Hip fracture risk and subsequent mortality among Alzheimer's disease patients in the United Kingdom, 1988-2007

The medication-based Rx-Risk Comorbidity Index and risk of hip fracture - a nationwide NOREPOS cohort study

BACKGROUND

Few previous studies have assessed overall morbidity at the individual level with respect to future risk of hip fracture. The aim of this register-based cohort study was to examine the association between morbidity measured by the medication-based Rx-Risk Comorbidity Index (Rx-Risk) and the risk of first hip fracture.

METHODS

Individual-level data on medications dispensed from pharmacies (2005-2016) was retrieved from the Norwegian Prescription Database and used to calculate Rx-Risk for each calendar year. Information on first hip fractures (2006-2017) was obtained from a nationwide hip fracture database. Individuals ≥ 51 years who filled at least one prescription during the study period comprised the population at risk. Using Rx-Risk as a time-varying exposure variable, relative risk estimates were obtained by a negative binomial model.

RESULTS

During 2006-2017, 94,104 individuals sustained a first hip fracture. A higher Rx-Risk was associated with increased risk of hip fracture within all categories of age and sex. Women with the highest Rx-Risk (> 25) had a relative risk of 6.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.4, 6.8) compared to women with Rx-Risk ≤ 0, whereas the corresponding relative risk in women with Rx-Risk 1-5 was 1.4 (95% CI: 1.3, 1.4). Similar results were found in men. Women > 80 years with Rx-Risk 21-25 had the highest incidence rate (514 (95% CI: 462, 566) per 10, 000 person years). The relative increase in hip fracture risk with higher Rx-Risk was most pronounced in the youngest patients aged 51-65 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Rx-Risk is a strong predictor of hip fracture in the general outpatient population and may be useful to identify individuals at risk in a clinical setting and in future studies.

From the Mind to the Spine: The Intersecting World of Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This comprehensive review delves into the intricate interplay between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and osteoporosis, two prevalent conditions with significant implications for individuals' quality of life. The purpose is to explore their bidirectional association, underpinned by common pathological processes such as aging, genetic factors, inflammation, and estrogen deficiency.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent advances have shown promise in treating both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and osteoporosis by targeting disease-specific proteins and bone metabolism regulators. Monoclonal antibodies against beta-amyloid and tau for AD, as well as RANKL and sclerostin for osteoporosis, have displayed therapeutic potential. Additionally, ongoing research has identified neuroinflammatory genes shared between AD and osteoporosis, offering insight into the interconnected inflammatory mechanisms. This knowledge opens avenues for innovative dual-purpose therapies that could address both conditions, potentially revolutionizing treatment approaches for AD and osteoporosis simultaneously. This review underscores the potential for groundbreaking advancements in early diagnosis and treatment by unraveling the intricate connection between AD and bone health. It advocates for a holistic, patient-centered approach to medical care that considers both cognitive and bone health, ultimately aiming to enhance the overall well-being of individuals affected by these conditions. This review article is part of a series of multiple manuscripts designed to determine the utility of using artificial intelligence for writing scientific reviews.

Comparing survival rates and mortality in operative versus nonoperative treatment for femoral neck fractures among Alzheimer's disease patients: A retrospective cohort study

Introduction

Addressing femoral neck fractures resulting from ground-level falls in older adults with Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves a personalized treatment plan. There is considerable ongoing debate concerning the relative advantages and disadvantages of surgical treatment (internal fixation or arthroplasty) vs nonoperative treatment for femoral neck fractures in older persons with AD.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study compared the mortality, hazard ratio, and survival rate between operative and nonoperative treatments, controlling for patients' demographic information and baseline health status. The study population consisted of Optum beneficiaries diagnosed with AD who experienced an initial femoral neck fracture claim between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were applied to compare the treatment groups' post-fracture survival rates and mortality. Cox regression was used to examine the survival period by controlling the covariates.

Results

Out of the 4157 patients with AD with femoral neck fractures, 59.8% were women (n = 2487). The median age was 81 years. The 1-year survival rate for nonoperative treatment (70.19%) was lower than that for internal fixation (75.27%) and arthroplasty treatment (82.32%). Compared with the nonoperative group, arthroplasty surgical treatment had significant lower hazard risk of death (arthroplasty hazard ratio: 0.850, 95% CI: 0.728-0.991, P < 0.05).

Discussion

The findings suggest that the operative treatment group experiences higher survival rates and lower mortality rates than the nonoperative group. This paper provides insights into treatment outcomes of older adults with AD receiving medical care for femoral neck fractures.

Mind the Gap: Unraveling the Intricate Dance Between Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias and Bone Health

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review examines the linked pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease/related dementia (AD/ADRD) and bone disorders like osteoporosis. The emphasis is on "inflammaging"-a low-level inflammation common to both, and its implications in an aging population.

RECENT FINDINGS

Aging intensifies both ADRD and bone deterioration. Notably, ADRD patients have a heightened fracture risk, impacting morbidity and mortality, though it is uncertain if fractures worsen ADRD. Therapeutically, agents targeting inflammation pathways, especially Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) and TNF-α, appear beneficial for both conditions. Additionally, treatments like Sirtuin 1 (SIRT-1), known for anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, are gaining attention. The interconnectedness of AD/ADRD and bone health necessitates a unified treatment approach. By addressing shared mechanisms, we can potentially transform therapeutic strategies, enriching our understanding and refining care in our aging society. This review article is part of a series of multiple manuscripts designed to determine the utility of using artificial intelligence for writing scientific reviews.

The role of frailty risk for fracture-related hospital readmission and mortality after a hip fracture

BACKGROUND

Frailty risk estimated using hospital administrative data may provide a useful clinical tool to identify older hip fracture patients at-risk of fracture-related readmissions and mortality. This study examined hip fracture hospitalisation temporal trends and explore the role of frailty risk in fracture-related readmission and mortality.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted using linked hospital admission and mortality data in New South Wales, Australia. Patients aged ≥65 years were admitted after a hip fracture between 2014 and 2021 for temporal trends and those admitted and discharged after a hip fracture in 2014-2018 for fracture-related readmission. The Hospital Frailty Risk Score was estimated, and patients were followed for at least 36 months after discharge. A semi-competing risk analysis was used to examine the associations of frailty with fracture-related readmission and/or mortality.

RESULTS

Hip fracture hospitalisation rate was 472 per 100,000 and declined by 2.9 % (95 % confidence intervals (CI): -3.7 to -2.1) annually. Amongst 28,567 patients, 9.8 % were identified with low frailty risk, 39.4 %, intermediate frailty risk, and 50.6 % with high frailty risk. Patients with intermediate or high frailty risk had a higher chance of fracture-related readmission (Hazard ratios (HR): 1.33, 95 %CI: 1.21-1.47, HR: 1.65, 95 %CI: 1.49-1.83), death (HR: 1.50, 95 %CI: 1.38-1.63, HR: 1.80, 95 %CI: 1.65-1.96) and death post fracture-related readmission (HR: 1.32, 95 %CI: 1.12-1.56, HR: 1.56, 95 %CI: 1.32-1.84) than those with low frailty risk.

CONCLUSIONS

It appears that frailty risk estimated using hospital administrative data can contribute to identify patients who could benefit from targeted interventions to prevent further fractures.

Mind Gaps and Bone Snaps: Exploring the Connection Between Alzheimer's Disease and Osteoporosis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This comprehensive review discusses the complex relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and osteoporosis, two conditions that are prevalent in the aging population and result in adverse complications on quality of life. The purpose of this review is to succinctly elucidate the many commonalities between the two conditions, including shared pathways, inflammatory and oxidative mechanisms, and hormonal deficiencies.

RECENT FINDINGS

AD and osteoporosis share many aspects of their respective disease-defining pathophysiology. These commonalities include amyloid beta deposition, the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, and estrogen deficiency. The shared mechanisms and risk factors associated with AD and osteoporosis result in a large percentage of patients that develop both diseases. Previous literature has established that the progression of AD increases the risk of sustaining a fracture. Recent findings demonstrate that the reverse may also be true, suggesting that a fracture early in the life course can predispose one to developing AD due to the activation of these shared mechanisms. The discovery of these commonalities further guides the development of novel therapeutics in which both conditions are targeted. This detailed review delves into the commonalities between AD and osteoporosis to uncover the shared players that bring these two seemingly unrelated conditions together. The discussion throughout this review ultimately posits that the occurrence of fractures and the mechanism behind fracture healing can predispose one to developing AD later on in life, similar to how AD patients are at an increased risk of developing fractures. By focusing on the shared mechanisms between AD and osteoporosis, one can better understand the conditions individually and as a unit, thus informing therapeutic approaches and further research. This review article is part of a series of multiple manuscripts designed to determine the utility of using artificial intelligence for writing scientific reviews.

Osteoclasts Link Dysregulated Peripheral Degradation Processes and Accelerated Progression in Alzheimer's Disease

Background

The amyloid-β (Aβ) enhances the number and activity of blood monocyte-derived osteoclasts (OCs). Individuals with osteoporosis (OP) face an increased risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite this association, the contribution of bone-resorbing OCs to the progression of AD pathology remains unclear.

