Geriatric Group Research Articles

Impact of Age in Single-Level Versus Multilevel Airway Compromise: A Multi-Institutional Review.

Examine the association between age and treatment outcomes in conditions causing single- versus multilevel airway restriction. Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. Tertiary laryngology centers. Participants included younger (18-64 years) and geriatric (≥65 years) adults with posterior glottic stenosis (PGS), multilevel airway stenosis (MLAS), and bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP). Subgroup demographics, comorbidities, type, and etiology of airway compromise were described. Associations between age and primary outcome variables (i.e., tracheostomy and decannulation rates, number of surgeries performed, time between surgeries, and change in quality-of-life patient-reported outcome measures [PROMs]) were evaluated. Statistical analyses included independent t tests, χ2, Fisher's exact, or Mann-Whitney tests. In 158 patients [96 younger (30 PGS, 29 MLAS, 37 BVFP) and 62 geriatric (24 PGS, 9 MLAS, 29 BVFP)], age differences were not significant for gender (P = .990), tracheostomy placement (70% vs 66%, P = .629), or decannulation success (40% vs 24%, P = .091) in younger versus geriatric groups, respectively. In younger patients, MLAS was more common (30.2% vs 14.5%, P = .024), and BVFP patients were more likely to decannulate (50% vs 12%, P = .017). Geriatric patients were more likely to have a history of prior radiation (26% vs 10%, P = .016), stenosis due to malignancy (23% vs 9%, P = .022), and fewer overall surgeries (median 1 vs 3, P = .003). Median PROMs were comparable between age subgroups (P > .05). Younger adults underwent more surgeries, but overall comorbidities, tracheostomy decannulation rates, and PROMs were comparable between groups. Age does not negatively impact treatment outcomes and should not be a deterrent in treatment decision-making.

Clinico-epidemiological profile of dermatology patients: a one-year study at a newly established tertiary care centre in India

Background: Dermatology is predominantly an outpatient specialty focused on the diagnosis and treatment of dermatoses affecting the skin. We conducted a study on the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients attending the outpatient clinic to better understand the clinico-epidemiological profile and to predict morbidity patterns within the specific geographical region. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted over the past year, encompassing all patients who visited the outpatient dermatology clinic at AIIMS, Raebareli. The study systematically documented a range of dermatoses, including disorders affecting the skin, hair, and nails. Results: A total of 4,188 patients were included in the study, comprising 2,681 (64%) adults, 978 (23.4%) geriatric patients, and 529 (12.6%) pediatric patients. Among these, 1,311 patients primarily suffered from infections, followed by 752 patients with dermatitis. Of those with infections, 1,024 (78%) were diagnosed with fungal infections, while scabies was observed in 126 patients (9.6%). In the adult group, 756 (28.2%) patients had infections, while 429 (16%) patients were affected by dermatitis. Similar patterns were observed in both the geriatric and pediatric groups, with infections being the most prevalent, affecting 214 and 341 patients, respectively. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that infections, particularly fungal infections, are the most prevalent dermatological conditions across all age groups in the population studied. Dermatitis also emerged as a significant concern, particularly among adult patients. The high prevalence of infectious dermatoses, especially in geriatric and pediatric patients, highlights the need for targeted public health interventions and preventive measures.

Age-Related Response to Remimazolam among Older Patients Undergoing Orthopedic Surgery: A Single-Center Prospective Observational Study

Background and Objectives: Remimazolam, an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine, is increasingly used in procedural sedation and general anesthesia. It is characterized by rapid onset of action, inactive metabolites, no delay in recovery, and few adverse events. Its hemodynamic and respiratory stability are comparable to other anesthetics, and it is safe in high-risk and geriatric patients. Materials and Methods: This prospective, observational study enrolled 110 geriatric patients (aged 65 to 85 years) scheduled for primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The patients were divided into the old (65 to <75 years; n = 52) and the elderly (75 to 85 years; n = 47) geriatric groups. All surgical and anesthetic methods were applied in the same manner, and TKA was performed by one surgeon. Remimazolam was infused at 6 mg/kg/h for 3 min and then at 1 mg/kg/h until the end of surgery The primary study endpoint was the requirement for flumazenil; secondary endpoints were the times to reach a bispectral index (BIS) < 60 and >80, as well as the rate of apnea occurrence. Results: Flumazenil administration was similar in both groups. There were no differences in the time to reach BIS < 60 or the rate of apnea occurrence. Recovery characteristics, including the time to reach BIS > 80 and the achievement of full consciousness, were also comparable between the groups. Conclusions: Remimazolam is well-tolerated in geriatric patients undergoing orthopedic surgery, with minimal age-related differences in response. These results suggest that remimazolam is an appropriate anesthetic for geriatric patients, even with similar dosing strategies. It provides effective anesthetic depth with no significant increases in adverse outcomes during orthopedic surgery.

