Common Geriatric Syndromes Research Articles

Muscle Strength Seems to be Related to The Functional Status and Severity of Dementia in Older Adults with Alzheimer's Disease.

This study aimed to determine the possible interrelationships between sarcopenia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sarcopenia and AD are two common geriatric syndromes; however, the relationship between AD and sarcopenia has not been evaluated in detail so far. The objective is to evaluate the relationship between AD and sarcopenia. This cross-sectional study was performed retrospectively on 128 patients with probable AD, with a mean age of 76.56±7.54 years. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, including the activities of daily living (ADLs), malnutrition, frailty, mini-mental state examination (MMSE), and orthostatic hypotension was performed. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised EWGSOP-2 criteria. The frequency of probable sarcopenia and definitive sarcopenia was 54.7% and 18.7%, respectively. AD patients with probable sarcopenia had lower MMSE and ADLs scores and were frailer. Clinical dementia rating (CDR) score, MMSE, and basic and instrumental ADLs were independently related to probable sarcopenia in the patients (p=0.003, p<0.001, p=0.001, and p=0.001, respectively). The prevalence of probable sarcopenia in those with CDR 2 was higher than in those with CDR 0.5 and 1 (p=0.002). Our findings suggest that probable sarcopenia seems to be related to worse MMSE and ADLs scores and frailty in patients with AD and seems to be related to the severity of AD. Considering adverse health outcomes and the burden of sarcopenia on the patients and their caregivers, optimal care and treatment of sarcopenia in patients with AD are of great importance.

Analysis of citation trends to identify articles on delirium worth reading using DDPP model with temporal heatmaps (THM): A bibliometric analysis.

Delirium is one of the most common geriatric syndromes in older patients, accounting for 25% of hospitalized older patients, 31 to 35% of patients in the intensive care unit, and 8% to 17% of older patients in the emergency department (ED). A number of articles have been published in the literature regarding delirium. However, it is unclear about article citations evolving in the field. This study proposed a temporal heatmap (THM) that can be applied to all bibliographical studies for a better understanding of cited articles worth reading. As of November 25, 2022, 11,668 abstracts published on delirium since 2013 were retrieved from the Web of Science core collection. Research achievements were measured using the CJAL score. Social network analysis was applied to examine clusters of keywords associated with core concepts of research. A THM was proposed to detect articles worth reading based on recent citations that are increasing. The 100 top-cited articles related to delirium were displayed on an impact beam plot (IBP). The results indicate that the US (12474), Vanderbilt University (US) (634), Anesthesiology (2168), and Alessandro Morandi (Italy) (116) had the highest CJAL scores in countries, institutes, departments, and authors, respectively. Articles worthy of reading were highlighted on a THM and an IBP when an increasing trend of citations over the last 4 years was observed. The THM and IBP were proposed to highlight articles worth reading, and we recommend that more future bibliographical studies utilize the 2 visualizations and not restrict them solely to delirium-related articles in the future.

Innovative Non-Pharmacological Management of Delirium in Persons with Dementia: New Frontiers for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy?

Delirium and dementia are two of the most common geriatric syndromes, which requires innovative rehabilitation approaches. We aimed at determining which occupational therapy and physiotherapy interventions are applied with older people with delirium and dementia in different care settings. We also identified the assessment tools that were used. We conducted a literature search for scientific articles published from 2012 to 2022 (PubMed, MEDLINE, AMED and CINAHL) with adults aged >65 years including experimental study designs with randomized or non-randomized intervention, exploratory studies, pilot studies, quasi-experimental studies, case series and/or clinical cases. Studies that did not use interventions that could be classified as occupational therapy or physiotherapy were excluded. After applying the exclusion criteria, 9 articles were selected. The most widely used assessment to define dementia was the MMSE (N = 5; 55.5%), whereas the CAM (N = 2; 22.2%), CAM-ICU (N = 2; 22.2%) and RASS (N = 3; 33.3%) were the most widely used to define delirium. The rehabilitation interventions that were most frequently performed were early mobilization, inclusion of the caregiver during treatment, modification of the environment to encourage orientation and autonomy, the interprofessional systemic approach and engaging persons in meaningful activities. Despite the growing evidence on its effectiveness, the role of physiotherapy and occupational therapy interventions in the prevention and treatment of people with dementia and delirium is still emerging. More research is needed to investigate if effective occupational therapy programs known to reduce the behavioral and psychological symptoms in people with dementia are also useful for treating delirium and specifically delirium superimposed on dementia. Regarding physiotherapy, it is crucial to know about the amount and timing of intervention required. Further studies are needed including older adults with delirium superimposed on dementia to define the role of the interprofessional geriatric rehabilitation team.

