Irisin is a protein resulting from a proteolytic cleavage of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FND5). The ability of irisin to modulate adipocyte and control glucose metabolism in human metabolic diseases gave rise to the hypothesis that irisin could have a pivotal role in aging-related diseases. Although in animal models, increased levels of irisin have been positively associated with better health outcomes, in humans, its role remains controversial. To provide an overview of the main finding on irisin in older adults, a comprehensive search was performed through the MEDLINE-PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane databases for studies conducted in older adults (≥60 years) published since 2012. After grouping and analyzing the articles based on diseases associated with older adults, the main conclusion of this narrative review is that the included studies did not yield consistent evidence regarding the association between irisin and health or disease in older adults. Further studies are necessary to clarify the effective role of this protein in promoting health and longevity.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media became an important and easily accessible source of information to keep the population informed. In this study, we explored how Portuguese health entities used social media during the public health emergency caused by COVID-19 disease. Methods: A retrospective study on Portuguese public health entities’ communication with the public using social media platforms was performed. Data were retrieved from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. All retrieved posts were analyzed, and the engagement of the public was calculated. A thematic analysis of all COVID-19-related posts was conducted. Results: The analysis of each social media platform revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, health entities reinforced their presence on social media platforms. The most published posts were related to “epidemiological context” and “encouragement to take actions” to avoid the spread of COVID-19. High engagement frames were not associated with the most frequently published posts. Conclusions: Although health entities have reinforced their presence on social media platforms, they do not take full advantage of these platforms to improve health literacy.

Health communication is critical for achieving positive clinical health outcomes. This work aims to analyse how Portuguese health entities communicated non-COVID-19 health content with the public on social media, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective study was conducted on the Portuguese National Healthcare Service’s communication with the public using social media platforms. Data from the National Health Service (NHS) and Directorate-General of Health (DGS) posts of the year 2020 were collected from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. A thematic analysis of all non-COVID-19-related posts was conducted, and the engagement (E) of the public was calculated. The most frequently published subject on social media platforms by NHS and DGS were “Commemorative Dates” (34.87%), “Miscellaneous” (19.95%), and “Emergency Preparedness and Response” (19.85%). On the NHS social media platforms, the posts with the highest public engagement were “Innovation” (E=926.0) on Instagram; “Vaccines, and Immunization” (E=577.9) on Facebook; and “Commemorative Dates” (E=23.0) on Twitter. DGS posts with the highest engagement of the public on all social media platforms were “Emergency Preparedness and Response” (E=2294.1) on Facebook; “Commemorative Dates” (E=122.5) on Instagram; and “Infant and Child Health” (E=107.7) on Twitter. The findings indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Portuguese National Healthcare communicated beyond COVID-19 disease.