Identification of older adults with frailty in the Emergency Department using a frailty index: results from a multinational study

Frailty-aware Care in the Emergency Department

Older adults living with frailty are a growing population that will increasingly present to the emergency department (ED). This is a population that is at increased risk of adverse health outcomes and most EDs are not designed with their needs in mind. Instead of characterizing patients based on chronologic age or existing triage tools, frailty assessment offers an accurate, feasible, and patient-centered approach to improving care, and should be performed in the ED.

Scale-based screening and assessment of age-related frailty

As the population ages, the prevalence of age-related frailty increases sharply, which increases the risk of poor health status of older adults, such as disability, falls, hospitalization, and death. Across the globe, frailty is moving toward the forefront of health and medical research. Currently, frailty is believed to be preventable and reversible, so the early identification of frailty is critical. However, there are neither precise biomarkers of frailty nor definitive laboratory tests and corresponding clinical testing techniques and equipment in clinical practice. As a result, the clinical identification of frailty is mainly achieved through the widely used frailty scale, which is an objective, simple, time-saving, effective, economical, and feasible measurement tool. In this narrative review, we summarized and analyzed the various existing frailty scales from different perspectives of screening and evaluation, aiming to provide a reference for clinical researchers and practitioners to judge and manage frail older people accurately.

Perspectives on Frailty Among Emergency Physicians: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Background The proportion of older people in the general population is rising. Accompanying this rise is an increased prevalence of frailty. Frailty is a syndrome of increased vulnerability to stressors due to decreased physiological reserve and is linked to increased health services use. Frailty assessment provides a comprehensive insight into an older person's health status but is not regularly performed in emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. Understanding emergency physicians' (EPs) perspectives on frailty could assist in facilitating the implementation of frailty assessments in the ED. However, little is known about EP perceptions of frailty. Objectives The aim of this study was to explore perspectives on frailty among EPs. Design An exploratory qualitative descriptive study was conducted. EPs' perspectives on frailty were explored in semi-structured interviews, including questions on the meaning of frailty, its detection, management, and potential to improve the care of frail ED patients. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Setting Central Adelaide Local Health Network, which has two EDs in Adelaide, South Australia. Participants Sixteen EPs were interviewed. Eleven (69%) were male EPs and 10 (63%) were practicing as EPs for 4 years or less. Measurements We analyzed interview transcripts by inductive thematic analysis. We generated, iteratively revised, and applied a coding framework, enabling progression to the formulation of themes. Results We developed three themes. Theme 1: EPs did not perceive frailty as a priority of care due to their focus on acuity, and lack of knowledge, time, and resources. Theme 2: EPs referred to detecting and managing frailty indirectly rather than formally. Theme 3: EPs saw a beneficial role in frailty recognition and management in the future. Conclusions EPs did not perceive frailty as a priority of care. However, they had a positive view on progressing with increased frailty awareness and holistic management in EM, for patient and health system benefits.

Experiences of the emergency department environment: a qualitative study with caregivers of people with dementia

ED crowding and boarding adversely impact older patients' care and outcomes. Little is known about how ED crowding impacts persons living with dementia, a vulnerable population. This study sought to explore ED experiences of caregivers of people with dementia during a period of ED crowding and boarding. We performed semi-structured interviews with caregivers of people with dementia with an ED visit during a period of ED crowding and boarding at two public hospitals experiencing a threefold increase in boarding from pre-pandemic levels. Participants were recruited via chart review. We coded data using an inductive approach. Three themes emerged from 29 caregiver interviews: (1) difficulty obtaining assistance, (2) patient harms, and (3) concerns about triage and rooming processes. First, caregivers described having to be proactive to obtain symptom control and assistance with mobility. Second, caregivers observed harms of noise and stimulation provoking agitation and delays in administration of routine medications. Third, caregivers felt it was inappropriate for people with dementia to receive care in waiting room chairs or to receive prolonged hallway care. Caregivers advocated for preferential considerations for rooming and rapid assessment to avoid agitation, facilitatd access to ED staff, and promote patient comfort. Caregivers of people with dementia associated ED environments with difficulty obtaining assistance, patient harms, and triage concerns. Strategies to mitigate the negative impacts of ED crowding on people with dementia should focus on environmental modifications, uptriage of people with dementia, supporting activities of daily living and mobility, and innovation around patient disposition.

Association of altitude and frailty in Chinese older adults: using a cumulative frailty index model

Objective

The population is aging exponentially and the resulting frailty is becoming increasingly evident. We aimed to explore the association between altitude and frailty, and to identify associated factors for frailty.

Methods

This is a community-based cross-sectional survey. 1,298 participants aged ≥60 years from three different altitudes were included in the study. To quantify frailty, we constructed a frailty index (FI) and a frailty score (FS). The FI was divided into non-frailty, prefrailty, and frailty. The Odds Ratios and confidence intervals (ORs, 95%CIs) were used to evaluate the association between altitude and FI and FS in multivariate ordinal logistic regression and linear regression.

Results

There were 560 (53.1%) participants in the prefrailty and 488 (37.6%) in the frailty group. The FS increased with higher altitude (P for trend <0.001). Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed an association between altitude and frailty, OR = 1.91 (95% CI: 1.38-2.64) in mid-high altitude and 2.49 (95% CI:1.40-4.45) in high altitude. The same trend of association was found in the univariate analysis. The FS increased by 1.69 (95% CI: 0.78-2.60) at mid-high altitude and 3.24 (95%CI:1.66-4.81) at high altitude compared to medium altitude.

Conclusion

The study indicates that high altitude exposure is an associated factor for frailty in older adults. This association become stronger with higher altitudes. As a result, it is essential to conduct early frailty screening for residents living at high altitudes.

Frailty assessment of older patients in the emergency department

An ageing population is leading to an increase in patients attending emergency departments (EDs) with comorbidities and age-related syndromes such as frailty. Frailty is a clinical syndrome defined as an increased vulnerability to age-related or disease-related insults in older adults due to diminishing physiological reserves. It also places increased demands on staff and hospital services. Screening for frailty early in the care pathway ensures goal-directed and timely care. This article provides an overview of frailty and its assessment in older people presenting to the ED. It discusses the most commonly used frailty assessment tool in the ED, the Clinical Frailty Scale, and identifies that the results of frailty assessment should be used to initiate appropriate individualised care in older patients.

Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Cohort Study of Process, Clinical, and Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background

This study aimed to explore the process, clinical, and patient-reported outcomes of older adults who received an interdisciplinary Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) in the emergency department (ED) over a six-month period after their initial ED attendance.

Patients and Methods

A prospective cohort study recruited older adults aged ≥65 years who presented to the ED of a university teaching hospital in Ireland. Baseline assessment data comprising a battery of demographic variables and validated indices were obtained at the index ED attendance. Telephone interviews were completed with participants at 30- and 180-day follow-up. The primary outcome was incidence of hospital admission following the index ED attendance. Secondary outcomes included participant satisfaction, incidence of functional decline, health-related quality of life, incidence of unscheduled ED re-attendance(s), hospital (re)admission(s), nursing home admission, and death.

Results

A total of 133 participants (mean age 82.43 years, standard deviation = 6.89 years; 71.4% female) were recruited; 21.8% of the cohort were admitted to hospital following the index ED attendance with a significant decline in function reported at hospital discharge (Z = 2.97, p = 0.003). Incidence of 30- and 180-day unscheduled ED re-attendance was 10.5% and 24.8%, respectively. The outcome at the index ED attendance was a significant predictor of adverse outcomes whereby those who were discharged home had significantly lower odds of multiple adverse process outcomes at 30- and 180-day follow-up, and significantly higher function and health-related quality of life at 30-day follow-up.