Assessment of Haematological Parameters and Body Mass Index Among Geriatric Out- Patients in Ekpoma, Edo State

Aging is associated with physiological changes that affect various bodily systems, including the hematological system. This study aimed to evaluate hematological parameters and Body Mass Index (BMI) in geriatric subjects (≥60 years) and compare them with apparently healthy young adults (20-33 years). A total of 100 subjects (50 geriatrics and 50 controls) were recruited for this study. Hematological parameters, including white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, granulocyte count, red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and platelet count, were assessed. BMI was calculated, and comparisons were made between geriatric and control groups. The results showed higher BMI values in geriatric subjects, although not statistically significant. White blood cell count was lower in geriatric subjects, while lymphocyte count, granulocyte count, and platelet count showed no significant differences. Hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume were significantly higher in geriatric subjects. The findings suggest that ageing is associated with changes in hematological parameters and BMI, which may not necessarily indicate disease. The study's results are consistent with World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for hematological values among blacks and highlight the importance of considering age-related changes in hematological parameters when assessing the health status of geriatric subjects.

A parasite that should not be neglected in geriatric individuals: Entamoeba histolytica.

To highlight the importance of neglected Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica) infections in the geriatric age group, which is an increasing proportion of the world's population. This study was carried out between January 2022 and December 2023 at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University, Faculty of Medicine, Parasitology Laboratory, Van, Turkey. The study included 96 geriatric patients with diarrhea (geriatric group). Two different control groups (CGs) were also included in the study, comprising 92 patients aged 18-64 years with diarrhea as CG1 and 50 geriatric individuals without diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints as CG2. Samples were analysed macroscopically and then evaluated by microscopic, enzyme-linked immunoassay, and polymerase chain reaction. This study detected E. histolytica in 31.3% of the geriatric group and 14.1% of the patients in CG1 (p=0.004). Entamoeba histolytica positivity was not detected in CG2. According to the multiple correspondence analysis, there was a close association between E. histolytica positivity and bloody diarrhea and mucous diarrhea in the geriatric patients. It was also determined that E. histolytica can cause abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and epigastric tenderness in geriatric patients. Both the risk of E. histolytica infection and the pathogenicity of the infection increase in geriatric individuals. Therefore, it was concluded that amoebiasis is a serious health problem in the geriatric population and should not be neglected.

Frailty as a Predictor of COVID-19 Mortality in the South Indian Population: An Observational Study.

Background Frailty is a clinical syndrome characterized by diminished strength, endurance, and physiological function that significantly increases vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, including infections. In the context of COVID-19, frailty has emerged as a critical risk factor for severe disease, complications, and mortality, particularly in older adults. The severity and fatality rates among the geriatric group were notably high, as the virus's pathogenesis, marked by prolonged inflammation, contributed to increased morbidity and mortality in this age group. The study was conducted to explore the role of frailty in influencing mortality among the elderly affected by COVID-19. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the association between frailty and mortality in COVID-19-affected elderly patients. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study among elderly patients who tested positive for COVID-19 and received treatment in a tertiary care hospital. Data were collected from 250 patients from March 2021 to December 2021. Lab parameters, the necessity for mechanical ventilation, the need for oxygen use, and the number of days of hospital stay were recorded. The Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) was used to evaluate frailty. The chi-square test with Fisher's exact test was used to assess the association between frailty and mortality in the data set. Multivariate binary logistic regression was employed to identify the most significant predictors of mortality. Results Among the 250 patients, 159 (63.6%) survived and were discharged, while 91 (36.4%) succumbed to the illness. Fifty-eight patients were not identified as frail, and there were no deaths in the group. On the contrary, among the 192 COVID-positive patients who were identified as frail, 91 (47.4%) patients died, and 101 (52.6%) patients were alive. This depicted the association between frailty and mortality in COVID-19 geriatric patients. While assessing comorbidities, malignancy (53.3%, p-value = 0.009) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) (43.3%) had a significant association with mortality. Symptoms like fever (43.6%), dyspnea (68.6%), myalgia (20%), and altered sensorium (84%) showed a strong correlation with mortality (p<0.001). Frailty was a significant predictor of mortality, with 47.4% of frail patients not surviving (p<0.001). Biochemical markers including leukocytosis (64.8%), neutrophilia (65.3%), eosinopenia (66.9%), anemia (57.8%), hypoalbuminemia (63.5%), hypoproteinemia (70.1%), elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (66%),aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (65.2%), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (67.5%), elevated creatinine (68.9%), hypernatremia (100%), hyperkalemia (80%), and elevated D-dimer (44.7%) were all significantly linked to mortality. Additionally, patients requiring oxygen (65%), ventilation (96.8%), or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) (77.8%) had higher mortality rates. A shorter length of hospital stay was also associated with increased mortality (24%). Conclusion Frailty, combined with certain comorbidities such as cancer and CKD, along with various clinical and biochemical markers, played a significant role in predicting mortality among geriatric COVID-19 patients. Incorporating frailty assessments into routine evaluations for elderly COVID-19 survivors could be beneficial. Early detection and focused management of these high-risk factors are essential for improving outcomes in frail patients within tertiary care settings.