Objective

Our objective was to investigate the potential impacts of OCs on the development of AD pathology.

Methods

We conducted targeted analysis of publicly available whole blood transcriptomes from patients with AD to characterize the blood molecular signatures and pathways associated with hyperactive OCs. In addition, we used APP23 transgenic (APP23 TG) AD mouse model to assess the effects of OCs pharmacological blockade on AD pathology and behavior.

Results

Patients with AD exhibited increased osteoclastogenesis signature in their blood cells, which appears to be positively correlated with dysfunction of peripheral clearance of Aβ mediated by immune cells. Long-term anti-resorptive intervention with Alendronate inhibited OC activity in APP23 mice, leading to improvements in peripheral monocyte Aβ-degrading enzyme expression, Aβ-deposition, and memory decline.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that OCs have a disease-promoting role in the development and progression of AD, possibly linked to their modulation of peripheral immunity. These findings guide future research to further elucidate the connection between OP and AD pathogenesis, highlighting the potential benefits of preventing OP in alleviating cognitive burden.

Dementia, osteoporosis and fragility fractures: Intricate epidemiological relationships, plausible biological connections, and twisted clinical practices

Dementia, osteoporosis, and fragility fractures are chronic diseases, often co-existing in older adults. These conditions pose severe morbidity, long-term disability, and mortality, with relevant socioeconomic implications. While in the research arena, the discussion remains on whether dementia is the cause or the consequence of fragility fractures, healthcare professionals need a better understanding of the interplay between such conditions from epidemiological and physiological standpoints. With this review, we summarized the available literature surrounding the relationship between cognitive impairment, dementia, and both low bone mineral density (BMD) and fragility fractures. Given the strength of the bi-directional associations and their impact on the quality of life, we shed light on the biological connections between brain and bone systems, presenting the main mediators, including gut microbioma, and pathological pathways leading to the dysregulation of bone and brain metabolism. Ultimately, we synthesized the evidence about the impact of available pharmacological treatments for the prevention of fragility fractures on cognitive functions and individuals' outcomes when dementia coexists. Vice versa, the effects of symptomatic treatments for dementia on the risk of falls and fragility fractures are explored. Combining evidence alongside clinical practice, we discuss challenges and opportunities related to the management of older adults affected by cognitive impairment or dementia and at high risk for fragility fracture prevention, which leads to not only an improvement in patient health-related outcomes and survival but also a reduction in healthcare cost and socio-economic burden.

Alzheimer's disease and its associated risk of bone fractures: a narrative review

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that is the major cause of dementia in the aged population. Recent researches indicate that patients with AD have a significantly increased fracture risk, but the pathological mechanisms are still unclear.

Objective

We systematically reviewed studies regarding bone fracture risk in AD to uncover links between the pathologies of osteoporosis and AD.

Methods

We searched the literature using the databases of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and Cochrane Library. Studies were included if they evaluated bone fracture risk in AD patients and if they explored the pathogenesis and prevention of bone fractures in these patients.

Results

AD patients had a significantly higher risk of bone fractures than age-matched controls. Multiple factors contributed to the increased risk of bone fractures in AD patients, including the direct effects of amyloid pathology on bone cells, abnormal brain-bone interconnection, Wnt/β-catenin signalling deficits, reduced activity, high risk of falls and frailty, and chronic immune activity. Exercise, prevention of falls and fortified nutrition were beneficial for reducing the fracture risk in AD patients. However, the efficacy of anti-osteoporotic agents in preventing bone fractures should be further evaluated in AD patients as corresponding clinical studies are very scarce.

Conclusion

Alzheimer's disease patients have increased bone fracture risk and decreased bone mineral density owing to multiple factors. Assessment of anti-osteoporotic agents' efficacy in preventing bone fractures of AD patients is urgently needed.

Effect of dementia on all-cause mortality in hip fracture surgery: a retrospective study on a nationwide Korean cohort

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the effect of dementia on the 1-year all-cause mortality in elderly patients who underwent hip fracture surgery, using a nationwide cohort in Korea.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a nationwide, retrospective study. Elderly patients (≥60 years) with and without dementia who underwent hip fracture surgery between January 2005 and December 2012 were distinguished using the data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-Senior cohort.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The mortality rates with 95% CIs and the impact of dementia on all-cause mortality were calculated using a generalised linear model with Poisson distribution and a multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 10 833 patients who underwent hip fracture surgery, 13.4% were diagnosed with dementia. During the 1-year follow-up period, 1586 patients with hip fracture without dementia died in 8356.5 person-years (incidence rate (IR)=189.2 per 1000 person-years, 95% CI 179.91 to 198.99), while 340 deaths were confirmed in patients with hip fracture with dementia in 1240.8 person-years (IR, 273.1 per 1000 person-years, 95% CI 244.94 to 304.58). Patients with hip fracture and dementia were 1.23 times more likely to die than those in the control group in the same period (HR=1.23, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.39).

CONCLUSION

Dementia is a risk factor for 1-year all-cause mortality after hip fracture surgery. To improve the postoperative outcomes of patients with dementia who have undergone hip fracture surgery, effective treatment models such as multidisciplinary diagnosis and strategic rehabilitation should be established.

Association of depressive disorders and dementia with mortality among older people with hip fracture

BACKGROUND

Hip fracture (HF) is a significant cause of mortality among older people. Almost half of the patients with HF have dementia, which increases the mortality risk further. Cognitive impairment is associated with depressive disorders (DDs) and both dementia and DDs are independent risk factors for poor outcome after HF. However, most studies that evaluate mortality risk after HF separate these conditions.

AIMS

To investigate whether dementia with depressive disorders (DDwD) affects the mortality risk at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people.

METHODS

Patients with acute HF (n = 404) were included in this retrospective analysis of two randomized controlled trials performed in orthopedic and geriatric departments. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale and cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. A consultant geriatrician made final depressive disorder and dementia diagnoses using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria, with support from assessments and medical records. The 12-, 24- and 36-month mortality after HF was analyzed using logistic regression models adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS

In analyses adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, pre-fracture walking ability, and fracture type, patients with DDwD had increased mortality risks at 12 [odds ratio (OR) 4.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.75-12.51], 24 (OR 3.61, 95% CI 1.71-7.60), and 36 (OR 4.53, 95% CI 2.24-9.14) months. Similar results were obtained for patients with dementia, but not depressive disorders, alone.

CONCLUSION

DDwD is an important risk factor for increased mortality at 12, 24, and 36 months after HF among older people. Routinely assessments after HF for cognitive- and depressive disorders could identify patients at risk for increased mortality, and enable early interventions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

RCT2: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register, trial registration number: ISRCTN15738119.

What do functional neuroimaging studies tell us about the association between falls and cognition in older adults? A systematic review

Impaired cognition is a known risk factor for falls in older adults. To enhance prevention strategies and treatment of falls among an aging global population, an understanding of the neural processes and networks involved is required. We present a systematic review investigating how functional neuroimaging techniques have been used to examine the association between falls and cognition in seniors. Peer-reviewed articles were identified through searching five electronic databases: 1) Medline, 2) PsycINFO, 3) CINAHL, 4) EMBASE, and 5) Pubmed. Key author, key paper, and reference searching was also conducted. Nine studies were included in this review. A questionnaire composed of seven questions was used to assess the quality of each study. EEG, fMRI, and PET were utilized across studies to examine brain function in older adults. Consistent evidence demonstrates that cognition is associated with measures of falls/falls risk, specifically visual attention and executive function. Our results show that falls/falls risk may be implicated with specific brain regions and networks. Future studies should be prospective and long-term in nature, with standardized outcome measures. Mobile neuroimaging techniques may also provide insight into brain activity as it pertains to cognition and falls in older adults in real-world settings.

Alzheimer's Disease and Impaired Bone Microarchitecture, Regeneration and Potential Genetic Links

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and osteoporosis are both age-related degenerative diseases. Many studies indicate that these two diseases share common pathogenesis mechanisms. In this review, the osteoporotic phenotype of AD mouse models was discussed, and shared mechanisms such as hormonal imbalance, genetic factors, similar signaling pathways and impaired neurotransmitters were identified. Moreover, the review provides recent data associated with these two diseases. Furthermore, potential therapeutic approaches targeting both diseases were discussed. Thus, we proposed that preventing bone loss should be one of the most important treatment goals in patients with AD; treatment targeting brain disorders is also beneficial for osteoporosis.

Mendelian randomization analysis does not reveal a causal influence of mental diseases on osteoporosis

Introduction

Osteoporosis (OP) is primarily diagnosed through bone mineral density (BMD) measurements, and it often leads to fracture. Observational studies suggest that several mental diseases (MDs) may be linked to OP, but the causal direction of these associations remain unclear. This study aims to explore the potential causal association between five MDs (Schizophrenia, Depression, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Epilepsy) and the risk of OP.