Conclusion

While this study was observational in nature, findings suggest CGA in the ED may improve outcomes by mitigating against the adverse effects of potentially avoidable hospital admissions and focusing on a longitudinal approach to healthcare delivery at the primary-secondary care interface. Future research should be underpinned by an experimental study design to address key limitations in this study.

Frailty assessment tools in the emergency department: A geriatric emergency department guidelines 2.0 scoping review

Objective

Given the aging population and growing burden of frailty, we conducted this scoping review to describe the available literature regarding the use and impact of frailty assessment tools in the assessment and care of emergency department (ED) patients older than 60 years.

Methods

A search was made of the available literature using the Covidence system using various search terms. Inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed literature focusing on frailty screening tools used for a geriatric population (60+ years of age) presenting to EDs. An additional search of PubMed, EBSCO, and CINAHL for articles published in the last 5 years was conducted toward the end of the review process (January 2023) to search specifically for literature describing interventions for frailty, yielding additional articles for review. Exclusion criteria comprised articles focusing on an age category other than geriatric and care environments outside the emergency care setting.

Results

A total of 135 articles were screened for inclusion and 48 duplicates were removed. Of the 87 remaining articles, 20 were deemed irrelevant, leaving 67 articles for full-text review. Twenty-eight were excluded for not meeting inclusion criteria, leaving 39 full-text studies. Use of frailty screening tools were reported in the triage, care, and discharge decision-making phases of the ED care trajectory, with varying reports of usefulness for clinical decision-making.

Conclusion

The literature reports tools, scales, and instruments for identifying frailty in older patients at ED triage; multiple frailty scores or tools exist with varying levels of utilization. Interventions for frailty directed at the ED environment were scant. Further research is needed to determine the usefulness of frailty identification in the context of emergency care, the effects of care delivery interventions or educational initiatives for front-line medical professionals on patient-oriented outcomes, and to ensure these initiatives are acceptable for patients.

Frailty and mortality: Utility of Frail-VIG index in ED short-stay units for older adults

BACKGROUND

Frailty assessment allows the identification of patients at risk of death. The aim here was to study the ability of Frail-VIG Index (FI-VIG) in order to discriminate frailty groups of older adults and garner its correlation with mortality in an Emergency-Department Short-Stay Unit (ED-SSU).

METHODS

Our observational, single-center, prospective study consecutively included patients over 65-years-old admitted between March 1, 2021, and April 30, 2021.

RESULTS

302 patients were included (56 % women), mean age 83 ± 8 years, and 39.1 % of them had a functional disability whilst 16.5 % of them had dementia. A total of 174 patients (58 %) met the frailty criteria (FI-VIG ≥ 0.2): 111 (63.8 %) had mild frailty (FI-VIG 0.2-0.36), 52 (29.9 %) had moderate frailty (FI-VIG 0.36-0.55), and 11 (6.3 %) had advanced frailty (FI-VIG > 0.55). Mortality at 30 days, 6 months, and 1 year was analyzed: no frailty was 6.3 %, 10.8 %, and 12.5 %, respectively; mild frailty was 10.8 %, 22.5 %, and 22.5 %, respectively; moderate frailty was 25 %, 34.6 %, and 42.3 %, respectively; advanced frailty was 36.4 %, 54.5 %, and 3.6 %, respectively. This shows the significant differences between the groups (1-year mortality p < 0.001). Mild frailty vs. non-frail HR was 2.47 (95 %CI 1.12-5.46), moderate frailty vs. non-frail HR was 6.93 (95 %CI 3.16-15.23), and advanced frailty vs. non-frail HR was 11.29 (95 %CI 3.54-36.03). The mean test time was 7 min.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a strong correlation between frailty degree and mortality at 1, 6, and 12 months. FI-VIG is fast and easy-to-use in this setting. It is routine implementation in ED-SSUs could enable early risk stratification.

Relationship between systolic blood pressure and mortality in older vs younger trauma patients - a retrospective multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND

The population of older trauma patients is increasing. Those patients have heterogeneous presentations and need senior-friendly triaging tools. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) is commonly used to assess injury severity, and some authors advocated adjusting SBP threshold for older patients. We aimed to describe and compare the relationship between mortality and SBP in older trauma patients and their younger counterparts.

METHODS

We included patients admitted to three level-I trauma centres and performed logistic regressions with age and SBP to obtain mortality curves. Multivariable Logistic regressions were performed to measure the association between age and mortality at different SBP ranges. Subgroup analyses were conducted for major trauma and severe traumatic brain injury admissions.

RESULTS

A total of 47,661 patients were included, among which 12.9% were aged 65-74 years and 27.3% were ≥ 75 years. Overall mortality rates were 3.9%, 8.1%, and 11.7% in the groups aged 16-64, 65-74, and ≥ 75 years, respectively. The relationship between prehospital SBP and mortality was nonlinear (U-shape), mortality increased with each 10 mmHg SBP decrement from 130 to 50 mmHg and each 10-mmHg increment from 150 to 220 mmHg across all age groups. Older patients were at higher odd for mortality in all ranges of SBP. The highest OR in patients aged 65-74 years was 3.67 [95% CI: 2.08-6.45] in the 90-99 mmHg SBP range and 7.92 [95% CI: 5.13-12.23] for those aged ≥ 75 years in the 100-109 mmHg SBP range.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between SBP and mortality is nonlinear, regardless of trauma severity and age. Older age was associated with a higher odd of mortality at all SBP points. Future triage tools should therefore consider SBP as a continuous rather than a dichotomized predictor.

The Association Between Frailty and a Nurse-Identified Need for Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Referral from the Emergency Department

BACKGROUND

Emergency nurses commonly conduct geriatric assessments in the emergency department (ED). However, little is known about what geriatric syndromes or clinical presentations prompt a nurse to document an identified need for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).

OBJECTIVES

To examine the association between geriatric syndromes, like frailty, and a nurse-identified need for a CGA following emergency care.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of a multi-province Canadian cohort from the InterRAI Multinational Cohort Study. We collected data at ED registration from patients 75 years of age and older (n = 2,274) from eight ED sites across Canada between November 2009 and April 2012. Geriatric syndromes were assessed by trained emergency nurses using the interRAI ED Contact Assessment; and we retrospectively calculated the ED frailty index. We employed binary logistic regression to determine the adjusted associations between geriatric syndromes and a nurse-identified need for a CGA.

RESULTS

Approximately one-quarter (28%) of older adults were identified to need a CGA following emergency care. A 0.1 unit increase in the ED frailty index increased the likelihood of a nurse identify a need for CGA (RD: 6.6; 95% CI = 5.5-7.9). Most geriatric syndromes increased the probability of a nurse documenting the need for a CGA.

CONCLUSION

When assessed by emergency nurses, the identified need for CGA is strongly linked to the presence of geriatric syndromes, including frailty. We provide face validity for the continued use of emergency nurses for screening and assessing older ED patients.

Targeted care navigation to reduce hospital readmissions in 'at-risk' patients

BACKGROUND

Care navigation is commonly used to reduce preventable hospitalisation. The use of Electronic Health Record-derived algorithms may enable better targeting of this intervention for greater impact.

AIMS

To evaluate if community-based Targeted Care Navigation, supported by an Electronic Health Record-derived readmission risk algorithm, is associated with reduced rehospitalisation.