Harnessing deep learning for detection of diabetic retinopathy in geriatric group using optical coherence tomography angiography-OCTA: A promising approach

The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy (DR) among the geriatric population poses significant challenges for early detection and management. Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) combined with Deep Learning presents a promising avenue for improving diagnostic accuracy in this vulnerable demographic. In this method, we propose an innovative approach utilizing OCTA images and Deep Learning algorithms to detect diabetic retinopathy in geriatric patients. We have collected 262 OCTA scans of 179 elderly individuals, both with and without diabetes, and trained a deep-learning model to classify retinopathy severity levels. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models: Inception V3, ResNet-50, ResNet50V2, VggNet-16, VggNet-19, DenseNet121, DenseNet201, EfficientNetV2B0, are trained to extract features and further classify them.Here we demonstrate:•The potential of OCTA and Deep Learning in enhancing geriatric eye care at the very initial stage.•The importance of technological advancements in addressing age-related ocular diseases and providing reliable assistance to clinicians for DR classification.•The efficacy of this approach in accurately identifying diabetic retinopathy stages, thereby facilitating timely interventions, and preventing vision loss in the elderly population.

Outcomes of severe isolated blunt chest trauma in young and geriatric patients.

Our understanding of the growing geriatric population's risk factors for outcomes after traumatic injury remains incomplete. This study aims to compare outcomes of severe isolated blunt chest trauma between young and geriatric patients and assess predictors of mortality. The ACS-TQIP 2017-2020 database was used to identify patients with severe isolated blunt chest trauma. Patients having extra-thoracic injuries, no signs of life upon presentation to the emergency department (ED), prehospital cardiac arrest, or who were transferred to or from other hospitals were excluded. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess independent predictors of mortality. A total of 189,660 patients were included in the study, with a median age of 58 years; 37.5% were aged 65 or older, and 1.9% died by discharge. Patients aged 65 and older had significantly higher mortality (3.4% vs. 1.0%, p < 0.001) and overall complications (7.0% vs. 4.7%, p < 0.001) compared to younger patients. Age ≥ 65 was independently associated with mortality (OR: 5.45, 95%CI: 4.96-5.98, p < 0.001), prolonged hospitalization, and complications. In the geriatric group, age > 75 was an independent predictor of mortality compared to ages 65-75 (OR: 2.62, 95%CI: 2.37-2.89, p < 0.001). Geriatric patients with an MVC, presenting with a GCS ≤ 8, and having an SBP < 90 had the highest mortality of 56.9%. The geriatric trauma patient with isolated severe blunt chest injury has significantly higher mortality and morbidity compared to younger patients and warrants special consideration of multiple factors that affect outcomes. Individual predictors of mortality carry a greater impact on mortality in geriatric patients.

Trends in Radiation at a Level I Trauma Center.

Introduction Following traumatic injury, patients often require imaging modalities that subject them to large amounts of radiation. The current protocol for imaging workup in trauma patients includes plain radiographs and computed tomography (CT). Although these imaging modalities have improved quality and efficiency in trauma interventions, it is essential to understand their potential limitations and adverse effects.The large amounts of radiation from these imaging tests have raised concern for particularly vulnerable populations, including children and adolescents. Objective To evaluate the trends in radiation exposure in trauma assessment and imaging seen at a Level I trauma center. Methods This retrospective analysis used a de-identified dataset from the trauma registry at Desert Regional Medical Center Level I Trauma Center in Palm Springs, CA. Total radiation amounts were calculated based on the type of diagnostic modality. An effective radiation dose was assigned to each examination (radiograph and CT scan) based on the values provided by the American College of Radiology. Results There was a statistically significant positive correlation between injury severity scoreand effective radiation dose from imaging workup. From 2016 to 2021, radiation amount and year were found to be negatively correlated. There was a larger, statistically significant amount of radiation dosage among adult trauma patients (16.32 mSv) when compared to pediatric (6.32 mSv) and geriatric (12.67 mSv) groups. Conclusion Our Level I trauma center has observed a decline in radiation exposure with our current trauma protocols in place. On average, adult patients received the highest effective radiation dose to pediatric and geriatric patients. CT scans and radiography are essential tools in initial trauma workup and should be used only in appropriate patients.

