Factors In Older Patients Research Articles

NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN OLDER HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS DEPENDING ON COMORBIDITY

Objective: Obesity and the type of obesity are an important prognostic factor in older patients with hypertension and comorbidity (including chronic heart failure (CHF)). The aim of this study was to investigate nutritional status in older hypertensive patients with CHF. Design and method: 119 older hypertensive patients withCHF (89 males, mean age was 68.9 ± 6.7 years) were studied. Arterial hypertension was defined according to ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypertension, 2018. Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was estimated. Comorbidity was regarded as high at index less or equal 6 scores. Nutritional status was assessed: the presence of obesity, type of obesity, body composition, including percentage of lean and fat tissue. Results: The CCI was 5.9 ± 1.9 scores. 67 (56.3%) older hypertensive patients with CHF had high comorbidity. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was more common in the comorbidity structure (57; 47,9%). Obesity was observed in 59 (81.9%) patients, 56 (77.8%) with abdominal obesity, 116 (97%) - had a higher percentage of body fat. Lean body mass index, body fat index, percentage of lean body mass and percentage of body fat did not differ in patients depending on the level of comorbidity (p > 0.05). There was a direct relationship between the percentage of body fat and CCI (r = 0.30, p = 0.006). However, patients with CKD had lower total water volume (42.4 ± 6.9 and39,1 ± 6.7 liters resp., p = 0,009) and lean body mass (58.0 ± 9.4and53,7 ± 9.3 kg resp., p = 0,01) compared to older hypertensive patients with CHF without CKD. Conclusions: Older patients with arterial hypertension and CHF are characterized by obesity (abdominal obesity) and sarcopenic obesity. Body composition is independent on comorbidity. However, patients withCKD had lower total water volume and lean body mass, which also causes a poor prognosis.

Clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors in older patients with biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy.

The older population has increased sharply in China. However, renal clinical and histopathological data in this population are lacking. This study investigated the clinicopathologic features and the related risk factors for long-term renal survival in older patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN). In this retrospective observational study, 74 older patients (≥ 60years old) with type 2 diabetes mellitus and biopsy-proven DN from 2007 to 2019 were included. Clinical data were extracted from electronic records. Renal biopsy specimens were semiquantitatively evaluated using the Renal Pathology Society (RPS) classification system. Cox proportional hazard analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). During the median follow-up period of 22months, 24 (32%) older patients progressed to ESRD. Older patients who progressed to ESRD had poorer renal function, lower hemoglobin and albumin concentrations, more severe glomerular lesions, and higher percentages of Kimmelstiel-Wilson lesions than those who did not progress to ESRD. After adjusting for age, sex, baseline renal function, and pathological parameters, multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that RPS glomerular classification (HR 2.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-6.04), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.58-0.99), and proteinuria (HR 3.85, 95% CI 1.44-10.27) were independent risk factors for progression to ESRD. Lower eGFR, heavier proteinuria, and more severe RPS glomerular lesions were associated with ESRD in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and DN.

Prognostic factors in older patients with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter retrospective study.

BackgroundOver 40% Japanese patients with lung cancer are above 75 years of age. A specific strategy to treat such older patients is necessary because most trials exclude older patients with poor physical health. Herein, we aimed to identify predictive factors associated with overall survival (OS) in older patients by evaluating patient backgrounds and laboratory data before the start of treatment.MethodsThis multicenter retrospective medical chart review study was conducted at three Japanese institutions and involved patients aged 75 years and above with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Of the patients, 75 had received best supportive care (BSC) and 49 mono-chemotherapy or platinum-doublet chemotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). OS after diagnosis was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Cox proportional hazard models, which included age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS), staging, serum albumin levels, and receipt of chemotherapy were analyzed.ResultsAge at diagnosis was not shown to be related to OS in patients receiving BSC. In patients aged 81 years and above, the chemotherapy group tended to have longer survival than did the BSC group, but there was no statistically significant difference in the median OS between the two groups due to the very small number of subjects (n: 30 vs. 12, median: 52 vs. 30 weeks, hazard ratio: 0.512, 95% confidence interval: 0.232–1.130, P=0.088). The patients’ performance status and albumin levels at lung cancer diagnosis had the highest impact on OS in the BSC group.ConclusionsCareful consideration should be given to the indications of chemotherapy for patients aged 81 years and above with wild-type EGFR advanced non-small lung cancer.