METHODS

A propensity score matching cohort (5 comparison to 1 intervention cohort ratio) study was conducted in an 850-bed Victorian public metropolitan health service, Australia, from May to November 2017. Admitted acute care patients with a non-surgical condition, identified as at-risk of hospital readmission using an Electronic Health Record-derived readmission risk algorithm provide by the state health department, were eligible. Targeted Care Navigation involved telephone follow-up support provided for 30 days post-discharge by a registered nurse. The hazard ratio for hospital readmission was calculated at 30, 60 and 90 days post-discharge using multivariable Cox Proportional Hazards regression.

RESULTS

Sixty-five recipients received care navigation and were matched to 262 people who did not receive care navigation. Excellent matching was achieved with standardised differences between groups being <0.1 for all 11 variables included in the propensity score, including the readmission risk score. The Targeted Care Navigation group had a significantly reduced hazard of readmission at 30 days (hazard ratio 0.34; 95% confidence interval: 0.12, 0.94) compared with the comparison group. The effect size was reduced at 60 and 90 days post-discharge.

CONCLUSION

We provide preliminary evidence that Targeted Care Navigation supported by an Electronic Health Record-derived readmission risk algorithm may reduce 30-day hospital readmissions.

Integrating the clinical frailty scale with emergency department triage systems for elder patients: A prospective study

BACKGROUND

This prospective study investigated whether integrating the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) with a triage system would improve triage for older adult emergency department (ED) patients.

METHODS

We enrolled ED patients aged 65 years or older at 5 study sites in Taiwan between December 2020 and April 2021. All eligible patients were assigned a triage level by using the Taiwan Triage and Acuity Scale (TTAS) in accordance with usual practice. A CFS score was collected from them. The primary outcome was critical events, defined as ICU admission or in-hospital mortality. The secondary outcomes were ED medical expenditures, number of orders in the ED, and length of hospital stay (LOS). We applied a reclassification concept and integrated the CFS and TTAS to create the Triage Frailty Acuity Scale (TFAS). We compared the outcomes achieved between the TTAS and TFAS.

RESULTS

Of 1023 screened ED patients, 890 were enrolled. The majority were assigned to TTAS level 3 (73.26%) and had CFS scores of 4 to 9 (55.96%). The primary outcomes were better predicted by the TFAS than the TTAS (area under the curve [AUC] 0.82 vs. 064). Using multivariable approach, TTAS level 1 (odds ratio [OR], 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-13.4) and CFS score (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.9-17.2) were significantly associated with the primary outcomes. For older adults at the highest triage level, the TFAS was not associated with an increase in the primary outcomes compared with the TTAS; however, the TFAS was associated with a significant decrease in the number of older ED patients assigned to triage levels 3 to 5. In addition, TFAS had a longer average LOS but did not have a higher average number of orders or ED medical expenditures compared to TTAS.

CONCLUSIONS

The TFAS identified more older ED patients who had been triaged as less emergent but proceeded to need ICU admission or in-hospital death. Incorporating the CFS into triage may reduce the under-triage of older adults in the ED.

Agreement and prognostic accuracy of three ED vulnerability screeners: findings from a prospective multi-site cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the agreement between three emergency department (ED) vulnerability screeners, including the InterRAI ED Screener, ER2, and PRISMA-7. Our secondary objective was to evaluate the discriminative accuracy of screeners in predicting discharge home and extended ED lengths-of-stay (> 24 h).

METHODS

We conducted a nested sub-group study using data from a prospective multi-site cohort study evaluating frailty in older ED patients presenting to four Quebec hospitals. Research nurses assessed patients consecutively with the three screeners. We employed Cohen's Kappa to determine agreement, with high-risk cut-offs of three and four for the PRISMA-7, six for the ER2, and five for the interRAI ED Screener. We used logistic regression to evaluate the discriminative accuracy of instruments, testing them in their dichotomous, full, and adjusted forms (adjusting for age, sex, and hospital academic status).

RESULTS

We evaluated 1855 older ED patients across the four hospital sites. The mean age of our sample was 84 years. Agreement between the interRAI ED Screener and the ER2 was fair (K = 0.37; 95% CI 0.33-0.40); agreement between the PRISMA-7 and ER2 was also fair (K = 0.39; 95% CI = 0.36-0.43). Agreement between interRAI ED Screener and PRISMA-7 was poor (K = 0.19; 95% CI 0.16-0.22). Using a cut-off of four for PRISMA-7 improved agreement with the ER2 (K = 0.55; 95% CI 0.51-0.59) and the ED Screener (K = 0.32; 95% CI 0.2-0.36). When predicting discharge home, the concordance statistics among models were similar in their dichotomous (c = 0.57-0.61), full (c = 0.61-0.64), and adjusted forms (c = 0.63-0.65), and poor for all models when predicting extended length-of-stay.

CONCLUSION

ED vulnerability scores from the three instruments had a fair agreement and were associated with important patient outcomes. The interRAI ED Screener best identifies older ED patients at greatest risk, while the PRISMA-7 and ER2 are more sensitive instruments.

Examining the utility and accuracy of the interRAI Emergency Department Screener in identifying high-risk older emergency department patients: A Canadian multiprovince prospective cohort study

Objectives

We set out to determine the accuracy of the interRAI Emergency Department (ED) Screener in predicting the need for detailed geriatric assessment in the ED. Our secondary objective was to determine the discriminative ability of the interRAI ED Screener for predicting the odds of discharge home and extended ED length of stay (>24 hours).

Methods

We conducted a multiprovince prospective cohort study in Canada. The need for detailed geriatric assessment was determined using the interRAI ED Screener and the interRAI ED Contact Assessment as the reference standard. A score of ≥5 was used to classify high-risk patients. Assessments were conducted by emergency and research nurses. We calculated the sensitivity, positive predictive value, and false discovery rate of the interRAI ED Screener. We employed logistic regression to predict ED outcomes while adjusting for age, sex, academic status, and the province of care.

Results

A total of 5629 older ED patients across 11 ED sites were evaluated using the interRAI ED Screener and 1061 were evaluated with the interRAI ED Contact Assessment. Approximately one-third of patients were discharged home or experienced an extended ED length of stay. The interRAI ED Screener had a sensitivity of 93%, a positive predictive value of 82%, and a false discovery rate of 18%. The interRAI ED Screener predicted discharge home and extended ED length of stay with fair accuracy.

Conclusion

The interRAI ED Screener is able to accurately and rapidly identify individuals with medical complexity. The interRAI ED Screener predicts patient-important health outcomes in older ED patients, highlighting its value for vulnerability screening.

The Future of Assessing Frailty in the Patient With Advanced Heart Failure: A Review of Current Literature

Frailty is becoming an important component of health care outcomes in patients with a diagnosis of heart failure. A literature search was completed to determine whether a best practice guideline existed to assess frailty in patients who were considering ventricular assist device placement. The literature search revealed that best practice guidelines did not exist. A second comprehensive literature search was completed specifically for frailty including the definition, criteria, assessment, and outcomes. The studies revealed that there were challenges with defining frailty, the age of frailty, assessments tools, and study designs. Cardiologists are primarily interested in screening for frailty, but other physician specialty practices are interested in a frailty screening tool as well. This article discusses the inconsistent research studies and the need for a valid and reliable tool to assess for frailty. It is important that nurse leaders and those working with heart failure patients determine the best practice guidelines for assessing frailty.

