Acute Medical Illness Research Articles

Increased knee-extension strength and steps per day after a novel post-hospitalization rehabilitative program in older adults (65+): Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled single-blinded trial using an expanded sample size

IntroductionOlder adults are at risk of developing new or worsened disability when hospitalized for acute medical illness. This study is a secondary analysis of the STAND-Cph trial on the effect of a simple strength training intervention initiated during hospitalization and continued after discharge. We investigated the between-group difference in change in functional performance outcomes, the characteristics of patients who experienced a relevant effect of the intervention, and the characteristics of those who were compliant with the intervention, using an expanded sample size as protocolized. MethodsThe STAND-Cph was a randomized controlled trial conducted at a major Danish university hospital. Acutely admitted older adult patients (65+) from the Emergency Department were randomized to the intervention group receiving progressive strength training and a protein supplement during and after hospitalization (12 sessions over 4 weeks) or control group receiving usual care. The primary outcome was the de Morton Mobility Index assessed at baseline and 4 weeks after discharge. The secondary outcomes were 24-h mobility (assessed by ActivPAL accelerometers), isometric knee-extension strength, 30 s. sit-to-stand performance, and habitual gait speed. ResultsBetween September 2013 and September 2018, a total of 158 patients were included and randomized to either the intervention group (N = 80; mean age 79.9 ± 7.6 years) or the control group (N = 78; mean age 80.8 ± 7.4 years). We found no significant between-group difference in change in our primary outcome (p > 0.05). Both the intention-to-treat (difference in change 0.14 Nm/kg (95 % CI 0.03;0.24), p = 0.01) and the per protocol (difference in change 0.16 Nm/kg (95 % CI 0.04;0.29), p = 0.008) analyses showed that between baseline and 4 weeks, knee-extension strength increased significantly more in the intervention group than in the control group. Also, the per protocol analysis showed that the intervention group increased their daily number of steps significantly more than the control group (difference in change 1088 steps (95 % CI 44; 2132); p = 0.04). When examining subgroups of patients, we found no significant differences neither between those who experienced a clinically relevant improvement in the de Morton Mobility Index and those who did not, nor between those who were compliant and those who were not. ConclusionThis exploratory analysis indicates that while simple progressive strength training and protein supplementation does not improve functional performance assessed by the de Morton Mobility Index, it can benefit specific facets of physical activity and muscle strength among geriatric patients.

The Glucocorticoid Taper: A Primer for the Clinicians.

Glucocorticoid (GC) therapy can ameliorate debilitating and life-threatening symptoms in several inflammatory/immunological disorders. However, it can also cause significant side effects, especially with higher doses and longer duration of use. Therefore, GCs should be used at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time to minimise adverse effects. GC therapy may cause suppression of the endogenous hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and abrupt discontinuation predisposes patients to features of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency. The practice of tapering GC therapy allows for recovery of the HPA axis while minimising the risk of a disease flare-up or symptoms of AI. Moderate-to-high dose GC therapy may be tapered rapidly to near-physiological doses while watching for features of disease reactivation. Once close to the physiological dose, tapering is slower and at longer intervals to allow for recovery of the HPA axis. It is important to use short- or intermediate-acting GC preparations such as hydrocortisone or prednisolone in physiological doses, administered in the morning to mimic the endogenous cortisol rhythm. A general principle to follow is that HPA axis recovery takes longer if the period of suppression has been long. In such cases, tapering should be slower over a few months to even a year. In select cases at high risk of AI or if symptoms appear during tapering, the decision to further taper and discontinue steroids may be based on testing of HPA axis function using basal and/or stimulated serum cortisol. All patients on exogenous steroids should be advised about the need for an appropriate increase in GC doses during acute medical or surgical illness and should carry a steroid alert card to avoid adrenal crisis.

