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Key summary points: Aim: To investigate the relationship between delirium and tryptophan and its metabolites in critically ill older patients. Findings: The level of TRP was significantly (borderline) decreased among patients with delirium (p = 0.056). The KYN/TRP and QA/TRP ratios were statistically and significantly higher in patients with delirium than those without (p < 0.001 and p = 0.016, respectively). The best predictive values for detecting delirium were calculated as ≤14,100 ng/mL for TRP (AUC: 0.601, p = 0.052), >1.12 for KYN/TRP ratio (AUC: 0.704, p < 0.001), and > 0.75 for QA/TRP ratio (AUC: 0.627, p = 0.013). The QA/TRP ratio showed independent and borderline significant association with being delirium in multivariable regression analysis (Odds ratio: 2.007, p = 0.066). Message: This study demonstrated that tryptophan and its metabolites obtained within the first 24 h of ICU admission might have predictive value for determining high-risk older patients for delirium. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between delirium and tryptophan and its metabolites in critically ill older patients. Methods: This prospective and observational study was conducted on patients who were > 60 years of age and hospitalized for at least 24 h at the internal medicine ICU in the tertiary health care unit (n = 120). All consecutively selected patients were evaluated for delirium at the baseline and follow-up period at the bedside by an intensive care specialist. At the end of the 24 h follow up, the patients were divided into two groups (with and without delirium). Clinical properties and tryptophan (TRP) and its metabolites [kynurenine (KYN), kynurenic acid (KYNA), quinolinic acid (QA), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA)] were compared between groups. Results: The median age of the patients was 79.5 (62–95) years and 53.3% were female. The median age and CCI score were significantly higher among patients with delirium than in those without delirium (P = 0.001 and 0.031, respectively). The level of TRP was significantly (borderline) decreased among patients with delirium (P = 0.056). The KYN/TRP and QA/TRP ratios were statistically and significantly higher in patients with delirium than those without (P < 0.001 and P = 0.016, respectively). The best predictive values for detecting delirium were calculated as ≤ 14,100 ng/mL for TRP (AUC: 0.601, P = 0.052), > 1.12 for KYN/TRP ratio (AUC: 0.704, P < 0.001), and > 0.75 for QA/TRP ratio (AUC: 0.627, P = 0.013). The QA/TRP ratio showed independent and borderline significant association with being delirium in multivariable regression analysis (Odds ratio: 2.007, P = 0.066). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that tryptophan and its metabolites obtained within the first 24 h of ICU admission might have predictive value for determining high-risk older patients for delirium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key summary points: Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate differences in characteristics and outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated older patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection. Findings: Compared to older unvaccinated patients hospitalized for COVID-19, vaccinated patients were frailer, had more comorbidities and, independent of these factors, a three times lower risk for in-hospital mortality. Message: Although being frailer, vaccinated older patients have a lower risk of in-hospital mortality than unvaccinated patients. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate characteristics and outcomes in vaccinated and unvaccinated older patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection. Methods: A retrospective multicentre cohort study among patients aged ≥70 years hospitalized for COVID-19 infection. Results: 263 vaccinated and 82 unvaccinated patients were included. Vaccinated patients were older (median age 79 vs. 76 years; p < 0.001), more patients were male (66.2% vs. 53.7%; p = 0.040), had more comorbidities [median Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) 2 vs. 1; p 0.016] and were frailer [Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) ≥ 4 68% vs. 49%; p 0.015]. Vaccinated patients were admitted earlier after symptom onset (median 5 days vs. 7 days) but were equally ill at time of hospital admission. After correction for frailty, comorbidity and disease severity, risk of in-hospital mortality was three times lower for vaccinated patients (HR 0.30 95% CI 0.16–0.56; p < 0.001) compared to unvaccinated patients. Conclusion: Vaccinated patients had lower risk of in-hospital mortality than unvaccinated patients with COVID-19 infection. These findings suggest that vaccinated patients benefit from the protective effect of the vaccine against death during hospital stay, outweighing the increased mortality risk that is associated with older age, greater frailty and more numerous