for the indication under study, in routine clinical practice would mean an increase in costs for the Spanish National Health System.

Some studies have shown that older people experience less experiential avoidance and more gratitude when they were compared with younger people (López, 2020). These variables might be important to improve the mental health of older people, especially in crisis situations.

Investigate the relationship between experiential avoidance (EA), gratitude and distress in old people post crisis COVID-19.

A cross-sectional study was carried out. Data from 361 people older than 60 years. The mean age was 68,44 (SD= 5.31), 62.9% were woman. The sample included in the cross-sectional analysis consisted of who provided data on the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire - II (AAQ–II; Bond et al., 2011), Gratitude subscale of the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths-Short Form (Littman-Ovadia, 2015) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983). Pearson´s correlations were used to explore the relationships among study variables including EA, gratitude, and emotional distress. Lineal regression analyses were used to investigate the incremental explained variance in emotional distress according to the main hypotheses. Standardized regression coefficients β were used to determine the relative contribution of these variables.

EA and gratitude were negatively correlated (r=-.27; p= <.000). Gratitude and emotional distress were negatively correlated (r=-.30; p= <.000). EA and emotional distress were positive correlated (r=.61; p= <.000). Regression analyses indicated that AAQ-II and gratitude were significant predictors of emotional distress among old people. AAQ-II and gratitude were added. AAQ-II and gratitude were significant predictor of emotional distress R2adj=62.7 % explain the model.

EA and gratitude are powerful factors to predict emotional distress in a crisis among older people. EA is an important construct in the understanding of emotional distress. This is an initial step to deep in the process of internal experiences and promoting gratitude can be very beneficial to generate programs to promote mental health in old people.

The aim of this study was to comprehend the role of character strengths as protective factors of grandparents ́ psychological well-being. Following the Lazarus and Folkman's stress model, our analyses incorporated three groups of variables (sociodemographic data, stress, and protective factors). Method: A sample of 536 grandparents participated in the study, which an average age of 70.23 (SD = 7.17). We conducted staged stepwise regression analyses to test our hypotheses.

Our results evidenced that younger grandparents and those providing supplementary care showed higher levels of psychological well-being than non-caregivers. Moreover, the analyses suggested that sociodemographic variables and the caregiving role lost their significance when psychological resources were taken into account. The character strengths of optimism, courage, humor, justice, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence explained the 32.7% of psychological well-being variance.

Our study stands out the influence of character strengths on the well-being of grandparents who develop a role as supplementary caregivers for their grandchildren. It is essential to carry out psychoeducational programs that enhance the resources that can benefit the psychological well-being of grandparents.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological consequences. The long-term (>12 weeks post-infection) impact of COVID-19 on mental health, specifically in older adults, is unclear. We longitudinally assessed the association of COVID-19 with depression symptomatology in community-dwelling older adults with metabolic syndrome within the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus cohort.

Participants (n = 5486) aged 55–75 years were included in this longitudinal cohort. COVID-19 status (positive/negative) determined by tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, IgG) was confirmed via event adjudication (410 cases). Pre- and post-COVID-19 depressive symptomatology was ascertained from annual assessments conducted using a validated 21-item Spanish Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between COVID-19 and depression symptomatology.

COVID-19 in older adults was associated with higher post-COVID-19 BDI-II scores measured at a median (interquartile range) of 29 (15–40) weeks post-infection [fully adjusted β = 0.65 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15–1.15; p = 0.011]. This association was particularly prominent in women (β = 1.38 points, 95% CI 0.44–2.33, p = 0.004). COVID-19 was associated with 62% increased odds of elevated depression risk (BDI-II ≥ 14) post-COVID-19 when adjusted for confounders (odds ratio; 95% CI 1.13–2.30, p = 0.008).

COVID-19 was associated with long-term depression risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. Thus, long-term evaluations of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and preventive public health initiatives are warranted in older adults.