Review article: Roles of activities of daily living and frailty assessments for residents of residential aged care services in emergency department transfers: A scoping review

Residents from residential aged care services (RACS) (i.e. nursing homes) many of whom are frail or disabled, are frequently transferred to ED for treatment of acute episodes of illness or injury. This review scoped the research related to the ways in which frailty or activities of daily living (ADL) measures are used for clinical purposes, either prior to the transfer of patients to ED or in ED themselves. A search for original studies up to June 2021 that included participants aged 65 years or over was conducted across four databases. Abstracts were first reviewed, leading to full text screening and article selection. Thirty-four studies were included in the scoping review. Most of the ADL and frailty assessments were conducted in residential aged care settings. In seven studies, ADL or frailty assessments in the aged care setting contributed to reduced transfer rates to ED. No results were found that associated the assessment of ADL or frailty with decisions related to treatment in the ED. A single ED study involved specialist emergency nursing in an ED as an intervention which included frailty assessment and led to decreased hospitalisation. This scoping review confirms an opportunity for further research into the ways frailty and ADL assessments are used for decision making in relation to the transfer of frail older people to ED, including how these assessments influence their treatment.

An interRAI derived frailty index predicts acute hospitalizations in older adults residing in retirement villages: A prospective cohort study

Objectives

The development of frailty tools from electronically recorded healthcare data allows frailty assessments to be routinely generated, potentially beneficial for individuals and healthcare providers. We wished to assess the predictive validity of a frailty index (FI) derived from interRAI Community Health Assessment (CHA) for outcomes in older adults residing in retirement villages (RVs), elsewhere called continuing care retirement communities.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting and participants

34 RVs across two district health boards in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). 577 participants, mean age 81 years; 419 (73%) female; 410 (71%) NZ European, 147 (25%) other European, 8 Asian (1%), 7 Māori (1%), 1 Pasifika (<1%), 4 other (<1%).

Methods

interRAI-CHA FI tool was used to stratify participants into fit (0–0.12), mild (>0.12–0.24), moderate (>0.24–0.36) and severe (>0.36) frail groups at baseline (the latter two grouped due to low numbers of severely frail). Primary outcome was acute hospitalization; secondary outcomes included long-term care (LTC) entry and mortality. The relationship between frailty and outcomes were explored with multivariable Cox regression, estimating hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs).

Results

Over mean follow-up of 2.5 years, 33% (69/209) of fit, 58% (152/260) mildly frail and 79% (85/108) moderate-severely frail participants at baseline had at least one acute hospitalization. Compared to the fit group, significantly increased risk of acute hospitalization were identified in mildly frail (adjusted HR = 1.88, 95%CI = 1.41–2.51, p<0.001) and moderate-severely frail (adjusted HR = 3.52, 95%CI = 2.53–4.90, p<0.001) groups. Similar increased risk in moderate-severely frail participants was seen in LTC entry (adjusted HR = 5.60 95%CI = 2.47–12.72, p<0.001) and mortality (adjusted HR = 5.06, 95%CI = 1.71–15.02, p = 0.003).

Conclusions and implications

The FI derived from interRAI-CHA has robust predictive validity for acute hospitalization, LTC entry and mortality. This adds to the growing literature of use of interRAI tools in this way and may assist healthcare providers with rapid identification of frailty.

Profile of Geriatric Patients Attending the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives

The emergency department (ED) is the most important unit of a hospital and is often visited by an ever-increasing proportion of geriatric patients. However, in Pakistan, there is an inadequacy of geriatrics specialists. The objective of this study was to assess the profile of geriatric patients in the ED. We considered main diagnoses, frailty, and other factors that help to come up with certain findings that may assist with policymaking and initiatives for better geriatric care in Pakistan.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. The study population comprised 101 patients aged 65 years and older who attended the hospital’s ED from July to September 2021. Data were collected by taking the patients’ histories.

Results

The majority of patients were aged between 65 and 70 years. The most common diagnoses were: gastrointestinal disorders, cerebrovascular accidents, and neurologic disorders. More than half of the patients were found to be frail by the five-item FRAIL questionnaire. The mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score was 5.37 ± 1.88.

Conclusion

It was concluded that the need for geriatric care is worth mentioning since it imposes a significant burden on the ED. The geriatric patients had a higher risk of being on the critical list as most of them were frail and suffered from multiple severe comorbidities. Our results can assist in the development of geriatric emergency medicine and acute care systems in Pakistan.

The Diagnostic Accuracy and Clinimetric Properties of Screening Instruments to Identify Frail Older Adults Attending Emergency Departments: A Protocol for a Mixed Methods Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Prompt and efficient identification and stratification of patients who are frail is important, as this cohort are at high risk of adverse healthcare outcomes. Numerous frailty screening tools have been developed to support their identification across different settings, yet relatively few have emerged for use in emergency departments (EDs). This protocol provides details for a systematic review aiming to synthesize the accumulated evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy and clinimetric properties of frailty screening instruments to identify frail older adults in EDs. Methods: Six electronic databases will be searched from January 2000 to March 2021. Eligible studies will include adults aged ≥60 years screened in EDs with any available screening instrument to identify frailty (even if not originally designed for this purpose). Studies, including case-control, longitudinal, and cohort studies, will be included, where instruments are compared to a reference standard to explore diagnostic accuracy. Predictive accuracy for a selection of outcomes, including mortality, institutionalization, and readmission, will be assessed. Clinical and methodological heterogeneity will be examined, and a random effects meta-analysis performed if appropriate. Conclusion: Understanding whether frailty screening on presentation to EDs is accurate in identifying frailty, and predicting these outcomes is important for decision-making and targeting appropriate management.

Frailty-aware care: giving value to frailty assessment across different healthcare settings

Healthcare systems need to adapt to better serve an aging population with complex presentations. Frailty assessments are a potential means to address this heterogeneity in aging to identify individuals at increased risk for adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, frailty assessments offer an opportunity to optimize patient care in various healthcare settings. While the vast number of frailty assessment tools available can be a source of confusion for clinicians, each tool has features adaptable to the constraints and goals of different healthcare settings. This review discusses and compares barriers, facilitators, and the application of frailty assessments in primary care, the emergency department/intensive care unit and surgical care to cover a breadth of settings with different frailty assessment considerations. The implementation of frailty-aware care across healthcare settings potentiates better healthcare outcomes for older adults.

Mood Disturbances Across the Continuum of Care Based on Self-Report and Clinician Rated Measures in the interRAI Suite of Assessment Instruments

BACKGROUND

Mood disturbance is a pervasive problem affecting persons of all ages in the general population and the subset of those receiving services from different health care providers. interRAI assessment instruments comprise an integrated health information system providing a common approach to comprehensive assessment of the strengths, preferences and needs of persons with complex needs across the continuum of care.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to create new mood scales for use with the full suite of interRAI assessments including a composite version with both clinician-rated and self-reported items as well as a self-report only version.

METHODS

We completed a cross-sectional analysis of 511,641 interRAI assessments of Canadian adults aged 18+ in community mental health, home care, community support services, nursing homes, palliative care, acute hospital, and general population surveys to develop, test, and refine new measures of mood disturbance that combined clinician and self-rated items. We examined validity and internal consistency across diverse care settings and populations.

RESULTS

The composite scale combining both clinician and self-report ratings and the self-report only variant showed different distributions across populations and settings with most severe signs of disturbed mood in community mental health settings and lowest severity in the general population prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The self-report and composite measures were strongly correlated with each other but differed most in populations with high rates of missing values for self-report due to cognitive impairment (e.g., nursing homes). Evidence of reliability was strong across care settings, as was convergent validity with respect to depression/mood disorder diagnoses, sleep disturbance, and self-harm indicators. In a general population survey, the correlation of the self-reported mood scale with Kessler-10 was 0.73.

CONCLUSIONS

The new interRAI mood scales provide reliable and valid mental health measures that can be applied across diverse populations and care settings. Incorporating a person-centered approach to assessment, the composite scale considers the person's perspective and clinician views to provide a sensitive and robust measure that considers mood disturbances related to dysphoria, anxiety, and anhedonia.