Evaluation of the efficacy of using gnri and mis as a predictor of mortality in elderly hemodialysis patients.

Malnutrition is one of the most common geriatric syndromes in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Although there is no gold standard for evaluating nutritional status in HD patients, the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and Malnutrition-Inflammation Score (MIS) are widely used in clinical settings. To examine the efficacy of using Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and Malnutrition-Inflammation Score (MIS) as a predictor of mortality in elderly hemodialysis patients. A retrospective cohort study was carried out in Malatya Training and Research Hospital's Hemodialysis Unit between July 2018 and August 2022. Two hundred seventy-four elderly hemodialysis patients were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, and anthropometric measurements of the patients were reviewed. Statistical analyses were performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality. The mean age of 83 patients who died was 70.00 ± 8.39 years and 47 (56.6%) of these patients were male. All-cause death occurred in 69 (71.1%) of 97 patients with an MIS of ≥6. All-cause death occurred in 24 (54.5%) of 44 patients with a GNRI score of <91.2. Accordingly, MIS (P < 0.001, OR = 1.376 [0.163-0.392]), GNRI (P = 0.001, OR = -0.431 [1.189-1.990]), and age (P = 0.021, OR = 0.109 [0.818-0.984]) were found to be independent predictors of all-cause mortality. GNRI and MIS are important predictors of increased risk of mortality from all causes in elderly HD patients.

Cardiovascular disease in older patients with end-stage renal disease and chronic dialysis in Vietnam

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Patients with chronic kidney disease, especially end-stage renal disease, exhibit a very high cardiovascular risk. In Vietnam, chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are very common in older people. However, there is limited studies on the complexity of CVD and other geriatric syndromes in older patients with end-stage renal disease and chronic dialysis. Purpose In this study in older patients with end-stage renal disease and chronic dialysis, we aim to: (1) Examine the prevalence of CVD and its impact on hospitalization, and (2) Compare the burden of common geriatric syndromes in patients with and without CVD. Methods This is a prospective, observational, multi-centre study conducted at two dialysis units of two major hospitals in Vietnam. Consecutive patients aged 60 years or older who were diagnosed with end-stage renal disease and on chronic dialysis were recruited from November 2020 to June 2021. CVD was defined as having one of these conditions: heart failure, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. Participants were assessed for these common geriatric conditions: frailty (defined as a Clinical Frailty Scale total score ≥5), malnutrition (defined as a total score ≤7 from the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form), impairment in activities of daily living (defined as ADL score &amp;lt;6), impairment in instrumental activities of daily living (defined as IADL score &amp;lt;8), high risk of falls (assessed by the STEADI questionnaire), and polypharmacy (defined as the concurrent use of ≥5 medications). Participants were followed for 6 months after discharge. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the impact of CVD on 6-month hospitalization, adjusting for age, sex, and the geriatric conditions. Results were presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results There were 175 participants (mean age 72.4 ± 8.5, 58.9% female). CVD was present in 80% of the participants (ischemic heart disease: 49.7%, heart failure: 60.0%, stroke 25.7%). Participants with CVD had significantly higher prevalence of geriatric syndromes compared to those without CVD (Table 1). During 6-month follow-up, 48.6% of the participants had at least one hospitalization. In multivariable logistic regression model, the presence of CVD increased the risk of hospitalization (adjusted OR 4.70, 95%CI 1.72 – 12.85), allowing for age, sex, frailty, ADL impairment, IADL impairment, fall risk, malnutrition, polypharmacy (Table 2). Conclusion In this study, there was a very high prevalence of CVD in older patients with end-stage renal disease and chronic dialysis. Participants with CVD had higher burden of geriatric syndromes and their risk of 6-month hospitalization increased by approximately 5 times.