Methods

First, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were filtered from summary-level genome-wide association studies using quality control measures. Subsequently, we employed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to indirectly analyze the causal effect of MDs on the risk of OP through bone mineral density (in total body, femoral neck, lumbar spine, forearm, and heel) and fractures (in leg, arm, heel, spine, and osteoporotic fractures). Lastly, the causal effect of the MDs on the risk of OP was evaluated directly through OP. MR analysis was performed using several methods, including inverse variance weighting (IVW)-random effects, IVW-fixed effects, maximum likelihood, weighted median, MR-Egger regression, and penalized weighted median.

Results

The results did not show any evidence of a causal relationship between MDs and the risk of OP (with almost all P values > 0.05). The robustness of the above results was proved to be good.

Discussion

In conclusion, this study did not find evidence supporting the claim that MDs have a definitive impact on the risk of OP, which contradicts many existing observational reports. Further studies are needed to determine the potential mechanisms of the associations observed in observational studies.

Development of a behavioural framework for dementia care partners' fall risk management

BACKGROUND

Although older adults living with dementia (OLWD) are at high risk for falls, few strategies that effectively reduce falls among OLWD have been identified. Dementia care partners (hereinafter referred to as "care partners") may have a critical role in fall risk management (FRM). However, little is known about the ways care partners behave that may be relevant to FRM and how to effectively engage them in FRM.

METHODS

Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 primary care partners (age: 48-87; 79% women; 50% spouses/partners; 64% completed college; 21% people of colour) of community-dwelling OLWD to examine their FRM behaviours, and their observations of behaviours adopted by other care partners who were secondary in the caring role.

RESULTS

The analysis of interview data suggested a novel behavioural framework that consisted of eight domains of FRM behaviours adopted across four stages. The domains of FRM behaviours were 1. functional mobility assistance, 2. assessing and addressing health conditions, 3. health promotion support, 4. safety supervision, 5. modification of the physical environment, 6. receiving, seeking, and coordinating care, 7. learning, and 8. self-adjustment. Four stages of FRM included 1. supporting before dementia onset, 2. preventing falls, 3. preparing to respond to falls, and 4. responding to falls. FRM behaviours varied by the care partners' caring responsibilities. Primary care partners engaged in behaviours from all eight behavioural domains; they often provided functional mobility assistance, safety supervision, and modification of the physical environment for managing fall risk. They also adopted behaviours of assessing and addressing health conditions, health promotion support, and receiving, seeking and coordinating care without realizing their relevance to FRM. Secondary care partners were reported to assist in health promotion support, safety supervision, modification of the physical environment, and receiving, seeking, and coordinating care.

CONCLUSIONS

The multi-domain and multi-stage framework derived from this study can inform the development of tools and interventions to effectively engage care partners in managing fall risk for community-dwelling OLWD.

Post-operative delirium in the patient with hip fracture: The journey from hospital arrival to discharge

Delirium- an acute disorder of attention and cognition- is the commonest complication following hip fracture. Patients with hip fracture are particularly vulnerable to delirium, and many of the lessons from the care of the patient with hip fracture will extend to other surgical cohorts. Prevention and management of delirium for patients presenting with hip fracture, extending along a continuum from arrival through to the post-operative setting. Best practice guidelines emphasize multidisciplinary care including management by an orthogeriatric service, regular delirium screening, and multimodal interventions. The evidence base for prevention is strongest in terms of multifaceted interventions, while once delirium has set in, early recognition and identification of the cause are key. Integration of effective strategies is often suboptimal, and may be supported by approaches such as interactive teaching methodologies, routine feedback, and clear protocol dissemination. Partnering with patients and carers will support person centered care, improve patient experiences, and may improve outcomes. Ongoing work needs to focus on implementing recognized best practice, in order to minimize the health, social and economic costs of delirium.

Nursing care of people with dementia in an orthopaedic acute care setting: An integrative literature review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This integrative literature review is to collect what is known about the care of people with dementia when they require a hospital admission for an orthopaedic surgical procedure and to contribute to developing an evidence-base to support nursing practice when caring for people with dementia in an orthopaedic setting.

BACKGROUND

People with a dementia diagnosis are increasingly common in acute orthopaedic care settings and the admission exposes people with dementia to risks during their hospital stay. In addition, nurses find people with dementia challenging to care for due to the complexity of dual conditions. Little is known specifically about the care requirements for people with dementia in orthopaedic settings.

DESIGN

Integrative literature review.

METHODS

An integrative literature review and qualitative deductive content analysis using McCormack and McCance's theoretical nursing framework (Person-Centred Nursing Framework) of nine studies were undertaken. The process of the review was guided by PRISMA checklist.

RESULTS

The care environment and resistance either in passive form, or through physical intervention, is common in orthopaedic nursing. Planning and delivering care for physical, cognitive and emotional needs is identified as being difficult, resulting in a lack of inclusion for patients, partly due to communication challenges. Finding ways to implement tailored care plans within standard ward routines proves difficult, and the consequence is a less than optimal care experience with adverse effects on patients characterised by an increase in dementia symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Care for people with dementia in an orthopaedic setting is complex. It needs to be further studied so that more evidence and supporting literature can contribute to improved care for this group of patients.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study describes the complexity of providing fundamental care for people with dual conditions of dementia and orthopaedic injury and suggests opportunities for improvement.

Association among cognition, frailty, and falls and self‐reported incident fractures: results from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging ( CLSA )

Cognition, frailty, and falls have been examined independently as potential correlates of fracture risk, but not simultaneously. Our objective was to explore the association between cognition, frailty, and falls and self‐reported incident fractures to determine if these factors show significant independent associations or interactions. We included participants who completed the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) 2012–2015 baseline comprehensive assessment, did not experience any self‐reported fractures in the year prior to cohort recruitment, and completed the follow‐up questionnaire at year 3 (n = 26,982). We compared all baseline cognitive measures available in the CLSA, the Rockwood Frailty Index (FI), and presence of self‐reported falls in the past 12 months in those with versus without self‐reported incident fractures in year 3 of follow‐up. We used multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates and examined two‐way interactions between cognition, frailty, and prior falls. CLSA specified analytic weights were applied. The mean ± standard error (SE) age of participants was 59.5 ± 0.1 years and 52.2% were female. A total of 715 participants (2.7%) self‐reported incident fractures at 3‐year follow‐up. Participants who experienced incident fractures had similar baseline cognition scores (mean ± SE; Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test [RAVLT]: Immediate recall 6.1 ± 0.1 versus 5.9 ± 0.0; standardized difference [d] 0.124); higher FI scores (mean ± SE; FI 0.134 ± 0.005 versus 0.116 ± 0.001; d 0.193), and a greater percentage had fallen in the past 12 months (weighted n [%] 518 [7.2] versus 919 [3.5]; d 0.165). FI (each increment of 0.08) was associated with a significantly increased risk of self‐reported incident fractures in participants of all ages and those aged 65 years or older (adjusted odd ratio [OR] 1.24, 95% confidence limit [CL] 1.10–1.40; adjusted OR 1.44, 95% CL 1.11–1.52, respectively). The adjusted odds for self‐reported incident fractures in participants of all ages was also significantly associated with falls in the past 12 months prior to baseline (adjusted OR 1.83; 95% CL 1.13–2.97), but not in those aged 65 years or older. No interactions between cognition, frailty, and prior falls were found. However, considering the relatively young age of our cohort, it may be appropriate to make strong inferences in individuals older than 65 years of age. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Backward relative to forward walking speed and falls in older adults with dementia

BACKGROUND

Adults with dementia have a high risk of falls and fall-related injuries. A greater slowing of backward walking speed (BWS) relative to forward (FWS) has been indicated with older age, and slower BWS has been related to an increased risk of falls. Similarly, slow BWS relative to FWS has been observed in people with dementia.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Is slower BWS, and slower BWS relative to FWS associated with increased risk of prospective falls in older adults with dementia?

METHODS

In total, 52 women and 12 men with dementia living in nursing homes, mean age 86 years, and mean Mini-Mental State Examination score of 14.2 points were included. BWS and FWS was measured over 2.4 m, and the directional difference (DD) calculated (100*((FWS-BWS)/FWS)). Falls were followed for 6 months by review of fall incident reports in electronic medical records at nursing homes and the regional healthcare provider.

RESULTS

Altogether, 95 falls occurred with mean incidence rate 3.1 falls per person-years. Of included participants, 15 (23%) fell once, and 17 (27%) fell twice or more. In negative binomial regression analyses, greater DD was associated with lower prospective incidence fall rate ratio, IRR (IRR= 0.96, p < .001), while BWS was not (IRR= 0.04, p = .126).

SIGNIFICANCE

In this study of adults with dementia, slower BWS was not associated with prospective falls. However, slower BWS relative to forward (greater DD) was associated with fewer falls, and possibly a protective response. This is novel research, yet results are promising and indicate that assessing walking speed in multiple directions may inform fall risk in adults with dementia.

Factors associated with non-walking 4 months after hip fracture. A prospective study of 23,759 fractures

INTRODUCTION

Despite advances in new surgical techniques and improvements in medical care of the last decades a considerable number of patients will not regain their ability to walk after a hip fracture.