Phenotype and prognostic factors in geriatric and non-geriatric patients with transthyretin cardiomyopathy.

Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) may be an underestimated cause of heart failure among geriatric patients and represent a unique phenotype and prognostic profile. This retrospective, observational, cohort study characterizes cardiac and extracardiac disorders at diagnosis and assesses prognosis among ATTR-CM patients based on age (geriatric vs. non-geriatric) and amyloidosis subtype (wild type, ATTRwt and hereditary, ATTRv). In total, 943 patients with ATTR-CM were included, of which 306 had ATTRv and 637 had ATTRwt. Among these, 331 (35.1%) were non-geriatric (<75years), and 612 (64.9%) were geriatric (≥75years). The population exhibited conduction abnormalities, atrial fibrillation and ischaemic heart disease that progressively deteriorated with age. Among ATTRwt patients, peripheral neuropathy, neurovegetative symptoms, and hearing loss were present across all age groups, but reports of carpal tunnel symptoms or surgery decreased with age. Conversely, among ATTRv patients, reports of extracardiac symptoms increased with age and Val122ILe mutation was highly prevalent among geriatric patients. The 3-year survival was higher among non-geriatric ATTR-CM patients (76%) than geriatric patients (55%) and predictors of 3-year mortality differed. Notably, predictors identified among geriatric patients were alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (HR=1.004, 95% CI: [0.001-1.100)], troponin T hs (HR=1.005, 95% CI: [1.001-1.120)] and tricuspid insufficiency (HR=1.194, 95% CI: [1.02-1.230)]. Whereas, among non-geriatric patients, NT-proBNP (HR=1.002, 95% CI: [1.02-1.04], global longitudinal strain (HR=0.95, 95% CI: [0.922-0.989], and glomerular filtration rate (HR=0.984, 95% CI: [0.968-1.00) were identified. We propose a 3-stage prognostic staging system combining troponin T hs (≥44ng/L) and ALP levels (≥119 UI/L). In the geriatric population, this model discriminated survival more precisely than the National Amyloidosis Centre staging, particularly for classifying between stage 1 (82%), stage 2 (50%) and stage 3 (32%) for ATTRv and ATTRwt. These diagnostic and prognostic indicators, along with ATTR subtype, highlight the distinct characteristics of this important, geriatric ATTR-CM patient group. Recognizing these mortality markers can be valuable for geriatricians to improve the prognostic quality management of geriatric patients with ATTR-CM.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Older Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 Requiring Mechanical Ventilation.

An older age is associated with severe progression and poor prognosis in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and mechanical ventilation is often required. The specific characteristics of older patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and their prognostic factors are largely unknown. We aimed to identify potential prognostic factors in this group to inform treatment decisions. This retrospective cohort study collected data from patients with COVID-19 at 22 medical centers. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess factors that influence mortality. We allocated 434 patients in geriatric (≥80 years) and elderly (65-79 years) groups. The former group scored significantly higher than the elderly group in the clinical frailty scale and sequential organ failure assessment, indicating more severe organ dysfunction. Significantly lower administration rates of tocilizumab and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and higher intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital mortality were noted in the geriatric group. The factors associated with ICU and in-hospital mortality included high creatinine levels, the use of continuous renal replacement therapy, prone positioning, and the administration of life-sustaining treatments. These results highlight significant age-related differences in the management and prognosis of critically ill older patients with COVID-19. Increased mortality rates and organ dysfunction in geriatric patients undergoing mechanical ventilation necessitate age-appropriate treatment strategies to improve their prognoses.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Geriatric-Specific Cancer Rehabilitation Programs on Patient Health Outcomes.

