BMC Geriatrics最新文献

Background: A core component of older adult health care assessment includes identifying fall risk, which also includes identifying those with subtle balance deficits.

Objective: To compare body displacement of the Center of Pressure (CoP) and time held during the balance test. Also, to examine whether balance tests at baseline can predict falls after 6 months.

Methods: A longitudinal study with 153 community-dwelling older adults, between 60-89 years old. Anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) amplitude and velocity CoP displacements were assessed in four upright positions using a force platform: double-leg, semi-tandem, tandem, and single-leg stances, with a maximum duration of 30 s each. Adjusted repeated measures ANOVA were used to compare the differences among the balance positions. Comparisons between males and females were also conducted. Logistic regression adjusted for confounders was performed to verify whether upright balance tests can predict future falls.

Results: As the base of support narrows, body sway increases. A decrease in stance time was observed across the balance stages, i.e., double-leg/semi-tandem versus tandem versus single-leg stances. The mean duration held in the single-leg stance was 14.8 s and for tandem was 22.2 s. Similar stance durations were observed for double-leg and semi-tandem stances. Males were able to maintain balance positions longer than females even with greater CoP displacement. ML amplitude of CoP displacement and the time held during tandem and single-leg positions were able to predict falls after 6 months (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: In clinical practice in which only stance time is recorded, it is possible to interchangeably use the double-leg or semi-tandem stance. To identify early signs of imbalance, we suggest setting a time limit for the balance test equal to or greater than 23 s, as 10 s appear to be insufficient to detect subtle balance deficits. The time maintenance on tandem and single-leg positions was able to predict future falls.

Background: Eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases are the rare gastrointestinal disorders. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases with overall gastrointestinal tract involvement causing liver abscess in an older patient.

Case presentation: We report a 68-year-old man with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease with overall gastrointestinal tract involvement. He was admitted with suspected acute gastroenteritis, and histological examination showed eosinophilic infiltration accompanied by liver abscess. The collected pus was tested for Metagenomics Next-Generation Sequencing and confirmed the presence of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Conclusions: We conducted a literature review on the complications of eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases and discussed how eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases lead to liver abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Background: Eating performance is the functional ability to get food into the mouth and chew/swallow it. Nursing home residents with dementia commonly experience compromised eating performance and subsequent consequences. Prior work examined the association between resident eating performance and their cognitive and functional ability. Yet, the associations between resident eating performance and behavioral and psychological symptoms, psychotropic medication use, and comorbidities are less studied. This study aimed to examine the association between eating performance and cognition, functional ability, behavioral and psychological symptoms, psychotropic medication use, and comorbidities in nursing home residents with dementia.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis using baseline data from two randomized controlled trials, testing the impact of Function Focused Care on function and behavioral symptoms in 882 residents with moderate-to-severe dementia (mean age 86.55 years, 71% female, 30% non-white, 68.5% severe dementia) from 67 nursing homes in two states between 2014 and 2020. Eating performance (dependent variable) was measured using the single self-feeding item of Barthel Index. Independent variables included cognitive impairment, functional ability (Barthel Index total score excluding the self-feeding item score), behavioral and psychological symptoms (agitation, depression, resistiveness-to-care), psychotropic medication use (anti-depression, sedative, anti-psychotics, anti-seizure, anti-anxiety), and comorbidities.

Results: Nearly 39% of residents were dependent in eating. On average, residents had five documented comorbidities (SD = 3.06, range = 0-12) and were on approximately one psychotropic medication (SD = 1.25, range = 0-5). Eating performance was associated with cognitive impairment (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.35, 0.79, p = .002), functional ability (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.06, p < .001), depressive symptoms (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.89, 0.98, p = .007), and anxiolytic use (OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.42, 0.99, p = .046).

Conclusions: Findings supported that better eating performance was associated with less cognitive impairment, higher functional ability, fewer depressive symptoms, and less anxiolytic use. Targeted interventions to accommodate to cognitive function, optimize functional ability, minimize anxiolytic use, and manage depressive symptoms are encouraged to support eating performance in residents with dementia.

Background: The increased life expectancy and prevalence of spondylarthrosis have led to a growing frequency of spinal surgery in older people. This study aims to assess whether there is an excess mortality concerning that expected in the general population associated with surgical procedures performed in patients over 65 years old for a degenerative disease of the lumbar spine.

Methods: All patients aged 65 years or older undergoing surgery at a single center between 2009 and 2019 for lumbar spine degenerative disease were included. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated to compare the mortality risk with the expected in the Spanish population for the same age, gender, and calendar-period. Multivariable Cox analysis was employed to determine risk factors of mortality.