Хроническая боль у пациентов пожилого и старческого возраста: клинические рекомендации и сложности реальной практики

Chronic pain syndrome is one of the most common geriatric syndromes, it has an impact on person’s self-management, worsens the life quality and shortens life expectancy. Reduced mobility, the need for external assistance due to chronic pain lead to an increase in the costs of the healthcare system. The peculiarity of the elderly and senile patient management with chronic pain is the need to assess not only the pain syndrome itself, but also polymorbid pathology and other geriatric syndromes that affect the pain pathogenesis. A patient-centered care for elderly persons with chronic pain, developed on the basis of a comprehensive geriatric assessment, should include interventions aimed at correcting geriatric syndromes, the range and activity of movements and the pain negative consequences. The drug treatment of pain syndrome is determined by its intensity and the risks of developing adverse events (especially in the case of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The most correct treatment tactics of chronic pain is the basic therapy indication for diseases that cause the pain development. KEYWORDS: chronic pain, geriatric syndromes, comprehensive geriatric assessment, osteoarthritis, autonomy, mobility, nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs, symptomatic slow-acting drugs. FOR CITATION: Naumov A.V., Khovasova N.O., Polyanskaya A.R., Tokareva L.G., Tkacheva O.N. Chronic pain in elderly and senile patients: clinical recommendations and difficulties in real practice. Russian Medical Inquiry. 2023;7(10):680–686 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821- 2023-7-10-11.

Depression in Older Adults: May Be the Mass Under the Tip of the Iceberg?

Aims: Our aim was to investigate the relationship between common geriatric syndromes and depression. Methods: 515 patients over 65 years old admitted to a university hospital participated in this cross-sectional study. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the European Quality of Life (EQ-5D), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered to the participants in addition to the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) was used to assess depressive symptoms in persons 65 years and older. Results: The mean age of the participants was 72.26.3 years, and 133 (24.8%) of them scored high on the GDS for depression. The non-depressed group had lower rates of sarcopenia, fewer medications, lower BAI and PSQI scores, and higher EQ-5D and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scores. Correlation analysis showed that the GDS score was moderately positively associated with the number of medications (r = 0.351, p = &lt;0.001), the BAI score (r = 0.638, p = &lt;0.001), and moderately negatively associated with the IADL score (r = -0.355, p = &lt;0.001) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score (r = -0.316, p = &lt;0.001). After multivariate logistic regression analysis, IADL, MNA, and BAI scores were independently associated with depression (p = 0.026, OR = 0.72, p = 0.026, OR = 0.94, and p = &lt;0.001, OR = 1.11, respectively). Conclusions: Interventions aimed at alleviating depressive symptoms may be an effective strategy for preventing the adverse consequences of depression that lead to deterioration in quality of life. Therefore, focusing on factors that are independently associated with depression, such as dependency in activities of daily living, anxiety symptoms, and poor nutritional status, may be a useful method in the management of older patients with depression.

Exploring the Intricate Nexus of Sarcopenia and Cognitive Impairment.

Sarcopenia, a group of skeletal muscle diseases with high prevalence in older adults, usually manifests as loss of muscle mass and strength, and/or physical performance decline. Cognitive impairment, defined as impaired function in one or more cognitive domains such as memory, language, computation, comprehension, executive, and visuospatial skills, affects the quality of life and social functioning of patients. Both sarcopenia and cognitive impairment are common geriatric syndromes, and the two disorders interact and influence each other. Declining muscle function accelerates cognitive impairment, and cognitive impairment in turn affects muscle strength. Potential common pathological mechanisms between the two include chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, and gut microbiota disorder. Additionally, neuroendocrine connections including testosterone, insulin, and growth factors have important effects on muscle and brain function. Recently, the development of applied metabolomics technologies has shown significant potential in uncovering shared biochemical pathways and exploring potential biomarkers. Exercise, nutritional, and cognitive interventions are significant as nonpharmacologic approaches in the treatment of sarcopenia and cognitive impairment. However, the specific mechanism of interaction between two diseases, biomarkers and effective therapeutic medications still has knowledge gaps that need to be further explored.