Impact of frailty degree, measured by three instruments, on adverse health outcomes in patients admitted for medical illness in an acute care for elders unit

PurposeThe aim of this study is to analyse adverse health outcomes at hospital discharge adjusted to frailty degree measured by three instruments in patients admitted for medical diseases in an Acute Care for Elders (ACE). MethodsThis is a prospective observational study, including 194 frail patients aged 75 years or older. Patients were admitted to a tertiary hospital ACE for an acute medical illness or exacerbated chronic diseases from June 2022 to May 2023. Frailty was assessed by the FRAIL scale, the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and the frail-VIG Index (IF-VIG). Health outcomes analysed were length of hospital stay, home destination at hospital discharge, development of delirium and functional decline. ResultsPatients were on average 85,14 years old, with 56 % women. Mean frailty punctuations were 2,83 for FRAIL scale; 4,1 for CFS and 0,3 for IF-VIG. Patients who did not return home were more fragile: FRAIL 3,1 vs 2,6; CFS 4,5 vs 4,0; IF-VIG 0,3 vs 0,2. Patients with a hospitalization longer than 10 days were more fragile: FRAIL 3,9 vs 2,6; CFS 4,5 vs 3,8; IF-VIG 0,3 vs 0,2. More frail patients had greater delirium incidence and prevalence: CFS 4,7 vs 4,1; IF-VIG 0,3 vs 0,2. These results are statistically significant. ConclusionsA greater degree of basal frailty during a hospitalisation in an ACE is strongly related with smaller return home rates at hospital discharge, as well as with longer mean stay-length and larger amounts of delirium.

Managing "socially admitted" patients in hospital: a qualitative study of health care providers' perceptions.

Emergency departments are a last resort for some socially vulnerable patients without an acute medical illness (colloquially known as "socially admitted" patients), resulting in their occupation of hospital beds typically designated for patients requiring acute medical care. In this study, we aimed to explore the perceptions of health care providers regarding patients admitted as "social admissions." This qualitative study was informed by grounded theory and involved semistructured interviews at a Nova Scotia tertiary care centre. From October 2022 to July 2023, we interviewed eligible participants, including any health care clinician or administrator who worked directly with "socially admitted" patients. Virtual or in-person individual interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed, then independently and iteratively coded. We mapped themes on the 5 domains of the Quintuple Aim conceptual framework. We interviewed 20 nurses, physicians, administrators, and social workers. Most identified as female (n = 11) and White (n = 13), and were in their mid to late career (n = 13). We categorized 9 themes into 5 domains: patient experience (patient description, provision of care); care team well-being (moral distress, hierarchy of care); health equity (stigma and missed opportunities, prejudices); cost of care (wait-lists and scarcity of alternatives); and population health (factors leading to vulnerability, system changes). Participants described experiences caring for "socially admitted" patients, perceptions and assumptions underlying "social" presentations, system barriers to care delivery, and suggestions of potential solutions. Health care providers viewed "socially admitted" patients as needing enhanced care but identified individual, institutional, and system challenges that impeded its realization. Examining perceptions of the people who care for "socially admitted" patients offers insights to guide clinicians and policy-makers in caring for socially vulnerable patients.

Autonomic Nerve Function Predicts Risk of Early Death after Discharge in Acute Medical Disease

BackgroundHeart rate variability, a marker of autonomic function, has shown promising prognostic results in specific populations, but has not been tested in a general medical population. We hypothesized that heart rate variability identifies high-risk medical patients early after admission to the hospital. MethodsThis was a single-center prospective cohort study of acutely admitted medical patients aged ≥18 years with a life expectancy ≥3 months, included between 2019-2023. Unstable patients needing direct admission to the intensive care unit were excluded. Heart rate variability was recorded within 24 hours of admission for 10 minutes. The standard deviation of normal-normal beats (SDNN) was the primary heart rate variability marker. Low SDNN was defined as the lowest tertile (≤22 ms). The primary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. The secondary outcome was 30-day readmission or mortality. ResultsAmong 721 patients included, low SDNN carried an 8-fold greater risk of 30-day mortality in univariate analysis (hazard ratio [HR] 8.3; P = .001); in multivariate analyses a 4-fold greater risk (HR 3.8; P = .037). Low SDNN was associated with the combined outcome of 30-day mortality or readmission (HR 1.5; P = .03) in multivariate analysis. In receiver operating characteristics analyses, low SDNN improved the predictive accuracy of early warning score for 30-day mortality or readmission from 0.63 to 0.71 (P = .008) but did not improve the accuracy for 30-day mortality alone. ConclusionsIn patients admitted due to acute medical illness, low heart rate variability predicted 30-day mortality and readmission, suggesting heart rate variability as a tool to identify patients at high and low risk of relevant endpoints.