Clinical Frailty Scale, K-FRAIL questionnaire, and clinical outcomes in an acute hospitalist unit in Korea

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Frailty increases the risks of in-hospital adverse events such as delirium, falls, and functional decline in older adults. We assessed the feasibility and clinical relevance of frailty status in Korean older inpatients using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and Korean version of the Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses, & Loss of Weight scale (K-FRAIL) questionnaires.

METHODS

Frailty status was measured using the Korean-translated version of the CFS and K-FRAIL questionnaire within 3 days from admission in 144 consecutive patients aged 60 years or older. The correlation between CFS and K-FRAIL score was assessed. The criterion validity of CFS was assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. As outcomes, delirium, bedsore, length of stay (LOS), in-hospital mortality, and unplanned 30-day readmission were measured by reviewing medical records.

RESULTS

The mean age of the study population was 70.1 years (range, 60 to 91), and 75 (52.1%) were men. By linear regression analysis, CFS and K-FRAIL were positively correlated (B = 0.72, p < 0.001). A CFS cutoff of ≥ 5 maximized sensitivity + specificity to classify frailty using K-FRAIL as a reference (C-index = 0.893). Higher frailty burden by both CFS and K-FRAIL was associated with higher LOS and bedsores. Unplanned readmission and in-hospital mortality were associated with higher CFS score but not with K-FRAIL score, after adjusting for age, gender, polypharmacy, and multimorbidity.

CONCLUSION

Frailty status by CFS was associated with LOS, bedsores, unplanned readmission, and in-hospital mortality. CFS can be used to screen high-risk patients who may benefit from geriatric interventions and discharge planning in acutely hospitalized older adults.

Cognitive Impairment and Length of Stay in Acute Care Hospitals: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Older persons experiencing a longer length of stay (LOS) or delayed discharge (DD) may see a decline in their health and well-being, generating significant costs. This review aimed to identify evidence on the impact of cognitive impairment (CI) on acute care hospital LOS/DD. A scoping review of studies examining the association between CI and LOS/DD was performed. We searched six databases; two reviewers independently screened references until November 2019. A narrative synthesis was used to answer the research question; 58 studies were included of which 33 found a positive association between CI and LOS or DD, 8 studies had mixed results, 3 found an inverse relationship, and 14 showed an indirect link between CI-related syndromes and LOS/DD. Thus, cognitive impairment seemed to be frequently associated with increased LOS/DD. Future research should consider CI together with other risks for LOS/DD and also focus on explaining the association between the two.

Frailty and adverse outcomes in older adults being discharged from the emergency department: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

A growing number of frail older adults are treated in the emergency department (ED) and discharged home. There is an unmet need to identify older adults that are predisposed to functional decline and repeat ED visits so as to target them with proactive interventions.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study was conducted in patients 75 years or older who were being discharged from the ED. The objective was to test the value of frailty screening tests, namely 5-meter gait speed and handgrip strength, to predict repeat ED visits at 1 and 6 months and functional decline at 1 month using multivariable logistic regression.

RESULTS

After excluding 7 patients lost to follow-up, 150 patients were available for analysis. The mean age was 81.1 ± 4.9 years with 51% females, 13% arriving by ambulance, and 67% having at least two comorbid conditions. At ED discharge, 41% of patients were found to have slow gait speed, whereas 23% had weak handgrip strength. After adjustment, only slow gait speed was independently associated with functional decline at 1 month (odds ratio [OR] 1.39 per 0.1 meters/second decrement, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 1.72) and repeat ED visits at 6 months (OR 1.20 per 0.1 meters/second decrement, 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.42).

CONCLUSIONS

Gait speed can be feasibly measured at the time of ED discharge to identify frail older adults at risk for early functional decline and subsequent return to the ED. Conversely, grip strength was not found to be associated with functional decline or ED visits.

Systematic geriatric assessment for older patients with frailty in the emergency department: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Comprehensive geriatric assessment provided in hospital wards in frail patients admitted to hospital has been shown to reduce mortality and increase the likelihood of living at home later. Systematic geriatric assessment provided in emergency departments (ED) may be effective for reducing days in hospital and unnecessary hospital admissions, but this has not yet been proven in randomised trials.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre, randomised controlled trial with a parallel-group, superiority design in an academic hospital ED. ED patients aged ≥ 75 years who were frail, or at risk of frailty, as defined by the Clinical Frailty Scale, were included in the trial. Patients were recruited during the period between December 11, 2018 and June 7, 2019, and followed up for 365 days. For the intervention group, systematic geriatric assessment was added to their standard care in the ED, whereas the control group received standard care only. The primary outcome was cumulative hospital stay during 365-day follow-up. The secondary outcomes included: admission rate from the index visit, total hospital admissions, ED-readmissions, proportion of patients living at home at 365 days, 365-day mortality, and fall-related ED-visits.

RESULTS

A total of 432 patients, 63 % female, with median age of 85 years, formed the analytic sample of 213 patients in the intervention group and 219 patients in the control group. Cumulative hospital stay during one-year follow-up as rate per 100 person-years for the intervention and control groups were: 3470 and 3149 days, respectively, with rate ratio of 1.10 (95 % confidence interval, 0.55-2.19, P = .78). Admission rates to hospital wards from the index ED visit for the intervention and control groups were: 62 and 70 %, respectively (P = .10). No significant differences were observed between the groups for any outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Systematic geriatric assessment for older adults with frailty in the ED did not reduce hospital stay during one-year follow-up. No statistically significant difference was observed for any secondary outcomes. More coordinated, continuous interventions should be tested for potential benefits in long-term outcomes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The trial was registered in the ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number and date NCT03751319 23/11/2018).

Prognostic association of frailty with post-arrest outcomes following cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize the current evidence examining the association between frailty and a series of post-arrest outcomes following the provision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

DATA SOURCES

We searched MEDLINE, PubMed (exclusive of MEDLINE), EMBASE, CINAHL, and Web of Science from inception to August 2020 for observational studies that examined an association between frailty and post-arrest health outcomes, including in-hospital and post-discharge mortality. We conducted citation tracking for all eligible studies.

STUDY SELECTION

Our search yielded 20,480 citations after removing duplicate records. We screened titles, abstracts and full-texts independently and in duplicate.

DATA EXTRACTION

The prognosis research strategy group (PROGRESS) and the critical appraisal and data extraction for systematic review of prediction modelling studies (CHARMS) guidelines were followed. Study and outcome-specific risk of bias were assessed using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) instrument. We rated the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) recommendations for prognostic factor research.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Four studies were included in this review and three were eligible for statistical pooling. Our sample comprised 1,134 persons who experienced in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). The mean age of the sample was 71 years. The study results were pooled according to the specific frailty instrument. Three studies used the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and adjusted age (our minimum confounder); the presence of frailty was associated with an approximate three-fold increase in the odds of dying in-hospital after IHCA (aOR = 2.93; 95% CI = 2.43-3.53, high certainty). Frailty was also associated with decreased incidence of ROSC (return of spontaneous circulation) and discharge home following IHCA. One study with high risk of bias used the Hospital Frailty Risk Score and reported a 43% decrease in the odds of discharge home for patients with frailty following IHCA.

CONCLUSION

High certainty evidence was found for an association between frailty and in-hospital mortality following IHCA. Frailty is a robust prognostic factor that contributes valuable information and can inform shared-decision making and policies surrounding advance care directives. Registration: PROSPERO Registration # CRD42020212922.

Understanding Frailty Screening: a Domain Mapping Exercise

Background

Many definitions and operationalisations of frailty exclude psychosocial factors, such as social isolation and mental health, despite considerable evidence of the links between frailty and these factors. This study aimed to investigate the health domains covered by frailty screening tools.

