Functional status before hospitalization in acutely ill older adults: validity and clinical importance of retrospective reports

Predicting Discharge Destination in Older People From Acute General Medical Wards: A Systematic Review of the Psychometric Properties of 23 Assessment Tools

BACKGROUND

Predicting discharge in older people from general medicine wards is challenging. It requires consideration of function, mobility, and cognitive levels, which vary within the cohort and may fluctuate over a short period. A previous systematic review identified 23 assessment tools associated with discharge destination in this cohort; however, the psychometric properties of these tools have not been explored.

PURPOSE

To evaluate, synthesize, and compare the psychometric properties of 23 assessment tools used to predict discharge destination from acute general medical wards.

METHODS

Four databases were systematically searched: Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Evidence-Based Medicine Review databases. Studies were included if participants were from general medicine or acute geriatric wards and investigated at least one psychometric property (reliability, internal consistency, measurement error, responsiveness, hypothesis testing, and structural or criterion validity) in 23 previously identified assessment tools. Data were extracted and methodological quality were assessed independently by 2 assessors using the COnsensus-based Standards for selection of health Measure INstruments (COSMIN) checklist. As per the COSMIN checklist, results were rated against "sufficient," "insufficient," or "indeterminate."

RESULTS

Forty-one studies were included. The de Morton Mobility Index (DEMMI) was the most rigorously evaluated assessment tool; it scored "sufficient" psychometric properties in 5 of 7 psychometric categories. The Alpha Functional Independence Measure (AlphaFIM), Barthel Index, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) demonstrated "sufficient" psychometric properties in at least 3 psychometric categories. The remainder of the tools (n = 19, 83%) had "sufficient" psychometric properties in 2 or fewer psychometric categories.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Based on current evidence, out of 23 assessment tools associated with discharge destination in acute general medicine, the DEMMI has the strongest psychometric properties. Other tools with substantial evidence in this cohort include the AlphaFIM, MMSE, and Barthel Index. Research is required to thoroughly evaluate the psychometric properties of the remaining tools, which have been insufficiently researched to date. Results can be used by physical therapists to guide selection of appropriate tools to assess mobility and predict discharge destination.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

A priori, PROSPERO (CRD 42017064209).

Inactivity May Identify Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors at Risk for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Older adults (≥age 65) admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) are profoundly inactive during hospitalization. Older ICU survivors often experience life-changing symptoms, including cognitive dysfunction, physical impairment, and/or psychological distress, which are components of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS).

OBJECTIVES

To explore trends between inactivity and symptoms of PICS in older ICU survivors.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of pooled data obtained from 2 primary, prospective, cross-sectional studies of older ICU survivors. After ICU discharge, 49 English- and Spanish-speaking participants who were functionally independent before admission and who had received mechanical ventilation while in the ICU were enrolled. Actigraphy was used to measure post-ICU hourly activity counts (12:00 AM to 11:59 PM). Selected instruments from the National Institutes of Health Toolbox and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System were used to assess symptoms of PICS: cognitive dysfunction, physical impairment, and psychological distress.

RESULTS

Graphs illustrated trends between inactivity and greater symptom severity of PICS: participants who were less active tended to score worse than one standard deviation of the mean on each outcome. Greater daytime activity was concurrently observed with higher performances on cognitive and physical assessments and better scores on psychological measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-ICU inactivity may identify older ICU survivors who may be at risk for PICS and may guide future research interventions to mitigate symptom burden.

Associations Between Inactivity and Cognitive Function in Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION

Critically ill older adults are profoundly inactive while in the intensive care unit (ICU), and this inactivity persists after discharge from the ICU. Older ICU survivors who were mechanically ventilated are at high risk for post-ICU cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVES/AIMS

The present study examined the relationship between the ratio of daytime to nighttime activity and executive function in older ICU survivors.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of pooled data from 2 primary studies of older adults who were functionally independent prior to hospitalization, mechanically ventilated while in ICU, and within 24 to 48 hours post-ICU discharge. Actigraphy recorded daytime activity (mean activity counts per minute, 6 am to 9:59 pm) and nighttime activity (mean activity counts per minute, 10 pm to 5:59 am). A daytime-to-nighttime activity ratio was calculated by dividing daytime activity by nighttime activity. The NIH Toolbox Dimensional Change Card Sort Test assessed cognitive flexibility (DCCST: fully corrected T score). Multivariate regression examined the association between the daytime-to-nighttime activity ratio and DCCST scores, adjusting for 2 covariates (age in years and NIH Toolbox Grip Strength fully corrected T score).

RESULTS

The mean daytime-to-nighttime activity ratio was 2.10 ± 1.17 (interquartile range, 1.42). Ratios for 6 participants (13.6%) were less than 1, revealing higher activity during nighttime hours rather than daytime hours. Higher daytime-to-nighttime ratios were associated with better DCCST scores (β = .364, P = .005).

CONCLUSIONS

The proportion of daytime activity versus nighttime activity was considerably low, indicating severe alterations in the rest/activity cycle. Higher daytime-to-nighttime activity ratios were associated with better executive function scores, suggesting that assessment of daytime activity could identify at-risk older ICU survivors during the early post-ICU transition period. Promotion of daytime activity and nighttime sleep may accelerate recovery and improve cognitive function.

Assessment tools and incidence of hospital-associated disability in older adults: a rapid systematic review

Background

During hospitalization older adults have a high risk of developing functional impairments unrelated to the reasons for their admission. This is termed hospital-associated disability (HAD). This systematic review aimed to assess the incidence of HAD in older adults admitted to acute care with two outcomes: firstly in at least one activity of daily living from a set of functional tasks (e.g., Katz Index) and secondly the incidence of functional decline in an individual functional task (e.g., bathing), and to identify any tools or functional tasks used to assess activities of daily living (ADL) in hospitalized older patients.

Methods

A rapid systematic review was performed according to the recommendations of the Cochrane Rapid Reviews Methods Group and reported the data according the PRISMA statement. A literature search was performed in Medline (via Ovid), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases on 26 August 2021. Inclusion criteria: older adults (≥65 years), assessment of individual items of activities of daily living at baseline and discharge. Exclusion criterion: studies investigating a specific condition that could affect functional decline and studies that primarily examined a population with cognitive impairment. The protocol was registered on OSF registries (https://osf.io/9jez4/) identifier: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/9JEZ4.

Results

Ten studies were included in the final review. Incidence of HAD (overall score) was 37% (95% CI 0.30-0.43). Insufficient data prevented meta-analysis of the individual items. One study provided sufficient data to calculate incidence, with the following values for patients' self-reported dependencies: 32% for bathing, 27% for dressing, 27% for toileting, 30% for eating and 27% for transferring. The proxy reported the following values for patients' dependencies: 70% for bathing, 66% for dressing, 70% for toileting, 61% for eating and 59% for transferring. The review identified four assessment tools, two sets of tasks, and individual items assessing activities of daily living in such patients.

Conclusions

Incidence of hospital-associated disability in older patients might be overestimated, due to the combination of disease-related disability and hospital-associated disability. The tools used to assess these patients presented some limitations. These results should be interpreted with caution as only one study reported adequate information to assess the HAD incidence. At the item level, the latter was higher when disability was reported by the proxies than when it was reported by patients. This review highlights the lack of systematic reporting of data used to calculate HAD incidence. The methodological quality and the risk of bias in the included studies raised some concerns.

SPICT as a predictive tool for risk of 1-year health degradation and death in older patients admitted to the emergency department: a bicentric cohort study in Belgium

BACKGROUND

Older patients are increasingly showing multi-comorbidities, including advanced chronic diseases. When admitted to the emergency department (ED), the decision to pursue life-prolonging treatments or to initiate a palliative care approach is a challenge for clinicians. We test for the first time the diagnostic accuracy of the Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) in the ED to identify older patients at risk of deteriorating and dying, and timely address palliative care needs.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective bicentric cohort study on 352 older patients (≥ 75 years) admitted to two EDs in Belgium between December 2019 and March 2020 and between August and November 2020. SPICT (French version, 2019) variables were collected during the patients' admission to the ED, along with socio-demographic, medical and functional data. The palliative profile was defined as a positive SPICT assessment. Survival, symptoms and health degradation (≥ 1 point in ADL Katz score or institutionalisation and death) were followed at 12 months by phone. Main accuracy measures were sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios (LR) as well as cox regression, survival analysis using the Kaplan Meier method, and ordinal regression.