Virus Infections in Older People.

Older people are more prone to viral infections, and often have worse outcomes. This was well demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, where a disproportionate number of deaths occurred in the oldest and frailest people. The assessment of the older person with a viral infection is complicated by the high prevalence of multiple comorbidities and sensory or cognitive impairment. They often present with common geriatric syndromes such as falls or delirium, rather than the more typical features of a viral illness in younger people. Comprehensive geriatric assessment by a specialist multidisciplinary team is the gold standard of management, as viral illness is unlikely to present in isolation of other healthcare needs. We discuss the presentation, diagnosis, prevention, and management of common viral infections-respiratory syncytial virus, coronavirus, norovirus, influenza, hepatitis, herpes, and dengue viruses-with special consideration of infections in the older patient.

POLYPHARMACY, FRAILTY, AND DISABILITY-FREE SURVIVAL IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING HEALTHY OLDER INDIVIDUALS

Abstract BACKGROUND Polypharmacy and frailty are two common geriatric syndromes. We examined the association between polypharmacy and frailty and if, together, they predicted disability-free survival (DFS), defined as time to the first event of dementia, persistent physical disability or death. METHODS We included 19,114 participants from the "ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly" (ASPREE) clinical trial. Polypharmacy was defined as regular, concomitant use of five or more prescription medications. Frailty was assessed using a modified Fried phenotype and a deficit accumulation frailty index (FI) of 66 items. The association between polypharmacy and frailty was assessed by multinomial logistic regression. In addition, Cox regression was used to determine the association between polypharmacy-exposed frailty and DFS. RESULTS Individuals with polypharmacy (vs. &amp;lt; 5 medications) were 55% more likely to be pre-frail (Relative Risk Ratio or RRR: 1.55; 95%Confidence Interval or CI:1.44, 1.68) and three times more likely to be frail (RRR: 3.34; 95%CI: 2.64, 4.22) according to Fried phenotype. Frail individuals had a two-fold reduction in their survival free of dementia/disability (Hazard ratio or HR: 2.16; 95%CI: 1.56, 2.99), whereas frail individuals with polypharmacy had a four-fold reduction (HR: 4.24; 95%CI: 3.28, 5.47). Effect sizes were more prominent when frailty was assessed using the FI than when assessed by Fried phenotype. CONCLUSION Polypharmacy was significantly associated with pre-frailty/frailty. Polypharmacy-exposed pre-frailty/frailty increased the risk of death, dementia or physical disability among older adults. Addressing polypharmacy in older people could ameliorate the impact of frailty on individuals’ functional status, cognition and survival.

Sarcopenic obesity is associated with frailty among community-dwelling older adults: findings from the WCHAT study

ObjectiveUncertainties remain regarding the relationship between sarcopenic obesity and frailty. This study aimed to explore the association of these two common geriatric syndromes among community-dwelling older adults.MethodsBaseline data from the West China Health and Aging Trend (WCHAT) study was used. Sarcopenia was assessed based on the criteria established by the Asian working group for sarcopenia. Body fat percentages above the 60th percentile specified by sex were classified as obesity. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the concurrence of obesity and sarcopenia. Frailty was assessed by Fried criteria. Multinomial logistic regression was adopted to explore associations of sarcopenic obesity with frailty.ResultsOverall, 2372 older adults (mean age 67.6 ± 5.9) were involved in this study. The prevalence of frailty and sarcopenic obesity was 6.2 and 6.28%, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, sarcopenic obesity was significantly associated with prefrailty (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.15–2.64, P = 0.009) and frailty (OR = 4.42, 95% CI = 2.19–8.93, P < 0.001) compared to nonsarcopenia and nonobesity.ConclusionsSarcopenic obesity was significantly correlated with prefrailty and frailty among older adults. Intervention for sarcopenic obesity may contribute to the prevention of incident frailty.