Methods

A systematic search of the literature was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PsycInfo were searched from inception to December 31, 2018. Data related to the domains of each screening tool were extracted and mapped onto a framework based on the biopsychosocial model of Lehmans et al. (2009) and Wade & Halligans (2017).

Results

Sixty-seven frailty screening tools were captured in 79 articles. All screening tools assessed biological factors, 73% assessed psychological factors, 52% assessed social factors, and 78% assessed contextual factors. Under half (43%) of the tools evaluated all four domains, 33% evaluated three of four domains, 12% reported two of four domains, and 13% reported one domain (biological).

Conclusion

This review found considerable variation in the assessment domains covered by frailty screening tools. Frailty is a broad construct, and frailty screening tools need to cover a wide variety of domains to enhance screening and outcomes assessment.

Patients in need of comprehensive geriatric assessment: The utility of the InterRAI emergency department screener

INTRODUCTION

The interRAI Emergency Department-Screener (ED-screener) is a risk stratification instrument incorporating functional and social aspects to identify older adults in EDs. The aim was to assess the construct validity and utility of the ED-screener in comparison with more established instruments.

METHODS

The ED-screener, Triage Risk Screening Tool (TRST) and Identification of Seniors at Risk (ISAR) were administered to older ED-patients. Construct validity was assessed by correlation with TRST and ISAR. The ED-screener scores that corresponded to the established cut-offs for ISAR and TRST were assessed with linear regression. The sensitivity and specificity of the ED-screener for mortality at 4-months were calculated.

RESULTS

Two hundred patients were included (mean age 78.5 years, 44% male). Majority (85%) lived at home, 43% lived alone and 53% received home care. The scores of 3.02 and 3.01 on ED-screener corresponded to the cut-off score of 2 on the other instruments. The correlation of the ED-screener with ISAR and TRST was 0.56 and 0.41 respectively. A score of 3 on the ED-screener was 100% sensitive and 28% specific for 4-month mortality.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide support for the construct validity of the ED-screener and its ability to predict outcomes in its intended setting.

Development and validation of a frailty index based on data routinely collected across multiple domains in NSW hospitals

OBJECTIVE(S)

To develop and validate a frailty index (FI) that covers multiple domains, using routine hospital data. To investigate the FI's validity, after excluding medication-related items (FI-ExMeds), for studies of frailty and polypharmacy.

METHODS

A FI was derived from routine NSW hospital data following standard published guidance. In a development cohort (151 inpatients ≥ 70 years), the FI was correlated with the Reported Edmonton Frail Scale (REFS) using Pearson's R. Validity and distribution of FI and FI-ExMeds, and correlation with each other, were evaluated in a validation cohort (999 inpatients ≥ 75 years).

RESULTS

The mean FI for the development cohort was 0.27 (SD 0.09). The FI showed moderate linear correlation with the REFS (n = 148, R = 0.52, P < .001). In the validation cohort, mean FI (n = 993) and FI-ExMeds (n = 990) were both 0.28 (SD 0.11). FI-ExMeds showed high linear correlation with the FI (n = 990, R = 0.99, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

This multi-domain FI is comparable to REFS, with adequate redundancy to exclude deficits for specific analyses.

Older Emergency Department Patients: Does Baseline Care Status Matter?

Background

Little is known about the prognostic differences between older emergency department (ED) patients who present with different formal support requirements in the community. We set out to describe and compare the patient profiles and patterns of health service use among three older ED cohorts: home care clients, nursing home residents and those receiving no formal support.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of the Canadian cohort from the interRAI multinational ED study. Data were collected using interRAI ED contact assessment on patients 75 years of age and older (n = 2,274), in eight ED sites across Canada. A series of descriptive statistics were reported. Adjusted associations were determined using logistic regression.

Results

Older adults receiving no formal support services were most stable. However, they were most likely to be hospitalized. Older home care clients were most likely to report depressive symptoms and distressed caregivers. They also had the greatest odds of frequent ED visitation post-discharge (OR=1.9; 95% CI=1.39–2.59). Older adults transferred from a nursing home were the frailest but had the lowest odds of hospital admission (OR=0.14; 95% CI=0.09–0.23).

Conclusion

We demonstrated the importance of inquiring about community-based formal support services and provide data to support decision-making in the ED.

Frailty screening of Tunisian older adults: feasibility and usefulness in the Emergency Department

Introduction

Frail older adults are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes after an Emergency Department (ED) visit. Several tools exist for the screening of frailty among these patients. However, no tool has been validated in Tunisia. This study aims to evaluate the usefulness of frailty screening in predicting the outcome of older adults presenting to the ED.

Methods

This is a prospective, monocentric study. We evaluated the eligible patients at the ED and after their discharge. Follow-up phone calls were scheduled at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after the ED visit. All patients aged 65 years or older; and visiting the ED during the inclusion period were involved. We used the ADL index and ISAR scale for assessing frailty.

Results

We enrolled 184 patients; they were living alone in 25% of cases. Half of them had medical care insurance. The ADL index was maximum (6 = total dependency) in 20% of cases. The ISAR score was above 1 point in 38%. Unplanned hospitalizations have accounted for 34%. In univariate analysis, the ADL index and ISAR score were statistically higher in the group of “unplanned hospitalization”. In multivariate analysis, the ISAR score and ADL index have not been associated with unplanned hospitalization.

Conclusion

Our results did not demonstrate the relevance of the ISAR or ADL scales in predicting the mortality or the need for unplanned hospitalization in multivariate analysis. This study did indicate an increased mortality in the “frail” patients in the univariate analysis. Further studies with larger samples and different tools are necessary.

National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) and 3-level triage scale as risk predictors in frail older adults in the emergency department

BACKGROUND

The aim of the emergency department (ED) triage is to recognize critically ill patients and to allocate resources. No strong evidence for accuracy of the current triage instruments, especially for the older adults, exists. We evaluated the National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) and a 3-level triage assessment as risk predictors for frail older adults visiting the ED.

METHODS

This prospective, observational study was performed in a Finnish ED. The data were collected in a six-month period and included were ≥ 75-year-old residents with Clinical Frailty Scale score of at least four. We analyzed the predictive values of NEWS2 and the three-level triage scale for 30-day mortality, hospital admission, high dependency unit (HDU) and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, a count of 72-h and 30-day revisits, and ED length-of-stay (LOS).

RESULTS

A total of 1711 ED visits were included. Median for age, CFS, LOS and NEWS2 were 85 years, 6 points, 6.2 h and 1 point, respectively. 30-day mortality was 96/1711. At triage, 69, 356 and 1278 of patients were assessed as red, yellow and green, respectively. There were 1103 admissions, of them 31 to an HDU facility, none to ICU. With NEWS2 and triage score, AUCs for 30-day mortality prediction were 0.70 (0.64-0.76) and 0.62 (0.56-0.68); for hospital admission prediction 0.62 (0.60-0.65) and 0.55 (0.52-0.56), and for HDU admission 0.72 (0.61-0.83) and 0.80 (0.70-0.90), respectively. The NEWS2 divided into risk groups of low, medium and high did not predict the ED LOS (p = 0.095). There was a difference in ED LOS between the red/yellow and as red/green patient groups (p < 0.001) but not between the yellow/green groups (p = 0.59). There were 48 and 351 revisits within 72 h and 30 days, respectively. With NEWS2 AUCs for 72-h and 30-day revisit prediction were 0.48 (95% CI 0.40-0.56) and 0.47 (0.44-0.51), respectively; with triage score 0.48 (0.40-0.56) and 0.49 (0.46-0.52), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The NEWS2 and a local 3-level triage scale are statistically significant, but poor in accuracy, in predicting 30-day mortality, and HDU admission but not ED LOS or revisit rates for frail older adults. NEWS2 also seems to predict hospital admission.

