and other serious illnesses, the study does not reflect the multimorbid older adult population that geriatricians typically care for. Furthermore, efficacy of vitamin D supplementation on fracture risk may be the most impactful in those with osteoporosis and with severe vitamin D deficiency .
In post hoc analyses, there was no significant difference in fracture risk in these subgroups, however the authors acknowledged that the findings may be limited by the small percentage of participants with severe vitamin D deficiency and osteoporosis included in the study .On Jan. 6, 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved lecanemab, the second-ever disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer's dementia following the approval of aducanumab in 2021.
and mild Alzheimer's dementia. Over an 18-month period, the study found that participants who received lecanemab, compared with placebo, had a significantly smaller decline in cognition and function, and reduction in amyloid burden on PET CT.The clinical significance of these findings, however, is unclear. As noted by an editorial published inin 2022, the difference in Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes scale between the treatment and placebo groups was 0.45.
Decreased cognitive activity/engagement and access to resources such as caregiving and healthcare may also be linked to the increased risk of dementia in socially isolated older adults.Another observational cohort study from the National Health and Aging Trends Study investigated whether access and use of technology can lower the risk of social isolation.
Mengru"Ruru" Wang is a geriatrician and internist at the University of Washington, Seattle. She practices full-spectrum medicine, seeing patients in primary care, nursing homes, and acute care. Wang has no disclosures related to this piece.