RESULTS

Out of 352 patients included in the study (mean age 83 ± 5.5 years, 43% male), 167 patients (47%) had a positive SPICT profile. At one year follow up, SPICT positive patients presented significantly more health degradation (72%) compared with SPICT negative patients (35%, p < 0.001). SPICT positivity was correlated with 1-year health degradation (OR 4.9; p < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of SPICT to predict health degradation were 0.65 (95%CI, 0.57-0.73) and 0.72 (95%CI, 0.64-0.80) respectively, with a negative LR of 0.48 (95%CI, 0.38-0.60) and a positive LR of 2.37 (1.78-3.16). The survival time was shorter in SPICT positive patients than in SPICT negative ones (p < 0.001), the former having a higher 1-year mortality rate (HR = 4.21; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

SPICT successfully identifies older patients at high risk of health degradation and death. It can support emergency clinicians to identify older patients with a palliative profile and subsequently initiate a palliative care approach with a discussion on goals of care.

Rationale, Design, and Characteristics of the VALIANT (COVID-19 in Older Adults: A Longitudinal Assessment) Cohort

BACKGROUND

Most older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 survive their acute illness. The impact of COVID-19 hospitalization on patient-centered outcomes, including physical function, cognition, and symptoms, is not well understood. To address this knowledge gap, we collected longitudinal data about these issues from a cohort of older survivors of COVID-19 hospitalization.

METHODS

We undertook a prospective study of community-living persons age ≥ 60 years who were hospitalized with COVID-19 from June 2020-June 2021. A baseline interview was conducted during or up to 2 weeks after hospitalization. Follow-up interviews occurred at one, three, and six months post-discharge. Participants completed comprehensive assessments of physical and cognitive function, symptoms, and psychosocial factors. An abbreviated assessment could be performed with a proxy. Additional information was collected from the electronic health record.

RESULTS

Among 341 participants, the mean age was 71.4 (SD 8.4) years, 51% were women, and 37% were of Black race or Hispanic ethnicity. Median length of hospitalization was 8 (IQR 6-12) days. All but 4% of participants required supplemental oxygen, and 20% required care in an intensive care unit or stepdown unit. At enrollment, nearly half (47%) reported at least one preexisting disability in physical function, 45% demonstrated cognitive impairment, and 67% were pre-frail or frail. Participants reported a mean of 9 of 14 (SD 3) COVID-19-related symptoms. At the six-month follow-up interview, more than a third of participants experienced a decline from their pre-hospitalization function, nearly 20% had cognitive impairment, and burdensome symptoms remained highly prevalent.

CONCLUSIONS

We enrolled a diverse cohort of older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and followed them after discharge. Functional decline was common, and there were high rates of persistent cognitive impairment and symptoms. Future analyses of these data will advance our understanding of patient-centered outcomes among older COVID-19 survivors.

Palliative profile, one-year mortality and quality of life in older inpatients according to Be-PICT: a multicenter prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

A palliative care approach (PCA), including advanced care planning (ACP), should be considered for patients with limited life expectancy. The Belgian Palliative Care Indicators Tool (Be-PICT) has been released to help identify patients who may benefit from such approach. This study aimed at measuring 1-year mortality and describe the quality of life in older inpatients, according to baseline Be-PICT results.

METHODS

Prospective multicentre cohort study in older patients (≥ 75 years) admitted at geriatrics and cardiology wards of four Belgian hospitals. The palliative profile was defined as a positive Be-PICT.1, defined by the presence of its three criteria, i.e. a negative physician's answer to the surprise question 'would you be surprised if this patient dies in the 6-12 next months?', ≥ 1 poor health indicator and ≥ 1 life-limiting condition.

RESULTS

Of the 379 patients (50% aged ≥85 years; 51% female), 52 (14%) presented a palliative profile and 83 (23%) died within 1 year. Be-PICT.1 showed the following characteristics to predict 1-year mortality: sensitivity 0.54, specificity 0.83, positive and negative predictive values 0.48 and 0.86, positive and negative likelihood ratios 3.22 and 0.55. The patients with a palliative profile were at higher mortality risk (hazard ratio 4.79 p < 0.001) and 1-year mortality rate (45%). Not using the SQ allowed to improve sensitivity to include a larger number of patients who may benefit from ACP and PCA.

CONCLUSIONS

Be-PICT.1 is a simple case-finding tool to identify older inpatients being at high mortality risk and candidates for ACP and PCA.

Functional trajectories associated with acute illness and hospitalization in oldest old patients: Impact on mortality

Background: The literature pays low attention to functional changes during acute illness in older patients. Our main objectives were to separately describe the different functional changes occurring before and after hospital admission in oldest old medical patients, to investigate their association with mortality, and identify predictors associated with in-hospital failure to recover function.

Methods: Secondary analysis of data from a prospective cohort study conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital. The study followed the STROBE criteria. The sample included 604 consecutive patients aged 65 or older hospitalized for acute illness, discharged alive, and not fully dependent at baseline. Activities of daily living measured at baseline, admission, and discharge were used to classify patients into four functional trajectories depending on whether they decline or remain stable between baseline and admission (prehospital) and whether they decline, remain stable, or recover baseline function between admission and discharge (in-hospital). Multivariate models were used to test the association between functional trajectories with mortality, and predictors for in-hospital recovery.

Results: Functional trajectories were: “stable-stable” (18%); “decline-recovery” (18%); “decline-no recovery” (53%); “in-hospital decline” (11%). Prehospital decline occurred in 75% and 64% were discharged with worse function than baseline. “In-hospital decline” and “decline-no recovery” trajectories were independently associated with higher 6- and 12-month mortality. Extent of prehospital decline and dementia were predictors of failure to in-hospital recovery.

Conclusion: In acutely ill older people, differentiating between prehospital and in-hospital functional changes has prognostic implications. Lack of functional regain at discharge is associated with higher mortality at 6- and 12-months.

Development and validation of predictive model for long-term hospitalization, readmission, and in-hospital death of patients over 60 years old

Objective

To develop and validate a high-risk predictive model that identifies, at least, one common adverse event in older population: early readmission (up to 30 days after discharge), long hospital stays (10 days or more) or in-hospital deaths.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study including patients aged 60 years or older (n=340) admitted at a 630-beds tertiary hospital, located in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. A predictive model of high-risk indication was developed by analyzing logistical regression models. This model prognostic capacity was assessed by measuring accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve with 95% confidence intervals were also obtained to assess the discriminatory power of the model. Internal validation of the prognostic model was performed in a separate sample (n=168).

Results

Statistically significant predictors were identified, such as current Barthel Index, number of medications in use, presence of diabetes mellitus, difficulty chewing or swallowing, extensive surgery, and dementia. The study observed discrimination model acceptance in the construction sample 0.77 (95% confidence interval: 0.71-0.83) and good calibration. The characteristics of the validation samples were similar, and the receiver operating characteristic curve area was 0.687 (95% confidence interval: 0.598-0.776). We could assess an older patient’s adverse health events during hospitalization after admission.

Conclusion

A predictive model with acceptable discrimination was obtained, with satisfactory results for early readmission (30 days), long hospital stays (10 days), or in-hospital death.

Physical Resilience in Daily Functioning Among Acutely Ill Hospitalized Older Adults: The Hospital-ADL Study

OBJECTIVES

Insight into older adults' physical resilience is needed to predict functional recovery after hospitalization. We assessed functional trajectories in response to acute illness and subsequent hospitalization and investigated baseline variables and dynamic variables associated with these trajectories.

DESIGN

Prospective observational cohort study (Hospitalization-Associated Disability and impact on daily Life Study).

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This study included 207 older adults (aged 79.8 ± 6.9 years, 49% female, 57% frail) acutely hospitalized in 6 Dutch hospitals.

METHODS

Functional disability was assessed using the 15-item modified activities of daily living index retrospectively 2 weeks before admission, and prospectively from admission up to 3 months after discharge. Baseline variables including frailty, somatic, physical, and psychosocial factors were assessed at admission. Dynamic variables (step count, pain, fatigue, and fear of falling) were continuously or repeatedly assessed during hospitalization. We performed individual spline modeling using random effects. Baseline variables and within-person mean levels and variability in the dynamic variables were assessed as predictors of functional trajectories.

RESULTS

Functional disability significantly increased before admission and decreased from admission to 3 months post discharge. Frail participants had a significantly higher increase in functional disability before admission compared with nonfrail participants. Lower step count, higher pain scores, and higher within-person variability in fear of falling were significantly associated with higher increase in functional disability before admission. Higher within-person variability in fear of falling was associated with more recovery.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Older adults increase in functional disability before hospitalization and start to recover from admission onward. Frailty and dynamic variables are associated with a higher increase in functional disability after acute illness. Our findings give more insight into older adults' physical resilience, which may improve the prediction of functional recovery and may improve therapeutic decision-making and rehabilitation strategies to improve functional recovery after acute hospitalization.