Prevalence of urgent hospitalizations caused by adverse drug reactions: a cross-sectional study

Adverse drug reactions account for a substantial portion of emergency hospital admissions. However, in the last decade, few studies have been conducted to determine the prevalence of hospitalization due to adverse drug reactions. Therefore, this cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the proportion of adverse drug reactions leading to emergency hospital admission and to evaluate the risk factors for these reactions. A total of 5707 consecutive patients aged > 18 years who were emergently hospitalized due to acute medical illnesses between June 2018 and May 2021 were included. Causality assessment for adverse drug reactions was performed by using the World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre criteria. The median patient age was 78 years (IQR 63–87), and the proportion of women was 47.9%. Among all the hospitalizations, 287 (5.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.5–5.6%) were caused by 368 adverse drug reactions. The risk factors independently associated with hospitalization due to adverse drug reactions were polypharmacy (OR 2.66), age ≥ 65 years (OR 2.00), and ambulance use (OR 1.41). Given that the population is rapidly aging worldwide, further efforts are needed to minimize hospitalizations caused by adverse drug reactions.

Implementation of Sweden's first digi-physical hospital-at-home care model for high-acuity patients.

To evaluate Sweden's first implementation of a 24/7 high-acuity virtual in-patient ward through a digi-physical in-patient care (DPIPC) program, a hospital-at-home care model combining a virtual hospital-based medical command centre and in-person ambulating medical services functioning as an extension of the Department of Medicine at a secondary-level hospital in Stockholm. A single-centre descriptive study where adult patients with acute medical illness requiring inpatient-level care were assessed for voluntary treatment in the DPIPC program as a substitute for traditional in-patient care. The primary outcome was patient satisfaction with care. Secondary outcomes included health care use, safety, and quality during the care episode. From October 2022 to June 2023 a total of 200 patients were treated within the DPIPC program. The program covered 63 unique medical conditions, with infectious disease (44%) and pulmonary disease (17%) being the most common. The median length of stay (LOS) in the DPIPC program was 3 days (IQR 3) with a median LOS of 2 days (IQR 3) in the physical hospital prior to inclusion. There were no incidents of patient mortality or hospital-related complications during the DPIPC period. A total of 11 (5.5%) patients were escalated to the traditional hospital, 4 (36.4%) of which required ambulance. The median DPIPC patient satisfaction was 10 (IQR 0) and Net Promotor Score was 88. Implementing a 24/7 high-acuity virtual in-patient ward is feasible and safe for selected patients with acute medical illnesses. Patient satisfaction and care quality within the program is high.

1946 Reducing admission to hospital of frail people, with acute illness, from care homes: A quality improvement project

Abstract Background The East Kent Frailty Home Treatment Service (Frailty HTS) provides person-centred, hospital-level care for people living with frailty. The Frailty HTS can diagnose and treat acute medical illness at home or in care homes. The team philosophy is “we identify what you want and strive to make it happen”. This project was underpinned by advance care planning for people living in care homes, which the frailty team supports through proactive work with the primary care network care homes teams. Frailty is associated with increased healthcare costs and poor outcomes associated with hospitalisation. The acute hospitals were under extreme pressure. The Frailty HTS serves 360 care homes. Methods Carers and the ambulance service discuss all acutely unwell care home residents with the Frailty HTS prior to conveyance except in the case of a long bone fracture or acute cardiac/cardiovascular event (unless care plan is not for escalation). There were communications initiatives to care homes and Ambulance Trust explaining referral process and eligibility. A dedicated frailty HTS clinician was available to respond to calls. Results The pilot has seen an increase in referrals of people living in care homes from SECAMB to Frailty HTS (monthly average up from 49 up to 64) an increase in direct referral from care homes (monthly average up from 15 to 21.5). We also saw a reduction in attendance of care home residents at ED (monthly average down from 276 to 209) and reduced admissions to hospital from care homes (monthly average down from 203 to 191) Conclusion his project raised awareness of an alternative to acute hospital care for people living in care homes. Referrals to the Frailty HTS were increased and attendance at ED and admissions to hospital reduced. Due to system pressures it continued to run and became business as usual.

