Exposure to ambient air pollution and its threat to human health is a global concern, especially in the elderly population. Therefore, more in-depth studies are required to understand the extent of the harmful effects of particulate matter (PM) based on duration and levels of exposure. An investigation was conducted to determine the association between short- (1–14 days), medium- (1, 3, and 6 months), and long-term (1, 2, and 3 years) exposure to air pollutants (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀) and cognitive function among Koreans (4175 participants, mean age 67.8 years, 55.2% women) aged over 50 years. Higher levels of PM_2.5 exposure for short to long term and PM₁₀ exposure for medium to long term were found to be associated with decreased cognitive function, as indicated by lower scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination adopted in Korean (K-MMSE). There were significant effect modifications by sex, age group, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and smoking status in the association between long-term PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ exposure and cognitive function. These findings, which underscore the importance of the efforts to reduce the exposure levels and durations of air pollutants, especially in the vulnerable elderly population, provide evidence for establishing more stringent policies for air pollution regulations.

Objectives: To investigate the association of sarcopenia, exposure to medium-term to long-term ambient particulate matter 2.5 µm and 10 µm (PM_2.5and PM₁₀) pollution and cognitive function in a community-dwelling cohort of middle-aged and older adults in South Korea.Design: A community-based prospective cohort study.Setting: In the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES).Participants: The participants were drawn from the seventh follow-up visit conducted between 2015 and 2016 in the KoGES community-based Ansung cohort who had participated in an ageing substudy.Outcome measures: Cognitive function was evaluated by the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) and decreased cognitive function was defined as a K-MMSE score of 23 or less.Results: Of the 2274 participants (mean age 70.1 years, 58.3% women and mean annual PM_2.5and PM₁₀levels of 30.7 and 52.2 μg/m³, respectively), 8.7% (n=197) were sarcopenic, 35.8% (n=814) were possible sarcopenic and 55.5% (n=1263) were non-sarcopenic. The predictors of sarcopenia included body mass index, cognitive function, age, marital status, hypertension and physical activity. Exposure to PM_2.5and PM₁₀for an average duration of 1 month to 3 years was not selected as a predictor of sarcopenia. Participants with sarcopenia were associated with lower cognitive scores (β=−1.51, p<0.0001) and decreased cognitive function compared with those without sarcopenia (OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.56 to 3.52). Exposure to medium-term and long-term PM_2.5or PM₁₀was not associated with sarcopenia. The effect modification of PM exposure on the association between sarcopenia and cognitive function was generally not detected.Conclusions: In this community-based observational cohort study of KoGES participants aged 50 years and older, sarcopenia was associated with decreased cognitive function. However, medium-term to long-term exposure to PM_2.5or PM₁₀was not associated with sarcopenia and did not modify the relationship between sarcopenia and cognitive function.

Objective: This bibliometric study analyzed eating disorder research from 1975 to 2024, examining publication trends, research themes, and the relationship between public engagement and academic attention over five decades.Methods: Data were collected from PubMed, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo, and CINAHL. Publication trends were analyzed, and leading journals were identified. Network analysis using VOSviewer identified thematic clusters, while a bump chart visualized changes in key research terms over time. Trends, associations, and influencing factors of public engagement and academic attention were assessed using Altmetric Attention Scores per Year (AASPY) and citations per year (CPY).Results: A total of 101,993 publications were analyzed. Research output increased significantly, with the International Journal of Eating Disorders as the leading contributor. Six major research clusters were identified, and eight key terms (humans, female, anorexia nervosa, adult, adolescent, male, feeding and eating disorders, and child) remained dominant across all decades. AASPY and CPY increased over time but showed a weak correlation (R ² = 9.09%), suggesting that digital engagement was not strongly associated with scholarly attention. Studies on young adults and those published in multidisciplinary journals had higher online engagement, while research on female and young adult populations, as well as neuroscience, received greater academic attention.Conclusions: The findings highlight the sustained growth of research output, the persistence of core thematic areas, and the divergence between public engagement and academic attention. By examining trends from past to present, this study provides a basis for understanding research developments and their implications for future directions in eating disorder research.

Polypharmacy is highly prevalent among patients with heart failure (HF), due to multimorbidity and guideline-directed pharmacotherapy. While polypharmacy aims to optimize management, it can increase the risk of drug-drug interactions and adverse drug events, which may compromise clinical outcomes. However, the evidence regarding the relationship between polypharmacy and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes in HF populations remains limited. The aim of this study was to determine the association between polypharmacy and adverse CV outcomes among patients with HF. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the association between polypharmacy and adverse CV outcomes in HF. Relevant studies were identified through searches of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The primary outcomes included a composite CV endpoint and its individual components. Effect estimates, based on comparisons between the highest and lowest levels of polypharmacy, were pooled using random-effects models. Ten studies including 30 115 patients with HF were analyzed. Compared with those without polypharmacy, patients with polypharmacy had a significantly increased risk of the composite CV endpoint (HR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.15-1.39). Notably, polypharmacy was linked to a higher risk of HF hospitalization (HR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.28-1.56). No significant associations were found for CV death (HR: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.81-1.41) or all-cause mortality (HR: 1.05; 95% CI: 0.88-1.25). Polypharmacy in patients with HF was associated with increased risk of composite CV outcome and HF hospitalization, reflecting the complexity of managing multiple medications. These findings underscore the need for individualized medication reviews to minimize inappropriate prescribing and ensure continued delivery of evidence-based therapies. PROSPERO Registration Number CRD420251110556