comorbidities. This could be an encouragement for older people to receive age-appropriate vaccines, although no definite conclusions can be drawn for this was no intervention study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of pancreatic cancer, surgical intervention is typically recommended for localized tumours, whereas chemotherapy is the preferred approach in the advanced and/or metastatic setting. However, pancreatic cancer is closely linked to ageing, with an average diagnosis at 72 years. Paradoxically, despite its increased occurrence among older individuals, this population is often underrepresented in clinical studies, complicating the decision-making process. Age alone should not determine the therapeutic strategy but, given the high comorbidity and mortality of this disease, a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is necessary to define the best treatment, prevent toxicity, and optimize older patient care. In this review, a group of experts from the Oncogeriatrics Section of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (Sociedad Española de Oncología Médica, SEOM), the Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumours (Grupo Español de Tratamiento de los Tumores Digestivos, TTD), and the Multidisciplinary Spanish Group of Digestive Cancer (Grupo Español Multidisciplinar en Cáncer Digestivo, GEMCAD) have assessed the available scientific evidence and propose a series of recommendations on the management and treatment of the older population with pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key summary points: Purpose: The aim of this systematic review is twofold, first to compare the VMS frailty instrument as a frailty screener in older patients in different hospital settings with existing frailty instruments and second to provide an overview of the available evidence. Key findings: The VMS frailty instrument is used as a frailty screening instrument in various populations and settings. The VMS frailty instrument is predictive for adverse outcomes and has similar (reasonable) measurement properties as existing frailty tools. Message: The value of the VMS instrument as a frailty screener looks promising, the scoring method of the VMS could be adapted to specific requirements of settings or populations and aim of the screening. Background: Dutch hospitals are required to screen older patients for the risk of developing functional decline using the Safety Management System (VMS) which assesses four domains associated with functional decline; fall risk, risk of delirium, malnutrition, and physical impairment. Purpose: The aim is twofold, first to compare the VMS frailty instrument as a frailty screener with existing frailty instruments and second to provide an overview of the available evidence. Methods: We performed a literature search to identify studies that used the VMS instrument as frailty screener to asses frailty or to predict adverse health outcomes in older hospitalized patients. Pubmed, Cinahl, and Embase were searched from January 1st 2008 to December 11th 2023. Results: Our search yielded 603 articles, of which 17 studies with heterogenous populations and settings were included. Using the VMS, frailty was scored in six different ways. The agreement between VMS and other frailty instruments ranged from 57 to 87%. The highest sensitivity and specificity of VMS for frailty were 90% and 67%, respectively. The association of the VMS with outcomes was studied in 14 studies, VMS was predictive for complications, delirium, falls, length of stay, and adverse events. Conflicting results were found for hospital (re)admission, complications, change in living situation, functional decline, and mortality. Conclusion: The VMS frailty instrument were studied as a frailty screening instrument in various populations and settings. The value of the VMS instrument as a frailty screener looks promising. Our results suggest that the scoring method of the VMS could be adapted to specific requirements of settings or populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction and recovery remain unclear in older patients undergoing interventional therapies for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). This study aimed to compare changes in postoperative cognitive function between younger and older patients and to detect factors associated with non-recovery from postoperative cognitive dysfunction. Methods: This study reviewed 59 consecutive patients with UIAs who underwent interventional therapies, including microsurgical clipping or endovascular treatment, from 2021 to 2022. All patients were divided into the older (aged ≥ 70 years) and younger (aged < 70 years) groups. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) were performed within 2 months before interventions, at 1 week postoperatively (POW1), and 3–6 months postoperatively (POM3–6). Results: MMSE and FAB scores decreased more frequently in the older group than in the younger group at POW1 (older vs. younger: MMSE: 48% vs. 21%, p < 0.05; FAB: 56% vs. 18%, p < 0.01). In the older group, the FAB Z-score decreased in POW1 and recovered by POM3–6 (p < 0.01), while the MMSE Z-score continued to decrease (p = 0.04). Age and the preoperative MSME Z-score were significantly associated with non-recovery from decreased MMSE score at POM3–6 (recovery vs. non-recovery, age: 62 years old vs. 72 years old, p = 0.03, preoperative MMSE Z-score: 0.16 vs. − 0.90, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This retrospective study found that older patients were more likely to have a postoperative cognitive decline after UIA treatment and implicated that global cognitive function tended to decline more than executive function in the long term. In addition, this study demonstrated that lower preoperative cognitive function was associated with inadequate postoperative cognitive recovery. The findings potentially contribute to the establishment of indications for treating UIAs in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Biallelic variants in POC1B are rare causes of autosomal recessive cone dystrophy associated with generalized cone system dysfunction. In this report, we describe the clinical characteristics of a Japanese male patient with POC1B-associated retinopathy with relatively preserved cone system function. Methods: We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify the disease-causing variants and a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including full-field and multifocal electroretinography (ffERG and mfERG). Results: Our WES analysis identified novel compound heterozygous POC1B variants (p.Arg106Gln and p.Arg452Ter) in the patient. His unaffected mother carried the p.Arg452Ter variant heterozygously. The patient experienced decreased visual acuity in his 50s. At the age of 63, his corrected visual acuity was 20/22 in the right and 20/20 in the left eye. Fundus and fundus autofluorescence images for each eye showed no remarkable finding, except for a subtle hyperautofluorescent spot in the fovea of the left eye. Cross-sectional optical coherence tomography demonstrated blurred but a relatively preserved ellipsoid zone. The ffERG showed that amplitudes of rod and standard-flash responses were within the reference range, whereas the cone and light-adapted 30-Hz flicker amplitudes were close to, or slightly below, the reference range. The mfERG revealed substantially reduced responses with relative preservation of central function. Conclusions: We reported the case of an older patient with POC1B-associated retinopathy, demonstrating late-onset visual decrease, good visual acuity, and relatively preserved cone system function. The disease condition was much milder than previously reported in patients with POC1B-associated retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has changed the surgical approach to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) dramatically. The current study compares the outcomes of older and younger patients who underwent VATS lobectomy for NSCLC. Methods: In total, 424 eligible patients with pathological stage I NSCLC underwent VATS lobectomy between 2007 and 2017. Patients were classified into two groups (< 75 and ≥ 75 years old), after which propensity score-matching was performed. Results: After matching, 143 patients were identified. No significant difference in postoperative complication rates was observed; however, the ≥ 75-year-old group had a longer postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.001). The 5-year overall survival, relapse-free survival, and lung cancer-specific survival rates of the < 75- and ≥ 75-year-old groups were 87.1% vs. 85.6% (p = 0.537), 82.1% vs. 79.0% (p = 0.531), and 93.5% vs. 92.7% (p = 0.832), respectively. Conclusion: Despite the longer postoperative recovery following VATS lobectomy, the short- and long-term outcomes of older patients did not differ from those of younger patients. Thus, for early-stage NSCLC, older age alone was not a negative factor for lobectomy performed via minimally invasive surgery. Naturally, the systemic condition of this population must be evaluated carefully before surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Altered mental status occurs in one in four older adults, and the risk increases with age. Numerous scoring systems have been improved to predict mortality, but data are limited for these scoring systems to interpret older adult patients. Aim: We aimed to compare qSOFA and National Early Warning Score-2 (NEWS2) scores in predicting the prognosis of older adults with altered mental status. Method: We included 500 older adults with altered mental status. We noted the qSOFA and NEWS2 scores of the patients. We compared the qSOFA and NEWS2 scores for the prediction of 30-day mortality, 48-h mortality, hospitalization clinic, outcome, and hospitalization length. Results: The mean NEWS2 score was 6.4, and the mean qSOFA score was 1.3. For 30-day mortality, the sensitivity and specificity