This study evaluated a specialized rehabilitation program's impact on senior cancer patients' quality of life. one hundred and thirty patients aged ≥65 years with various cancer types undergoing/recovering from treatment were enrolled in oncology clinics in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The intervention arm (n=65) participated in a tailored geriatric cancer rehabilitation program. The control group (n=65) received standard oncology care. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) tool assessed the quality of life across physical, social, emotional, and functional domains. T-tests and multivariate regression analyses compared outcomes. Total FACT-G scores showed a significantly higher quality of life for the geriatric cancer rehabilitation group versus standard care. Rehabilitation patients also demonstrated meaningful improvements across physical, social, and functional subscales. Rehabilitation involvement was the most predictive factor for optimized outcomes. Specialized geriatric cancer rehabilitation meaningfully improved several quality of life domains in older patients over standard care. Despite persistent barriers, rehabilitation programming optimized older cancer patients' physical and psychosocial health. Oncology and geriatrics must collaborate to ensure evidence-based rehabilitation access meets older cohorts' unique needs.

Perception on Aging Gracefully from the Perspective of the Elderly in Selangor, Malaysia

Malaysia is currently an ageing population, the attention for the geriatric group should be prioritized in tandem with the philography of a loving society. This study aims to explore the perception of Ageing Gracefully from the perspective of elderly in Selangor. A qualitative method and a semi structural interview are implemented for data collection. The following Aging Gracefully construct were explored includes the perspective of i) Financial Independency, ii) Quality in Health and Healthcare Support and iii) Meaningful Social Networks. Hence, the ageing gracefully goal is achieved when these basic fundamental needs is met. Thus, the relevant bodies must ready itself with appropriate policies, allocate resources and programmes to accommodate the needs of the aging population in the future. For instance, financial managing programme for pre-retirement. For future studies involving the geriatric population, investigating the aging process of elderly individuals residing in rural areas could provide a unique perspective on their journey through aging.

Abstract PO5-02-11: Is There A Survival Benefit With Adjuvant Chemotherapy Use In Elderly Breast Cancer Patients? A Retrospective Study Using The National Cancer Database

Abstract Background Geriatric patients (Age &amp;gt;=65 years) with Breast Cancer (BC) face a unique challenge due to the relatively lower functional status, as well as co-existing comorbidities. Studies like the recently published meta-analysis by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) group provide irrefutable evidence for the recurrence free survival benefit of anthracycline and taxane based adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) regimes in early-stage BC patients. However, the age range of the trials analyzed ranged between 46-55 years, with underrepresentation of the geriatric group. The question on whether ACT results in an overall survival (OS) benefit for the elderly remains at large, which we hope to answer through our study. Methods The 2019 National Cancer Database (NCDB) was used to extract patients aged &amp;gt;= 65 years with breast cancer. We included stage 1-3 patients and stratified them into those who received ACT (ACT+) and those who did not (ACT-). Patients who received ACT were identified from the columns that specified the times of events from diagnosis or from the column for systemic therapy-surgery sequence. Patients should have had definitive surgery for their BC management to be included. Odds Ratio (OR) from logistic regression was used to analyze the utility of ACT based on various factors. Kaplan Meier (KM) survival curves and Hazard Ratio (HR) estimates from multivariate cox model was used to compare OS outcomes. Results Our cohort had 866,071 (ACT+: 642721, ACT-:223350) patients. The age distribution showed that ACT+ had 86.45% in the 65-80 years group and 13.55% in the &amp;gt;80 years group. ACT- had 68.32% aged 65-80 and 31.68% &amp;gt;80 years. The distribution of various demographic, pathologic and clinical factors by ACT use are shown in Table 1. Factors associated with ACT use based on OR estimates are shown in Table 2. ACT use is more likely in younger age group (65-80), lower comorbidity score, poorly differentiated and undifferentiated tumors, ER/PR negativity, T2 and lymph node positivity, those who underwent partial mastectomy and regional lymph node surgery, and HER2 positivity. Both 5-year (86.3 vs 74.2%) and 10-year (66 vs 50.8) OS were better with ACT+ (Table 2). The HR using propensity score (PS) weighted cox model revealed a higher hazard rate on omitting ACT [1.436, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.417,1.456, p&amp;lt; .0001] (Table 2). HR estimates between ACT- vs ACT+, stratified by subgroups [Age (65-80, &amp;gt;80), T stage, grade (G), HER2] favored ACT use in all groups except G1 tumors (Table 3). Discussion Our study using a large national database, supports the use of ACT in the geriatric BC population by showing a clear OS advantage of 15.2% at 10 years. This benefit was observed even in BC patients aged more than 80 years with a HR of 1.683 when compared to ACT-, as represented in Table 3. While the existing literature provides robust evidence for ACT use in situations such as a high oncotype recurrence score, our study provides real-world evidence from a population-based dataset to supports its use in the elderly, including those above 80 years. The geriatric assessment recommended by the American Society of Clinical Oncology guideline for geriatric oncology should be followed in this setting. Utilization of geriatric assessment tools among oncologists has been poor with a survey revealing that 60% of providers did not utilize these tools in making treatment decisions. Limitations of our study include the potential for missing confounding factors and the retrospective nature of the study using a large database. Table 1 Demographic, pathological, and clinical characteristics of the study population and their distribution based on ACT use. Table 2 Odds Ratio for ACT use, KM survival curves and HR estimates of ACT use Table 3 HR estimates of mortality for ACT- vs ACT+ stratified by various subgroups Citation Format: Prashanth Ashok Kumar, Metlapalli Venkata Sravanthi, Dongliang Wang, Danning Huang, Abirami Sivapiragasam. Is There A Survival Benefit With Adjuvant Chemotherapy Use In Elderly Breast Cancer Patients? A Retrospective Study Using The National Cancer Database [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-02-11.