A study of clinical profile of acute medical illnesses in geriatric patients

Background: Population aging is transforming the world. Elderly people are the most rapidly growing population group worldwide, which eventually include India also. The objective of the study was to provide the health care needs of this growing numbers of the vulnerable heterogeneous population, reliable data are still lacking and with recognition of the need the present study was designed. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study which was conducted at the department of medicine, Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad for the duration of 2 years, in which total 100 patients who was ≥65 years of age with acute emergency illness were included and data were collected. Results: Patients had common symptoms like breathlessness (45%) and giddiness (39%) and commonly encountered clinical conditions were cerebrovascular stroke (31%) and acute LVF (19%). Hypertension was the most common disease associated with CV stroke, acute LVF and IHD. Hypertension (44) and hypertension and diabetes (40) together were the commonly encountered co-morbidities. Most patients with co-morbidities were found complaint to their medicines. Among study participants, 87% of diabetics had also hypertension as compared to 81.5% nondiabetics who were suffering from hypertension. Conclusion: Most common acute medical illness in geriatric population is due to the chronic co-morbid conditions. It is crucial to maintain chronic morbidity in a timely manner to minimize the complication. Post-acute care may be aimed to promote the functional recovery of older adults, prevent unnecessary hospital readmission, and avoid premature admission to a long-term care facility.

Ocular complaints and diagnoses in spaceflight.

The NASA human system risk board (HSRB) has long focused on trauma and acute medical illness as a key contributor to high level in-flight medical risk. However, ocular issues, trauma, and complaints during spaceflight are poorly characterized. In a retrospective case series, the NASA data from the life sciences data archieve (LSDA) and the lifetime surveillance of astronaught health (LSAH) was queried for eye related complaints and conditions in spaceflight across international space station (ISS) missions and space shuttle (STS) missions. The ISS dataset included missions from the year 2000 to 2020, and the STS dataset included missions from 1981 to 2011. Data were reviewed and segmented into categories of ocular complaints. 135 STS missions and 63 ISS missions were included in this analysis. Ocular events were only noted across 83 STS missions (61.5%) and 41 ISS missions (65.1%). Overall, the most common ocular complaints were eye irritation (n = 80, 33.1%), ocular foreign body or foreign body sensation (n = 55, 22.7%), dry eye syndromes (n = 38, 15.7%), epiphora or excessive tearing (n = 19, 7.85%). Of all ocular complaints or diagnoses, 9 (3.72%) were considered higher severity (keratitis, corneal ulcer, chemical exposure, and corneal abrasion). However, seemingly none required evacuation from mission. Improved depiction of ocular symptoms and diagnoses, and a more standard classification system and process to describe ocular symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments in space is crucial to provide more effective and comprehensive treatments.

Management of new onset atrial fibrillation during acute medical illness

New-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) occurring during acute medical illness or post-operatively has long been considered a benign phenomenon, and its recurrence risk was deemed low. However, recent data suggest a high risk of AF recurrence, and a thromboembolic risk similar to the risk associated with AF occurring without a provoking factor. As we lack interventional data, there are currently no guidelines on the long-term management of new-onset AF occurring during an acute medical condition. This paper aims to review current knowledge on epidemiology, recurrence risk, thromboembolic risk and anticoagulation strategies in the setting of new-onset AF occurring transiently with acute stress.