of the NEWS2 score ≥ 5 were 68.29% and 69.6%, respectively, and those of qSOFA score > 1 were 47.14% and 78.75%, respectively. AUC values for 30-day mortality prediction were 0,725 (CI: 0.683–0.763) and 0.631 (CI: 0.587–0.673). For intensive care unit hospitalization prediction, the sensitivity and specificity of the NEWS2 score ≥ 5 were 52.73% and 77.67%, respectively, and those of qSOFA score > 1 were 35.32% and 81.55%, respectively. In patients with a NEWS2 score > 10 points, the predicted 48-h mortality had a specificity of 80.6%, which was higher than the qSOFA score. Conclusion: NEWS2 score can be used to predict 48-h mortality, 30-day mortality, and intensive care unit hospitalization compared with qSOFA in older adults with altered mental status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinion statement: The need for evidence-based data in the rapidly growing group of older patients is vast and more elderly-specific studies are desperately needed, for which there is clear demand from both patients and providers. Notably, many of the studies discussed in this review included unplanned subset analyses based on age and/or were not originally stratified by age; therefore, these data, particularly overall survival data, need to be interpreted with some caution as they may not be statistically valid based on the initial trial design and statistical plan. As we await data from ongoing elderly-specific trials, our recommendation for managing older patients with CRC should include geriatric screening tools (e.g., CSGA, VES-13, G8, CARG, CRASH) to help guide treatment adjustments for improved tolerability without sacrificing efficacy. For patients with a positive screen for significant geriatric concerns, a full geriatric assessment is recommended to guide treatment approach and supportive care. Prior data support the use of all approved medications for CRC in older adults who are fit; however, treatment breaks and dose attenuation with potential escalation are reasonable options for these patients. Ultimately, management decisions in the care of older adults with mCRC must be made through shared decision-making with the patient with consideration for the patient's functional status, comorbidities, goals of care, social support, as well as potential toxicities and possible effect on QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of large or giant vestibular schwannomas (VSs) between older patients and younger patients who underwent microsurgery and to explore whether the incidence of postoperative complications increased and whether the postoperative hospital stay was prolonged. Methods: We conducted a retrospective matched cohort study based on the surgical approach, maximum tumor diameter and extent of resection. Older patients (≥ 60 years) and a matched group (<60 years) who had undergone microsurgery for VSs between January 2015 and December 2021 were included. Clinical data, surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were analyzed statistically. Results: Forty-two older patients (≥ 60 years, 66.0 ± 3.8 years) were identified and matched to younger patients (<60 years, 43.9 ± 11.2 years), and they all underwent microsurgery through a retrosigmoid approach. There were twenty-nine patients with 3–4 cm VSs and thirteen patients with > 4 cm VSs in both groups. The older patients had a higher proportion of imbalance (P = 0.016) and lower American Society of Anesthesiology scores (P = 0.003) before surgery than the younger patients. There was no significant difference in facial nerve function one week (p = 0.851) and one year (p = 0.756) after surgery and no difference in the postoperative complication incidence (40.5% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.102) between the older patients and controls. Furthermore, the older patients had longer postoperative hospital stays than the younger patients (p = 0.043). In the older group, six patients with near total resection and five with subtotal resection were administered stereotactic radiotherapy, and one had recurrence three years after surgery and received conservative treatment. The postoperative follow-up time ranged from 1 to 83 months, with an average of 33.5 ± 21.1 months. Conclusions: For older patients (≥ 60 years) with symptomatic, large or giant -VSs, microsurgery is the only effective method to prolong lifespan, alleviate clinical symptoms and cure the tumor. However, radical resection of VSs may result in a decreased preservation rate of facial-acoustic nerve function and an increased postoperative complication incidence. Therefore, subtotal resection followed by stereotactic radiotherapy should be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hospital-acquired functional decline (HAFD) is a new predictor of poor prognosis in hospitalized older patients. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of HAFD on the prognosis of older cardiac surgical patients 2 years after discharge. Methods: This multicenter prospective cohort study assessed 293 patients with cardiac disease aged ≥ 65 years who underwent cardiac surgery at 7 Japanese hospitals between June 2017 and June 2018. The primary endpoint was the composite outcome of cardiovascular-related readmission and all-cause mortality 2 years after discharge. HAFD was assessed using the total Short Physical Performance Battery at hospital discharge. Results: The primary outcome was observed in 17.3% of the 254 included patients, and HAFD was significantly associated with the primary outcome. Female sex (hazard ratio [HR], 2.451; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.232–4.878; P = 0.011), hemoglobin level (HR, 0.839; 95% CI 0.705–0.997; P = 0.046), preoperative frailty (HR, 2.391; 95% CI 1.029–5.556; P = 0.043), and HAFD (HR, 2.589; 95% CI 1.122–5.976; P = 0.026) were independently associated with the primary outcome. The incidence rate of HAFD was 22%, with female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.912; 95% CI 1.049–3.485; P = 0.034), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 3.958; 95% CI 1.413–11.086; P = 0.009), and the time interval (days) between surgery and the start of ambulation (OR, 1.260, 95% CI 1.057–1.502; P = 0.010) identified as significant factors. Discussion: HAFD was found to be an independent prognostic determinant of the primary outcome 2 years after discharge. Conclusion: HAFD prevention should be prioritized in the hospital care of older cardiac surgery patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: (1) To compare sporting and recreational activity levels before and at a minimum 6 year follow-up, and (2) to assess the clinical and functional outcomes after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in patients older than 55 years. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of prospectively collected data of 150 patients with a mean age of 64 ± 4.5 (57–74) years was evaluated 8.6 ± 1.4 (6–11) years after primary ACL reconstruction using hamstring autograft. All patients were assessed using the International Knee Documentation Committee scoring system (IKDC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Tegner activity level, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. The level of recreational activities was assessed using a sport-specific questionnaire. All patients were categorized according to Isolated and Combined ACL injury groups. Results: The data of 125 patients were analyzed at the last follow-up. While 25 patients were lost to follow-up, 117 of 125 patients were active before their injury in at least one sports discipline compared to 121 of 125 patients after ACL reconstruction. One hundred and two (82%) patients had returned to their recreational activities at the final follow-up. The mean IKDC subjective score increased from 49.5 ± 23.2 (11.5–100) to 76.2 ± 14.8 (33.3–100) (p < 0.0001). The mean KOOS sport increased significantly from 36 ± 36.2 (0–100) to 74.1 ± 25.5 (0–100) (p < 0.0001). The mean VAS score improved from 6.0 ± 2.6 (0–10) to 1.0 ± 1.4 (0–6) (p < 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the median Tegner activity level (preoperative 5 (2–8) vs. follow-up 5 (2–8) (n.s). There was no significant difference in the number of sports disciplines and duration when comparing pre-injury and mid-term follow-up activity after ACL reconstruction. High-impact activities experienced a significant decline, while a significant increase in participation in low-impact activities was recorded. Conclusion: The majority of patients with symptomatic instability regained their pre-injury recreational activity level with excellent clinical and functional outcomes after arthroscopic ACL reconstruction. Nevertheless, a change from high-to low-impact activities has been observed. Level of evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Building an effective prediction model of adverse drug events (ADE) is necessary to prevent harm caused by medication in older inpatients. Aim: This study aimed to develop a machine learning-based prediction model for the prediction of ADE and explore the risk factors associated with ADEs in older inpatients. Method: Data were from an observational, retrospective study that included 1800 older Chinese inpatients. After dividing the patients into training and test sets (8:2), seven machine learning models were used. Demographic, admission, and treatment clinical variables were considered for model development. The discriminative performance of the model by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was evaluated. We also calculated the model's accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores. Results: Among 1800 patients, 296 ADEs were detected in 234 (13.00%) patients. The main cause of ADEs was antineoplastic agents (55.74%). Seven algorithms, including eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), AdaBoost, CatBoost, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), Tree-based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) and