Comparing gastrointestinal stromal tumor outcomes between geriatric and non-geriatric patients: Apopulation-based analysis.

Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the GI tract. SEER is an extensive cancer database which proves useful in analyzing population trends. This analysis investigated GIST outcomes between geriatric & non-geriatric patients. SEER*STAT 8.4.0.1 was used to extract relevant GIST data from 2000 to 2019. Geriatric age was defined as ≥70years. Variables included age, sex, surgery, cancer-specific death, and overall survival. Statistical tests included univariate analysis using KM survival estimate (95% confidence interval) to calculate 5-year survival (5YS). Log-Rank tests determined statistical significance. Multivariable Cox's PH regression estimated the geriatric hazard death ratio adjusted for sex, stage, and surgery. The number of patients included was 13,579, yielding overall 5YS of 68.6% (95% CI 67.7-69.5). Cancer-specific death was 39.11% in 2000 & 3.33% in 2019. Non-geriatric & geriatric patient data yielded 5YS of 77.4% (76.4%-78.3%) and 53.3% (51.7%-54.8%) respectively (p<0.0001). For no surgery/surgery, younger patient data yielded 5YS of 48.7% (45.8%-51.4%) and 83.7% (82.7%-84.7%) respectively (p<0.0001); geriatric data yielded 5YS of 29.3% (26.5%-32.1%) and 62.8% (60.8%-64.6%) respectively (p<0.0001). Multivariable analysis yielded a geriatric hazard death of 2.56 (2.42-2.70) (p<0.0001). Cancer-specific death decreased since 2000, indicating an improvement in survival & treatment methods. Observed lower survival rates overall in the geriatric group. Surgery appeared to enhance survival rates in both groups, suggesting that surgery is an important factor in GIST survival regardless of age. Large prospective studies will help define clinical management for geriatric patients.

Targeted metabolomic profiles of serum amino acids are independently correlated with malnutrition in older adults.

Malnutrition is a common geriatric syndrome that is closely associated with adverse clinical outcomes and poses significant harm to older adults. Early assessment of nutritional status plays a crucial role in preventing and intervening in cases of malnutrition. However, there is currently a lack of measurable methods and biomarkers to evaluate malnutrition in older adults accurately. The aim of this study is to investigate the independent correlation between serum levels of amino acids and malnutrition in older adults, and to identify effective metabolomics biomarkers that can aid in the early detection of geriatric malnutrition. A total of 254 geriatric medical examination participants from Beijing Hospital were included in the study, consisting of 182 individuals with normal nutritional status (Normal group) and 72 patients at risk of malnutrition or already malnourished (MN group). Malnutrition was assessed using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF). Demographic data were collected, and muscle-related and lipid indexes were determined. Serum amino acid concentrations were measured using isotope dilution liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The correlation between serum amino acid levels and malnutrition was analyzed using non-parametric tests, partial correlation analysis, linear regression, and logistic regression. The geriatric MN group exhibited significantly lower serum aromatic amino acid levels (P < 0.05) compared to the normal group. A positive correlation was observed between serum aromatic amino acid levels and the MNA-SF score (P = 0.002), as well as with known biomarkers of malnutrition such as body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001) and hemoglobin (HGB) (P = 0.005). Multivariable logistic or linear regression analyses showed that aromatic amino acid levels were negatively correlated with MN and positively correlated with the MNA-SF score, after adjusting for some confounding factors, such as age, gender, BMI, smoking status, history of dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and frailty. Stratified analyses revealed that these trends were more pronounced in individuals without a history of frailty compared to those with a history of frailty, and there was an interaction between aromatic amino acid levels and frailty history (P = 0.004). Our study suggests that serum aromatic amino acids are independently associated with malnutrition in older adults. These results have important implications for identifying potential biomarkers to predict geriatric malnutrition or monitor its progression and severity, as malnutrition can result in poor clinical outcomes.