Graphic Representation of Hourly Activity Counts May Identify Discharge Outcomes for Older Adults After Critical Illness

PURPOSE

After transitioning from an intensive care unit (ICU), hospitalized older adults are inactive, which may affect discharge outcomes. We examined trends between post-ICU hourly activity counts and discharge disposition among hospitalized older ICU survivors.

DESIGN

A prospective, exploratory research design was used in this study.

METHODS

We enrolled older ICU survivors within 24-48 hours of ICU discharge. Actigraphy measured post-ICU hourly activity counts (0:00 a.m.-23:59 p.m.). Chart review provided discharge disposition. Analyses were conducted to illustrate trends between post-ICU hourly activity counts and discharge disposition.

FINDINGS

Mean hourly activity was about 2,233 ± 569 counts/hour. Graphs revealed trends between hourly activity counts and discharge disposition. Participants with lower post-ICU activity counts, especially during daytime hours, tended to be discharged to a care facility.

CONCLUSIONS

Future nursing research should determine whether post-ICU inactivity during hospitalization is a modifiable risk factor for worse discharge outcomes.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Activity could be a prognostic indicator of discharge disposition for older ICU survivors.

Age and Comorbidities Impact Medical Complications and Mortality Following Free Flap Reconstruction

OBJECTIVE

Determine if age correlated with surgical or medical complications following head and neck free flap reconstruction.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective review of prospectively collected databases.

METHODS

Patients undergoing head and neck free flap reconstruction at three tertiary care institutions were included (n = 1972). Cohorts were based on age (<65, 65-75, 75-85, and >85). Outcomes reviewed operative duration, length of stay, surgical complications (free flap failure, fistula, hematoma, dehiscence, and infection), and medical complications (thromboembolism, stroke, cardiac, and pulmonary).

RESULTS

Anatomic site (P < .0001) and donor site varied by age (P < .0001). There was no difference in operative duration (P = .3) or length of hospitalization (P = .8) by age. The incidence of medical complications increased with increasing age. Pulmonary complication rates: <65 (3.9%), 65 to 75 (4.8%), 75 to 85 (7.1%), and >85 (11%) (P = .02). Cardiac complication rates: <65 (2.0%), 65 to 75 (7.3%), 75 to 85 (6.1%), and >85 (16.4%) (P < .0001). Mortality increased with age: <65 (0.4%), 65 to 75 (0.8%), 75 to 85 (1.1%), and >85 (4.1%) (P < .003). Medical complications correlated with mortality rates: pulmonary (3.5% vs. 0.6%; OR: 5.5; 95% CI: 1.5-20.0; P = .004); cardiac (3.3% vs. 0.6%; OR: 6.0; 95% CI: 1.6-21.8; P = .002); thromboembolism (4.6% vs. 0.7%; OR: 7.3; 95% CI: 1.6-33.6; P = .003); stroke (42% vs. 0.5%; OR: 149; 95% CI: 40-558; P < .0001); and sepsis (5% vs. 0.7%; OR 7.5; 95% CI: 1.0-60.5; P = .03). Age did not correlate with free flap success (P = .5), surgical complications (hematoma, P = .33; fistula, P = .23; infection, P = .07; and dehiscence, P = .37), or thirty-day readmission (P = .3).

CONCLUSION

Following free flap reconstruction, patient age did not correlate with development of a surgical complication. Patient age did correlate with development of a medical complication. Postoperative medical complications were found to correlate with perioperative mortality.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4 Laryngoscope, 2021.

Functional outcome in intensive care older survivors

BACKGROUND

Most of the research focused on mortality and neglected functional outcome in older patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU).

AIMS

The aim of this study is evaluating functional outcome in older patients admitted to ICU.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 203 elderly patients admitted to Geriatric ICU in Ain Shams University Hospitals and followed for 90 days after ICU discharge to track their functional level and other adverse outcomes.

RESULTS

The mean age for the cohort was 72.6 ± 8.8. Seventy-three patients survived after 3 months (36%). Only 42 patients out of 73 survivors maintained the same level of functions (58%). Factors related to functional decline were Charlson Comorbidity Index and infections acquired within 3 months after discharge. ICU scores, like APACHE and SAPS II scores were not effective in predicting functional outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Comorbidity burden and infections acquired within 3 months after discharge are important determinants of long-term functional level after ICU admission.

Prognostic impact of hospital-acquired disability in elderly patients with heart failure

Aims

Functional decline is associated with worse outcomes in patients with elderly heart failure (HF), but little is known about the prognostic impact of hospital‐acquired disability (HAD) during hospital stay after acute HF. The present study examines the prognostic significance of HAD in the prediction of all‐cause mortality in elderly patients who admitted for acute HF.

Methods and results

This retrospective study was performed in 1941 elderly patients aged ≥65 years or older from the cardiovascular physiotherapy for acute HF patients in the Tokyo metropolitan area registry and excluded those who died in hospital. HAD was defined as any decline in the Barthel index (BI) before discharge compared with the BI within 1 month before hospital admission. The primary outcome of this study was all‐cause death and HF readmission. A total of 565 (29%) deaths and 789 (41%) HF readmission occurred over a median follow‐up period of 1.7 years. A total of 476 patients (25%) had HAD during hospital stay after acute HF. In multivariable analysis, HAD predicted all‐cause death [hazard ratio (HR): 1.772; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.450–2.167; P < 60; 0.001] and with risk of HF readmission (HR: 1.193; 95% CI: 1.005–1.416; P = 0.043) after adjusting for the Meta‐analysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure risk score.

Conclusions

Hospital‐acquired disability is associated with an increased risk of all‐cause death and readmission for HF in elderly patients with acute HF.

Daytime-to-Nighttime Sleep Ratios and Cognitive Impairment in Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors

BACKGROUND

Sleep duration and proportion of daytime versus nighttime sleep may affect cognitive function in older patients in the transition out of the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between the daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratio and cognitive impairment in older intensive care unit survivors.

METHODS

The study enrolled 30 older adults within 24 to 48 hours after intensive care unit discharge. All participants were functionally independent before admission and underwent mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit. Actigraphy was used to estimate daytime (6 AM to 9:59 PM) and nighttime (10 PM to 5:59 AM) total sleep duration. Daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratios were calculated by dividing the proportion of daytime sleep by the proportion of nighttime sleep. The National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery Dimensional Change Card Sort Test (DCCST) was used to assess cognition. Associations between sleep and cognition were explored using multivariate regression after adjusting for covariates.

RESULTS

The mean (SD) daytime sleep duration was 7.55 (4.30) hours (range, 0.16-14.21 hours), and the mean (SD) nighttime sleep duration was 4.99 (1.95) hours (range, 0.36-7.21 hours). The mean (SD) daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratio was 0.71 (0.30) (range, 0.03-1.10). Greater daytime sleep duration (β = -0.351, P = .008) and higher daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratios (β = -0.373, P = .008) were negatively associated with DCCST scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratio was abnormally high in the study population, revealing an altered sleep/wake cycle. Higher daytime-to-nighttime sleep ratios were associated with worse cognition, suggesting that proportionally greater daytime sleep may predict cognitive impairment.

Daytime Activity Is Associated With Discharge to Home in Older Adults Recovering From Critical Illness

Hospitalized older adults recovering from critical illness after transition of care out of an intensive care unit (ICU) are often inactive, which may affect discharge disposition and hospital length of stay (LOS). The current study explored relationships between early post-ICU activity, discharge disposition, and LOS. Actigraphy measured post-ICU daytime and nighttime activity (mean activity counts/min). Prospective chart review provided discharge disposition and LOS (days). Independent samples t tests compared post-ICU daytime activity by discharge disposition. Multivariate regression examined associations between post-ICU activity and LOS. Post-ICU daytime activity was greater among those discharged home (54.42 [SD = 29.3 counts/min]) than those discharged to a facility (33.26 [SD = 24.26 counts/min]): t(26) = 2.054, p = 0.050). Lower post-ICU daytime activity was associated with longer LOS (β = -0.322, p = 0.041). Future research should investigate whether post-ICU daytime inactivity during hospitalization is a modifiable risk factor for worse outcomes among older adults discharged from the ICU. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 47(2), 13-19.].