Chinese expert consensus on prevention and intervention for the elderly with malnutrition (2022).

Malnutrition is a state of altered body composition and body cell mass due to inadequate intake or utilization of energy or nutrients, leading to physical and mental dysfunction and impaired clinical outcomes. As one of the most common geriatric syndromes, malnutrition in the elderly is a significant risk factor for poor clinical outcomes, causing a massive burden on medical resources and society. The risk factors for malnutrition in the elderly are diverse and include demographics, chronic diseases, and psychosocial factors. Presently, recommendations for the prevention and intervention of malnutrition in the elderly are not clear or consistent in China. This consensus is based on the latest global evidence and multiregional clinical experience in China, which aims to standardize the prevention and intervention of malnutrition in the elderly in China and improve the efficacy of clinical practice and the prognosis of elderly patients.

Demans Hastalarında Üriner İnkontinans ve Sarkopeni İlişkisi

Aim: Dementia, sarcopenia, and urinary incontinence (UI) are common geriatric syndromes. UI is a condition that affects the quality of life, results in social isolation, causes falls and, causes morbidity and mortality due to falls. UI also increases caregiver burnout and the burden of care in dementia patients. Continence requires an intact genito-urinary system, peripheral and central nervous system, and cognitive health. In addition, the importance of the pelvic floor muscles from the striated muscle group and the skeletal system in continence cannot be ignored. In the light of these facts, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between UI and sarcopenia in patients with dementia.&#x0D; Materials and Method: Dementia patients with sarcopenia who applied to the DEU Geriatrics unit between January 2015 and December 2021 were included. Patients with CDR 3 dementia and those with acute problems were excluded. Patients were grouped according to their UI status and evaluated for sarcopenia using the EWGSOP-2 criteria.&#x0D; Results: According to the presence of UI, no significant difference was found in demographic and laboratory findings between groups. The frequency of anti-parkinsonian drug usage and depression was more common in the UI group. While, the frequency of probable sarcopenia, severe sarcopenia, slow gait speed, and frailty was higher in the UI group; Barthel's score was lower (p

Probable sarcopenia: associations with common geriatric syndromes and comorbidities in Turkish geriatric patients from a university hospital.

EWGSOP2 defines "probable sarcopenia" as the presence of low muscle strength without non-muscle causes. The associations of probable sarcopenia have been studied in few reports to date, and our intention in this study is to identify associations of probable sarcopenia with common geriatric syndromes in a sample of older adults who attended the geriatric outpatient clinic of Istanbul University Hospital. The present study was designed as a retrospective cross-sectional study. We performed a comprehensive geriatric assessment to the participants. Univariate analyses were performed to determine relationship of probable sarcopenia with age, sex, common geriatric syndromes, i.e., frailty, falls, polypharmacy, malnutrition, and comorbidities, i.e., diabetes mellitus, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), depression, osteoporosis, and the variables found to be significant were included in logistic regression analyses. The results are presented as an odds ratio (OR), with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Included in the study were 456 participants with a mean age of 74.6 ± 6.6years, of which 71.1% were female. Probable sarcopenia was identified in 12.7% (n = 58) of the sample. A multivariate analysis was carried out, the factors associated with probable sarcopenia were identified as male sex (OR 0.269, 95% CI 0.142-0.510), frailty (OR 4.265, 95% CI 2.200-8.267) and chronic kidney disease (OR 3.084, 95% CI 1.105-8.608). Probable sarcopenia was more significantly associated with frailty than with other geriatric syndromes, signifying its importance as a marker for frailty. The study further identified chronic renal failure as a factor significantly associated with probable sarcopenia among the variety of studied diseases that frequently accompany aging.