AIMS

To further identify risk factors associated with non-walking 4-months after a hip fracture.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Register-based, longitudinal study with a 4-month follow-up. The collected data from the Swedish hip fracture registry, RIKSHÖFT, contained all hip fracture between 201301-01-2015-12-31 in Sweden. All patients older than 50 years with a non-pathological fracture and who were able to walk before the fracture were included. The association of sex, age, general health, dementia and type of discharge with complete loss of walking after a hip fracture were investigated using a multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Included were 23,759 patients. At the 4-month follow-up, 10% were unable to walk. Twenty-five per cent of patients with dementia lost their ability to walk compared to 7% of those with no cognitive dysfunction. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) for factors associated with loss of walking ability were; discharge to institutionalized care rather than their own home or a rehabilitation unit (OR=1.91; 95% CI=1.67-2.18), dementia (OR=1.80; 95% CI=1.57-2.06), male gender (OR=1.59; 95% CI=1.40-1.81) and ASA score grade III-V (OR=1.37; 95% CI=1.20-1.55) but not age (OR=1.01; 95% CI=1.00-1.02).

CONCLUSIONS

An important factor associated with a complete loss of walking ability after a hip fracture is the discharge to institutionalized care. This factor might be influenced either by favouring rehabilitation units or by improving the rehabilitation protocols.

Differential misclassification of cognitive impairment by sex among hip fracture patients

BACKGROUND

Males have worse outcomes after hip fracture than female counterparts. Cognitive impairment (CI) also increases the risk of poor recovery from hip fracture; however, CI is under-recognized. Patient sex may contribute to this under-recognition through differential misclassification. The objective of this study was to measure under-recognition and differential misclassification of CI by patient sex.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from an observational cohort study of community-dwelling hip fracture patients aged 65 and older (n = 339; females = 171, males = 168) recruited from eight hospitals in the greater Baltimore, MD area within 15 days of hospitalization for surgical repair with cognitive testing within 22 days of admission. Indication of Alzheimer's disease or related dementias and/or delirium as a postoperative complication in the medical record was considered evidence of documented CI. Observed CI was measured with the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS, ≤78). Source of cognitive impairment identification (SCI) was defined as: "3MS Only," "Hospital Record Only," "Both," "No CI" was compared between males and females using logistic regression.

RESULTS

Males had more comorbidities and worse physical status upon admission, but otherwise had similar hospital experiences. SCI distribution was 12.7% "3MS Only" (n = 42), 11.5% "Hospital Record Only" (n = 38), 9.4% "Both" (n = 31), and "No CI" (n = 219). Males were more likely to be identified with CI using the "3MS Only" and "Both," and females were more likely to have no indication of CI.

CONCLUSION

There were sex differences in the documentation of CI versus observed impairment. Males had more CI using direct testing. This may be contributing to sex differences in recovery outcomes after hip fracture. Results support the implementation of cognitive testing in hip fracture patients to reduce the impact of differential misclassification by patient sex.

Systemic effects of abnormal bone resorption on muscle, metabolism, and cognition

Skeletal tissue is dynamic, undergoing constant remodeling to maintain musculoskeletal integrity and balance in the human body. Recent evidence shows that apart from maintaining homeostasis in the local microenvironment, the skeleton systemically affects other tissues. Several cancer-associated and noncancer-associated bone disorders can disrupt the physiological homeostasis locally in the bone microenvironment and indirectly contribute to dysregulation of systemic body function. The systemic effects of bone on the regulation of distant organ function have not been widely explored. Recent evidence suggests that bone can interact with skeletal muscle, pancreas, and brain by releasing factors from mineralized bone matrix. Currently available bone-targeting therapies such as bisphosphonates and denosumab inhibit bone resorption, decrease morbidity associated with bone destruction, and improve survival. Bisphosphonates have been a standard treatment for bone metastases, osteoporosis, and cancer treatment-induced bone diseases. The extraskeletal effects of bisphosphonates on inhibition of tumor growth are known. However, our knowledge of the effects of bisphosphonates on muscle weakness, hyperglycemia, and cognitive defects is currently evolving. To be able to identify the molecular link between bone and distant organs during abnormal bone resorption and then treat these abnormalities and prevent their systemic effects could improve survival benefits. The current review highlights the link between bone resorption and its systemic effects on muscle, pancreas, and brain.

Early recovery of basic mobility under femoral nerve block after hip fracture surgery - A propensity score matched pilot study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown better pain reduction utilizing femoral nerve block (FNB) in patients who underwent hip fracture surgery. However, few studies have focused on the recovery of physical function after FNB, and most studies excluded patients with dementia. We investigated the association between FNB performed in the operating room and the recovery of physical function after hip fracture surgery, including patients with dementia.

METHODS

A total of 103 patients with a mean age of 87.4 years who underwent hip fracture surgery under spinal anesthesia between July 2015 and December 2017 (46 patients receiving a single injection of FNB and 57 standard care) were enrolled. Patients with FNB versus standard care were matched by a propensity score to adjust for patient characteristics. An anesthesiologist performed FNB with 20ml of 0.2% ropivacaine, and the standard care group received intravenous 1000 mg acetaminophen or 50mg flurbiprofen once after surgery. After matching, 78 patients were analyzed. Our primary outcome was 3-day cumulated ambulation score (CAS, 0-18 points) and secondary outcomes were 1-day CAS on postoperative day 1-3 and length of hospital stay. We also stratified patient groups based on the presence of dementia and fracture type.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing FNB had significantly better 3-day CAS compared to standard care (mean [SD], 8.72 [3.42] vs 7.33 [2.62]; mean difference, 1.38 [95%CI; 0.03 - 2.74]; p = 0.048) and 1-day CAS on postoperative day two (mean [SD], 3.10 [1.39] vs 2.56 [0.94]; mean difference, 0.54 [0.01 - 1.07]; p = 0.049). Length of hospital stay did not significantly differ among the two groups (p = 0.65). Larger positive effect was likely to be seen for patients with a femoral neck fractures and for those without dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent surgery with spinal anesthesia plus FNB had better ambulatory status early after hip fracture surgery compared to patients not offered FNB. The beneficial association between FNB and ambulatory status was likely to be observed especially in patients with femoral neck fracture and without dementia.

Development of a Victorian Falls and Balance Service Directory

OBJECTIVES

Falls and fall-related injuries amongst older people continue to be a long-term public health issue. Access to specialist services that target fall prevention has been shown to improve outcomes. This project aimed to develop an online directory of public outpatient and ambulatory falls and balance clinics and programs in Victoria.

METHOD

Environmental scan of existing services and survey of service providers between January and August 2020.

RESULTS

Forty-seven community-based and 53 hospital-based falls and balance services across metropolitan (46%) and regional (54%) Victoria registered. The majority of services were programs (70%) targeting exercise and/or education, as opposed to clinics (30%), which focus on diagnosis and developing management plans. Survey responses were collated to develop an online service directory: https://www.nari.net.au/victorian-falls-directory CONCLUSION: The Victorian Falls and Balance Service Directory provides a centralised and accessible reference for clinicians and community members regarding available outpatient and ambulatory services that target fall prevention.

Management of preoperative pain in elderly patients with moderate to severe cognitive deficits and hip fracture: a retrospective, monocentric study in an orthogeriatric unit

Background

Patients with cognitive deficits are 3 times more likely to suffer a hip fracture than geriatric patients of the same age group without cognitive deficits. The persistence of perioperative pain following hip fracture is a risk factor for the occurrence of delirium, poor functional prognosis, and the development of secondary chronic pain. Patients with cognitive deficits receive 20 to 60% less analgesics than those without cognitive deficits. Our retrospective descriptive monocentric study was performed in an orthogeriatric unit on a cohort of elderly patients hospitalized for hip fracture. The aim of the study was to compare the quantity of strong opioids delivered in a morphine sulfate equivalent daily during the preoperative period after a hip fracture between cognitively intact patients and those with cognitive deficits.

Results

Our total population of 69 patients had a median age of 90 years old, and 46% of these patients had moderate or severe cognitive deficits. During the preoperative period, the same quantity of strong opioids was administered to both groups of patients (13.1 mg/d versus 10.8 mg/d (p = 0.38)). Patients with moderate to severe cognitive deficits more often experienced delirium during their hospitalization (p < 0.01) and received more psychotropic drugs in the first 3 postoperative days (p = 0.025).

Conclusions

We reported that with standardized pain management in an orthogeriatric unit, patients aged 75 years and older received the same daily average quantity of strong opioids during the preoperative period regardless of the presence of cognitive deficits.

Markers of dementia-related health in primary care electronic health records

OBJECTIVES

Identifying routinely recorded markers of poor health in patients with dementia may help treatment decisions and evaluation of earlier outcomes in research. Our objective was to determine whether a set of credible markers of dementia-related health could be identified from primary care electronic health records (EHR).

METHODS

The study consisted of (i) rapid review of potential measures of dementia-related health used in EHR studies; (ii) consensus exercise to assess feasibility of identifying these markers in UK primary care EHR; (iii) development of UK EHR code lists for markers; (iv) analysis of a regional primary care EHR database to determine further potential markers; (v) consensus exercise to finalise markers and pool into higher domains; (vi) determination of 12-month prevalence of domains in EHR of 2328 patients with dementia compared to matched patients without dementia.