Dupilumab in Elderly Patients With Severe Atopic Dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) in the elderly has been poorly investigated, although its incidence is gradually increasing mainly in industrialized countries. Age-specific factors in older patients must be considered when selecting treatment options. To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of dupilumab in treating elderly patients with severe AD. This was a retrospective, multicenter study involving 26 elderly patients (age, ≥65 years) with severe AD who were treated with dupilumab for at least 16 weeks. Absolute and percentage frequencies were used to evaluate qualitative variables and mean and SD for quantitative ones. For Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), Pruritus Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), the median was also calculated. Wilcoxon test was used to evaluate the variations in EASI, Pruritus NRS, and DLQI observed between the 2 examinations. After 4 months of therapy, the majority of patients showed a significant improvement in EASI (64.4%), Pruritus NRS (58.2%), and DLQI (44.9%). Only 11% of patients reported mild or moderate conjunctivitis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the use of dupilumab in the elderly with severe AD. Our data show the effectiveness of dupilumab in this particular population with a lower percentage of conjunctivitis than observed in studies on adults and also excellent control of itching. Only larger, controlled case studies will be able to clarify whether the dosage or frequency of administration of dupilumab in these patients should be different from the protocol used for adults.

Risk factors for cage retropulsion after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in older patients

BackgroundTo investigate the incidence of cage retropulsion (CR) following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and the associated risk factors in older patients with lumbar disorders.MethodsBetween January 2015 and December 2017, 1,880 older patients (aged >60 years) who underwent open TLIF were preliminarily enrolled in this retrospective study. The patients’ medical records were reviewed, and the risk factors potentially associated with CR were analyzed.ResultsA total of 1,662 patients (692 males and 970 females, with an average age of 68.7±5.2 years) who met the eligibility criteria were finally enrolled in this study. Following TLIF, 29 older patients (1.74%) developed CR including 12 patients with spinal stenosis, 7 patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis, 5 patients had degenerative disc diseases, 3 patients had surgical history, and 2 patients suffered isthmic spondylolisthesis. Of the 29 patients, 21 patients suffered lower back pain and/or sciatica (72.4%), while 8 patients were asymptomatic (27.6%). In multivariate analysis, screw loosening [odds ratio (OR) =7.315; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.4–15.7] and endplate injury (OR =4.947; 95% CI: 2.3–10.6) were found to be independently associated with CR in older patients after TLIF.ConclusionsThe incidence of CR following TLIF in older patients is 1.74%. Screw loosening and endplate injury are risk factors for CR in older patients with TLIF.

Masseter muscle defined sarcopenia and survival in head and neck cancer patients at a single cancer centre

Introduction and aim: Sarcopenia is increasingly recognised as a poor prognostic factor in older patients undergoing cancer treatment. Recently, masseter muscle cross sectional area (MMCSA) has been shown to accurately identify sarcopenic patients. We aimed to apply this novel technique to a head and neck oncology patient cohort to identify any potential relationship with survival.

Risk Model for Decline in Activities of Daily Living Among Older Adults Hospitalized With Acute Myocardial Infarction: The SILVER-AMI Study.