Random Forest (RF), were used to establish the prediction model. The Adaboost model was chosen with the best predictive ability (accuracy 88.06%, precision 68.57%, recall 48.21%, F1 52.75%, and AUC 0.91). Ten significant factors associated with ADEs were identified, including the number of true triggers (+), length of stay, doses per patient, age, number of admissions in the previous year, surgery, drugs per patient, number of medical diagnoses, antibacterial use, and gender. Conclusion: Using machine learning, this novel study establishes an ADE prediction model in older patients. The sophisticated computer algorithm can be implemented at the bedside to improve patient safety in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relationship between the severity of impairment in basic activities of daily living (ADLs) function and postoperative outcomes in older surgical patients remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the association between the severity of preoperative functional impairment and the composite postoperative outcome of major morbidity and mortality in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. We collected perioperative data of older patients (age ≥ 65 years) who underwent digestive tract surgery in our institution. The severity of functional impairment was assessed using the Barthel Index scale before surgery. The major morbidity and mortality were defined as Clavien–Dindo grade III or greater postoperative complications during hospital stay. The association between the severity of functional impairment and the major morbidity and mortality was assessed using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: 131 of 1076 patients (12.2%) developed major morbidity and mortality. After controlling for confounding factors, high Barthel Index scores were correlated with decreased risk of major morbidity and mortality (OR 0.986, 95% CI 0.976–0.997, P = 0.011); preoperative severe (OR 2.862, 95% CI 1.172–6.989, P = 0.021), but not mild or moderate (OR 1.019, 95% CI 0.602–1.726, P = 0.943) functional impairment was independently associated with an increased risk of major morbidity and mortality, when compared with independent functional status. Conclusions: Preoperative severe functional impairment in basic ADLs was independently associated with a higher risk of major postoperative morbidity and mortality in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key summary points: Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between preoperative hyponatremia and life-threatening postoperative complications (including death) among older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. Findings: Preoperative hyponatremia was associated with an increased risk of life-threatening postoperative complications and mortality in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. Preoperative hyponatremia was also correlated with a higher risk of postoperative infectious complications. Message: Preoperative hyponatremia can predict the development of life-threatening postoperative complications and mortality in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. Purpose: Whether preoperative hyponatremia increases the risk of postoperative complications in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery remains unclear. The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between preoperative hyponatremia and life-threatening postoperative complications (including death) among older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. Methods: This was a propensity score-matched, retrospective cohort study. We recruited older patients (≥ 65 years of age) who underwent digestive tract surgery in our institution. The propensity score matching (PSM; 1:2) was used to balance a range of covariates between patients with preoperative hyponatremia (serum sodium [Na+] levels < 135 mmol/L) and those with normal [Na+] levels (135–145 mmol/L). The primary outcome was the occurrence of life-threatening postoperative complications and mortality (i.e., Clavien–Dindo grade IV and V [CD IV and V] complications) during hospital stay. The relationship between preoperative hyponatremia and the development of CD IV and V complications was identified with logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 1076 patients were analyzed (mean age 73.9 years; 421 female [39.1%]). Preoperative hyponatremia was identified in 122 patients. After matching, 312 patients were included in the analyses (104 patients with preoperative hyponatremia and 208 patients with normal [Na+] levels; mean age, 76.3 years; 130 female [41.7%]). When compared with normal [Na+] levels, preoperative hyponatremia was associated with an increased risk of CD IV and V complications (odds ratio [OR] 2.082, 95% confidential interval [CI] 1.041–4.164, P = 0.038). Preoperative hyponatremia was also significantly associated with a higher risk of postoperative infectious complications (OR 2.158, 