RESULTS

Sixty-three markers were identified and mapped to 13 domains: Care; Home Pressures; Severe Neuropsychiatric; Neuropsychiatric; Cognitive Function; Daily Functioning; Safety; Comorbidity; Symptoms; Diet/Nutrition; Imaging; Increased Multimorbidity; Change in Dementia Drug. Comorbidity was the most prevalent recorded domain in dementia (69%). Home Pressures were the least prevalent domain (1%). Ten domains had a statistically significant higher prevalence in dementia patients, one (Comorbidity) was higher in non-dementia patients, and two (Home Pressures, Diet/Nutrition) showed no association with dementia.

CONCLUSIONS

EHR captures important markers of dementia-related health. Further research should assess if they indicate dementia progression. These markers could provide the basis for identifying individuals at risk of faster progression and outcome measures for use in research.

Association between Anti-Psychotic Drugs Use and Hip Fractures in Patients with Dementia: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Background: People with dementia are a high-risk group for hip fractures. Although the increased risk of hip fractures associated with antipsychotic drugs (APD) is found in older populations, little is known about the risk for people with dementia living in Asia. We aimed to investigate the association between hip fractures and the characteristics of APD use in patients with dementia. Methods: A nested case-control analysis was conducted on a nationwide cohort in Taiwan. People with diagnoses of dementia during 2003–2012 were identified. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed, and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (CI) to estimate the risk of hip fractures. Results: APD use was associated with an increased risk of hip fractures in patients with dementia; current use or combined use of first and second generations of APDs had even higher risks. Regarding the duration of APD use, a U-shape curve of hip fracture risk was noted, and the risk peaked during 0–15 days and >215 days of exposure (aOR = 1.46, 95% CI 1.37–1.57; aOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.37–1.58; respectively). Considering the doses of APDs, the hip fracture risk was significantly increased with all four levels of the cumulative doses and average daily doses and peaked in the group with the highest average daily dose. Conclusions: The findings suggest that caution must be taken when initiating APD use in patients with dementia, even in a small dose, and mixed types of APD prescriptions should be administered with care. Furthermore, frequent evaluation of the possibility of tapering or withdrawal of the medication is necessary, as the risk does not attenuate after long-term use.

A 2-min cognitive screener for predicting 1-year functional recovery and survival in older adults after hip fracture repair

BACKGROUND

Implementing cognitive assessment in older people admitted to hospital with hip fracture - lying in bed, experiencing pain - is challenging. We investigated the value of a quick and easy-to-administer 10-point cognitive screener (10-CS) in predicting 1-year functional recovery and survival after hip surgery.

METHODS

Prospective cohort study comprising 304 older patients (mean age=80.3±9.1 years; women=72%) with hip fracture consecutively admitted to a specialized academic medical center that supports secondary hospitals in Sao Paulo Metropolitan Area, Brazil. The 10-CS, a 2-minute bedside tool including temporal orientation, verbal fluency, and three-word recall, classified patients as having normal cognition, possible cognitive impairment, or probable cognitive impairment on admission. Outcomes were time-to-recovery activities of daily living (ADLs; Katz index) and mobility (New Mobility Score), and survival during 1-year after hip surgery. Hazard models, considering death as a competing risk, were used to associate the 10-CS categories with outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical measures.

RESULTS

On admission, 144 (47%) patients had probable cognitive impairment. Compared to those cognitively normal, patients with probable cognitive impairment presented less postsurgical recovery of ADLs (77% vs. 40%; adjusted sub-hazard ratio [HR]=0.44; 95%CI=0.32-0.62) and mobility (50% vs. 30%; adjusted sub-HR=0.52; 95%CI=0.34-0.79), and higher risk of death (15% vs. 40%; adjusted HR=2.08; 95%CI=1.03-4.20) over 1-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10-CS is a strong predictor of functional recovery and survival after hip fracture repair. Cognitive assessment using quick and easy-to-administer screening tools like 10-CS can help clinicians make better decisions and offer tailored care for older patients admitted with hip fracture.

Dementia and patient outcomes after hip surgery in older patients: A retrospective observational study using nationwide administrative data in Japan

Objective

To investigate whether dementia is associated with incidence of adverse events and longer hospital stays in older adults who underwent hip surgery, after adjusting for individual social and nursing care environment.

Design and setting

Retrospective observational study using the linked data between the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database and the reports of the medical functions of hospital beds database in Japan (April 2016—March 2017).

Participants

A total of 48,797 individuals aged 65 and older who underwent hip surgery and were discharged during the study period.

Methods

Outcomes included in-hospital death, in-hospital pneumonia, in-hospital fracture, and longer hospital stay. We performed two-level, multilevel models adjusting for individual and hospital characteristics.

Results

Among all participants, 20,638 individuals (42.3%) had dementia. The incidence of adverse events for those with and without dementia included in-hospital death: 2.11% and 1.11%, in-hospital pneumonia: 0.15% and 0.07%, and in-hospital fracture: 3.76% and 3.05%, respectively. The median (inter quartile range) length of hospital stay for those with and without dementia were 26 (19–39) and 25 (19–37) days, respectively. Overall, the odds ratios (95% confidence interval (CI)) of dementia for in-hospital death, in-hospital pneumonia, and in-hospital fracture were 1.12 (0.95–1.33), 0.95 (0.51–1.80), and 1.08 (0.92–1.25), respectively. Dementia was not associated with the length of hospital stay (% change) (-0.7%, 95% CI -1.6–0.3%). Admission from home, discharge to home, and lower nurse staffing were associated with prolonged hospital stays.

Conclusions

Although adverse events are more likely to occur in older adults with dementia than in those without dementia after hip surgery, we found no evidence of an association between dementia and adverse events or the length of hospital stay after adjusting for individual social and nursing care environment.

Exercise effects on backward walking speed in people with dementia: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Multidirectional walking, including backward walking, is integral to daily activities, and seems particularly challenging in older age, and in people with pathology affecting postural control such as dementia.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Does exercise influence backward walking speed in people with dementia, when tested using habitual walking aids and without, and do effects differ according to walking aid use?

METHODS

This study included 141 women and 45 men (mean age 85 years) with dementia from the Umeå Dementia and Exercise (UMDEX), a cluster-randomized controlled trial study set in 16 nursing homes in Umeå, Sweden. Participants were randomized to a High-Intensity Functional Exercise (HIFE) program targeting lower limb strength-, balance and mobility exercise or to a seated attention control activity. Blinded assessors measured 2.4-meter usual backward walking speed, at baseline, 4 - (intervention completion) and 7-month follow-up; tested 1) with habitual walking aids allowed, and 2) without walking aids.

RESULTS

Linear mixed models showed no between-group effect in either backward walking speed test at 4 or 7 months; test 1) 0.005 m/s, P = .788 and -0.006 m/s, P = .754 and test 2) 0.030 m/s, P = .231 and 0.015 m/s, P = .569, respectively. In interaction analyses, exercise effects differed significantly between participants who habitually walked unaided compared with those that used a walking aid at 7 months (0.094 m/s, P = .027).

SIGNIFICANCE

In this study of older people with dementia living in nursing homes, the effects of exercise had no overall effects on backwards walking speed. Nevertheless, some benefit was indicated in participants who habitually walked unaided, which is promising and merits further investigation in future studies.

Length of Hospital Stay for Hip Fracture and 30-Day Mortality in People With Alzheimer's Disease: A Cohort Study in Finland

Background

Persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are at higher risk of hip fractures (HFs) than general older population and have worse prognosis after HF. Hospital stays after HF have shortened along time. We investigated the association between length of hospital stay after HF and mortality after discharge among persons with AD.

Method

The MEDALZ cohort includes all Finnish community dwellers who received clinically verified AD diagnosis in 2005–2011 (N = 70 718). Patients who experienced first HF after AD diagnosis in 2005‒2015 (n = 6999) were selected. Length of hospital stay for HF was measured as a sum of the consecutive days spent in hospital after HF until discharge. Outcome was defined as death within 30 days after hospital discharge.

Results

Mean of overall length of hospital stay after a HF decreased from 52.6 (SD 62.9) days in 2005 to 19.6 (SD 23.1) days in 2015. Shortest treatment decile (1‒4 days) had the highest risk of death within 30 days after discharge (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 2.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66–4.60) in addition to second (5‒6 days; aHR 2.52; 95% CI 1.50–4.23) and third (7‒10 days; aHR 2.22; 95% CI 1.34–3.69) deciles when compared to the sixth decile of length of stays (21‒26 days).

Conclusions

Among persons with AD, shorter length of hospital stay after HF was associated with an increased risk of death after discharge. After acute HF treatment, inpatient rehabilitation or proper care and services in home need to be organized to older persons with AD.