Disparities in Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Hospitalized African American and White Persons with Dementia

Objectives: This study examined differences in physical function, delirium, depressive symptoms, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in hospitalized African American and white older adults with dementia. Methods: This secondary data analysis using baseline data from an ongoing trial testing family-centered function-focused care included African American (n = 159) and white persons (n =135) with dementia. Results: A multivariate analysis of covariance showed that controlling for relevant demographic and health characteristics, African Americans with dementia had lower physical function, more delirium, and more depressive symptoms upon admission than white participants. There were no significant differences in BPSD between African American and white persons. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine racial differences in admission symptoms of hospitalized persons with dementia. While the findings are preliminary, they can be used to inform the design of future research, including identifying the causes of disparities.

Frailty subtypes and recovery in older survivors of acute respiratory failure: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Identifying subtypes of acute respiratory failure survivors may facilitate patient selection for post-intensive care unit (ICU) follow-up clinics and trials.

METHODS

We conducted a single-centre prospective cohort study of 185 acute respiratory failure survivors, aged ≥ 65 years. We applied latent class modelling to identify frailty subtypes using frailty phenotype and cognitive impairment measurements made during the week before hospital discharge. We used Fine-Gray competing risks survival regression to test associations between frailty subtypes and recovery, defined as returning to a basic Activities of Daily Living disability count less than or equal to the pre-hospitalisation count within 6 months. We characterised subtypes by pre-ICU frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score ≥ 5), the post-ICU frailty phenotype, and serum inflammatory cytokines, hormones and exosome proteomics during the week before hospital discharge.

RESULTS

We identified five frailty subtypes. The recovery rate decreased 49% across each subtype independent of age, sex, pre-existing disability, comorbidity and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (recovery rate ratio: 0.51, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.63). Post-ICU frailty phenotype prevalence increased across subtypes, but pre-ICU frailty prevalence did not. In the subtype with the slowest recovery, all had cognitive impairment. The three subtypes with the slowest recovery had higher interleukin-6 levels (p=0.03) and a higher prevalence of ≥ 2 deficiencies in insulin growth factor-1, dehydroepiandrostersone-sulfate, or free-testosterone (p=0.02). Exosome proteomics revealed impaired innate immunity in subtypes with slower recovery.

CONCLUSIONS

Frailty subtypes varied by prehospitalisation frailty and cognitive impairment at hospital discharge. Subtypes with the slowest recovery were similarly characterised by greater systemic inflammation and more anabolic hormone deficiencies at hospital discharge.

Functional Independence Measure score is associated with mortality in critically ill elderly patients admitted to an intermediate care unit

Background

Age alone is not a robust predictor of mortality in critically ill elderly patients. Chronic health status and functional status before admission could be better predictors. This study aimed to determine whether functional status, assessed using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), could be an independent predictor of mortality in a geriatric population admitted to an intermediate care unit (IMCU).

Methods

A monocentric, retrospective, observational study of all patients aged ≥75 years old admitted to Geneva University Hospitals’ geriatric IMCU between 01.01.2012 and 31.05.2016. The study’s primary outcome metrics were one-year mortality’s associations with a pre-admission FIM score and other relevant prospectively recorded prognostic variables.

Results

A total of 345 patients were included (56% female, mean age 85 +/− 6.5 years). Mean FIM score was 66 +/− 26. One-year mortality was 57%. Dichotomized low (≤ 63) and high FIM (> 63) scores were associated with one-year mortalities of 68 and 44%, respectively. Logistic regression calculations found an association between pre-admission FIM score and one-year mortality (p <  0.0001), including variables usually associated with mortality (e.g., age, sex, comorbidities, mini-mental health state score, renal function). Multivariate survival analysis showed a significant difference between groups, with a hazard ratio of 0.29 (95% CI: 0.13–0.65) for patients with high FIM scores.

Conclusions

In the present study, higher functional status, assessed using the FIM tool before admission to an IMCU, was significantly and independently associated with lower one-year mortality. This opens up perspectives on the potential value of FIM for establishing a finer prognosis and better triage of critically ill older patients.

Prehospital and Posthospital Fall Injuries in Older US Adults

IMPORTANCE

To date, measurement and treatment of older adult fall injury has been siloed within specific care settings, such as a hospital or within a nursing home or community. Little is known about changes in fall risk across care settings. Understanding the occurrence of falls across settings has implications for measuring and incentivizing high-value care across care settings.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the risk of older adult fall injury within and across discrete periods during a 12-month care episode anchored by an acute hospitalization.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This cohort study is a longitudinal analysis of 12-month periods that include an anchor hospital stay using national data from 2006 to 2014. Participants included older (aged ≥65 years) Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from the Health and Retirement Study. Weekly fall injury rates were computed for 4 periods compared with the anchor hospitalization: at baseline (1-6 months before hospitalization), just before (<1 month before hospitalization), just after (<1 month after hospitalization), and at follow-up (1-6 months after hospitalization). Piecewise logistic regression models estimated weekly marginal risk of fall injury within each period, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. Fall injury risks for high-risk beneficiaries with a fall injury during the anchor hospitalization were also estimated. Data analysis was performed from November 2019 to April 2020.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Fall injuries.

RESULTS

In total, 10 106 anchor hospitalizations for 4101 beneficiaries (mean [SD] age, 77.1 [7.6] years; 5912 hospitalizations among women [58.5%]) were identified. The overall fall injury risk was 0.77%. In adjusted models, marginal increases in weekly fall injury risk just before hospitalization (0.27 percentage points [95% CI, 0.22 to 0.33 percentage points], or 30.0%; P < .001) were 4 times greater than decreases just after hospitalization (-0.18 percentage points [95% CI, -0.23 to -0.13 percentage points], or -9.2%; P < .001)]. A greater risk differential before and after hospitalization was observed for patients with an inpatient fall injury (1.89 percentage points [95% CI, 1.37 to 2.40], or 309.8%; P < .001; vs -0.39 percentage points [95% CI, -0.73 to -0.04], or -11.6%; P = .03).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

An episode-based assessment of fall injury illustrates substantial variability in period-specific risks over an extended period including an anchor hospitalization. Risk transitions between periods include sizable increases just before hospitalization that do not fully subside after hospital discharge. Financial incentives to coordinate hospital and posthospital care for patients at risk for fall injury are needed. These could include bundled payments for fall injury episodes that incentivize coordination across settings.

ICU discharge screening for prediction of new-onset physical disability-A multinational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Methods to identify patients at risk for incomplete physical recovery after intensive care unit (ICU) stay are lacking. Our aim was to develop a method for prediction of new-onset physical disability at ICU discharge.

METHODS

Multinational prospective cohort study in 10 general ICUs in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Adult patients with an ICU stay ≥12 hours were eligible for inclusion. Sixteen candidate predictors were analyzed with logistic regression for associations with the primary outcome; new-onset physical disability 3 months post-ICU, defined as a ≥10 score reduction in the Barthel Index (BI) compared to baseline.

RESULTS

Of the 572 included patients, follow-up data are available on 78% of patients alive at follow-up. The incidence of new-onset physical disability was 19%. Univariable and multivariable modeling rendered one sole predictor for the outcome: physical status at ICU discharge, assessed with the five first items of the Chelsea critical care physical assessment tool (CPAx) (odds ratio 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81-0.93), a higher score indicating a lower risk, with an area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of 0.68 (95% CI 0.61-0.76). Negative predictive value for a low-risk group (CPAx score >18) was 0.88, and positive predictive value for a high-risk group (CPAx score ≤18) was 0.32.

CONCLUSION

The ICU discharge assessment described in this study had a moderate AUC but may be useful to rule out patients unlikely to need physical interventions post-ICU. For high-risk patients, research to determine post-ICU risk factors for an incomplete rehabilitation is mandated.

Changes in Functional Status and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults After Surgical, Interventional, or Medical Management of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Functional status and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are important outcomes, particularly among older patients. However, data on such patient-centered outcomes after cardiac surgery are limited. We evaluated the incidence and predictors of decline in functional status and HRQoL among older patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Participants were age 75 years or older hospitalized for AMI at 94 US sites. We examined decline in functional status (defined as decline in 1 or more activities of daily living, ADLs), as well as mental (MCS) and physical component scales (PCS) of the SF-12 to assess HRQoL (5-point decline or greater in each scale) between 1 month prior to the hospitalization and 6 months after. Multivariable model compared the risk of decline after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and medical management. Among 3041 patients (1708 PCI, 362 CABG, and 971 medical management), 1525 (50.2%) experienced decline in 1 or more domain: 633 (20.8%) declined in ADLs, 786 (25.9%) declined in the MCS, and 1078 (35.5%) declined in the PCS. The unadjusted incidence of ADL decline was the lowest among patients who underwent CABG (n = 50, 13.8%) compared with PCI (n = 271, 15.9%) or medical management (n = 312, 32.1%). Patients who underwent CABG and PCI had lower adjusted risk of decline in functional and HRQoL compared with those who received medical therapy. The risks after CABG and PCI were not significantly different. Over half of older patients significantly declined in function or HRQoL after AMI. Compared with medical management, risk of decline was lower in those who underwent revascularization.

