Objective: This study evaluated the methodological quality of published systematic reviews on randomized and non-randomized clinical trials to synthesize evidence on the association between IL-6, immunosenescence, and aerobic and/or resistance exercise. Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Systematic Reviews (PRIO-harms) guideline was used, with registration number CRD42022346142-PROSPERO. Relevant databases such as Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched using English Medical Subject Headings terms. Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews analyzing aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, or a combination of both and assessing IL-6 as a biomarker of cellular immunosenescence in humans. The Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) was employed. Results: Out of 742 identified articles, 18 were eligible, and 13 were selected for analysis. Sample sizes ranged from 249 to 1421 participants, mostly female, with ages ranging from 17 to 95 years. Aerobic exercise was the most studied type (46.15%), followed by combined exercise (38.46%) and resistance exercise (15.38%). Aerobic exercise showed a statistically significant reduction in IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels. Among the 13 reviews analyzed using AMSTAR-2, 8 were rated as critically low quality, and 5 were classified as low quality. Conclusion: Aerobic exercise has anti-inflammatory properties and the potential to modulate IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α levels in immunosenescence. However, the limited methodological quality of the analyzed systematic reviews highlights the urgent need for robust, high-quality studies to improve access to information and facilitate evidence-based decision-making in healthcare.

O registro de revisões sistemáticas e protocolos de pesquisa é uma recomendação para a transparência e a qualidade da pesquisa científica. Objetiva-se descrever acerca do registro de revisões sistemáticas, incluindo plataformas nas quais esse registro pode ser feito. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo sobre aspectos metodológicos relativos ao registro de revisões sistemáticas. Apresenta-se uma síntese sobre plataformas de registro de revisões sistemáticas - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews e Open Science Framework - bem como sobre a possibilidade de registro de protocolos de pesquisa. Esses processos visam a pesquisa baseada em evidências, evitar a duplicidade de estudos, adequar métodos de revisão e diminuir vieses, bem como da forma de utilizar essas ferramentas, assim permitem uma melhor análise de informações e tomada de decisões em saúde.

Several systematic review studies highlight exercise’s positive impact on brain health outcomes for frail individuals. This study adopts a Comprehensive Review of reviews (CRs) approach to amalgamate data from existing reviews, focusing on exercise’s influence on brain health outcomes in older frail and pre-frail adults. The methodology involves a thorough search of Portuguese, Spanish, and English-indexed databases (i.e., Ebsco Health, Scielo, ERIC, LILACS, Medline, Web of Science, SportDiscus) from 1990 to 2022, with the AMSTAR-2 tool assessing evidence robustness. The search terms “physical exercise”, “elderly frail”, and “systematic review” were employed. Results: Out of 12 systematically reviewed studies, four presented high-quality (with metanalyses), while eight exhibit critically low quality. Positive trends emerge in specific cognitive and neuromotor aspects, yet challenges persist in psychosocial domains, complex cognitive tasks, and ADL outcomes. This study yields reasonable and promising evidence regarding exercise’s influence on quality of life and depression in frail older individuals. However, the impact on biochemical markers remains inconclusive, emphasizing the need for standardized methodologies. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of acknowledging methodological nuances for clinicians and policymakers when translating these results into impactful interventions for aging populations. This emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive and customized approach to exercise interventions aimed at fostering the sustainability of overall well-being in older individuals, aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Our aim is to examine the association of religiosity on anxiety and depression symptoms in a convenience sample of female and male Brazilians older than 18 years, and to analyze whether there are sex differences. Study cross-sectional involved 1017 participants (669 women). Religiosity was assessed using the Duke University Religion Index, evaluating the dimensions of Organizational Religiosity (OR), Non-Organizational Religiosity (NOR), and Intrinsic Religiosity (IR). Anxiety and depression were self-reported on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Generalized Linear Models with a robust estimator, Poisson distribution, and Prevalence Ratio (PR) estimates with their respective 95 % confidence intervals (CI95%) were used to estimate the PR of depression and anxiety symptoms in the total sample and according to sex. We found that Organizational Religiosity (OR: PR = 1.19; 95 % CI: 1.03-1.39) and Non-Organizational Religiosity (NOR: PR = 1.19; 95 % CI: 1.04-1.36) were associated with depressive symptoms in our sample. However, only Intrinsic Religiosity (IR: PR = 1.60; 95 % CI: 1.30-1.96) was associated with anxiety symptoms. When analyzing differences by sex, we observed that OR (PR = 1.47; 95 % CI: 1.06-2.04) and NOR (PR = 1.48; 95 % CI: 1.13-1.94) were associated with depressive symptoms in male participants. In contrast, for female participants, only IR (PR = 1.03; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.05) was associated with anxiety symptoms. The relationship between religiosity, anxiety, and depression appears to be more influential in shaping the perception of depression among men and the perception of anxiety among women. Therefore, the practice of religiosity should not be discouraged and has the potential to be a complementary therapeutic intervention strategy.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated factors that may determine longevity in older adults, aiming to prolong their life expectancy and improve projections from before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for mortality in older Brazilian adults. DESIGN AND SETTING: A prospective cohort study, part of the Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Idoso de Alcobaça. METHODS: This study included 332 older adults of both sexes who were followed up for over five years (2015–2020). Vital status was determined via telephone follow-up, information provided by family members, and death certificates. To identify the sociodemographic, health, functional, and behavioral factors associated with mortality risk among older adults, Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The risk factors for mortality among older adults included the number of people living with them (HR = 1.22; 95%CI = 1.07–1.38) and the number of prescribed drugs (HR = 1.15; 95%CI = 1.00–1.32). Factors associated with a lower risk of mortality were greater time spent in physical activity (HR = 0.99; 95%CI = 0.90–0.99) and greater hip circumference (HR = 0.95; 95%CI = 0.31–0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic, health, functional, and behavioral factors are determinants of mortality risk among older adults. Regular screening of the older adult population should be conducted to assess their general health status, allowing for more appropriate interventions to increase their quality of life and improve aging.