Indicators of dementia disease progression in primary care: An electronic health record cohort study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The objectives were to assess the feasibility and validity of using markers of dementia-related health as indicators of dementia progression in primary care, by assessing the frequency with which they are recorded and by testing the hypothesis that they are associated with recognised outcomes of dementia. The markers, in 13 domains, were derived previously through literature review, expert consensus, and analysis of regional primary care records.

METHODS

The study population consisted of patients with a recorded dementia diagnosis in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a UK primary care database linked to secondary care records. Incidence of recorded domains in the 36 months after diagnosis was determined. Associations of recording of domains with future hospital admission, palliative care, and mortality were derived.

RESULTS

There were 30,463 people with diagnosed dementia. Incidence of domains ranged from 469/1000 person-years (Increased Multimorbidity) to 11/1000 (Home Pressures). An increasing number of domains in which a new marker was recorded in the first year after diagnosis was associated with hospital admission (hazard ratio for ≥4 domains vs. no domains = 1.24; 95% confidence interval = 1.15-1.33), palliative care (1.87; 1.62-2.15), and mortality (1.57; 1.47-1.67). Individual domains were associated with outcomes with varying strengths of association.

CONCLUSIONS

Feasibility and validity of potential indicators of progression of dementia derived from primary care records are supported by their frequency of recording and associations with recognised outcomes. Further research should assess whether these markers can help identify patients with poorer prognosis to improve outcomes through stratified care and targeted support.

When falls become fatal-Clinical care sequence

OBJECTIVES

This study encompassed fall-related deaths, including those who died prior to medical care, that were admitted to multiple healthcare institutions, regardless of whether they died at home, in long-term care, or in hospice. The common element was that all deaths resulted directly or indirectly from injuries sustained during a fall, regardless of the temporal relationship. This comprehensive approach provides an unusual illustration of the clinical sequence of fall-related deaths. Understanding this pathway lays the groundwork for identification of gaps in healthcare needs.

DESIGN

This is a retrospective study of 2014 fall-related deaths recorded by one medical examiner's office (n = 511) within a larger dataset of all trauma related deaths (n = 1848). Decedent demographic characteristics and fall-related variables associated with the deaths were coded and described.

RESULTS

Of those falling, 483 (94.5%) were from heights less than 10 feet and 394 (77.1%) were aged 65+. The largest proportion of deaths (n = 267, 52.3%) occurred post-discharge from an acute care setting. Of those who had a documented prior fall, 216 (42.3%) had a history of one fall while 31 (6.1%) had ≥2 falls prior to their fatal incident. For the 267 post-acute care deaths, 440 healthcare admissions were involved in their care. Of 267 deaths occurring post-acute care, 129 (48.3%) were readmitted within 30 days. Preventability, defined as opportunities for improvement in care that may have influenced the outcome, was assessed. Of the 1848 trauma deaths, 511 (27.7%) were due to falls of which 361 (70.6%) were determined to be preventable or potentially preventable.

CONCLUSION

Our data show that readmissions and repeated falls are frequent events in the clinical sequence of fall fatalities. Efforts to prevent fall-related readmissions should be a top priority for improving fall outcomes and increasing the quality of life among those at risk of falling.

Non-benzodiazepine hypnotic use for sleep disturbance in people aged over 55 years living with dementia: a series of cohort studies

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbance affects around 60% of people living with dementia and can negatively affect their quality of life and that of their carers. Hypnotic Z-drugs (zolpidem, zopiclone and zaleplon) are commonly used to treat insomnia, but their safety and efficacy have not been evaluated for people living with dementia.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the benefits and harms of Z-drugs in people living with dementia with sleep disturbance.

DESIGN

A series of observational cohort studies using existing data from (1) primary care linked to hospital admission data and (2) clinical cohort studies of people living with dementia.

DATA SOURCES

Primary care study - Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episode Statistics and Office for National Statistics mortality data. Clinical cohort studies - the Resource Use and Disease Course in Dementia - Nursing Homes (REDIC) study, National Alzheimer's Coordinating Centre (NACC) clinical data set and the Improving Well-being and Health for People with Dementia (WHELD) in nursing homes randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Primary care study - 371 primary care practices in England. Clinical cohort studies - 47 nursing homes in Norway, 34 Alzheimer's disease centres in the USA and 69 care homes in England.

PARTICIPANTS

Primary care study - NHS England primary care patients diagnosed with dementia and aged > 55 years, with sleep disturbance or prescribed Z-drugs or low-dose tricyclic antidepressants, followed over 2 years. Clinical cohort studies - people living with dementia consenting to participate, followed over 3 years, 12 years and 9 months, for REDIC, NACC and WHELD, respectively.

INTERVENTIONS

The primary exposure was prescription or use of Z-drugs. Secondary exposures included prescription or use of benzodiazepines, low-dose tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Falls, fractures, infection, stroke, venous thromboembolism, mortality, cognitive function and quality of life. There were insufficient data to investigate sleep disturbance.

RESULTS

The primary care study and combined clinical cohort studies included 6809 and 18,659 people living with dementia, with 3089 and 914 taking Z-drugs, respectively. New Z-drug use was associated with a greater risk of fractures (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.01 to 1.94), with risk increasing with greater cumulative dose (p = 0.002). The hazard ratio for Z-drug use and hip fracture was 1.59 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 2.53) and for mortality was 1.34 (95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.64). No excess risks of falls, infections, stroke or venous thromboembolism were detected. Z-drug use also did not have an impact on cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, disability or quality of life.

LIMITATIONS

Primary care study - possible residual confounding because of difficulties in identifying patients with sleep disturbance and by dementia severity. Clinical cohort studies - the small numbers of people living with dementia taking Z-drugs and outcomes not necessarily being measured before Z-drug initiation restricted analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

We observed a dose-dependent increase in fracture risk, but no other harms, with Z-drug use in dementia. However, multiple outcomes were examined, increasing the risk of false-positive findings. The mortality association was unlikely to be causal. Further research is needed to confirm the increased fracture risk. Decisions to prescribe Z-drugs may need to consider the risk of fractures, balanced against the impact of improved sleep for people living with dementia and that of their carers. Our findings suggest that when Z-drugs are prescribed, falls prevention strategies may be needed, and that the prescription should be regularly reviewed.

FUTURE WORK

More research is needed on safe and effective management strategies for sleep disturbance in people living with dementia.

STUDY REGISTRATION

This study is registered as European Union electronic Register of Post-Authorisation Studies (EU PAS) 18006.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 1. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Physical Therapy for Gait, Balance, and Cognition in Individuals with Cognitive Impairment: A Retrospective Analysis

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine if a pragmatic physical therapy (PT) program was associated with improved cognition, gait, and balance in individuals with cognitive impairment. This study investigated these associations for individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in order to better characterize outcomes to PT for each diagnostic group.

Methods

Data before and after one month of physical therapy were extracted from patient records (67 with AD, 34 with VaD, 35 with DLB, and 37 with MCI). The mean number of PT sessions over a month was 3.4 (±1.8). Outcomes covered the domains of gait, balance, and cognition with multiple outcomes used to measure different constructs within the balance and gait domains.

Results

All groups showed improvements in balance and at least one gait outcome measure. Those with MCI improved in every measure of gait and balance performance. Lastly, cognition as measured by Montreal Cognitive Assessment improved in individuals in the AD, VaD, and MCI groups.

Conclusion

While this retrospective analysis is not appropriate for causal inference, results of one month of physical therapy were associated with decreases in gait, balance, and cognitive impairment in individuals with AD, VaD, DLB<, and MCI. Clinical Implications. While physical therapy is not typically a primary treatment strategy for individuals with cognitive impairment, the results of this study are consistent with the literature that demonstrates improvement from physical therapy for other neurodegenerative diseases. Further clinical and research exploration for physical therapy as a primary treatment strategy in these populations is warranted.

Geriatric Interdisciplinary Home Rehabilitation After Hip Fracture in People with Dementia - A Subgroup Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

To investigate if the effects of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation after hip fracture were different among people with dementia compared to those without dementia and to describe the overall outcome after hip fracture in people with dementia.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A post hoc subgroup analysis of a randomized controlled trial was conducted including 205 people with hip fracture, aged ≥70, living in ordinary housing or residential care facilities. Early discharge followed by individually designed interdisciplinary home rehabilitation for a maximum of 10 weeks was compared to in-hospital geriatric care according to a multifactorial rehabilitation program. Outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS), readmissions, falls, mortality, performance in activities of daily living (ADL), and walking ability.

RESULTS

Interdisciplinary home rehabilitation vs in-hospital care had comparable effects on falls and mortality between discharge and 12 months and on ADL and walking ability at 3 and 12 months regardless of whether the participants had dementia or not (P≥0.05 for all). Among participants with dementia, postoperative LOS was a median of 18 days (interquartile range [IQR] 14-30) in the home rehabilitation group vs 23 days (IQR 15-30) in the control group (P=0.254) with comparable numbers of readmissions after discharge. Dementia was associated with increased risk of falling (odds ratio [OR] 3.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.05-7.27; P<0.001) and increased mortality (OR 4.20; 95% CI 1.79-9.92, P=0.001) between discharge and 12 months and with greater dependence in ADL and walking at 3 and 12 months compared to participants without dementia (P<0.001 for all).