Association of peripheral artery disease with life-space mobility restriction and mortality in community-dwelling older adults

OBJECTIVE

Symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) impairs walking, but data on the impact of PAD on community mobility is limited. Life-space mobility measures the distance, frequency, and assistance needed as older adults move through geographic areas extending from their bedroom (life-space mobility score: 0) to beyond their town (life-space mobility score: 120). We evaluated the association of PAD with longitudinal life-space mobility trajectory.

METHODS

Participants were part of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Study of Aging, a longitudinal study of community-dwelling older adults who were observed from 2001 to 2009. We limited our analysis to those who survived at least 6 months (N = 981). PAD was based on self-report with verification by physician report and hospital records. Our primary outcome was life-space mobility score assessed every 6 months. A multilevel change model (mixed model) was used to determine the association between PAD and life-space mobility trajectory during a median 7.9 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

Participants had a mean age of 75.7 (standard deviation, 6.7) years; 50.5% were female, and 50.4% were African American. PAD prevalence was 10.1%, and 57.1% of participants with PAD died. In participants with both PAD and life-space restriction, defined as life-space mobility score <60, we observed the highest mortality (73.1%). In a multivariable adjusted mixed effects model, participants with PAD had a more rapid decline in life-space mobility by -1.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], -1.9 to -0.24) points per year compared with those without PAD. At 5-year follow-up, model-adjusted mean life-space mobility was 48.1 (95% CI, 43.5-52.7) and 52.4 (95% CI, 50.9-53.8) among those with and without PAD, respectively, corresponding to a restriction in independent life-space mobility at the level of one's neighborhood.

CONCLUSIONS

Life-space mobility is a novel patient-centered measure of community mobility, and PAD is associated with significant life-space mobility decline among community-dwelling older adults. Further study is needed to mechanistically confirm these findings and to determine whether better recognition and treatment of PAD alter the trajectory of life-space mobility.

Effects of depression, dementia and delirium on activities of daily living in elderly patients after discharge

Background

The three geriatric conditions, depression, dementia and delirium (3D’s), are common among hospitalized older patients and often lead to impairments of activities of daily living. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of depression, dementia and delirium on activities of daily living (ADLs) during and after hospitalization.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted between 2012 and 2013 in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan. Patients who aged over 65 years and admitted to the geriatric ward were invited to this study. Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form, Mini-Mental State and Confusion Assessment Method were used to identify patients with depression, dementia and delirium on admission, respectively. Barthel Index (BI) was used to evaluate patients’ functional status on admission, at discharge, 30-day, 90-day and 180-day after discharge. Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) was used to calculate the associations between 3 D’s and BI.

Results

One-hundred-and-forty-nine patients were included in this study. Twenty-seven patients (18.1%) had depression, 37 (24.8%) had dementia, and 85 (57.0%) had delirium. The study demonstrated that all the geriatric patients with functional decline presented gradual improvements of physical function up to 180 days after discharge. Whether depression exists did not substantially affect functional recovery after discharge, whilst either dementia or delirium could impede elder people functional status. The recovery of functional improvement in delirium or dementia was relatively irreversible when comparing with depression. Once delirium or dementia was diagnosed, poorer functional restore was expected. In brief, intensive work and strategies on modifying delirium or dementia should be put more effort as early as possible.

Conclusions

Old hospitalized patients with depression can recover well after adequate intervention. We emphasize that early detection of dementia and delirium is imperative in subsequent functional outcome, even if at or before admission. Comprehensive plan must be implemented timely.

Premorbid Activity Limitation Stages Are Associated With Posthospitalization Discharge Disposition

OBJECTIVE

Activity of daily living stages and instrumental activity of daily living stage have demonstrated associations with mortality and health service use among older adults. This cohort study aims to assess the associations of premorbid activity limitation stages with acute hospital discharge disposition among community-dwelling older adults.

DESIGN

Study participants were Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 yrs or older who enrolled in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey between 2001 and 2009. Associations of premorbid stages with discharge dispositions were estimated with multinomial logistic regression models adjusted for covariates.

RESULTS

The proportions of elderly Medicare patients discharged to home with self-care, home with services, postacute care facilities, and other dispositions were 59%, 15%, 19%, and 7%, respectively. The following adjusted relative risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals of postacute care facilities versus home with self-care discharge increased with higher premorbid activity limitation stages (except nonfitting stage III): 1.7 (1.5-2.0), 2.4 (2.0-2.9), 2.4 (1.9-3.0), and 2.5 (1.6-4.1) for activity of daily living stages I-IV; a similar pattern was found for instrumental activity of daily living stages. The adjusted relative risk ratios of discharge to home with services also increased with higher premorbid activity limitation stages compared with no limitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Routinely assessed activity limitation stages predict posthospitalization discharge disposition among older adults and may be used to anticipate postacute care and services use by elderly Medicare beneficiaries.

The Bundled Hospital Elder Life Program-HELP and HELP in Home Care-and Its Association With Clinical Outcomes Among Older Adults Discharged to Home Healthcare

OBJECTIVES

To describe the Bundled Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP and HELP in Home Care), an adaptation of HELP, and examine the association of 30-day all-cause unplanned hospital readmission risk among older adults discharged to home care with and without Bundled HELP.

DESIGN

Matched case-control study.

SETTING

Two medical-surgical units within two midwestern rural hospitals and patient homes (home health).

PARTICIPANTS

Hospitalized patients, aged 65 years and older, discharged to home healthcare with and without Bundled HELP exposure between January 1, 2015, and September 30, 2017. Each case (Bundled HELP, n = 148) was matched to a control (non-Bundled HELP, n = 148) on Charlson Comorbidity Index, primary hospital diagnosis of orthopedic condition or injury, and cardiovascular disease using propensity score matching.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary study outcome was 30-day all-cause unplanned hospital readmission. Additional outcomes measured were 30-day emergency department (ED) visit, hospital length of stay (LOS), and total number of skilled home care visits.

RESULTS

Fewer cases (16.8%) than controls (28.4%) had a 30-day all-cause unplanned hospital readmission. The fully adjusted model showed significantly lower risk of 30-day hospital readmission for case (Bundled HELP) patients (0.41; 95% confidence interval = 0.22-0.77; P < .01). The difference between case (10.8%) and control (15.5%) 30-day ED visit was not significant (P = .23). A lower LOS for the case group was shown (P < .01), while the number of skilled home care visits was not significantly different between groups (P = .28).

CONCLUSION

HELP protocol implementation during a patient's hospital stay and as a continued component of home care among older adults at risk for cognitive and/or functional decline appears to be associated with favorable outcomes. Our initial evaluation supports continued study of the Bundled HELP. Further research is needed to confirm the initial findings and to evaluate the impact of the adapted model on functional outcomes and delirium incidence in the home. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1730-1736, 2019.

Utility of Functional Metrics Assessed During Acute Care on Hospital Outcomes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Traditionally, illness severity, social factors, and comorbid conditions have been examined as predictors of hospital outcomes. However, recent research in the rehabilitation setting demonstrated that physical function outperformed comorbidity indices as a predictor of 30-day readmission. The purpose of this study was to review the literature examining the association between acute hospital physical function and various hospital outcomes and health care utilization. TYPE: Systematic review.

LITERATURE SURVEY

A review of the MEDLINE database was performed. Search terms included acute functional outcomes and frailty outcomes. Studies up to September 2017 were included if they were in English and examined how functional metrics collected at acute care hospitalization affected hospital outcomes.

METHODOLOGY

Cohort characteristics and measures of associations were extracted from the studies. Outcomes include hospital readmission, length of stay, mortality, discharge location, and physical function post acute care. The studies were assessed for potential confounders as well as selection, attrition, and detection bias.

SYNTHESIS

A total of 30 studies were identified (hospital readmissions: 6; discharge location: 11; length of stay: 4; mortality: 15; function: 6). Thirteen different metrics assessed function during acute care. Lower function during acute care was associated with statistically significant higher odds of hospital readmission, lower likelihood of discharge to home, longer hospital length of stay, increased mortality, and worse functional recovery when compared to patients with higher function during acute care, when adjusted for age and gender. The Barthel Index may be a useful marker for mortality in the elderly whereas the Functional Independence Measure instrument may be valuable for examining discharge location.

CONCLUSIONS

There is increasing evidence that function measured during acute care predicts a broad array of meaningful clinical outcomes. Further research would help direct the use of practical, yet parsimonious functional metrics that effectively screen high-need, high-cost patients to deliver optimal care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

I.

