BMC Geriatrics最新文献

Background: Hip fracture is common and associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) influence platelet hemostasis and might result in abnormal bleeding. This study aims to determine whether the use of SSRIs in older patients undergoing hip fracture surgery is associated with the risk of perioperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using prospectively collected data of patients aged 70 years and older admitted to a French geriatric perioperative ward for hip fracture between January 2012 and June 2021. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of RBC transfusion during hospitalization. Multivariate logistic regression was performed, with a sensitivity analysis according to co-prescriptions.

Results: Out of 1085 patients, 253 (23%) were male, mean age was 86 (± 6.2) years, and median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 7 (interquartile range [5-8]). 486 (45%) patients received perioperative RBC transfusion, with a median of 2 units (interquartile range [1-3]) transfused per patient postoperatively. After adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, functional status, institutionalization, polypharmacy, antiplatelet therapy, fracture type, hemoglobin and albumin levels, the use of SSRIs was not associated with an increased risk of RBC transfusion (aOR 0.91, 95%CI 0.64-1.29, p = 0.59). We did not observe any association between concomitant use of SSRIs and anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy and the risk of RBC transfusion.

Conclusions: Among older comorbid adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, the use of SSRIs was not associated with an increased risk of perioperative RBC transfusion.

Background: Dementia is undiagnosed among many older adults, and more than half the people in local communities live with symptoms of dementia are not properly treated.

Objective: The study aims to explore the relationship between decline of daily activities and the incidence of suspected dementia.

Methods: A two-stage sampling method was used to conduct a multicenter cross-sectional survey. Older adults who have not been diagnosed as dementia were recruited from the local community. The Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale (HDS-R) was used to evaluate the cognitive function. We evaluated daily activities from several aspects (bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, feeding, transportation, walking, telephone, housekeeping, and taking medications). Logistic regression was adopted to assess the influence of daily activities on the risk of suspected dementia after controlling for the covariates.

Results: The analysis included 2458 individuals. Daily activities included toileting (OR = 1.830, 95%CI 1.581 ~ 2.119), grooming (OR = 1.938, 95%CI 1.659 ~ 2.265), dressing (OR = 1.771, 95%CI 1.542 ~ 2.033), bathing (OR = 1.793, 95%CI 1.591 ~ 2.022), feeding (OR = 1.821, 95%CI 1.565 ~ 2.118), transportation (OR = 1.996, 95%CI 1.743 ~ 2.285), walking (OR = 2.069, 95%CI 1.685 ~ 2.542), telephone (OR = 3.640, 95%CI 2.738 ~ 4.838), housekeeping (OR = 1.415, 95%CI 1.213 ~ 1.649), and taking medications (OR = 1.633, 95%CI 1.451 ~ 1.839) were still related to the incidence of suspected dementia after controlling for age, education, post-retirement work, social activity, drinking, smoking, living with spouses, and diabetes.

Conclusions: Daily activities were related to the incidence of suspected dementia. Daily activities were affected even if the older adults were not diagnosed as dementia. Timely and accurate diagnosis of dementia should be encouraged among community-dwelling older adults.

Background: Evidence on the association of dynamic change in frailty index (FI) with risk of all-cause mortality in the older Chinese population is limited. This study aimed to explore the association of 3-year change in FI with risk of all-cause mortality in an older Chinese population.

Methods: We analyzed the data of 4969 participants from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality, which was a binary variable and defined as completed data and censored data. Cox proportional-hazard models were used to assess the association of 3-year change in FI with risk of all-cause mortality by using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the association of 3-year change in FI with risk of all-cause mortality. Additionally, a restricted cubic spline analysis was also conducted to describe the dose-response association.

Results: During a median of 4.08 years of follow-up, deaths were observed in 1388 participants. We observed a 1.27-fold higher risk of all-cause mortality with increase in FI ≥ 0.045 versus change in FI < 0.015 (HR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.89-2.73). Similar significant associations were observed in the subgroup analyses by age, sex, and residence at baseline. Additionally, a nonlinear dose-response association of 3-year change in FI with risk of all-cause mortality was observed (P overall < 0.001 and P nonlinear < 0.001).