Features of geriatric status in elderly patients with osteoarthritis combined with neuropathic pain: data from the Russian epidemiological study EVKALIPT

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) are pain and dysfunction of the joints. Neuropathic pain (NP) occurs in more than half of patients with OA, it is refractory in nature and is the cause for seeking medical advice more frequently, poor quality of life and disability.Objective: to evaluate the frequency of NP and its relationship with geriatric syndromes (GS) in patients with OA aged 65 years and older. Patients and methods. The subanalysis of the study EVKALIPT included 2286 patients with OA and chronic pain syndrome. All patients underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and diagnostics of NP using the DN4 questionnaire.Results and discussion. The prevalence of NP in patients with OA was 22.7%. Patients with OA and NP more often experienced pain of any localization with a large number of tender points, they had a higher frequency and intensity of pain syndrome, they more often took analgesics and noted limitations in daily life. When conducting a correlation analysis, correlations of medium strength were found between the sum of scores according to DN4 questionnaire and the pain intensity assessment on a numerical rating scale at the time of examination (r=0.26; p&lt;0.001) and in the previous 7 days (r=0.29; p&lt;0.001). CGA data in patients with OA and NP demonstrated worse geriatric status and a higher incidence of GS. The most common GSs were basic (81%) and instrumental (64%) dependence in everyday life, senile asthenia (70%), urinary incontinence (69%), depression (69%) and cognitive impairment (67%). Multivariate analysis showed that, in addition to age, the presence of NP was independently associated with sensory deficits, depression, falls, urinary incontinence, and bedsores (odds ratio 1.77–2.49). Patients with NP were more likely to use mobility aids, absorbent underwear, and orthotics.Conclusion. NP was diagnosed in 22.7% of OA patients aged 65 years and older. Such patients have worse functional status, they are more often diagnosed with a number of GSs.

The joint effects of physical activity and air pollution on type 2 diabetes in older adults

BackgroundOlder adults with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk of developing common geriatric syndromes and have a lower quality of life. To prevent type 2 diabetes in older adults, it’s unclear whether the health benefits of physical activity (PA) will be influenced by the harms caused by increased exposure to air pollution during PA, especially in developing countries with severe air pollution problem. We aimed to investigate the joint effects of PA and long-term exposure to air pollution on the type 2 diabetes in older adults from China.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was based on the China Multi-Ethnic cohort (CMEC) study. The metabolic equivalent of PA was calculated according to the PA scale during the CMEC baseline survey. High resolution air pollution datasets (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) were collected from open products. The joint effects were assessed by the marginal structural mean model with generalized propensity score.ResultsA total of 36,562 participants aged 50 to 79 years were included in the study. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 10.88%. The mean (SD) level of PA was 24.93 (18.60) MET-h/d, and the mean (SD) level of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were 70.00 (23.32) µg/m3, 40.45 (15.66) µg/m3 and 27.62 (6.51) µg/m3, respectively. With PM10 < 92 µg/m3, PM2.5 < 61 µg/m3, and PM1 < 36 µg/m3, the benefit effects of PA on type 2 diabetes was significantly greater than the harms due to PMs when PA levels were roughly below 80 MET-h/d. With PM10 ≥ 92 µg/m3, PM2.5 ≥ 61 µg/m3, and PM1 ≥ 36 µg/m3, the odds ratio (OR) first decreased and then rose rapidly with confidence intervals progressively greater than 1 and break-even points close to or even below 40 MET-h/d.ConclusionsOur findings implied that for the prevention of type 2 diabetes in older adults, the PA health benefits outweighed the harms of air pollution except in extreme air pollution situations, and suggested that when the air quality of residence is severe, the PA levels should ideally not exceed 40 MET-h/d.

Frailty Network in an Acute Care Setting: The New Perspective for Frail Older People.