Perioperative Understanding of Geriatric Patients

Surgical treatment of the elderly can be a very difficult and complex endeavor. Appropriate and thorough evaluation of this group of patients is essential to identify surgical candidates who may be at increased risk for developing age-related problems, such as cognitive impairment or postoperative delirium. Involvement of family members and ancillary caregivers is ideal. In order to optimize surgical results, communication of goals of surgery and expectations of patients in order to achieve these goals is paramount. Physical therapy assessment of the elderly will give input on patients' capacity to perform needed changes in ambulatory status after surgery.

Physical Impairments Associated With Post-Intensive Care Syndrome: Systematic Review Based on the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Framework

BACKGROUND

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is a constellation of new or worsening impairments in physical, mental, or cognitive abilities or a combination of these in individuals who have survived critical illness requiring intensive care.

PURPOSE

The 2 purposes of this systematic review were to identify the scope and magnitude of physical problems associated with PICS during the first year after critical illness and to use the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework to elucidate impairments of body functions and structures, activity limitations, and participation restrictions associated with PICS.

DATA SOURCES

Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, CINAHL Plus with Full Text (EBSCO), Web of Science, and Embase were searched from inception until March 7, 2017.

STUDY SELECTION

Two reviewers screened titles, abstracts, and full text to independently determine study eligibility based on inclusion and exclusion criteria.

DATA EXTRACTION

Study methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data describing study methods, design, and participant outcomes were extracted.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Fifteen studies were eligible for review. Within the first year following critical illness, people who had received intensive care experienced impairments in all 3 domains of the ICF (body functions and structures, activity limitations, and participation restrictions). These impairments included decreased pulmonary function, reduced strength of respiratory and limb muscles, reduced 6-minute walk test distance, reduced ability to perform activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, and reduced ability to return to driving and paid employment.

LIMITATIONS

The inclusion of only 15 observational studies in this review may limit the generalizability of the findings.

CONCLUSIONS

During the first year following critical illness, individuals with PICS experienced physical impairments in all 3 domains of the ICF.

Effects of Postacute Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Including Exercise in Out-of-Hospital Settings in the Aged: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Many older individuals receive rehabilitation in an out-of-hospital setting (OOHS) after acute hospitalization; however, its effect on mobility and unplanned hospital readmission is unclear. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on this topic.

DATA SOURCES

Medline OVID, Embase OVID, and CINAHL were searched from their inception until February 22, 2018.

STUDY SELECTION

OOHS (ie, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, or community-based at home) randomized trials studying the effect of multidisciplinary rehabilitation were selected, including those assessing exercise in older patients (mean age ≥65y) after discharge from hospital after an acute illness.

DATA EXTRACTION

Two reviewers independently selected the studies, performed independent data extraction, and assessed the risk of bias. Outcomes were pooled using fixed- or random-effect models as appropriate. The main outcomes were mobility at and unplanned hospital readmission within 3 months of discharge.

DATA SYNTHESIS

A total of 15 studies (1255 patients) were included in the systematic review and 12 were included in the meta-analysis (7 assessing mobility using the 6-minute walk distance [6MWD] test and 7 assessing unplanned hospital readmission). Based on the 6MWD, patients receiving rehabilitation walked an average of 23 m more than controls (95% confidence interval [CI]=: -1.34 to 48.32; I²: 51%). Rehabilitation did not lower the 3-month risk of unplanned hospital readmission (risk ratio: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.73-1.19; I²: 34%). The risk of bias was present, mainly due to the nonblinded outcome assessment in 3 studies, and 7 studies scored this unclearly.

CONCLUSION

OOHS-based multidisciplinary rehabilitation leads to improved mobility in older patients 3 months after they are discharged from hospital following an acute illness and is not associated with a lower risk of unplanned hospital readmission within 3 months of discharge. However, the wide 95% CIs indicate that the evidence is not robust.

Refining Low Physical Activity Measurement Improves Frailty Assessment in Advanced Lung Disease and Survivors of Critical Illness

RATIONALE

The frail phenotype has gained popularity as a clinically relevant measure in adults with advanced lung disease and in critical illness survivors. Because respiratory disease and chronic illness can greatly limit physical activity, the measurement of participation in traditional leisure time activities as a frailty component may lead to substantial misclassification of frailty in pulmonary and critical care patients.

OBJECTIVES

To test and validate substituting the Duke Activity Status Index (DASI), a simple 12-item questionnaire, for the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity (MLTA) questionnaire, a detailed questionnaire covering 18 leisure time activities, as the measure of low activity in the Fried frailty phenotype (FFP) instrument.

METHODS

In separate multicenter prospective cohort studies of adults with advanced lung disease who were candidates for lung transplant and older survivors of acute respiratory failure, we assessed the FFP using either the MLTA or the DASI. For both the DASI and MLTA, we evaluated content validity by testing floor effects and construct validity through comparisons with conceptually related factors. We tested the predictive validity of substituting the DASI for the MLTA in the FFP assessment using Cox models to estimate associations between the FFP and delisting/death before transplant in those with advanced lung disease and 6-month mortality in older intensive care unit (ICU) survivors.

RESULTS

Among 618 adults with advanced lung disease and 130 older ICU survivors, the MLTA had a substantially greater floor effect than the DASI (42% vs. 1%, and 49% vs. 12%, respectively). The DASI correlated more strongly with strength and function measures than did the MLTA in both cohorts. In models adjusting for age, sex, comorbidities, and illness severity, substitution of the DASI for the MLTA led to stronger associations of the FFP with delisting/death in lung transplant candidates (FFP-MLTA hazard ratio [HR], 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-3.65; FFP-DASI HR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.03-8.65) and with mortality in older ICU survivors (FFP-MLTA HR, 2.68; 95% CI, 0.62-11.6; FFP-DASI HR, 5.71; 95% CI, 1.34-24.3).

CONCLUSIONS

The DASI improves the construct and predictive validity of frailty assessment in adults with advanced lung disease or recent critical illness. This simple questionnaire should replace the more complex MLTA in assessing the frailty phenotype in these populations.

Geriatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Epidemiology, Outcomes, Knowledge Gaps, and Future Directions

This review of the literature on traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older adults focuses on incident TBI sustained in older adulthood ("geriatric TBI") rather than on the separate, but related, topic of older adults with a history of earlier-life TBI. We describe the epidemiology of geriatric TBI, the impact of comorbidities and pre-injury function on TBI risk and outcomes, diagnostic testing, management issues, outcomes, and critical directions for future research. The highest incidence of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths occur in older adults. Higher morbidity and mortality rates among older versus younger individuals with TBI may contribute to an assumption of futility about aggressive management of geriatric TBI. However, many older adults with TBI respond well to aggressive management and rehabilitation, suggesting that chronological age and TBI severity alone are inadequate prognostic markers. Yet there are few geriatric-specific TBI guidelines to assist with complex management decisions, and TBI prognostic models do not perform optimally in this population. Major barriers in management of geriatric TBI include under-representation of older adults in TBI research, lack of systematic measurement of pre-injury health that may be a better predictor of outcome and response to treatment than age and TBI severity alone, and lack of geriatric-specific TBI common data elements (CDEs). This review highlights the urgent need to develop more age-inclusive TBI research protocols, geriatric TBI CDEs, geriatric TBI prognostic models, and evidence-based geriatric TBI consensus management guidelines aimed at improving short- and long-term outcomes for the large and growing geriatric TBI population.

Older adults in jail: high rates and early onset of geriatric conditions

BACKGROUND

The number of older adults in the criminal justice system is rapidly increasing. While this population is thought to experience an early onset of aging-related health conditions ("accelerated aging"), studies have not directly compared rates of geriatric conditions in this population to those found in the general population. The aims of this study were to compare the burden of geriatric conditions among older adults in jail to rates found in an age-matched nationally representative sample of community dwelling older adults.

METHODS

This cross sectional study compared 238 older jail inmates age 55 or older to 6871 older adults in the national Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We used an age-adjusted analysis, accounting for the difference in age distributions between the two groups, to compare sociodemographics, chronic conditions, and geriatric conditions (functional, sensory, and mobility impairment). A second age-adjusted analysis compared those in jail to HRS participants in the lowest quintile of wealth.

RESULTS

All geriatric conditions were significantly more common in jail-based participants than in HRS participants overall and HRS participants in the lowest quintile of net worth. Jail-based participants (average age of 59) experienced four out of six geriatric conditions at rates similar to those found in HRS participants age 75 or older.