Conclusions: Excessive increase in FI was positively associated with an increased risk for all-cause mortality. Approaches to reducing FI may be of great significance in improving the health of older Chinese individuals.

Introduction: Obesity in older adults is linked to various chronic conditions and decreased quality of life. Traditional physical activity guidelines often overlook the specific postures and movements that older adults engage in daily. This study aims to explore the compositional associations between posture-specific behaviours and obesity risk in younger (M = 67.35 ± 2.03 years) and older (M = 75.73 ± 4.17 years) groups of older adults and investigate the differences in body mass index (BMI) associated with replacing time spent in lying, sitting and standing with moving or walking.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 309 older adults aged 65 and above from Czech Republic. Participants' movement behaviours, including lying, sitting, standing, moving, and walking, were measured using accelerometers. The data were analysed using compositional data analysis (CoDA) and isotemporal substitution models to assess the impact of reallocating time between different activities on self-reported (BMI).

Results: The younger group engaged in more overall movement (193.84 min/day vs. 172.41 min/day) and walking (92.15 min/day vs. 76.62 min/day) than the older group. Significant estimated increases in BMI were associated with reallocating 30 min from movement to lying, sitting, or standing (up to + 3.31 kg/m²), while reallocating the same amount of time from lying, sitting, or standing to movement was associated with estimated reductions in BMI (up to - 2.54 kg/m²). In the older group, reallocating time from slow walking to lying or sitting was associated with estimated increases in BMI (up to + 1.86 kg/m²), while increasing time spent slow walking at the expense of lying or sitting theoretically reduced BMI (up to - 0.95 kg/m²).

Conclusions: The findings suggest that promoting movement and walking, including both slow and fast walking, may play a role in managing obesity risk in older adults. This study highlights the potential benefits of reducing sedentary time and encouraging low-intensity physical activity tailored to the capabilities of seniors, especially those aged 70+, as a possible strategy to mitigate obesity risk. However, further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these associations and explore causal relationships.

Background: With the increasing number of older adults, musculoskeletal disorders such as sarcopenia have become increasingly important to research because of their strong association with falls and fractures. Sarcopenia, which is characterized by reduced muscle mass, is common among older adults and significantly increases the risk of falls. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the SARC-F and SARC-CalF questionnaires, along with calf circumference measurements, for sarcopenia screening among Thai community-dwelling older adults, following the 2019 criteria of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia.

Methods: This analysis drew on data from the Thai Musculoskeletal Diseases Nationwide Study, which included 2543 participants aged 60 years or older. The SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and calf circumference data were evaluated against the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia criteria. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve to determine the diagnostic performance of each tool.

Results: Of the 2455 participants analyzed, 18.1% were diagnosed with sarcopenia. The SARC-F and SARC-CalF questionnaires showed limited effectiveness in diagnosing sarcopenia, with area under the curve values of 0.508 and 0.729, respectively. In contrast, calf circumference demonstrated greater diagnostic accuracy, with area under the curve values of 0.897 in males and 0.878 in females. Adjusting the cutoff points to < 33 cm for males and < 31 cm for females improved the overall diagnostic accuracy from 66.4 to 82%.

Conclusions: Sarcopenia is relatively prevalent in Thailand. The SARC-F and SARC-CalF questionnaires are inadequate for diagnosing sarcopenia, while calf circumference alone is the most effective screening tool. Adding more parameters to the SARC-F questionnaire could enhance its diagnostic accuracy.

Trial registration: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06558617). Registration Date 16 August 2024.

Background: Fall prevention programmes are essential interventions in societies with aging populations. This study assessed the fall rate and other health outcomes, as well as the cost-effectiveness of a home-based fall prevention programme for community-dwelling older people. In a single home visit, trained physical or occupational therapists performed fall risk assessments, eliminated environmental risk factors, and provided tailored exercises.