BackgroundFunctional decline (ie, a decrement in ability to perform everyday activities necessary to live independently) is common after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and associated with poor long‐term outcomes; yet, we do not have a tool to identify older AMI survivors at risk for this important patient‐centered outcome.Methods and ResultsWe used data from the prospective SILVER‐AMI (Comprehensive Evaluation of Risk Factors in Older Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction) study of 3041 patients with AMI, aged ≥75 years, recruited from 94 US hospitals. Participants were assessed during hospitalization and at 6 months to collect data on demographics, geriatric impairments, psychosocial factors, and activities of daily living. Clinical variables were abstracted from the medical record. Functional decline was defined as a decrement in ability to independently perform essential activities of daily living (ie, bathing, dressing, transferring, and ambulation) from baseline to 6 months postdischarge. The mean age of the sample was 82±5 years; 57% were men, 90% were White, and 13% reported activity of daily living decline at 6 months postdischarge. The model identified older age, longer hospital stay, mobility impairment during hospitalization, preadmission physical activity, and depression as risk factors for decline. Revascularization during AMI hospitalization and ability to walk a quarter mile before AMI were associated with decreased risk. Model discrimination (c=0.78) and calibration were good.ConclusionsWe identified a parsimonious model that predicts risk of activity of daily living decline among older patients with AMI. This tool may aid in identifying older patients with AMI who may benefit from restorative therapies to optimize function after AMI.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment is an independent prognostic factor in older patients with metastatic renal cell cancer treated with first-line Sunitinib or Pazopanib: a single center experience

BackgroundThere is poor data on the prognostic role of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in older patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with first line Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs). Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical charts of mRCC patients older than 70 years treated at our Institute with first-line Sunitinib or Pazopanib for at least 6 months. Every patient received a CGA at baseline and was identified as fit, vulnerable or frail according to Balducci's Criteria. We then assessed the impact of CGA category on survival, disease control and tolerability of TKIs. ResultsWe identified 86 eligible patients. Median age: 74.5 years, 56% males; 45.4% were fit, 37.2% vulnerable and 17.4% frail at CGA. There were no significant differences in the rate of Grade (G)1–2 and G3-4 toxicities, dose reduction rates, PFS and OS between Sunitinib and Pazopanib. Fit, vulnerable and frail patients achieved significantly different median PFS (18.9 vs 11.2 vs 5.1 months; p < 0.001) and OS (35.5 vs 14.6 vs 10.9 months; p < 0.001). Patients categorized as fit had higher chance of receiving a second-line treatment (66.6% vs 28.9% in vulnerable/frail; p = 0.002). The incidence of G3/4 events was significantly lower in the fit subgroup (19% vs 45% in vulnerable/frail; p = 0.0025). ConclusionsIn our retrospective single-center experience, CGA could accurately discriminate patients with higher risk of experiencing G3/4 toxicities, shorter PFS, and lower chance of receiving a second line treatment. CGA strongly impacted on OS, independently from International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC) classification.

Prognostic factors in older patients admitted in ICU with diagnosis of abdominal sepsis (sepsis-3 criteria)

Background & aims. In septic older patients, hospitalization in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is often associated with unfavourable outcomes. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of geriatric age in patients admitted to ICU for abdominal sepsis and to investigate predictors of mortality, including quickSOFA, a recent prognostic index proposed for septic patients. Methods. Prospective observational study on patients admitted to ICU of St. Anna Hospital (Ferrara) between January and July 2016 with the following inclusion criteria: 1) adults (18 years); 2) abdominal infection treated with surgically techniques; 3) admission to ICU. Demographic, clinical data and survival at 30 and 90-day were collected for each patient. Results. Thirty patients were enrolled, and the majority of geriatric patients (80% ≥ 65 years and 53% ≥ 75 years). The 30 and 90-day mortality was 17 and 37%, respectively. Almost all deaths occurred in older age (mortality rate of 42%). SOFA (Sepsis Related Organ Failure Assessment) score was the prognostic index most frequently associated with exitus at 30 (AUC = 0.702) and 90 days (AUC = 0.730). quickSOFA was only related to early mortality (AUC = 0.640). Conclusions. Our data confirm the high geriatric prevalence among patients admitted to ICU for abdominal sepsis, underlining the advanced age as a negative prognostic factor. SOFA score appears a reliable prognostic indicator of mortality, also in older population, while quickSOFA proved effective only for short-term mortality.