Consenting donors for remnant clinical biospecimen donation is critical for scaling research biorepositories. Opt-in, low-cost, self-consenting for donations that solely relied on clinical staff and printed materials was recently shown to yield ∼30% consent rate. We hypothesized that adding an educational video to this process would improve consent rates.

Randomized patients (by clinic day) in a Cardiology clinic received either printed materials (control) or the same materials plus an educational video on donations (intervention) while waiting to be seen. Engaged patients were surveyed at the clinic checkout for an “opt-in” or “opt-out” response. The decision was documented digitally in the electronic medical record. The primary outcome of this study was the consent rate.

Thirty-five clinic days were randomized to intervention (18) or control (17). Three hundred and fifty-five patients were engaged, 217 in the intervention and 158 in the control. No significant demographic differences were noted between treatment groups. Following an intention-to-treat analysis, the rate of opt-in for remnant biospecimen donation was 53% for the intervention and 41% for the control group (p-value = 0.03). This represents a 62% increase in the odds of consenting (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05–2.5).

This is the first randomized trial showing that an educational video is superior to printed materials alone when patients are self-consenting for remnant biospecimen donation. This result adds to the evidence that efficient and effective consenting processes can be integrated into clinical workflows to advance universal consenting in medical research.

Understanding the evolution of negative symptoms in first-episode psychosis (FEP) requires long-term longitudinal study designs that capture the progression of this condition and the associated brain changes.

To explore the factors underlying negative symptoms and their association with long-term abnormal brain trajectories.

We followed up 357 people with FEP over a 10-year period. Factor analyses were conducted to explore negative symptom dimensionality. Latent growth mixture modelling (LGMM) was used to identify the latent classes. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to investigate developmental trajectories of cortical thickness. Finally, the resulting ANOVA maps were correlated with a wide set of regional molecular profiles derived from public databases.

Three trajectories (stable, decreasing and increasing) were found in each of the three factors (expressivity, experiential and attention) identified by the factor analyses. Patients with an increasing trajectory in the expressivity factor showed cortical thinning in caudal middle frontal, pars triangularis, rostral middle frontal and superior frontal regions from the third to the tenth year after the onset of the psychotic disorder. The F-statistic map of cortical thickness expressivity differences was associated with a receptor density map derived from positron emission tomography data.

Stable and decreasing were the most common trajectories. Additionally, cortical thickness abnormalities found at relatively late stages of FEP onset could be exploited as a biomarker of poor symptom outcome in the expressivity dimension. Finally, the brain areas with less density of receptors spatially overlap areas that discriminate the trajectories of the expressivity dimension.

Up to 30% of patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome require mechanical ventilation and 5% die due to acute complications of mechanical ventilation. There is a considerable group of patients that will need prolonged mechanical ventilation (considered as >14 days) and should be considered for early tracheostomy. The objective of this study is to identify risk factors for prolonged mechanical ventilation.

We prospectively analyzed patients with Guillain–Barré diagnosis with versus without prolonged mechanical ventilation. We considered clinical and electrophysiological characteristics and analyzed factors associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Three hundred and three patients were included; 29% required mechanical ventilation. When comparing the groups, patients with prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have a lower score on the Medical Research Council score (19.5 ± 16.2 vs 27.4 ± 17.5, p = 0.03) and a higher frequency of dysautonomia (42.3% vs 19.4%, p = 0.037), as well as lower amplitudes of the distal compound muscle action potential (CMAP) of the median nerve [0.37 (RIQ 0.07–2.25) vs. 3.9 (RIQ1.2–6.4), p = <0.001] and ulnar nerve [0.37 (RIQ0.0–3.72) vs 1.5 (RIQ0.3–6.6), p = <0.001], and higher frequency of severe axonal damage in these nerves (distal CMAP ≤ 1.0 mV). Through binary logistic regression, severe axonal degeneration of the median nerve is an independent risk factor for prolonged IMV OR 4.9 (95%CI 1.1–21.5) p = 0.03, AUC of 0.774, (95%CI 0.66–0.88), p = < 0.001.

Severe median nerve damage is an independent risk factor for prolonged mechanical ventilation.