Adherence to Mediterranean diet and prognosis in older patients scheduled to undergo cardiac resynchronization therapy

Mediterranean Diet in Older Adults: Cardiovascular Outcomes and Mortality from Observational and Interventional Studies-A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

there is conflicting evidence on the role of the Mediterranean Diet (MD) in reducing the risk of long-term outcomes in older adults. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of high adherence to MD in reducing all-cause mortality and cardiovascular outcomes among older adults.

METHODS

PubMed database was searched up to 31 May 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT) and cohort studies in the English language which evaluated the Mediterranean diet's adherence to exposure on a population with a mean age > 60 years. The main outcomes were cardiovascular fatal and non-fatal events, and all-cause mortality. A sub-analysis on individuals > 70 years old was conducted. Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used for assessing data quality and validity. Pooled data were obtained by using random-effects models.

RESULTS

a total of 28 studies were included in this meta-analysis (26 observational studies and 2 randomized trials), reporting a total of 679,259 participants from different continents. Our results showed that high adherence to the MD reduces all-cause mortality risk by 23% (95% CI: 0.70-0.83), while it decreases the risk of cardiovascular mortality by 27% (95% CI: 0.64-0.84) and that of non-fatal cardiovascular events by 23% (95% CI: 0.55-1.01).

CONCLUSIONS

MD is a promising dietary pattern for promoting health among older adults, as it is associated with reduced risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and non-fatal cardiovascular events. Adopting a Mediterranean Diet may contribute to better overall health and a lower likelihood of cardiovascular-related health issues in older individuals.

Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Aging: A Narrative Review over the Last Decade

Objective: Even though modern medicine has significantly contributed to the extension of human lifespan, it has failed to delay the upsurge of chronic diseases. Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are well established. Thus, adherence to this diet pattern may be the key to healthy aging. Ôhe aim of this review is to investigate the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet on healthy aging. Methods: A literature search of three databases (ScienceDirect, MEDLINE and The Cochrane Library) was conducted in order to trace all relevant studies published between January 1st 2010 and June 6th 2020 that focused on the impact of adherence to the Mediterranean diet on the physical and mental well-being of individuals aged 60 or older. Results:Twenty-two studies fulfilled the selection criteria and were classified into six groups, according to the main outcome of each study: mental health (eight studies), frailty (6), cardiovascular risk factors (3), plasma levels of uric acid (1), length of hospital stay (1), and aging mechanisms (3). Based on these studies, the protective role of Mediterranean diet on depression, cardiovascular and frailty risk was established. Moreover, adherence to the Mediterranean diet resulted in reduced plasma uric acid levels as well as decreased length of hospital stay and mortality risk among patients who were urgently admitted for any cause in a tertiary hospital. In contrast, results on the effect of Mediterranean diet on cognition were controversial, as studies presented positive or neutral correlations. Conclusions: This review provides evidence on the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and healthy aging and highlights the importance of conducting more studies among seniors in order to provide further insight into this matter.