Results: A total of 411 procedures were analyzed. The mean age was 72.6 years old. SMR was 0.67 (CI 95% 0.54-0.84). That benefit was significant in women after gender stratification. Patients operated on between 65-84 years old had a lower mortality rate than that expected for the general population. For patients aged 85 or older, the observed mortality was not different from that expected in the general population. Multivariable Cox analysis observed an association between higher mortality and the variables age, male, and Charlson comorbidity index score.

Conclusions: Compared with the general population, patients over 65 years old who underwent spinal surgery for degenerative disease of the lumbar spine experienced a reduction in mortality. This effect was particularly significant in women and patients aged 65-84 years. Age, male gender, and Charlson comorbidity index score were associated with higher mortality risk.

Background: People post-hip fracture have reported experiences of fragmented care and poor discharge planning, therefore improvements in patient flow are required. This study reports the challenges people face during the discharge process and offers potential solutions for improving the transition from hospital to home from the perspectives of patients, carers, and health professionals.

Methods: This was a qualitative study embedded within a multi-centre, feasibility randomised controlled trial (HIP HELPER). We undertook semi-structured interviews with 10 patient-carer dyads (10 people with hip fracture; 10 unpaid carers) and eight health professionals (four physiotherapists, two occupational therapists, one nurse and one physiotherapy researcher) between November 2021 and March 2022. Data were analysed using the principles of Framework Analysis.

Results: Participants identified challenges in the transition from hospital to home post-hip fracture surgery: ineffective communication, disjointed systems, untimely services and 'it's more than just the hip'. Possible solutions and insights to facilitate this transition included the need for reassurance, collaborative planning, and individualisation.

Conclusion: The transition from hospital to home following hip fracture surgery can be a challenging experience for patients, and for friends and family who support them as carers, making them feel vulnerable, frustrated and uncertain. Enabling a coordinated, collaborative approach to discharge planning and early recovery provision is considered a positive approach to improving NHS care.

Trial registration: ISRCTN13270387. Registered 29th October 2020.

Participation in late life has been studied as a component of active aging. To effectively promote late-life participation, the study explored the relationship and heterogeneity between two forms of participation among older adults-familial participation and societal participation. This paper utilizes data from the 2020 China Longitudinal Aging Society Survey (CLASS) to examine the relationship between familial participation and societal participation among older Chinese adults. Linear regression results indicate that familial participation can facilitate societal participation among older adults. The MAIHDA model results suggest variations in familial and societal participation among older adults in different social positions. Specifically, older women with higher socioeconomic status and better health have higher levels of familial and societal participation, whereas older men with lower socioeconomic status and health have the lowest levels of participation. Socioeconomic status is the most significant factor contributing to participation disparities among different groups, and older adults with disadvantaged health status experience a compounding effect of multiple disadvantages. The research findings hold significant implications for formulating policies aimed at enhancing the participation of marginalized older adults, ultimately contributing to the realization of active aging.

Background: Home-based primary care (HBPC) is an emerging patient-centered, interprofessional healthcare service model that can address unmet medical needs and care burdens for homebound older adults. In December 2022, the Ministry of Health and Welfare in South Korea launched the Home-Based Medical Center Demonstration project to provide a new bundle payment for physician home visits. In this study, we seek to determine whether the recently introduced HBPC services in South Korea have been associated with a reduction in long-term care (LTC) facility admissions and acute hospitalizations among homebound older adults.

Methods: The study is a community-based, multicenter, two-arm, randomized encouragement design trial with a 12-month follow-up period (n = 600). Eligible study participants are community-dwelling LTC recipients with multimorbidity and functional deterioration. Study participants are recruited from five HBPC centers located in urban areas (Northeast Seoul, West Seoul, Daejeon, Wonju, and Paju). The study participants are randomly assigned to either the HBPC group or the usual care group with a 1:1 allocation ratio. Those assigned to the HBPC group receive longitudinal home visits at least once a month by an interprofessional HBPC team according to the Widely Integrated Services in Home (WISH) intervention protocol. This protocol adheres to the Integrated Care for Older People principles, which call for a person-centered assessment and broader integration of health and LTC services at the micro-, meso- and macro-levels. Primary outcomes of the trial are 1) between-group community survival days and 2) between-group potentially avoidable hospitalizations. Results of the treatment are estimated by both modified intention-to-treat and complier average causal effect analytic methods.

Discussion: This study aims to investigate the real-world effectiveness of HBPC on the reduction of LTC facility admissions and acute care hospitalizations in the community setting. The findings may inform healthcare policy decisions to expand HBPC services in South Korea and other countries.

Trial registration: CRIS KCT0007921.

Background: Many older adults experience disabling back and leg pain. This study aimed to identify factors associated with back pain causing severe interference with daily activities over 2 years.