Acute care models for older people living with frailty: a systematic review and taxonomy

BackgroundThe need to improve the acute care pathway to meet the care needs of older people living with frailty is a strategic priority for many healthcare systems. The optimal care model for this patient group is unclear.MethodsA systematic review was conducted to derive a taxonomy of acute care models for older people with acute medical illness and describe the outcomes used to assess their effectiveness. Care models providing time-limited episodes of care (up to 14 days) within 48 h of presentation to patients over the age of 65 with acute medical illness were included. Care models based in hospital and community settings were eligible.Searches were undertaken in Medline, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane databases. Interventions were described and classified in detail using a modified version of the TIDIeR checklist for complex interventions. Outcomes were described and classified using the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials (COMET) taxonomy. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB2 and ROBINS-I.ResultsThe inclusion criteria were met by 103 articles. Four classes of acute care model were identified, acute-bed based care, hospital at home, emergency department in-reach and care home models. The field is dominated by small single centre randomised and non-randomised studies. Most studies were judged to be at risk of bias. A range of outcome measures were reported with little consistency between studies. Evidence of effectiveness was limited.ConclusionAcute care models for older people living with frailty are heterogenous. The clinical effectiveness of these models cannot be conclusively established from the available evidence.Trial registrationPROSPERO registration (CRD42021279131).

Event rates and risk factors for venous thromboembolism and major bleeding in a population of hospitalized adult patients with acute medical illness receiving enoxaparin thromboprophylaxis

BackgroundWe aimed to describe the event rates and risk-factors for symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding in a population of hospitalized acutely ill medical patients. MethodsPatients ≥40 years old and hospitalized for acute medical illness who initiated enoxaparin prophylaxis were selected from the US Optum research database. Rates of symptomatic VTE and major bleeding at 90-days were estimated via the Kaplan-Meier (KM) method. Risk factors were identified via the Cox proportional hazards model. ResultsA total of 123,022 patients met the selection criteria. The KM rates of VTE and major bleeding at 90-days were 3.5 % and 2.2 %, respectively. Among subgroups, the risk of VTE varied from 3.0 % in patients with ischemic stroke to 6.9 % in patients with a cancer-related hospitalization, and the risk of major bleeding varied from 1.9 % in patients with inflammatory conditions to 3.6 % in patients with ischemic stroke. Key risk factors for VTE were prior VTE (HR=4.15, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 3.80–4.53), cancer-related hospitalization (HR=2.35, 95 % CI 2.10–2.64), and thrombophilia (HR=1.64, 95 % CI 1.29–2.08). Key risk factors for major bleeding were history of major bleeding (HR=2.17, 95 % CI 1.72–2.74), history of non-major bleeding (HR=2.46, 95 % CI 2.24–2.70), and hospitalization for ischemic stroke (2.42, 95 % CI 2.11–2.78). ConclusionThere is substantial heterogeneity in the event rates for VTE and major bleeding in acute medically ill patients. History of VTE and cancer related hospitalization represent profiles with a high risk of VTE, where continued VTE prophylaxis may be warranted.

OC 32.2 Risk of Venous Thromboembolism and Major Bleeding in Patients with Acute Medical Illness Receiving Thromboprophylaxis with Enoxaparin

OC 32.2 Risk of Venous Thromboembolism and Major Bleeding in Patients with Acute Medical Illness Receiving Thromboprophylaxis with Enoxaparin

The cost of emergency care for children across differing levels of emergency department pediatric readiness.

High emergency department (ED) pediatric readiness is associated with improved survival in children, but the cost is unknown. We evaluated the costs of emergency care for children across quartiles of ED pediatric readiness. This was a retrospective cohort study of children aged 0-17 years receiving emergency services in 747 EDs in 9 states from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2017. We measured ED pediatric readiness using the weighted Pediatric Readiness Score (range: 0-100). The primary outcome was the total cost of acute care (ED and inpatient) in 2022 dollars, adjusted for ED case mix and hospital characteristics. A total of 15 138 599 children received emergency services, including 27.6% with injuries and 72.4% with acute medical illness. The average adjusted per-patient cost by quartile of ED pediatric readiness ranged from $991 (quartile 1) to $1064 (quartile 4) for injured children and $1104-$1217 for medical children. The resulting cost differences were $72 (95% CI: -$6 to $151) and $113 (95% CI: $20-$206), respectively. Receiving emergency care in high-readiness EDs was not associated with marked increases in the cost of delivering services.