Presentation, Treatment, and Outcomes of the Oldest-Old Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction: The SILVER-AMI Study

BackgroundOldest-old patients (≥85 years) constitute half the acute myocardial infarction hospitalizations among older adults and more commonly have atypical presentation, under-treatment, and functional impairments. Yet this group has not been well characterized. We characterized differences in presentation, functional impairments, treatments, health status, and mortality among middle-old (75–84 years) and oldest-old patients with myocardial infarction. MethodsWe analyzed data from the ComprehenSIVe Evaluation of Risk Factors in Older Patients with AMI (SILVER-AMI) study that enrolled 3041 patients ≥75 years of age from 94 hospitals across the US between 2013 and 2016. We performed Cox proportional hazards regression to examine the association between the oldest-old (n = 831) and middle-old (n = 2210) age categories with postdischarge 6-month case fatality rate adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables, and mobility impairment. ResultsThe oldest-old were less likely to present with chest pain (52.7% vs 57.7%) as their primary symptom or to receive coronary revascularization (58.1% vs 71.8) (P < .01 for both). The oldest-old were more likely to have functional impairments and had higher 6-month mortality compared with the middle-old patients (hazard ratio 1.78, 95% confidence interval, 1.39-2.28). This association was substantially attenuated after adjusting for mobility impairment (hazard ratio 1.29, confidence interval, 0.99-1.68). ConclusionsThere is considerable heterogeneity in presentation, treatment, and outcomes among older patients with myocardial infarction. Mobility impairment, a marker for frailty, modifies the association between advanced age and treatments as well as outcomes.

The Frequency of Sarcopenia and Associated Factors in Older Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Frequency of Sarcopenia and Associated Factors in Older Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

The SENECA study: Prognostic role of serum biomarkers in older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

BackgroundAging induces meaningful changes in the immune system and inflammation response with increase in monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. Aim of this study was to explore the prognostic role of MLR and LDH levels in older patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of a consecutive cohort of 168 older (>70 years) patients with mCRC. The prognostic impact of MLR and LDH levels on overall survival (OS) was investigated through uni-and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Moreover, we categorized patients into three groups according to MLR and LDH levels (group 1: MLR-low and LDH-low; group 2: MLR-high or LDH-high; group 3: MLR-high and LDH-high). ResultsBy univariate analysis, high LDH level (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.05–2.90) and high MLR level (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.48–3.44) were significantly associated with a worse OS. Conversely, primary tumor resection and left-sidedness were significantly associated with a longer OS. By multivariate analysis, high LDH level (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.13–3.55) and high MLR level (HR 2.99, 95% CI 1.68–5.33) were independent prognostic factors of worse prognosis. Compared to group 1, a shorter survival was reported for patients included in group 2 (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.21–3.23 in univariate; HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.43–4.51 in multivariate) or in group 3 (HR 2.42, 95% CI 24–4.74, p = .010 in univariate; HR 5.59, 95% CI 2.15-14.54 in multivariate) ConclusionsHigh baseline levels of LDH, MLR or both are independent unfavorable prognostic factors in older patients treated with first-line chemotherapy for mCRC.

Polypharmacy as a prognostic factor in older patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody-based immunotherapy.

Polypharmacy is a common problem among older adults. However, its prevalence and impact on the clinical outcomes of anticancer treatment, such as survival and adverse events, in older patients with advanced cancer have not been well investigated. We retrospectively reviewed data from Japanese patients treated with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) for advanced or recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) between 2016 and 2019. Among 157 older (aged ≥ 65years) patients, the prevalence of polypharmacy, defined as ≥ 5 medications, was 59.9% (94/157). The prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication use, according to the screening tool of older people's prescription (STOPP) criteria version 2, was 38.2% (60/157). The median progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with and without polypharmacy was 3.7 and 5.5months, respectively (P = 0.0017). The median overall survival (OS) in patients with and without polypharmacy was 9.5 and 28.1months, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed marked associations between polypharmacy and OS, but no significant associations between polypharmacy and PFS. Polypharmacy was not associated with immune-related adverse events but was associated with higher rate of unexpected hospitalizations during ICI treatment (59.6% vs. 31.7%, P < 0.001). Polypharmacy is an independent prognostic factor in older patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICI. Also, polypharmacy could be utilized as a simple indicator of patients' comorbidities and symptoms or as a predictive marker of unexpected hospitalizations during ICI treatment.

