Objectives: to verify if hand-grip performance in older men is a predictor of disability. Design: population-based prospective study. Setting: a sample from the Italian rural cohorts of the FINE study (Finland, Italy, Netherlands Elderly), representative of the general population of elderly men surveyed in 1991 and 1995. Participants: 140 men aged 71-91 years who reported no disability in performing activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activity of daily living (IADLs) and mobility activities at baseline examination and provided information on their functional status at follow-up 4 years later. Measurements: disability was defined as needing help in performing ADLs, IADLs and mobility. Hand-grip strength was evaluated at baseline by a mechanical dynamometer. Results: after adjusting for potential confounding variables, a lower concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was the only factor predicting disability in men aged 76 years or younger and only reduced hand-grip strength predicted incident disability in men 77 years or older. Conclusion: poor hand strength as measured by hand-grip is a predictor of disability in older people. The handgrip test is an easy and inexpensive screening tool to identify elderly people at risk of disability.

The expression of activation antigens, namely CD25, CD69, CD71, and HLA‐DR on T cells from 15 healthy individuals stimulated with different mitogens and specific antigens was evaluated by immunofluorescence assay and flow cytometric analysis and compared with cell proliferation as a function of [3H]thymidine incorporation. CD69 was the earliest expressed antigen on stimulated cells, while HLA‐DR was the latest. Regardless of the stimulus used, lymphocytes expressing CD25 and CD71 were always more numerous than cells expressing CD69 and HLA‐DR. Variations in the proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells expressing each activation marker were observed with different antigenic stimuli. The expression of each activation marker showed overall agreement with the [3H]thymidine incorporation assay in discriminating between positive and negative immune response. However, no correlation was observed between the percentage of CD25‐, CD69‐, CD71‐, and HLA‐DR‐positive T cells and the amount of [3H]thymidine incorporation. Moreover, low doses of mitogens and antigens as well as short time of stimulation were sufficient to induce T cells to express activation antigens but not to proliferate. Our data show that results obtained by flow cytometry and [3H]thymidine incorporation may differ qualitatively, at least under certain conditions; this suggests that the 2 assays are complementary, and when combined, may gives a clearer understanding of events leading to efficient cell‐mediated immune response. Cytometry 27:71–76, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Objective: Pulmonary thrombosis is observed in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pneumonia. Aim was to investigate whether subpopulations of platelets were programmed to procoagulant and inflammatory activities in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with pneumonia, without comorbidities predisposing to thromboembolism. Approach and Results: Overall, 37 patients and 28 healthy subjects were studied. Platelet-leukocyte aggregates, platelet-derived microvesicles, the expression of P-selectin, and active fibrinogen receptor on platelets were quantified by flow cytometry. The profile of 45 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors released by platelets was defined by immunoassay. The contribution of platelets to coagulation factor activity was selectively measured. Numerous platelet-monocyte (mean±SE, 67.9±4.9%, n=17 versus 19.4±3.0%, n=22; P <0.0001) and platelet-granulocyte conjugates (34.2±4.04% versus 8.6±0.7%; P <0.0001) were detected in patients. Resting patient platelets had similar levels of P-selectin (10.9±2.6%, n=12) to collagen-activated control platelets (8.7±1.5%), which was not further increased by collagen activation on patient platelets (12.4±2.5%, P =nonsignificant). The agonist-stimulated expression of the active fibrinogen receptor was reduced by 60% in patients ( P <0.0001 versus controls). Cytokines (IL [interleukin]-1α, IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, IL, 17, IL-27, IFN [interferon]-α, and IFN-γ), chemokines (MCP-1/CCL2), and growth factors (VEGF [vascular endothelial growth factor]-A/D) were released in significantly larger amounts upon stimulation of COVID-19 platelets. Platelets contributed to increased fibrinogen, VWF (von Willebrand factor), and factor XII in COVID-19 patients. Patients (28.5±0.7 s, n=32), unlike controls (31.6±0.5 s, n=28; P <0.001), showed accelerated factor XII–dependent coagulation. Conclusions: Platelets in COVID-19 pneumonia are primed to spread proinflammatory and procoagulant activities in systemic circulation.

Heart rate is an independent predictor of cardiovascular, noncardiovascular, and total mortality in this Italian middle-aged male population.

Background: Also in Mediterranean countries, which are considered a low risk population for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the increase in body mass index (BMI) has become a public health priority. To evaluate the feasibility of a CVD and obesity surveillance network, forty General Practitioners (GPs) were engaged to perform a screening to assess obesity, cardiovascular risk, lifestyle habits and medication use.