Venous thromboembolism secondary to hospitalization for COVID-19: patient management and long-term outcomes

BackgroundVenous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complication of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. Little information is available on long-term outcomes of VTE in this population. ObjectivesWe aimed to compare the characteristics, management strategies, and long-term clinical outcomes between patients with COVID-19–associated VTE and patients with VTE provoked by hospitalization for other acute medical illnesses. MethodsThis is an observational cohort study, with a prospective cohort of 278 patients with COVID-19–associated VTE enrolled between 2020 and 2021 and a comparison cohort of 300 patients without COVID-19 enrolled in the ongoing START2-Register between 2018 and 2020. Exclusion criteria included age <18 years, other indications to anticoagulant treatment, active cancer, recent (<3 months) major surgery, trauma, pregnancy, and participation in interventional studies. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 12 months after treatment discontinuation. Primary end point was the occurrence of venous and arterial thrombotic events. ResultsPatients with VTE secondary to COVID-19 had more frequent pulmonary embolism without deep vein thrombosis than controls (83.1% vs 46.2%, P <.001), lower prevalence of chronic inflammatory disease (1.4% and 16.3%, P <.001), and history of VTE (5.0% and 19.0%, P <.001). The median duration of anticoagulant treatment (194 and 225 days, P = 0.9) and the proportion of patients who discontinued anticoagulation (78.0% and 75.0%, P = 0.4) were similar between the 2 groups. Thrombotic event rates after discontinuation were 1.5 and 2.6 per 100 patient-years, respectively (P = 0.4). ConclusionThe risk of recurrent thrombotic events in patients with COVID-19–associated VTE is low and similar to the risk observed in patients with VTE secondary to hospitalization for other medical diseases.

Effect of extended duration of thromboprophylaxis for medically ill patients

BackgroundThere are knowledge gaps regarding the comparative efficacy and safety of various venous thromboprophylaxis regimens with extended timing in patients hospitalized for acute medical illnesses. This study aims to investigate the optimal regimen for the prevention of venous thromboembolism in these patients. MethodsWe conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing different venous thromboprophylaxis regimens for acutely ill medical patients. Outcomes included venous thromboembolism, major bleeding, and all-cause mortality. Risk ratios (RR) and associated 95% credible interval (CrI) were estimated. In addition, we assessed the most effective interventions in a subgroup of patients with stroke. ResultsWe identified five RCTs involving 40,124 patients. Extended thromboprophylaxis with direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) (RR 0.78, 95% CrI 0.68 to 0.89) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) (RR 0.62, 95% CrI 0.45 to 0.84) were superior to standard therapy in the prevention of venous thromboembolism. However, both of them (DOAC: RR 1.99, 95% CrI 1.38 to 2.92; LMWH: RR 2.56, 95% CrI 1.26 to 5.68) lead to a significant increase in major bleeding). Moreover, both LMWH (RR 0.76, 95% CrI 0.57 to 1.00) and DOAC (RR 0.86, 95% CrI 0.76 to 0.98) with extended thromboprophylaxis showed favorable net clinical benefit compared to standard therapy. ConclusionsExtended thromboprophylaxis, especially with LMWH, showed better efficacy in venous thromboembolism reduction with increased risk of major bleeding. The beneficial effect of LMWH with extended timing has also been shown in stroke patients. Overall, extended thromboprophylaxis is associated with a positive net clinical benefit.