Methods: A prospective, longitudinal observational study was performed with participants of a fall prevention programme who agreed to be followed-up over one year. Baseline data included self-reported falls one month and one year before the intervention. Participants were monitored through bi-monthly telephone calls, assessing their number of falls, fear of falling (using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), quality of life (using the EuroQuol-5 Dimensions-5 Levels, EQ-5D-5L), and physical activity (in minutes per week). Statistical analysis of the data used a Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) Poisson-Modell for number of falls and a Linear Mixed Model (LMM) for fear of falling, quality of life and physical activity. In addition, health insurance claims data were used to compare the number of medically treated falls in the year before and after the intervention, as well as the related healthcare spending. Cost-effectiveness of the programme versus usual care was estimated as cost per prevented medically treated fall.

Results: Overall, 639 person-years of observation time were analyzed. Participants had a mean age of 81.8 years (+/- 5.2) and 59% were female. On average, the fall rate decreased from 1.35 to 1.02 per person-year, or -23.9% (95%CI from -35.92 to -9.67), fear of falling decreased by -1.27 points (95%CI from -1.50 to -1.05), quality of life improved by -0.88 points (95%CI from -1.09 to -0.68), and physical activity increased by 9.87 min per day (95%CI from 5.65 to 14.09). Analysis of claims data showed a 48.0% reduction (95%CI from 30.5% to 61.0%) in medically treated falls. The average cost per prevented medically treated fall was estimated at approximately 1,353 USD, with a 50% probability of the intervention being cost saving.

Conclusions: This fall prevention programme with a single home visit was found to be effective and cost effective. Health policies should establish such a model as a reimbursed standard care to assist in combatting the increasing burden of falls on individuals and societies.

Background: Dizziness and unstable gait with resultant falls are common symptoms among the older adults. Most of studies have focused on statistical analysis regarding single factor related to dizziness and unstable gait. On the other hand, there are very few comprehensive studies using a large number of patients except several review papers.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 164 aged patients with dizziness and unstable gait. The patients underwent description of the Japanese version of the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), measurements of vestibular function, handgrip muscle strength, physical performance, height-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass, and vitamin B1 and B12, a full-night polysomnography study, cognition test and visual test.

Results: Average age was 80.5 ± 6.1 years and ranged from 59 to 91 years. Forty-eight were males and 116 females. Three causative factors, namely vestibular hypofunction, muscle dysfunction and sleep disturbance, were independently and combinedly associated with dizziness and unstable gait in over 93% of the patients. Patients with higher scores defined by these three causative factors had higher scores of DHI. 23% of the patients showed vitamin B1 and/or B12 deficiency, which was highly associated with sarcopenia/frailty. Cognitive and visual impairment were recognized in 4.9% and 5.0%, respectively.

Conclusion: Dizziness and unstable gait were mainly associated with vestibular hypofunction, muscle dysfunction and sleep disturbance. In addition, vitamin B1 and B12 deficiency, and cognitive and visual impairment secondarily contribute to dizziness and unstable gait. Appropriate selection of treatment according to the underlying causes would prevent accidental falls among the older adults.

Background: Potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) can lead to adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIMs in older Chinese outpatients with heart failure according to the 2019 Beers criteria and the factors associated with PIMs.

Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted using electronic medical data during January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 from 9 tertiary medical institutions in Chengdu, China. Outpatients aged 65 and above who were diagnosed with heart failure were included. The 2019 Beers criteria were used to evaluate the PIM status of older outpatients, and binary logistic regression was used to identify potential risk factors for PIMs.