Use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factors in older patients: a review of recently published data.

This review presents the analysis of recently published studies about the benefit from granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) in older cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. During the last years, no major study aiming to confirm the clinical benefit of G-CSF prophylaxis in older patients treated with chemotherapy has been published. Nonetheless, all the data made recently available confirm that age, especially if other comorbid conditions are present as well, is a major risk factor for febrile neutropenia occurrence and that G-CSF prophylaxis can reduce significantly that risk. New modalities of administering G-CSF prophylaxis might be considered in older people in the future. Among these approaches, the 'same day' administration of prophylaxis and chemotherapy and the development of less-expensive approaches for G-CSF prophylaxis, such as the use of biosimilars are studied.

Complexity and Non-Linearity of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Older Patients With Multimorbidity and Reduced Renal Function

The aim of this study was to reveal the complex pathophysiology network that may underly associations between chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined with mildly to moderately decreased renal function, and increased CV risk. For this purpose, we used a set of parameters indicating biochemical disorders, known to be associated with CKD. This set of parameters was taken from the larger dataset, where clinical characteristics of older patients with multimorbidity (the existence of two or more chronic diseases at the same person) and mildly to moderately decreased renal function, have been described with multiple parameters. On the selected set of parameters, we applied Machine Learning (ML) methods, to demonstrate relationships between the parameters. We used SMOreg algorithm for developing regression model. At first, we applied the SMOreg algorithm on the dataset to predict C-reactive protein (CRP) and then we used same algorithm to discover pairwise nonlinear relationships between variables such as Age-fglu, Chol-HTC and HB-FE, Age-Homcis, Clear-Homcis, Homcis-TG, CRP-TG. The assessment of non-linear relationships among multiple parameters indicating confounding factors of renal function decline, in older people with multimorbidity, has revealed the close associations between insulin resistance and serum albumin and homocystein levels. Several hypotheses are arising from these study with the potential to facilitate research on the concept of the reverse epidemiology. Although this analytical approach is far from being sufficient to provide the full understanding of the relationships between cardiovascular risk factors and decreased renal function, in older population, by means of the reverse epidemiology, this study emphasizes a need for more integrated and dynamical approaches, when assessing these factors.

Prognostic factors of postoperative seizure outcomes in older patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

The authors of this study aimed to investigate surgical outcomes and prognostic factors in older patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) who had undergone resective surgery. Data on patients older than 45 years of age with drug-resistant TLE who had undergone resective surgery at Sanbo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 2009 and August 2017 were retrospectively collected. Postoperative seizure outcomes were evaluated according to the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classification. Patients belonging to ILAE classes 1 and 2 were classified as having a favorable outcome, whereas patients belonging to ILAE classes 3-6 were classified as having an unfavorable outcome. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify the potential predictors of seizure outcomes. A total of 45 patients older than 45 years of age who had undergone resective epilepsy surgery for TLE were included in the present study. Eight (17.8%) of 45 patients had preoperative comorbidity in addition to seizures. The average age at the time of surgery was 51.76 years, and the average duration of epilepsy at the time surgery was 18.01 years. After an average follow-up period of 4.53 ± 2.82 years (range 2-10 years), 73.3% (33/45) of patients were seizure free. Surgical complications were observed in 13.3% of patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that an MRI-negative finding is the only independent predictor of unfavorable seizure outcomes (OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.01-0.67, p = 0.023). Resective surgery is a safe and effective treatment for older patients with drug-resistant TLE. An MRI-negative finding independently predicts unfavorable seizure outcomes.

Development of recurrent pressure ulcers, risk factors in older patients: a prospective observational study.