THE ANALYTICAL STUDY OF “ROLE OF VARIOUS ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS FOR THE PRECIPITATION OF ACUTE SEIZURES

Background: Seizures are a result of shift in the normal balance of excitation and inhibition within the central nervous system. Acute symptomatic seizures are those caused or provoked by acute medical or neurological illness Aims And Objectives: 1.To study the etiological spectrum of acute symptomatic seizures. 2. To evaluate new onset seizures by clinical and appropriate laboratory and radiological evaluation Methods: 170 patients attending the outpatient department and emergency department with diagnosis of acute seizures in Department of Medicine and allied specialties in KIMS &amp;RF hospital from SEPTEMBER 2020 to OCTOBER 2022 are selected for the study Results: In this study ASS was seen more in males (60%) than females (40%).GTCS was seen in 75.2% subjects, 21.1% subjects presented with focal seizures and 3.52% subjects had focal seizures with secondary generalisation. Metabolic insults were found in 25.9% subjects ,Vascular insults 15.9% , Drug withdrawal seizures 15.9%, adult onset seizures 5%, Primary generalized epilepsy 8.8%, Cerebral Venous Sinus thrombosis 7.6%, Alcohol withdrawal in 4.1%,trauma 5.3%, neurocysticercosis 2.4%,tuberculoma 2.9%,drug poisoning 1.2% Conclusion: Incidence of ASS was more during early adulthood and middle aged persons. Metabolic insults accounted for a large portion (25.9%) ,vascular insults (15.9%), drug withdrawal seizures(15.9%), seizures secondary to CVT (7.6%), trauma(5.3%), alcohol withdrawal(4.1%), NCC (2.4%), tuberculoma (2.9%).Acute symptomatic seizures continue to be a useful concept for classication and prognosis

The possible role of gut microbiota dysbiosis in the pathophysiology of delirium in older persons.

Delirium is a clinical syndrome characterized by an acute change in attention, awareness and cognition with fluctuating course, frequently observed in older patients during hospitalization for acute medical illness or after surgery. Its pathogenesis is multifactorial and still not completely understood, but there is general consensus on the fact that it results from the interaction between an underlying predisposition, such as neurodegenerative diseases, and an acute stressor acting as a trigger, such as infection or anesthesia. Alterations in brain insulin sensitivity and metabolic function, increased blood-brain barrier permeability, neurotransmitter imbalances, abnormal microglial activation and neuroinflammation have all been involved in the pathophysiology of delirium. Interestingly, all these mechanisms can be regulated by the gut microbiota, as demonstrated in experimental studies investigating the microbiota-gut-brain axis in dementia. Aging is also associated with profound changes in gut microbiota composition and functions, which can influence several aspects of disease pathophysiology in the host. This review provides an overview of the emerging evidence linking age-related gut microbiota dysbiosis with delirium, opening new perspectives for the microbiota as a possible target of interventions aimed at delirium prevention and treatment.

Hospitalization’s association with depression in adults over 50 years old: does living arrangement matter? Findings from the Health and Retirement Study

Objectives To examine how living arrangements are associated with depressive symptoms in late middle-life and older adults following hospitalization within the last two years. Design We used the 2016 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative survey of adults over 50 years old living in the United States. Methods The dependent variable was whether HRS participants screened positive for having depressive symptoms. The primary independent variable was self-reported hospitalization in the prior two years. We stratified bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regressions by living arrangement to examine hospitalizations’ association with depressive symptoms. Results Depressive symptoms were less prevalent among participants who were married or partnered and living with a partner (14.0%) compared to those who were not married or partnered and were living with others (31.7%) and were not married or partnered and were living alone (27.8%). In multivariate analyses stratified by living arrangement, however, hospitalization was associated with depressive symptoms for those married or partnered and living with a partner (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.14–1.69) but not for those who were not married and living with other(s) (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.65–1.18) and not married or partnered and living alone (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.82–1.36). Conclusions Late middle-life and older adults residing with spouses or cohabitating appear at risk for having depressive symptoms following a hospitalization. A better understanding of how relationships and living arrangements may affect depression risk in the context of an acute medical illness is needed to identify points of intervention.