Methods: Participants were 2,109 community-dwelling adults (aged 65-100 years; mean age 74.2 (SD 6.3)) enrolled in a prospective cohort study who reported back pain at baseline and provided back pain data at 2 years follow-up. Baseline data included demographics, socio-economic factors, back pain presentation and age-associated adverse health states (e.g. frailty, falls, walking confidence). At 2 years follow-up, we asked if they were currently experiencing back pain and if so, asked participants to rate how much their back pain interfered with their daily activities on a scale of 0-10. Severe back pain interference was defined by a rating of 7 or more. The association between baseline factors and severe back pain interference at two years was assessed using logistic regression models.

Results: At two years, 77% of participants (1,611/2,109) still reported back pain, 25% (544/2,083) also reported leg pain and 14% (227/1,611) reported severe back pain interference with activities. Improvements in symptoms were observed over the two years follow-up in 880/2,109 participants (41.7%), 41.2% (869/2,109) of participants report no change and worsening symptoms was reported by 17.1% (360/2109) of participants. After adjusting for back pain troublesomeness at baseline, factors associated with reporting severe interference were adequacy of income (careful with money [OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.19-3.06]; prefer not to say [OR 2.22; 95% CI 1.11-4.43]), low endorsement of exercise in later life (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.37), neurogenic claudication symptoms (OR 1.68 (95% CI 1.15-2.46)], multisite pain (OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.02-1.24) and low walking confidence (OR 1.15; 95% CI 1.08-1.22).

Conclusion: After adjusting for baseline pain severity, we identified five factors that were associated with severe pain limitation at two years follow-up among a cohort of community dwelling older people reporting back and leg pain. These included other pain characteristics, walking confidence and attitude to activity in later life. We also identified a socioeconomic factor (perceived adequacy of income). Future research should focus on whether identifying individuals using these risk factors in order to intervene improves back pain outcomes for older people.

Background: Loneliness is prevalent among the elderly and has intensified due to global aging trends. It adversely affects both mental and physical health. Traditional scales for measuring loneliness may yield biased results due to varying definitions. The advancements in machine learning offer new opportunities for improving the measurement and assessment of loneliness through the development of risk assessment models.

Methods: Data from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, involving about 16,000 participants aged ≥ 65 years, were used. The study examined the relationships between loneliness and factors such as functional limitations, living conditions, environmental influences, age-related health issues, and health behaviors. Using R 4.4.1, seven assessment models were developed: logistic regression, ridge regression, support vector machines, K-nearest neighbors, decision trees, random forests, and multi-layer perceptron. Models were evaluated based on ROC curves, accuracy, precision, recall, F1 scores, and AUC.

Results: Loneliness prevalence among elderly Chinese was 23.4%. Analysis identified 15 evaluative factors and evaluated seven models. Multi-layer perceptron stands out for its strong nonlinear mapping capability and adaptability to complex data, making it one of the most effective models for assessing loneliness risk.

Conclusion: The study found a 23.4% prevalence of loneliness among elderly individuals in China. SHAP values indicated that marital status has the strongest evaluative value across all forecasting periods. Specifically, elderly individuals who are never married, widowed, divorced, or separated are more likely to experience loneliness compared to their married counterparts.

Background: This study aimed to examine the association between the American Heart Association's (AHA) newly revised Life's Essential 8 (LE8) algorithm, designed for assessing cardiovascular health (CVH), and cognitive impairment among older adults in the United States.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design, utilizing data from the 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to explore the relationship between CVH and cognitive impairment in older adults. CVH scores are assessed based on the AHA definition of the LE8, categorized into three tiers: low (0-49), medium (50-79), and high (80-100). Cognitive impairment is evaluated using three distinct scoring systems: the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), the Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). The lowest quartile as the cut-off point; below or equal to the lower quartile was considered as low cognitive population, and above the lower quartile was normal population. To analyze the association, multivariable logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were employed.

Results: A significant negative correlation exists between the LE8 and cognitive impairment. After adjusting for multiple variables, the odds ratios (OR) for cognitive impairment, as measured by the CERAD, AFT, and DSST, were compared between patients with high and low CVH. The results indicated OR values of 0.60 (95% CI: 0.36-0.98), 0.72 (95% CI: 0.52-0.97), and 0.29 (95% CI: 0.16-0.53) for the CERAD, AFT, and DSST, respectively. Additionally, the RCS curve demonstrated a significant linear relationship between lifestyle factors encapsulated by the LE8 and cognitive impairment.

Conclusions: The findings indicate higher adherence to LE8 was associated with lower odds of cognitive impairment. Furthermore, maintaining optimal CVH is crucial in preventing cognitive impairment.