An interRAI-derived frailty index is associated with prior hospitalisations in older adults residing in retirement villages

OBJECTIVES

To develop and validate a frailty index (FI) from interRAI-Community Health Assessments (CHA) on older adults in retirement villages (RVs).

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional analysis of a current RV research study. A FI was generated using the cumulative deficit model. Health-care utilisation measures were acute, and all, hospitalisations 12 months before baseline assessment. Associations between FI and hospitalisations were explored using multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

Of 577 included residents, mean (SD) age was 81 (7) and 419 (73%) were female. Mean (SD) FI was 0.16 (0.09); 260 (45%) were mildly frail, and 108 (19%) moderate-severely frail. In multivariate-adjusted analysis, odds of acute hospitalisation for mild (OR = 3.3, P < .001) and moderate-severely frail (OR = 6.4, P < .001) were significantly higher than fit residents. Higher odds were also observed for all hospitalisations.

CONCLUSION

A considerable proportion of RV residents were moderately-severely frail. FI was associated with acute and all hospitalisations.

The role of illness acuity on the association between frailty and mortality in emergency department patients referred to internal medicine

BACKGROUND

we investigated whether two frailty tools predicted mortality among emergency department (ED) patients referred to internal medicine and how the level of illness acuity influenced any association between frailty and mortality.

METHODS

two tools, embedded in a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), were the clinical frailty scale (CFS) and a 57-item deficit accumulation frailty index (FI-CGA). Illness acuity was assessed using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). We examined all-cause 30-day and 6-month mortality and time to death.

RESULTS

in 808 ED patients (mean age ± SD 80.8 ± 8.8, 54.4% female), the mean FI-CGA score was 0.44 ± 0.14, and the CFS was 5.6 ± 1.6. A minority (307; 38%) were classified as having high acuity (CTAS: 1-2). The 30-day mortality rate was 17%; this increased to 34% at 6 months. Compared to well patients with low acuity, the risk of 30-day mortality was 22.5 times (95% CI: 9.35-62.12) higher for severely frail patients with high acuity; 53% of people with very severe frailty (CFS = 8) and high acuity died within 30 days. When acuity was low, the risk for 30-day mortality was significantly higher only among those with very high levels of frailty (CFS 7-9, FI-CGA > 0.5). When acuity was high, even lower levels of frailty (CFS 5-6, FI-CGA 0.4-0.5) were associated with higher 30-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

across levels of frailty, higher acuity increased mortality risk. When acuity was low, the risk was significant only when the degree of frailty was high, whereas when acuity was high, even lower levels of frailty were associated with greater mortality risk.

A comparison of 3 frailty measures and adverse outcomes in the intake home care population: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

In Ontario, Canada, nearly all home care patients are assessed with a brief clinical assessment (interRAI Contact Assessment [interRAI CA]) on admission. Our objective was to compare 3 frailty measures that can be operationalized using the interRAI CA.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using linked patient-level assessment and administrative data for all Ontario adult (≥ 18 yr) home care patients assessed with the interRAI CA in 2014. We employed multivariable logistic models to compare the Changes in Health, End-stage disease and Signs and Symptoms Scale for the Contact Assessment (CHESS-CA), Assessment Urgency Algorithm (AUA) and the Frailty Index for the Contact Assessment (FI-CA) that was created for this study. Our outcomes of interest were death, hospital admission and emergency department visits within 90 days, and assessor-rated need for comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA).

RESULTS

In 2014, there were 228 679 unique adult home care patients in Ontario assessed with the interRAI CA. Controlling for age, sex and health region, being in a higher frailty level defined by any measure increased the likelihood of experiencing adverse outcomes. Among all assessments, CHESS-CA was best suited for predicting death and hospital admission, and either AUA or FI-CA for predicting perceived need for CGA. Previous emergency department visits were more predictive of future visits than frailty. Model fit was independent of whether the assessment was completed over the phone or in person.

INTERPRETATION

Frailty measures from the interRAI CA identified patients at higher risk for death, hospital admission and perceived need for CGA. In jurisdictions where the CHESS-CA and AUA are already built into the electronic home care platform, such as Ontario, patients identified as high risk should be prioritized for proactive referral and care planning, and may benefit from greater involvement of primary care and other health professionals in the circle of care.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in the emergency department for the prediction of readmission among older patients: A 3-month follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Older people present to the emergency department (ED) with distinct patterns and emergency care needs. This study aimed to use comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) surveying the patterns of ED visits among older patients and determine frailty associated with the risk of revisits/readmission.

METHODS

This prospective study screened 2270 patients aged ≥75 years in the ED from August 2018 to February 2019. All patients underwent CGA. A 3-months follow-up was conducted to observe the hospital courses of admission and revisit/readmission.

RESULTS

A total of 270 older patients were enrolled. The independent predictors of admission at initial ED visit were the risk of nutritional deficit and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). In the admission group, the independent predictors of revisit/readmission were a fall in the past year and mobility difficulties. In the discharge group, the independent predictors of revisit/readmission were frailty and insomnia. Regardless if older patients were either admitted or discharged at the initial ED visit, the independent predictor of revisit/readmission for older patients was frailty.

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that frailty was the only independent predictor for revisit/readmission after ED discharge during the 3-month follow up. For ED physicians, malnutrition and IADL were independent predictors in recognizing whether the older patient should be admitted to the hospital. For discharged older ED patients, frailty was the independent predictor for the integration of community services for older patients to decrease the rate of revisit/readmission in 3 months.

Fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults presenting to the emergency department for minor injuries: Impact on return to the ED and future falls

OBJECTIVES

1) To characterize mild, moderate, and severe fear of falling in older emergency department (ED) patients for minor injuries, and 2) to assess whether fear of falling could predict falls and returns to the ED within 6 months of the initial ED visit.

METHODS

This study was part of the Canadian Emergency and Trauma Initiative (CETI) prospective cohort (2011-2016). Patients ages ≥ 65, who were independent in their basic daily activities and who were discharged from the ED after consulting for a minor injury, were included. Fear of falling was measured by the Short Falls Efficacy Scale International (SFES-I) in order to stratify fear of falling as mild (SFES-I = 7-8/28), moderate (SFES-I = 9-13/28), or severe (SFES-I = 14-28/28). Many other physical and psychological characteristics where collected. Research assistants conducted follow-up phone interviews at 3 and 6 months' post-ED visit, in which patients were asked to report returns to the ED.

RESULTS

A total of 2,899 patients were enrolled and 2,009 had complete data at 6 months. Patients with moderate to severe fear of falling were more likely to be of ages ≥ 75, female, frailer with multiple comorbidities, and decreased mobility. Higher baseline fear of falling increased the risk of falling at 3 and 6 months (odds ratio [OR]-moderate-fear of falling: 1.63, p < 0.05, OR-severe-fear of falling 2.37, p < 0.05). Fear of falling positive predictive values for return to the ED or future falls were 7.7% to 17%.

CONCLUSION

Although a high fear of falling is associated with increased risk of falling within 6 months of a minor injury in older patients, fear of falling considered alone was not shown to be a strong predictor of return to the ED and future falls.