CONCLUSION

The effects of geriatric interdisciplinary home rehabilitation vs in-hospital geriatric care did not differ in participants with and without dementia. However, the statistical power of this subgroup analysis was likely insufficient to detect differences between the groups. Dementia was associated with a substantial negative impact on the outcomes following the hip fracture. Our findings support offering interdisciplinary home rehabilitation after hip fracture to people with dementia.

The Intersection of Falls and Dementia in Primary Care: Evaluation and Management Considerations

A large body of research has addressed the assessment and management of fall risk among community-dwelling older adults. Persons with dementia are at higher risk for falls and fall-related injuries, yet less is known about effective strategies for reducing falls and injuries among those with dementia. Falls and dementia are regularly considered to be discrete conditions and are often managed separately. Increasing evidence shows that these conditions frequently co-occur, and one may precede the other. This article explores the relationship between falls and dementia, including the importance of rehabilitation strategies for reducing fall risk in these individuals.

Crosstalk of Brain and Bone-Clinical Observations and Their Molecular Bases

As brain and bone disorders represent major health issues worldwide, substantial clinical investigations demonstrated a bidirectional crosstalk on several levels, mechanistically linking both apparently unrelated organs. While multiple stress, mood and neurodegenerative brain disorders are associated with osteoporosis, rare genetic skeletal diseases display impaired brain development and function. Along with brain and bone pathologies, particularly trauma events highlight the strong interaction of both organs. This review summarizes clinical and experimental observations reported for the crosstalk of brain and bone, followed by a detailed overview of their molecular bases. While brain-derived molecules affecting bone include central regulators, transmitters of the sympathetic, parasympathetic and sensory nervous system, bone-derived mediators altering brain function are released from bone cells and the bone marrow. Although the main pathways of the brain-bone crosstalk remain ‘efferent’, signaling from brain to bone, this review emphasizes the emergence of bone as a crucial ‘afferent’ regulator of cerebral development, function and pathophysiology. Therefore, unraveling the physiological and pathological bases of brain-bone interactions revealed promising pharmacologic targets and novel treatment strategies promoting concurrent brain and bone recovery.

Prognostic Factors for All-Cause Mortality in Thai Patients with Fragility Fracture of Hip: Comorbidities and Laboratory Evaluations

Background and Objectives: Although the types of comorbidities and laboratory evaluations are major factors associated with mortality after hip fractures, there have been no studies of the association of these factors and mortality in Thai hip-fracture patients. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors associated with mortality after a hip fracture in the Thai population, including types of comorbidities, treatment-related factors, and laboratory evaluations. Materials and Methods: This five-year retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Thailand. A total of 775 Thai patients who had been admitted with a hip fracture resulting from a simple fall were identified using the International Classification of Disease 10 codes, and a review of their medical charts was conducted. Associations between general factors, comorbidities, laboratory evaluations, treatment factors including type of treatment, and time to death were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard regression and the hazard ratio (HR). Results: The overall mortality rate of hip fracture patients was 13.94%. Independent prognostic factors found to be significantly associated with mortality were nonoperative treatment (HR = 3.29, p < 0.001), admission glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 30 mL/min/1.73 m² (HR = 3.40, p < 0.001), admission hemoglobin concentration <10 g/dL. (HR = 2.31, p < 0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (HR = 2.63, p < 0.001), dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (HR = 4.06, p < 0.001), and active malignancy (HR = 6.80, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The types of comorbidities and laboratory evaluation findings associated with mortality in Thai patients with hip fractures include chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, active malignancy, admission GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m², and admission hemoglobin concentration <10 g/dL. The risks of mortality for Thai hip-fracture patients with these comorbidities or laboratory evaluation findings were 2.5, 4, 7, 3.5, and 2.5 times higher, respectively, than patients without those factors.

The Role of Virtual Reality in Improving Health Outcomes for Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Systematic Review

Background

Virtual reality (VR) delivered through immersive headsets creates an opportunity to deliver interventions to improve physical, mental, and psychosocial health outcomes. VR app studies with older adults have primarily focused on rehabilitation and physical function including gait, balance, fall prevention, pain management, and cognition. Several systematic reviews have previously been conducted, but much of the extant literature is focused on rehabilitation or other institutional settings, and little is known about the effectiveness of VR apps using immersive headsets to target health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults.

Objective

The objective of this review was to evaluate the effectiveness of VR apps delivered using commercially available immersive headsets to improve physical, mental, or psychosocial health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

Peer-reviewed publications that included community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years residing in residential aged care settings and nursing homes were included. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for systematic reviews of effectiveness evidence. The title of this review was registered with JBI, and the systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.

Results

In total, 7 studies that specifically included community-dwelling older adults were included in this review. VR apps using a head-mounted display led to improvements in a number of health outcomes, including pain management, posture, cognitive functioning specifically related to Alzheimer disease, and a decreased risk of falls. A total of 6 studies reported a statistically significant difference post VR intervention, and 1 study reported an improvement in cognitive function to reduce navigational errors. Only one study reported on the usability and acceptability of the interventions delivered through VR. While one study used a distraction mechanism for pain management, none of the studies used gaming technology to promote enjoyment.

Conclusions

Interventions to improve health outcomes through VR have demonstrated potential; however, the ability to synthesize findings by primary outcome for the older adult population is not possible. A number of factors, especially related to frailty, usability, and acceptability, also need to be explored before more substantial recommendations on the effectiveness of VR interventions for older adults can be made.

Trial Registration

PROSPERO CRD42019143504; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=143504

Analysis of Functional and Cognitive Impairment in Institutionalized Individuals with Movement Disorders

BACKGROUND

Many neurological disorders lead to institutionalization and can be accompanied in their advanced stages by functional impairment, and progressive loss of mobility, and cognitive alterations.

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed the relationship between functional impairment and cognitive performance and its related subdomains in individuals with Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease accompanied by motor dysfunction, and with other neurological disorders characterized by both motor and cognitive problems.

METHODS

All participants lived in nursing homes (Valencia, Spain) and underwent cognitive evaluation with the Mini-Mental State Examination; functional assessment of independence in activities of daily living using the Barthel score and Katz index; and assessment of mobility with the elderly mobility scale.

RESULTS

The mean age of the subjects was 82.8 ± 0.6 years, 47% of the sample included individuals with Parkinson's disease, and 48 % of the sample presented severe cognitive impairment. Direct significant relationships were found between the level of cognitive impairment and functional capacity (p < 0.01) and mobility (p < 0.05). Among the different domains, memory impairment was not associated with altered activities of daily living or mobility. The functional impairment and the risk of severe cognitive impairment were significantly (p<0.05) higher in female compared to male patients. Among comorbidities, overweight/obesity and diabetes were significantly (p < 0.05) associated with poor cognitive performance in those individuals with mild/moderate cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSION

In institutionalized individuals with movement disorders there is an association between functional and cognitive impairment. Reduction of over-weight and proper control of diabetes may represent novel targets for improving cognitive function at such early stages.

Survival analysis of patients with hip fracture, Shiraz, Iran

This study aimed to determine factors affecting the survival of patients with hip fracture in Shiraz, Iran. Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases were risk factors, while female gender and living with family members or in nursing homes were protective factors against mortality following hip fracture.

PURPOSE

Hip fractures are the most common orthopedic fractures in elderly. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting the survival of patients with hip fracture in Shiraz.

METHODS

This historical cohort study was conducted in Shiraz, Iran. All patients with hip fracture who were admitted to any of the hospitals providing orthopedic services in Shiraz, from September 1, 2011, to August 30, 2012, were included in the study. The log rank test, Kaplan-Meier methods, and the univariate and multivariate Cox regression model were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 631 patients were enrolled, of these, 264 (41.8%) were male. The mean age of patients was 74.9 ± 11.5. The patients' survival rate after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th year were 81.1%, 73.7%, 69.4%, 64.8%, and 60.2%, respectively. After adjusting data for age, Alzheimer's disease (HR = 4.9, 95% CI 1.4-7.3, P = 0.023), hypertension (HR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.3-3.8, P = 0.003), and cardiovascular diseases (HR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.04-3.09, P = 0.039) remained as risk factors for mortality in patients with hip fracture. However, female patients (HR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.27-0.8, P = 0.006) and those who lived with family members or in nursing homes (HR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.19-0.92, P = 0.03) were protective factors.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that women are more likely to have hip fractures, but mortality among men is more observable. Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases were considered as risk factors, while patients who were female and those who lived with the family member or in nursing homes had better survival.

Opioid Use After Hospital Care due to Hip Fracture Among Community-Dwelling Persons With and Without Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Hip fractures are common among persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but problems in pain assessment may lead to insufficient analgesia after hospitalization.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the prevalence of opioid use in the 6 months after discharge from hospital care due to hip fracture among community-dwellers with and without AD.