Prevention of recurrent pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the most important challenges in wound care, furthermore, the risk factors for recurrent PUs are still not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the risk factors for recurrent PU development within two weeks, including biophysical skin properties, pro-inflammatory cytokine (tumour necrosis factor [TNF]-α) levels and bacterial species, in older patients. This prospective study was conducted in a long-term care facility with patients whose PU had healed within two months. Biophysical skin properties were evaluated by stratum corneum hydration, pH, sebum content and transepidermal water loss. TNF-α level was measured using skin blotting. Skin bacteria were collected using tape stripping and determined by species-specific gene amplification. These parameters, along with Braden scale and interface pressure, were evaluated every two weeks for a total period of eight weeks. A penalised generalised estimating equation analysis was used to determine the risk factors for recurrent PUs. In total, 20 patients were included in this study, with 57 observations. Of these, recurrent PU was seen in eight observations. Elevation of pH (p=0.049; odds ratio [OR] per 1 unit=3.91, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.01-15.15), presence of Acinetobacter spp. (p=0.039; OR versus culture-negative=6.28, 95%CI:1.10-35.86) and higher interface pressure (p=0.008; OR per 1 mmHg=1.06, 95%CI:1.01-1.10) on the healed PU were significantly related to the development of recurrent PU. Higher pH, existence of Acinetobacter spp. and higher interface pressure on the site of the healed PU were associated with the development of recurrent PUs in older patients undergoing conservative treatments.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Analgesic Prescribing in Poly-Medicated Elderly Patients.

Pain is common in older patients and management guidelines rarely consider the effect of multiple comorbidities and concurrent medications on analgesic selection. The objectives of this study were to identify the prevalence and pattern of analgesic prescribing and associated factors in older patients with polypharmacy. Older patients (aged ≥ 75years) admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital between September 2015 and August 2016 and with polypharmacy were included and their comorbidities and medications prescribed at discharge were recorded. Drug Burden Index and Charlson Comorbidity Index were calculated. The number of medications that increased the risk of orthostatic hypotension were recorded. Logistic regression was used to compute the association between analgesic use and participant characteristics, and results were presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusted for age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, Drug Burden Index and orthostatic hypotension. Over 15,000 admissions were identified, of which 1192 patients were included, 824 (69%) of whom were prescribed an analgesic medication. Paracetamol (used by 89% of analgesic users), opioids (34%) and adjuvants (17%) were used more frequently than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (8%). Analgesic users had a higher Drug Burden Index, were prescribed more medications and were less likely to be male compared with non-users. Charlson Comorbidity Index across the cohort was high (7.3 ± 1.9) but there was no difference between analgesic users and non-users, but analgesic users were more likely to have a documented diagnosis of osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and falls. Opioid use was associated with the Drug Burden Index, while adjuvant use was associated with orthostatic hypotension. Opioid use was associated with having a diagnosis of osteoporosis and falls. In our cohort of poly-medicated elderly patients, prescription of analgesic medications was common, and these patients are likely to have an increased rate of adverse drug reactions and falls compared with those who were not prescribed analgesic medications.

Prognosis and risk factors in older patients with lung cancer and pulmonary embolism: a propensity score matching analysis