CONCLUSIONS

Geriatric conditions are prevalent in older adults in jail at significantly younger ages than non-incarcerated older adults suggesting that geriatric assessment and geriatric-focused care are needed for older adults cycling through jail in their 50s and that correctional clinicians require knowledge about geriatric assessment and care.

Measurement of function in older adults transitioning from hospital to home: an integrative review

Older adults often experience decline in functional status during the transition from hospital to home. In order to determine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent functional decline, researchers must have instruments that are reliable and valid for use with older adults. The purpose of this integrative review is to: (1) summarize the research uses and methods of administering functional status instruments when investigating older adults transitioning from hospital to home, (2) examine the development and existing psychometric testing of the instruments, and (3) discuss gaps and implications for future research. The authors conducted an integrative review of forty research studies that assessed functional status in older adults transitioning from hospital to home. This review reveals important gaps in the functional status instruments' psychometric testing, including limited testing to support their validity and reliability when administered by self-report and limited evidence supporting their ability to detect change over time.

Rate of spontaneous voiding recovery after acute urinary retention due to bed rest in the hospital setting in a nonurological population clinical study of the relationship between lower limbs and bladder function

Objectives

To understand the clinical relationship between lower limbs functions and the recovery of spontaneous voiding after an acute urinary retention (AUR) in older patients admitted to hospitals for non-urological causes using clinical parameters.

Materials and Methods

56 adult patients (32 men; mean age: 77.9 ± 8.3 and 24 women; mean age 82.1 ± 4.6) with AUR were prospectively followed with validated Physical Performance Mobility Exam (PPME) instrument to evaluate the relationship between the recovery of mobility capacity and spontaneous voiding. After a short period of permanent bladder drainage patients started CIC along evaluation by PPME during hospitalization and at 7, 15, 30 60, 90, and 180 days of discharge. Mann-Whitney U, chi-square test and ANOVA tests were used.

Results

All patients were hospitalized for at least 15 days (Median 26.3 ± 4.1 days). Progressive improvement on mobility scale measured by PPME was observed after leaving ICU and along the initial 7 days of hospitalization but with a deterioration if hospitalization extends beyond 15 days (p<0.03). Prolonged hospital stay impairs mobility in all domains (p<0.05) except step-up and transfer skills (p<0.02) although a recovery rate on spontaneous voiding persistented. Restoration of spontaneous voiding was accompanied by improvement on mobility scale (p<0.02). Recovery of spontaneous voiding was markedly observed after discharging the hospital. All patients recovered spontaneous voiding until 6 months of follow-up.

Conclusions

Recovery to spontaneous voiding after acute urinary retention in the hospital setting may be anticipated by evaluation of lower limbs function measured by validated instruments.

Can we predict functional decline in hospitalized older people admitted through the emergency department? Reanalysis of a predictive tool ten years after its conception

Background

In the Emergency Department (ED), early and rapid identification of older people at risk of adverse outcomes, who could best benefit from complex geriatric intervention, would avoid wasting time, especially in terms of prevention of adverse outcomes, and ensure optimal orientation of vulnerable patients. We wanted to test the predictive ability of a screening tool assessing risk of functional decline (FD), named SHERPA, 10 years after its conception, and to assess the added value of other clinical or biological factors associated with FD.

Methods

A prospective cohort study of older patients (n = 305, ≥ 75 years) admitted through the emergency department, for at least 48 h in non-geriatric wards (mean age 82.5 ± 4.9, 55% women). SHERPA variables (i.e. age, pre-admission instrumental Activity of Daily Living (ADL) status, falls within a year, self-rated health and 21-point MMSE) were collected within 48 h of admission, along with socio-demographic, medical and biological data. Functional status was followed at 3 months by phone. FD was defined as a decrease at 3 months of at least one point in the pre-admission basic ADL score. Predictive ability of SHERPA was assessed using c-statistic, predictive values and likelihood ratios. Measures of discrimination improvement were Net Reclassification Improvement and Integrated Discrimination Improvement.

Results

One hundred and five patients (34%) developed 3-month FD. Predictive ability of SHERPA decreased dramatically over 10 years (c = 0.73 vs. 0.64). Only two of its constitutive variables, i.e. falls and instrumental ADL, were significant in logistic regression analysis for functional decline, while 21-point MMSE was kept in the model for clinical relevance. Demographic, comorbidity or laboratory data available upon admission did not improve the SHERPA predictive yield.

Conclusions

Prediction of FD with SHERPA is difficult, but predictive factors, i.e. falls, pre-existing functional limitation and cognitive impairment, stay consistent across time and with literature. As accuracy of SHERPA and others existing screening tools for FD is moderate, using these predictors as flags instead of using composite scales can be a way to screen for high-risk patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0498-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The development and validation of an index to predict 10-year mortality risk in a longitudinal cohort of older English adults

Background

we aimed to develop and validate a population-representative 10-year mortality risk index for older adults in England.

Methods

data were from 10,798 men and women aged 50 years and older in the population-based English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in 2002/03, randomly split into development (n = 5,377) and validation cohorts (n = 5,421). Participants were asked about their sociodemographics, health behaviours, comorbidities, and functional status in the home-based interviews. Variables that were independently associated with all-cause mortality through March 2013 in the development cohort were weighted relative to one another to develop risk point scores for the index that was calibrated in the validation cohort.

Results

the validated 10-year mortality risk index assigns points for: increasing age (50–59 years: 0 points; 60–64: 1 point; 65–69: 3 points; 70–74: 5 points; 75–79: 7 points; 80–84: 9 points; ≥85: 12 points), male (2 points), no vigorous physical activity (1 point), smoking (2 points), having a diagnosis of cancer (1 point), chronic lung disease (2 points) or heart failure (4 points), and having difficulty preparing a hot meal (2 points), pushing or pulling large objects (1 point) or walking 100 yards (1 point). In the full study cohort, 10-year mortality rates increased from 1.7% (11/664) in those with 0 points to 95% (189/199) among those with ≥16 points.

Conclusion

this highly predictive 10-item mortality risk index is valid in the English population aged 50 years and older. It uses simple information that is often available in research studies and patient reports, and does not require biomarker data to predict mortality.

The Frailty Phenotype and Palliative Care Needs of Older Survivors of Critical Illness

OBJECTIVES

To assess symptoms in older intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and determine whether post-ICU frailty identifies those with the greatest palliative care needs.

DESIGN

A prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Urban tertiary care hospital and community hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Medical ICU survivors of mechanical ventilation aged 65 and older (N = 125).

MEASUREMENTS

Baseline measurements of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), categorized as mild (0-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10), and the frailty phenotype were made during the week before hospital discharge. Functional recovery was defined as a return to a Katz activity of daily living dependency count less than or equal to the prehospitalization dependency count within 3 months. In the last 29 participants recruited, we made additional assessments of fatigue and ESAS both at baseline and 1 month after discharge.

RESULTS

Fatigue was the most-prevalent moderate to severe symptom (74%), followed by dyspnea (53%), drowsiness (50%), poor appetite (47%), pain (45%), depression (42%), anxiety (36%), and nausea (17%). At 1-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in the proportions of participants with moderate to severe symptoms. Each increase in baseline ESAS fatigue severity category was associated with 55% lower odds of functional recovery (odds ratio = 0.45, 95% confidence interval = 0.24-0.84), independent of age, sex, comorbidities, and critical illness severity. Frail participants had a higher median baseline total ESAS symptom distress score (34, interquartile range (IQR) 23-44) than nonfrail participants (13, IQR 9-22) (P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Older ICU survivors have a high burden of palliative care needs that persist 1 month after discharge. Fatigue is the most-prevalent symptom and may interfere with recovery. Post-ICU frailty may be a useful trigger for palliative care consultation and a treatment target.

Ageism among physicians, nurses, and social workers: findings from a qualitative study

This study investigated ageism among healthcare professionals in various therapeutic settings in Israel. Using a qualitative approach, the current study aimed to examine similarities and differences across healthcare disciplines. Three focus groups were conducted with physicians, nurses, and social workers. Data from each focus group were analyzed separately, and then commonalities and differences across the groups were evaluated. Three main themes relating to older adults emerged from the data. The first theme pertains to perceived difficulties that healthcare professionals experience in working with older adults and their family members; the second focuses on invisibility and discriminatory communication patterns; and the third theme relates to provision of inappropriate care to older adults. Similarities and differences across the three disciplines were found. The differences related mainly to the examples provided for manifestations of ageism in the healthcare system. Provision of inadequate treatment to older adults due to their age appeared to be the most complex theme, and is discussed at length in the Discussion. Briefly, the complexity stems from the fact that although some behaviors can be clearly described as inappropriate and undesirable, other behaviors such as avoidance of invasive medical procedures for older patients raise ethical dilemmas. Potentially, avoidance of invasive medical treatment can be perceived as compassionate care rather than as undertreatment due to ageist perceptions. A related dilemma, i.e., longevity versus quality-of-life, is also discussed in light of the finding that the balance of these two aspects changes as patients grow old.