The incidence of elderly patients who come to the emergency room is progressively increasing. The specialization of the physician units might not be adequate for the evaluation of this complexity. The present study aimed to present a standard procedure, called ‘The Geriatric Frailty Network’, operating at the Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS Foundation, which is configured specifically for the level II assessment of frail elderly patients. This was a retrospective study in 1191 patients aged over 65, who were evaluated by the Geriatric Frailty Unit directly after emergency department admission for one year. All patients underwent multidimensional geriatric evaluation. Data were collected on demographics, co-morbidity, disease severity, and Clinical Frailty Scale. Among all patients, 723 were discharged directly from the emergency room with early identification of continuity of care path. Globally, 468 patients were hospitalized with an early assessment of frailty that facilitated the discharge process. The geriatric frailty network model aims to assist the emergency room and ward doctor in the prevention of the most common geriatric syndromes and reduce the number of incongruous hospitalizations.

Sarcopenia is as common in older patients with dementia with Lewy bodies as it is in those with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia with Lewy body (DLB) constitute the most common types of dementia, and are two common geriatric syndromes; however, sarcopenia has not been elaborately evaluated in DLB so far. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between sarcopenia and DLB in older adults. In this retrospective and cross-sectional study, 662 participants, who were followed in a memory clinic at the Geriatrics department of a university hospital, were included. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, including the activities of daily living, malnutrition and malnutrition risk, frailty, cognition, and sarcopenia were assessed. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People-2 criteria. A total of 662 participants (461 healthy controls, 133 with AD and 68 with DLB) with a mean age of 73.60 ± 7.50 years were included. The prevalence of probable sarcopenia and sarcopenia was 53.4% and 19.5%, respectively, in patients with AD, whereas it was 55.9% and 19.1%, respectively, in patients with DLB. After adjustment analyses, probable sarcopenia, sarcopenia and low muscle mass were related to AD (P< 0.001, P = 0.001, P < 0.001, respectively). Probable sarcopenia and slow gait speed were associated with DLB (P< 0.01, P< 0.001, respectively). Sarcopenia is common in patients with DLB and in those with AD, and seems to be closely related to low muscle strength and slow gait speed in DLB patients. Considering sarcopenia-related negative health outcomes in older adults, the evaluation of sarcopenia, therefore, should also be among the follow-up and treatment goals of DLB patients. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2022; 22: 418-424.

Algorithms for managing patients over 60 years old with chronic joint and back pain

Chronic pain syndrome is one of the most common geriatric syndromes. Chronic pain negatively affects the mobility and autonomy of the older person, reducing the quality of life and longevity. An active screening for chronic pain in the geriatric population improves the geriatric status. Treatment strategies for chronic pain in older patients include non-pharmacological measures as well as drug administration. However, advanced age is associated with high comorbidity, polypharmacy, and in some cases does not allow the active use of systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). In this connection, the use of parenteral symptomatic slow-acting drugs, the representative of which is chondroitin sulfate (CS), becomes an alternative. The efficacy and safety of CS has been proven by the mean of clinical studies meta-analysis data of osteoarthritis treatment effectiveness with parenteral chondroitin sulfate, including patients with back pain.

Infusing geriatrics in Indian Health Service general primary care clinics: Extending VA workforce development training

ABSTRACT As federal partners, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) agreed to share resources, such as education. The VA Geriatric Scholars Program, a workforce development program, provides one of its training programs on team-based primary care of elders to clinicians working in IHS and Tribal Health Programs. The practical impact of that training is described. A mixed methods approach was applied to the course’s evaluation survey at five clinics in the Northwestern Plains, Southwest, Pacific Coast, and Alaska. Quantitative approaches assessed participants’ self-reported intention to improve recognition and assessment of common geriatric syndromes. A qualitative approach applied to open-ended text responses revealed intensions to improve team-based care. Among the 51 respondents in our sample, we found significant improvements in self-reported ability to recognize previously unfamiliar potential risks to elders’ health and safety, t(49) = 8.0233, p < .001, as well as increased comfort with conducting geriatric assessments and increased confidence in interprofessional team-based communication. Improvements to team-based care included enhanced clinical skills, organizational factors and the need to train additional employees. This evaluation demonstrates the value of sharing resources among federal partners and its value for participants in IHS and Tribal Health Programs.