SETTING AND METHOD

The Medication use and Alzheimer's disease (MEDALZ) cohort was used for this study, consisting of all community-dwelling persons newly diagnosed with AD during 2005-2011 in Finland and their comparison persons without AD matched on age, sex, and region of residence at the time of AD diagnosis. Data were collected from nationwide healthcare registers.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

We investigated opioid use versus non-use in persons with and without AD in the 6 months after discharge from hospital care due to hip fracture.

RESULTS

Altogether 2342 persons with AD and 1615 persons without AD, discharged to community settings within ≤ 120 days after a hip fracture, were included. A higher percentage of persons with AD used opioids compared to those without AD, 39.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 37.5-41.5] versus 31.2% (95% CI 28.9-33.5). Persons with AD used more frequently strong opioids during the first 3 months and buprenorphine during the 6-month period, and used weak opioids less frequently after the first month after discharge compared to those without AD.

CONCLUSIONS

Frequent opioid use after hospital care due to hip fracture may indicate increased attention to pain among persons with AD. Nevertheless, the benefits and harms of opioid use should be evaluated regularly in community-dwelling older persons.

Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Alzheimer's Disease are not Causal Factors of Bone Mineral Density: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis

Until recently, it remains unclear whether schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with bone mineral density (BMD). We aimed to investigate the causal effects of schizophrenia, BD and AD on BMD with Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with these three neuropsychiatric diseases as instrumental variables were selected from genome-wide association studies in the MR Base database. We analyzed the effects of these SNPs on the femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD), lumbar spine BMD (LS-BMD) and forearm BMD (FA-BMD), and evaluated the heterogeneities and pleiotropy of these genetic variants. We also evaluated the potential confounding factors in the association between these three neuropsychiatric diseases and the BMD level. It was found that none of these genetic variants were significantly associated with BMD or confounding factors. Using these genetic variants, we did not find statistically significant causal effects of per unit increase in the log-odds of having schizophrenia, BD or AD with FN-BMD, LS-BMD and FA-BMD changes (e.g. schizophrenia and FN-BMD, MR-Egger OR 0.9673, 95% CI 0.8382 to 1.1163, p = 0.6519). The MR results also revealed that directional pleiotropy was unlikely to bias the causality (e.g., schizophrenia and FN-BMD, intercept = 0.0023, p = 0.6887), and no evidence of heterogeneity was found between the genetic variants (e.g., schizophrenia and FN-BMD, MR-Egger Q = 46.1502, I² = 0.0899, p = 0.3047). Our MR study did not support causal effects of increased risk of schizophrenia, BD and AD status with BMD level.

Association Between Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors and Osteoporotic Fractures in Older Persons With Alzheimer's Disease

OBJECTIVE

To identify the association between the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) and risk of osteoporotic fractures in older persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A nested case-control study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Elderly Cohort database. Patients with AD who were newly diagnosed with osteoporotic fractures were identified as cases. Up to 3 controls were matched with cases according to age, sex, and duration of follow-up.

METHODS

Participants were considered as exposed to AChEIs if they had been prescribed at least 1 AChEI during a period of 2 years before the index date. A conditional logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for the association between the use of AChEIs and osteoporotic fractures in patients with AD. We also examined the impact of dose, duration of treatment, and timing of exposure on the estimates of the association between the use of AChEIs and risk of osteoporotic fractures.

RESULTS

The study cohort comprised 45,006 patients diagnosed with AD, of which 9470 patients, including 2385 cases and 7085 controls, were available for the study. The mean ages (standard deviations) were 78.6 (6.9) years in the cases and 80.0 (6.9) years in the controls. Adjusted odds ratios for the association between the use of AChEIs and osteoporotic fractures in patients with AD was 1.18 (95% confidence interval 1.07-1.31).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our data indicated that the use of AChEIs was not associated with a reduced risk of osteoporotic fractures in patients with AD; in contrast, their use was associated with a mild increased risk of osteoporotic fractures. Thus, clinicians should consider the possibility of AChEIs-associated fractures among older persons with AD. Findings of this study will support shared decision making among prescribers, patients, and caregivers.

Dementia and CSF-biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease predict mortality after acute hip fracture

BACKGROUND

Mortality is high after an acute hip fracture (AHF) surgery. Are cognitive impairment and/or altered levels of Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) predictors of mortality in AHF-patients, as retrospective studies indicate?

METHODS

Prospective single-center study including 373 AHF-patients, operated in spinal anesthesia. Cognitive status was evaluated by clinical dementia rating (CDR); CSF was analyzed for AD-biomarker concentrations (total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), amyloid beta ratio (Aβ42/Aβ40). CDR and biomarker levels were related to mortality up to one-year post-surgery, using univariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Survival analyses showed that mortality was associated to the degree of dementia. In the entire patient cohort 30-, 90-, and 365-day mortality rates were 7.2%, 15.5%, and 25.5%, respectively, but only 2.7%, 5.5%, and 12.6%, for cognitively intact vs 16.3%, 31.7%, and 42.3% for demented patients (OR = 2.2-2.8 [CI = 1.6-4.9]; P = .0001). High CSF T-tau (OR = 1.19 [CI = 1.05-1.33]; P = .004) and low Aβ42/Aβ40-ratio (OR = 0.85 [CI = 0.74-0.97]; P = .017) were associated with increased 90-day mortality. Analysis of 4 subgroups (Cognitive impairment ± and Biomarkers ±) showed significant associations of dementia and CSF biomarker concentrations to mortality after an AHF. Even cognitively intact patients presenting with abnormal AD-biomarkers showed an increased 90-day mortality which, however, was statistically insignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

Cognitive impairment and altered CSF biomarker concentrations indicative of AD pathology can predict increased mortality in patients with an AHF, and so probably even before clinical dementia diagnosis by early biomarker analysis; a notion that may have substantial clinical implications by improving perioperative treatment and postoperative rehabilitation.

Temporal precedence of cognitive function and functional abilities: A latent difference score model of the Chinese community-dwelling elders

OBJECTIVES

Little research has explored how cognitive function and activities of daily living (ADL) affect each other over time. In addition, no current finding provides a clear hint to the temporal precedence between them. The present study tries to address these limitations of prior studies by utilizing a longitudinal data and advanced statistical modeling.

METHODS

This study analyzed the data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a prospective observational study performed every 2 years for a total of three waves between 2011 and 2015 using a multistage probability sampling. Cognitive function was measured on the basis of three aspects of cognitive performance. Functional abilities were assessed using six types of activities of ADL and five types of instrumental ADL (IADL). Latent difference score modeling was employed to investigate the temporal precedence between cognitive function and ADL.

RESULTS

The best fitting model indicates poor cognitive function precede worsening in ADL function, whereas the current findings did not support that poor ADL predate the cognition decline or reciprocal influence hypotheses.

CONCLUSIONS

The elderly with poor cognitive function may be more vulnerable to deterioration in ADL. Findings underscore the importance of early screening for cognitive function among the elderly as the key strategy to prevent further ADL impairment and keep independence.

Structure and process of dementia care and patient outcomes after hip surgery in elderly people with dementia: A retrospective observational study in Japan

BACKGROUND

Japan introduced the financial incentives for dementia special care at hospitals in the fee schedule in April 2016.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether the financial incentives for dementia special care contributed to better patient outcomes after hip surgery for older adults with dementia.

DESIGN

Retrospective observational study using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database and the Reporting on medical functions of hospital beds data.

SETTING

Acute care hospitals adopting the Diagnosis Procedure Combination system in Japan.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 20,393 eligible patients aged 65 years or older with dementia who underwent hip surgeries and discharged from 405 hospitals from April 2016 to March 2017.

METHODS

There are two levels of dementia care quality categories in the financial incentives for dementia special care as follows: Type 1 requires a multidisciplinary team with geriatric and dementia care expertise and Type 2 requires to assign trained nurses who underwent dementia training at every general ward. The outcomes were in-hospital mortality, readmission within 30 days, and length of hospital stay. We performed generalized estimating equation model or logistic generalized estimating equation models adjusting for individual and hospital characteristics.

RESULTS

Among the 405 hospitals, the numbers of hospitals without dementia care incentive, those with Type 1, and those with Type 2 were 207, 99, and, 99, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of in-hospital death and readmission within 30 days was 2.01% and 2.70%, respectively. Overall, the mean (standard deviation, SD) length of hospital stay was 32.0 (20.0) days. There were no significant associations between dementia special care and in-hospital mortality in Type 1 (adjusted OR [odds ratio] =0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.66-1.16) and Type 2 (adjusted OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.92-1.52), and readmission within 30 days in Type 1 (adjusted OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.89-1.38) and Type 2 (adjusted OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.83-1.29). Length of hospital stay was not significantly different among hospitals with and without incentive, Type 1 (coefficient -0.23, 95% CI = -2.64-2.18.), and Type 2 (coefficient 0.87, 95% CI = -1.54-3.28). An increase in patient-to-nurse ratio was significantly associated with 2.25 days longer length of hospital stay (95% CI 1.00-3.51).

CONCLUSION

Dementia care incentive was not associated with better outcomes in elderly with dementia who underwent hip surgery in Japan, but the worse nurse workload was associated with longer length of hospital stay. Further long-term assessment is necessary.