Association of Hospital Admission Risk Profile Score with Mortality in Hospitalized Older Adults

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association of the Hospital Admission Risk Profile (HARP) score with mortality after discharge in a population of hospitalized older adults.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospitalized patients aged 70 years or older.

MEASUREMENTS

Patient age at the time of admission, modified Folstein Mini-Mental Status Exam score, and self-reported instrumental activities of daily living 2 weeks prior to admission were used to calculate a HARP score. The primary outcome assessed was overall mortality up to 365 days after hospital discharge. Cox proportional hazard analyses evaluated the association between HARP score and mortality adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidities associated with increased mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 474 patients, 165 (34.8%) had a low HARP score, 177 (37.4%) had an intermediate, and 132 (27.8%) had a high score. HARP score was not associated with differences in 30-day readmission rates. High HARP score patients had higher mortality when compared to patients with low HARP scores at all time frames (30 days: 12.9% vs 1.8%, p < .05; 90 days: 19.7% vs 4.8%, p < .05; 365 days: 34.8% vs 16.9%, p < .05). In fully adjusted Cox proportional models, patients with high HARP scores had a 3.5 times higher odds of mortality when compared to low HARP score patients.

CONCLUSION

The HARP score is a simple and easy to use instrument that identifies patients at increased risk for mortality after hospital discharge. Early identification of patients at increased risk for mortality has the potential to help guide treatment decisions following hospital discharge and provides additional information to providers and patients for shared decision making and may help in clarifying and achieving patient and family goals of care.

A Karnofsky performance status-based score predicts death after hospital discharge in patients with cirrhosis

Identification of patients with cirrhosis at risk for death within 3 months of discharge from the hospital is essential to individualize postdischarge plans. The objective of the study was to identify an easy-to-use prognostic model based on the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). The North American Consortium for the Study of End-Stage Liver Disease consists of 16 tertiary-care hepatology centers that prospectively enroll nonelectively admitted cirrhosis patients. Patients enrolled had KPS assessed 1 week postdischarge. KPS was categorized into low (score 10-40), intermediate (50-70), and high (80-100). Of 954 middle-aged patients (57 ± 10 years, 63% men) with a median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score of 17 (interquartile range 13-21), the mortality rates for the low, intermediate, and high performance status groups were 23% (36/159), 11% (55/489), and 5% (15/306), respectively. Low, intermediate, and high performance status was seen in 17%, 51%, and 32% of the cohort, respectively. Low performance status was associated with older age, dialysis, hepatic encephalopathy, longer length of stay, and higher white blood cell count or MELD score at discharge. A model was derived using the three independent predictors of 3-month mortality: KPS, age, and MELD score. This score had better discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.74) than a model using MELD (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.62) or MELD and age (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.67) to predict 3-month mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Cirrhosis patients at risk for 3-month postdischarge mortality can be identified using a novel KPS-based score; this score may be adopted in practice to guide postdischarge early interventions, including the integrated provision of active and palliative management strategies. (Hepatology 2017;65:217-224).

Functional status before and during acute hospitalization and readmission risk identification

BACKGROUND

Recent efforts to prevent readmissions are increasingly focusing on early identification of high-risk patients.

OBJECTIVE

To test whether information on functioning during hospitalization contributes to the ability to accurately identify older adults at high risk of readmission beyond their baseline risk.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Internal medicine wards at 2 medical centers.

PATIENTS

Five hundred fifty-nine community-dwelling older adults (aged ≥70 years) discharged to their homes.

MEASUREMENTS

Data on unplanned 30-day readmissions were retrieved from electronic health records. Data on at-admission activities of daily living (ADL) and in-hospital ADL decline were collected using validated questionnaires. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the association between functioning and readmission controlling for known risk factors.

RESULTS

Higher in-hospital ADL decline was significantly associated with readmission (odds ratio for each 10-point decrease in ADL = 1.32, 95% confidence interval = 1.02-1.72) but did not contribute to the overall discrimination of the model, as compared with the at-admission data (C statistic = 0.81 for each model). Identifying high-risk (10th highest percentile) patients by the at-admission model did not detect 7/55 (12.7%) of patients who would have been categorized as high risk if risk identification was postponed to the discharge date and included data on in-hospital ADL decline.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the ability to identify patients at high risk for readmission already early in the index hospitalization using data on functioning, nutrition, chronic morbidity, and prior hospitalizations. Nonetheless, at-discharge functional assessment can detect additional patients whose readmission risk changes during the index hospitalization. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:636-641. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Functional Trajectories Associated With Hospitalization in Older Adults

For older adults, acute-care hospital stays can result in functional decline that leads to increased risk of hospitalization, nursing home admission, or mortality. This study describes functional trajectories in hospitalized older adults and identifies risk factors associated with those trajectories. Respondents ( N = 45) exhibited five of six possible functional trajectory patterns. The largest change in functional status was a decline in activities of daily living (ADL) from baseline at 2 weeks before admission to the time of admission; ADL did not return to baseline during the first 4 days in the hospital. Depression scores were significantly higher in respondents who reported experiencing ADL decline before admission. Respondents whose ADL scores declined during hospitalization (regardless of baseline status) were more likely than others to die within 3 months of discharge. Functional trajectory in hospitalized elderly patients is an important and underappreciated prognostic concept requiring further attention.

Patterns, Trajectories, and Predictors of Functional Decline after Hospitalization for Acute Exacerbations in Men with Moderate to Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND

Hospitalization for acute exacerbations (AE) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is common, but little is known about the impact of hospitalization on the development of disability. The purpose of this study was to determine the rate and time course of functional changes 3 months after hospital discharge for AE-COPD compared with baseline levels 2 weeks before admission, and to identify predictors of functional decline.

METHODS

This was a prospective study including 103 patients (age mean, 71 years; standard deviation, 9.1 years) who were hospitalized with AE-COPD. Number of dependencies in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) was measured at the preadmission baseline and at weeks 6 and 12 after discharge. Patterns of improvement, no change, and decline were defined over 3 consecutive intervals (baseline and weeks 6 and 12). Trajectories grouped patients with similar time courses of disability. Recovery was defined as returning to baseline function after functional decline. Univariate and multivariate multiple logistic regression was used to determine predictors of functional decline after week 12.

RESULTS

Six trajectories of functional changes were found. From baseline to 12 weeks, 50% of patients continued to have the same function whereas 31% experienced functional decline after 6 weeks; 16.7% recovered over subsequent weeks. At week 12, as a consequence of all trajectories, 38% of patients showed functional declines compared with baseline function, 57% had not declined, and 6 improved. Length of stay (odds ratio [OR] = 1.12;95% [confidence interval] CI 1.03-1.22), dyspnea (OR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.05-3.26), and frailty (OR = 3.97; 95% CI 1.13-13.92) were independent predictors of functional decline after 12 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitalization for AE-COPD is a risk factor for the progression of disability. More than one third of patients hospitalized for AE-COPD declined during the 12 weeks following discharge, with most of this decline occurring by week 6.

Determinants of change in physical activity during moderate-to-severe COPD exacerbation

BACKGROUND

Data are scarce on patient physical activity (PA) level during exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (eCOPD). The objective of the study was to evaluate the level and determinants of change in PA during an eCOPD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a prospective cohort study with recruitment from emergency departments (EDs) of 16 participating hospitals from June 2008 to September 2010. Data were recorded on socioeconomic characteristics, dyspnea, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%), comorbidities, health-related quality of life, factors related to exacerbation, and PA in a stable clinical condition and during the eCOPD episode.

RESULTS

We evaluated 2,487 patients. Common factors related to the change in PA during hospital admission or 7 days after discharge to home from the ED were lower PA at baseline and during the first 24 hours after the index evaluation. Age, quality of life, living alone, length of hospital stay, and use of anticholinergic or systemic corticosteroids in treating the exacerbation were associated with the change in PA among hospitalized patients. Predictors of change among patients not admitted to hospital were baseline FEV1% and dyspnea at rest on ED arrival.

CONCLUSION

Among the patients evaluated in an ED for an eCOPD, the level and change in PA was markedly variable. Factors associated with exacerbation (PA 24 hours after admission, medication during admission, and length of hospital stay) and variables reflecting patients' stable clinical condition (low level of PA, age, quality of life, FEV1%) are predictors of the change in PA during a moderate-to-severe eCOPD.