УЧЕТ ИНДЕКСА КОМОРБИДНОСТИ ПРИ ПРОВЕДЕНИИ ПРОТИВООПУХОЛЕВОЙ ЛЕКАРСТВЕННОЙ ТЕРАПИИ У ПАЦИЕНТОВ ПОЖИЛОГО И СТАРЧЕСКОГО ВОЗРАСТА С КОЛОРЕКТАЛЬНЫМ РАКОМ (ОБЗОР ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ)

The problem of treating elderly patients is one of the most pressing in modern clinical medicine. Colorectal cancer is one of the main causes of mortality from malignant neoplasms in Russia and other developed countries. At the same time, the incidence of tumors of the colon and rectum steadily increases with age. Before starting treatment for elderly patients, it is necessary to carefully weigh the potential risks and the possibility of achieving positive results of antitumor therapy. Objective: To summarize the literature on the use of a comprehensive geriatric assessment, including the Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG) toxicity assessment, to predict the risk of adverse events during anticancer drug treatment in elderly patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Materials and methods: The search for scientific sources was carried out in PubMed / Medline / UpToDate using the following keywords: “malignant tumors”, “metastatic colorectal cancer”, “senile age”, “antitumor drug therapy”. The time horizon covered 2016–2023. Using a time filter, the most relevant and innovative research papers on the issues of chemotherapy treatment of elderly and senile patients were selected. Results: Most current evidence demonstrates the importance of performing a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG) toxicity assessment in elderly and geriatric patients. Information obtained from geriatric assessment should be used to predict and manage treatment toxicity. And also for assessing and predicting overall survival. Activities based on CGA can reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy, improve the quality of life of patients, and increase compliance with medical recommendations. Undoubtedly, a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) can help achieve the necessary balance between the potential effectiveness and adverse events of chemotherapy. The choice of treatment tactics for an elderly and senile cancer patient should be based on the patient’s functional status (PS), general somatic status according to the ECOG scale, and the risk of toxicity according to the CARG scale. In the presence of colorectal cancer, patients with good functional status who need antitumor systemic effects can be prescribed polychemotherapy with FOLFOX, XELOX, FOLFIRI doublets with the addition of targeted drugs: bevacizumab or cetuximab (depending on the results of gene profiling of the tumor). Patients who are not candidates for polychemotherapy in standard doses, who have a general somatic status on the ECOG scale of 1-2 and an average risk of developing toxicity of grade 3 on the CARG scale, can undergo PCT with FOLFOX, XELOX, FOLFIRI doublets with a reduction in the starting dose by 20%, or monochemotherapy with antimetabolites: capecitabine, 5-fluorouracil; topoisomerase I inhibitor irinotecan. Patients with poor functional status, general somatic status on the ECOG scale 3-4, and a high risk of developing toxicity on the CARG scale are not candidates for systemic combination chemotherapy. Particular attention should be paid to maintenance therapy in this subgroup of patients. However, if the decrease in PS level is directly related to malignancy and PS ≥2, the possibility of monochemotherapy by infusion of a combination of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin FU/LV can be evaluated.

Feasibility and Safety of Superomedial Pedicle for Breast Reduction in Geriatric Patients

Introduction Historically, inferior breast reduction is more commonly performed overall and this applies to the elder population. No study to this date has compared whether there is any difference in complications and overall safety between when using superomedial pedicle and inferior pedicle in geriatric patients and furthermore whether the safety profile of superomedial pedicle differs when compared to general population.MethodsPatient files of women who had undergone breast reduction by a single surgeon over a 9 year period (2015–2023) was reviewed retrospectively. Patients over 65 years old at the time of surgery were selected as the main study group. Results were compared to a control group aged 65 years and younger consisting of 136 patients, who also had a breast reduction by the same surgeon.ResultsFifty-four women met the inclusion criteria for the study group and they were further broken down into two subgroups; inferior and superomedial pedicle groups with 25 and 29 patients into each group, respectively. The mean age at the time of the operation was 67.8 years. Geriatric group had more significant comorbidities (37% vs. 9%, p<0.05). Looking solely on patients undergone superomedial pedicle breast reduction, OR times were similar between two age groups and hospital stay was slightly longer in the geriatric population albeit statistically insignificant. The average weight of specimens resected from each breast was 592.4 gr in geriatric population and slightly higher in the younger population with an average weight of 624 grams (p=0.27). Two women in the geriatric group and six women in the non-geriatric group developed major complications where superomedial pedicle was utilized, no meaningful difference was seen when major complications were compared (p=0.24). On the other hand, minor complications were significantly higher in the geriatric population compared to the younger cohort regarding superomedial pedicle reductions (p=0.02). ‘Satisfaction with breasts’ scores of BreastQ from the superomedial breast reduction subgroup was slightly higher than inferior pedicle breast reduction subgroup in geriatric population and it was statistically significant (0.032).ConclusionSafety margins and satisfaction scores of superomedial pedicled breast reduction in geriatric patients seem similar to their younger counterparts. Furthermore, with similar complication rates and with its slightly higher ‘Satisfaction with breasts’ scores when compared to inferior pedicle, superomedial pedicled breast reduction technique can be utilized without reservation in geriatric candidates for breast reduction.Level of Evidence IVThis journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