Predicting hospital admission for older emergency department patients: Insights from machine learning

BACKGROUND

Emergency departments (ED) are a portal of entry into the hospital and are uniquely positioned to influence the health care trajectories of older adults seeking medical attention. Older adults present to the ED with distinct needs and complex medical histories, which can make disposition planning more challenging. Machine learning (ML) approaches have been previously used to inform decision-making surrounding ED disposition in the general population. However, little is known about the performance and utility of ML methods in predicting hospital admission among older ED patients. We applied a series of ML algorithms to predict ED admission in older adults and discuss their clinical and policy implications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the Canadian data from the interRAI multinational ED study, the largest prospective cohort study of older ED patients to date. The data included 2274 ED patients 75 years of age and older from eight ED sites across Canada between November 2009 and April 2012. Data were extracted from the interRAI ED Contact Assessment, with predictors including a series of geriatric syndromes, functional assessments, and baseline care needs. We applied a total of five ML algorithms. Models were trained, assessed, and analyzed using 10-fold cross-validation. The performance of predictive models was measured using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). We also report the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of each model to supplement performance interpretation.

RESULTS

Gradient boosted trees was the most accurate model to predict older ED patients who would require hospitalization (AUC = 0.80). The five most informative features include home intravenous therapy, time of ED presentation, a requirement for formal support services, independence in walking, and the presence of an unstable medical condition.

CONCLUSION

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to predict hospital admission in older ED patients using a series of geriatric syndromes and functional assessments. We were able to predict hospital admission in older ED patients with good accuracy using the items available in the interRAI ED Contact Assessment. This information can be used to inform decision-making about ED disposition and may expedite admission processes and proactive discharge planning.

InterRAI Acute Care Instrument for Seniors in Canadian Hospitals: Findings of an Inter-Rater Reliability Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Older adults are the biggest users of emergency departments and hospitals. However, healthcare professionals are often ill equipped to conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments causing missed opportunities for preventing adverse outcomes.

PURPOSE

To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the interRAI Acute Care (AC) instrument for hospitalized older adults in two acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada.

METHODS

This descriptive study focused on evaluating the interRAI AC instrument, which was designed to facilitate a comprehensive nursing assessment for hospitalized seniors. Sample characteristics were described, and Cohen's Kappa was calculated to derive the inter-rater reliability. Assessment times to complete the instrument were collected as well.

RESULTS

The Cohen's Kappa score for the instrument was 0.96. Many older adults who were interviewed had several challenges, including multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and lack of home support. The average time required for nurses to complete the interRAI AC instrument was 22 min.

CONCLUSIONS

The interRAI AC instrument is reliable for use by trained nurses to conduct a comprehensive assessment. This instrument offers a standardized and efficient approach to assess for care and intervention priorities and could prevent adverse outcomes in hospitalized older adults.

Clinically significant traumatic intracranial hemorrhage following minor head trauma in older adults: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective of this study was to determine the incidence of clinically significant traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (T-ICH) following minor head trauma in older adults. Secondary objective was to investigate the impact of anticoagulant and antiplatelet therapies on T-ICH incidence.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study extracted data from electronic patient records. The cohort consisted of patients presenting after a fall and/or head injury and presented to one of five ED between 1st March 2010 and 31st July 2017. Inclusion criteria were age ≥ 65 years old and a minor head trauma defined as an impact to the head without fulfilling criteria for traumatic brain injury.

RESULTS

From the 1,000 electronic medical records evaluated, 311 cases were included. The mean age was 80.1 (SD 7.9) years. One hundred and eighty-nine (189) patients (60.8%) were on an anticoagulant (n = 69), antiplatelet (n = 130) or both (n = 16). Twenty patients (6.4%) developed a clinically significant T-ICH. Anticoagulation and/or antiplatelets therapies were not associated with an increased risk of clinically significant T-ICH in this cohort (Odds ratio (OR) 2.7, 95% CI 0.9-8.3).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort of older adults presenting to the ED following minor head trauma, the incidence of clinically significant T-ICH was 6.4%.

Elder Abuse in the Out-of-Hospital and Emergency Department Settings: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the epidemiology, patient- and caregiver-associated factors, clinical characteristics, screening tools, prevention, interventions, and perspectives of health care professionals in regard to elder abuse in the out-of-hospital or emergency department (ED) setting. Literature search was performed with MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library. Studies were eligible if they were observational or experimental and reported on elder abuse in the out-of-hospital or ED setting. A qualitative approach, performed independently by 2 reviewers, was used to synthesize and report the findings. A total of 413 citations were retrieved, from which 55 studies published between 1988 and 2019 were included. The prevalence of elder abuse reported during the ED visit was lower than reported in the community. The most commonly detected type of elder abuse was neglect, and then physical abuse. The following factors were more common in identified cases of elder abuse: female sex, cognitive impairment, functional disability, frailty, social isolation, and lower socioeconomic status. Psychiatric and substance use disorders were more common among victims and their caregivers. Screening tools have been proposed, but multicenter validation and influence of screening on patient-important outcomes were lacking. Health care professionals reported being poorly trained and acknowledged numerous barriers when caring for potential victims. There is insufficient knowledge, limited training, and a poorly organized system in place for elder abuse in the out-of-hospital and ED settings. Studies on the processes and effects of screening and interventions are required to improve care of this vulnerable population.

Frailty and Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment

Frailty is defined as a reduced physiologic reserve vulnerable to external stressors. For older individuals, frailty plays a decisive role in increasing adverse health outcomes in most clinical situations. Many tools or criteria have been introduced to define frailty in recent years, and the definition of frailty has gradually converged into several consensuses. Frail older adults often have multi-domain risk factors in terms of physical, psychological, and social health. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is the process of identifying and quantifying frailty by examining various risky domains and body functions, which is the basis for geriatric medicine and research. CGA provides physicians with information on the reversible area of frailty and the leading cause of deterioration in frail older adults. Therefore frailty assessment based on understanding CGA and its relationship with frailty, can help establish treatment strategies and intervention in frail older adults. This review article summarizes the recent consensus and evidence of frailty and CGA.

A Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ) to Rapidly Predict Negative Health Outcomes of Older Adults in Emergency Care Settings

BACKGROUND

Frailty, at the core of geriatric medicine, is an important concept underpinning health problems but the rapid and valid measurement of frailty for older adults in the Emergency Department (ED) is lacking in China. The Frailty Screening Questionnaire (FSQ), has been shown to be a simple, rapid and practical tool to identify frailty in both community and inpatients settings, yet its utility in acute care settings is not well understood.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether FSQ is useful to identify frailty and predict adverse outcomes in an emergency care setting.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

This prospective study included 350 adults aged 60 and over and admitted to the ED.

MEASUREMENTS

The FSQ questionnaire which assessed self-reported slowness, weakness, inactivity, exhaustion, and weight loss was used to rapidly recognize frailty. FRAIL, Clinical frailty score (CFS), activities of daily living (ADL) and nutrition risk screening 2002 were also assessed. Outcome measures included all-cause 28-day mortality, ADL dependency, mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and ICU readmissions 30 and 90 days after discharge. Cox proportional hazard model was used for survival comparison.

RESULTS

The prevalence of FSQ frailty and prefrailty in older adults were 44.6% and 30.9% respectively in the emergency setting. FSQ frailty was associated with increasing age, chronic diseases, malnutrition risk, poor physical function and worse outcomes indicated by higher 28-d mortality, ADL dependency, mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and ICU readmissions after discharge. The Kappa coefficient between the FSQ and FRAIL was 0.552. FSQ score was negatively correlated with grip strength and positively correlated with Barthel index, length of hospital stay and CFS score. Cox regression adjusted by epidemiological variables and chronic diseases showed FSQ and all components predicted mortality except weight loss.

CONCLUSION

The FSQ is a rapid and useful tool to screen frailty and an effective tool to predict mortality in busy emergency settings.