Impaired antibody responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide in elderly patients with low serum vitamin B12 levels

Article Abstract:

There appears to be an association between low blood levels of vitamin B12 and poor immune response to pneumonia vaccines in elderly people. Researchers compared the immune response generated by a pneumonia vaccine in 15 people older than 65 years with low vitamin B12 blood levels with the response in 15 age-matched volunteers with normal vitamin B12 blood levels. Elderly people with low vitamin B12 blood levels had a lower immune response than those with normal vitamin B12 blood levels. Elderly people with larger blood cells also had a lower immune response. There was no association between age and immune response. Future studies may address whether vitamin B12 supplements may improve the immune response to the pneumonia vaccine in people with low vitamin B12 blood levels.

Health aspects, Measurement, Physiological aspects, Pneumococcal vaccine, Pneumococcal vaccines, Aged patients, Elderly patients, Antibody-drug conjugates, Vitamin B12

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Innovative Thinking for the Improvement of Medical Systems

Article Abstract:

Health care systems which are not functioning satisfactorily need to do some innovative thinking to achieve improvement, but may be stopped by the erroneous belief that innovative thought is the special domain of others who are outside the day-to-day management procedures. New ideas -- innovative ideas -- can be generated by following certain simple principles which have been observed in cognitive therapies. There are a variety of ways to stimulate a different set of thought patterns and learn how to apply them to change the current situation for improved results.

Methods, Innovations, Management, Creativity, Health services administration, Creative thinking

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Impaired thinking in sick patients

Article Abstract:

Patients who are very sick may not be able to think clearly, according to a study of 63 hospitalized sick patients and 28 healthy seniors. Very sick patients could only answer an average of two out of seven questions that test the thinking process, compared to an average of six out of seven in the healthy seniors.

Psychological aspects, Causes of, Sick, Sick persons, Cognition disorders, Cognitive disorders

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