Differences in the treatment needs of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies and their caregivers and differences in their physicians’ awareness of those treatment needs according to the clinical department visited by the patients: a subanalysis of an observational survey study

BackgroundWe investigated whether the treatment needs of patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and their caregivers, along with their attending physicians’ perception of those treatment needs, differ according to the clinical department visited by the patients.MethodsThis was a subanalysis of a multicenter, cross-sectional, observational survey study. Data from the main study were classified according to the clinical department visited by the patient: psychiatric group (P-group), geriatric internal medicine group (G-group), and neurology group (N-group). The treatment needs of patients and caregivers were defined as “the symptom that causes them the most distress”, and the frequency of each answer was tabulated.ResultsThis subanalysis included 134, 65, and 49 patient–caregiver pairs in the P-, G-, and N-groups, respectively. Statistically significant differences in patient background characteristics such as patient age; initial symptom domains; use of cholinesterase inhibitors, levodopa, antipsychotics, and Yokukansan; and total scores of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Neuropsychiatric Inventory-12, and Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Parts II and III were shown among the three subgroups. While there were no differences in patients’ treatment needs among the subgroups, residual analysis showed that in the N-group, parkinsonism was more of a problem than other symptom domains (p = 0.001). There were significant differences in caregivers’ treatment needs among the three subgroups (p < 0.001). The patient–physician concordance rates for the symptom domains that caused patients the most distress were: P-group, 42.9% (kappa coefficient [κ] = 0.264); G-group, 33.3% (κ = 0.135), and N-group, 67.6% (κ = 0.484). The caregiver–physician concordance rates for the symptom domains that caused the caregivers the most distress were: P-group, 54.8% (κ = 0.351), G-group, 50.0% (κ = 0.244), and N-group, 47.4% (κ = 0.170).ConclusionThis subanalysis revealed differences in the treatment needs of patients with DLB and their caregivers according to the clinical department they attended. There might be a lack of awareness of those treatment needs by the attending physicians, regardless of their specialty.Trial registrationUMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000041844.

Geometry impact on fundamental properties of theophylline-containing SLS printed pharmaceutical tablets

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) has the potential to offer a more accurate alternative to current-practice manipulation of oral dosage forms for pediatric, geriatric, and dysphagia-suffering patient groups. In order to create the best possible dosage forms for these patient groups, an in-depth look into how a dosage forms geometry impacts the overall properties is essential. In this study, the impact of geometry on SLS manufactured oral dosage forms on the tablet’s microstructure, actual-to-theoretical volume, mass deviation, disintegration, and dissolution was investigated. Three different shapes; cylinder, hollow cylinder, and conical frustum with similar surface area (SA), as well as three cylinders with different diameters, were investigated. The results indicate that the geometry has an impact on the mass uniformity, resultant volume, disintegration, and dissolution properties of the tablets. The mass uniformity analysis of the tablets provided the most variation between tablets of different sizes, with more uniformity for tablets with similar SA-to-volume ratio (SA/V). When examining the actual-to-theoretical volume of the tablets, a greater variance between the actual and theoretical volumes for shapes with higher overall SA was observed. The values found are approximately 1.05 for the three differently sized cylinders, 1.23 for the conical frustum, and 1.44 for the hollow cylinder, following this trend. Disintegration data supported a link between SA/V and average disintegration time, observed with the tablet of the highest SA/V disintegrating in 12 s and the tablet with the lowest SA/V disintegrating in 58 s. Dissolution results also indicated a strong dependence on SA/V. Hence, when novel ways to produce oral dosage form tablets become available by additive manufacturing, such as SLS, both geometry and SA/V must be taken into consideration in the tablet design process to ensure appropriate release kinetics and dosing standards.