Older patients, especially those with malignancy, may have an increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE). However, few studies have evaluated the clinical characteristics and prognosis of older patients. We evaluated the clinical characteristics, prognosis, and risk factors in older patients with lung cancer complicated with PE. This was a single-center, prospective cohort study. Older patients (≥65 years) with lung cancer admitted in Beijing Hospital from January 2006 to December 2016 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of PE using propensity score matching (PSM). After PSM, one hundred and six patients (53 per group) with an average age of (77.3 ± 10.9) years were enrolled. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histology in patients with PE (52.8%, n = 28), and most lung cancer patients were in stages III and IV (59.4%, n = 63). Patients with PE were stratified to low risk (52.8%, n = 28), intermediate-low risk (24.5%, n = 13), intermediate-high risk (15.1%, n = 8), high-risk (7.5%, n = 4) subgroups. Most PE patients presented with dyspnea (75.5%), and the majority of patients (86.8%, n = 46) developed PE within 3 months after the diagnosis of cancer. The median follow-up time was 23.7 months (12.0–62.0 months), and 7 patients (6.6%) were lost to follow-up. During the follow-up period, 92 patients (86.8%) died, including 8 cases (8.7%) of PE-related death, 73 (79.3%) of tumor death, and 11 (11.9%) of unknown cause. There were significant differences in all-cause mortality (94.3% vs. 83.0%) and PE-related mortality (15.1% vs. 0) between the PE and control groups, but the rate of tumor-related mortality (75.5% vs. 66.0%) was comparable between the groups. Among the 92 patients who died, the mortality rates at 3, 6, 12, and > 12 months after tumor diagnosis were 33.0% (33/106), 57.5% (61/106), 78.3% (83/106), and 89.6% (95/106), respectively. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that the median overall survival time was significantly different between the PE and the control groups (4.3 vs. 9.2 months, P = 0.0015). Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥ 77 years (OR = 2.58, 95%CI: 1.66–4.01), clinical stage III–IV (OR = 2.21, 95%CI: 1.03–4.74), adenocarcinoma (OR = 3.24, 95%CI: 1.75–6.00), high D-dimer (≥600 mg/L) (OR = 2.73, 95%CI: 1.25–5.96), and low partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2; <75 mmHg) (OR = 2.85, 95%CI: 1.74–4.67) were independent risk factors for PE in older patients with lung cancer. Older patients with lung cancer and PE often have poor prognosis. Advanced age, clinical stage III–IV, adenocarcinoma, high D-dimer level, and low PaO2 are independent risk factors for PE.

Has the Use of Fixation Techniques in THA Changed in This Decade? The Uncemented Paradox Revisited.

Despite existing studies favoring cemented fixation for patients older than 75 years, a trend toward increased use of uncemented fixation has been described in a 2013 study that used arthroplasty registry data from 2006 to 2010. Updated summarized data are needed beyond 2010 to investigate contemporary trends in the usage of uncemented fixation, especially in patients older than 75 years, and to draw attention to a potential continuing conflict between trends in fixation choice and reported revision risk. Thus, healthcare policy and practice can change and surgeons can make better implant fixation choices. (1) Has the percentage of primary THAs performed with uncemented fixation changed since 2010? (2) Has the percentage of primary THAs performed in patients older than 75 years performed with uncemented fixation changed since 2010? (3) After stratifying by age, which fixation strategy (cemented versus uncemented and hybrid versus uncemented) is associated with the lowest risk of revision? National annual reports from hip arthroplasty registers were identified, and data were extracted from registers published in English or a Scandinavian language, with at least 3 years of reported data in the period from 2010 to 2017. These included Australia, Denmark, England-Wales, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland, which are all countries with high completeness rates. Data regarding rates of revisions (all causes) related to fixation methods and secondary to different age groups, were taken directly from the registers and no re-analysis was done. The risk estimates were presented as either hazard ratios, rate per 100 component years or as Kaplan-Meier estimates of revision. The age groups compared for Denmark were younger than 50, 50-59, 60-69,70-79, and older than 80 years, and for Australia, New Zealand, England-Wales, and Finland, they were younger than 55, 55-64, 65-74, and older than 75 years. No data were pooled across the registers. The current use of uncemented fixation in primary THAs varies between 24% (Sweden) and 71% (Denmark). Increasing use of uncemented fixation has been reported in Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, whereas decreasing use of uncemented fixation has been reported in England-Wales, Australia, New Zealand, and Finland. Examining the group of patients older than 75 years, we found that the use of uncemented fixation has been stable in Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, and England-Wales. The use of uncemented fixation is still increasing in Denmark and Australia. In Finland, the use of uncemented fixation has decreased (from 43 % to 24 %) from 2010 to 2017. When compared with uncemented fixation, the risk of revision for hips using cemented fixation was lower in patients older than 75 years for all registers surveyed, except for the oldest males in the Finnish register. In this group, no difference was found between cemented and uncemented fixation. Our findings should be used in healthcare policy as feedback on current THAs being performed so as to direct surgeons to choose the right implant fixation, especially in patients older than 75 years, thereby reducing revision risk and increasing the long-term survival of primary THAs. It appears that femoral stem fixation may be the most important revision risk factor in older patients, and future studies should examine this perspective. Level III, therapeutic study.