Results: There were 3626 prescriptions. The prevalence of PIMs among older outpatients with heart failure was 67.98% according to the 2019 Beers criteria. Diuretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), benzodiazepine receptor agonist hypnotics, rivaroxaban, and dabigatran were the top five PIMs. The risks of PIMs were associated with the number of drugs prescribed and comorbidities. PIMs were shown to be more common in patients with polypharmacy (5-9 medications, OR: 10.403, 95% CI: 8.258-13.104, p < 0.001; ≥10 medications, OR: 35.018, 95% CI: 10.545-116.293, p < 0.001), valvular heart disease (OR: 1.537, 95% CI: 1.109-2.131, p = 0.010), and insomnia (OR: 2.655, 95% CI: 1.809-3.898, p < 0.001). While, medicare reimbursement (OR: 0.678, 95% CI: 0.570-0.808, p < 0.001) and visits to the geriatric departments (department of cardiology, OR: 1.687, 95% CI: 1.214-2.344, p = 0.002) were protective factors.

Conclusions: The prevalence of PIMs use was high among older Chinese outpatients with heart failure, according to this study. Multidisciplinary teams should cooperate to reduce PIMs in older adults.

Background: Standardized and systematic quality assessments of chronic pain management, particularly among older adult populations, are lacking in resource-limited community settings. A specific set of indicators to evaluate the quality of chronic pain management in this population has yet to be developed. Therefore, the present study constructed a set of indicators to assess the quality of chronic pain management in Chinese community-dwelling older adults, providing a standardized reference and guidance for community health centers to manage chronic pain in this population.

Methods: The indicator set was developed in three steps. Step 1 involved preparation by forming a research team and establishing the guiding theory. Step 2 included developing an expert inquiry questionnaire based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews. Step 3 completed the construction of the indicator set through the Delphi method and hierarchical analysis to quantify the relative importance of each indicator and ensure the development of a scientifically validated and practically applicable evaluation model.

Results: The final set of indicators for evaluating the quality of chronic pain management among community-dwelling older adults in China comprised three primary indicators: structural quality indicator, process quality indicator, and outcome quality indicator. Structural quality indicators included 3 secondary and 11 tertiary indicators; process quality indicators included 4 secondary and 21 tertiary indicators; and outcome quality indicators included 2 secondary and 4 tertiary indicators. Across two rounds of questionnaires, the response rate was 100%, with expert authority coefficients of 0.924 and 0.938, coefficients of variation ranging from 0 to 0.32 and 0 to 0.20, and Kendall's concordance coefficients of 0.302 and 0.220, respectively. Hierarchical analysis showed that the consistency ratios of all indicators were < 0.1000, indicating a balanced distribution of indicator weights.

Conclusions: This study introduces a preliminary framework, based on the "Structure-Process-Outcome" theory, to evaluate chronic pain management in Chinese community-dwelling older adults. Its reliance on expert opinions without empirical validation, exclusion of patient perspectives, and focus on Chinese communities limit its applicability and generalizability. Future research should address these limitations by incorporating patient feedback, empirically validating indicators, and evaluating their applicability across diverse populations.

Background: The high prevalence of underweight individuals is an important issue that has become increasingly common. Therefore, this study investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Korean older adults using a nationwide population-based survey.

Methods: Data from the 2021 Community Health Survey were used for this study. The study population was a total of 70,700 respondents. HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQoL health-related quality of life scale. Multiple logistic regression was applied to analyze the ORs for moderate or severe problems in the five EQ-5D dimensions. In addition, we performed multiple linear regression to identify the association between the total EQ-5D score and BMI after adjusting for age, marital status, income, education, health behaviors, and the presence of diabetes or hypertension.

Results: Of the participants, 4.3% were underweight (3.3% of men and 5.1% of women). Being underweight is associated with poor HRQoL in both men and women. The relationship between obesity and HRQoL varied by sex. Men with pre-obesity and obesity were less likely to have "moderate or severe" problems in all EQ-5D dimensions, excluding mobility. However, women with obesity were more likely to have "moderate or severe" problems across EQ-5D dimensions, excluding anxiety/depression.

Conclusions: Being underweight is associated with poor HRQoL among Korean older adults. Policy attention must be directed toward maintaining proper weight and promoting nutritional health at older ages, given that the number of older adults is expected to continue to increase.