95% CI 1.138–4.091, P = 0.018). Conclusion: Preoperative hyponatremia can predict an increased risk of life-threatening postoperative complications and mortality in older patients undergoing digestive tract surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key summary points: Aim: Address the epidemiology and the main determinants of outcome of infection in old and very old patients admitted to ICU. Findings: Patients > 65years represented 50% of all infected ICU patients of our sample. Increasing age was associated to higher all-cause mortality and to infection by Gram-negative bacteria but not by MDR bacteria. Message: The present findings may optimize strategies for infection management in older patients, namely by adjusting initial empiric antibiotics. Purpose: Older patients are the fastest expanding subgroup of intensive care units (ICU) and are particularly susceptible to bacterial infections and sepsis. The aim of this study was to address the epidemiology and the main determinants of outcome of infection in old and very old patients admitted to ICU. Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of all infected patients admitted to ICU enrolled in a 1-year prospective, observational, multipurpose study. Patients aged < 65, 65–74 and ≥ 75 years were compared. Results: Of the 1652 patients included, 50% were older than 65 years. There were no significant differences between young, old and very old patients in either ICU, hospital length of stay, or nosocomial infection. All-cause mortality was significantly higher in participants aged ≥ 75. Increased Gram-negative microorganisms' isolates occurred in > 65 years (25% versus 31%; p = 0.034). Multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms were directly associated to inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy (OR 4.73; 95% CI 2.99–7.47) and inversely associated with community-acquired infection (OR 0.39; 95% CI 0.19–0.83). Age (65–74 years: OR 1.10; 95% CI 0.64–1.90 and ≥ 75 years: OR 1.52; 95% CI 0.89–2.59) and sepsis severity (sepsis: OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.18–2.46; severe sepsis: OR 1.17; 95% CI 0.40–3.44; septic shock: OR 0.77; 95% CI 0.27–2.24) were not associated to MDR bacteria. Conclusion: Patients > 65 years accounted for 50% of infected patients admitted to an ICU. ICU and hospital length of stay, and nosocomial infection did not increase with age. Age did predispose to increased risk for infection by Gram-negatives. These findings may optimize strategies for infection management in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background It is crucial to develop and implement community pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care services in primary care that could prevent and detect potentially inappropriate prescribing and promote medication adherence in older patients. Objective The aim of this study was to determine community pharmacists' perceived barriers and facilitators face during the provision of pharmaceutical care to older patients by using a theoretical domains framework. Method A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among community pharmacists in Turkey. A Turkish version of the 50-item Determinants of Implementation Behavior Questionnaire was developed to evaluate behavioral determinants of community pharmacists on delivering pharmaceutical care to older patients. Main outcome measures The behavioral determinants of community pharmacists. Results A total of 354 community pharmacists answered the questionnaire. The mean age was 43.2 (standard deviation = 11.1), and 227 (64%) of the pharmacists were female. Community pharmacists' positive opinions on pharmaceutical care service outcomes in older patients and feedback were regarded as facilitators. Community pharmacists' motivational level and emotions were additional determinant facilitators in delivering pharmaceutical care to older patients. Their negative opinions on the impact and action of pharmaceutical care in older patients were regarded as barriers. Conclusion In primary health care, a theory-based e-distant training program for community pharmacists and the guidelines for standard pharmaceutical care services led by community pharmacists could be designed by addressing barriers related to the impact and action of pharmaceutical care in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is common in patients with cancer. We investigated the effects of dietary intervention and baseline nutritional status on worsening of HRQoL in older patients during chemotherapy. In this randomized control trial assessing the effect on mortality of dietary advice to increase dietary intake during chemotherapy, this post hoc analysis included 155 patients with cancer at risk of malnutrition. The effects of dietary intervention, baseline Mini Nutritional Assessment item scores, weight loss, and protein and energy intake before treatment on the worsening of HRQoL (physical functioning, fatigue) and secondary outcomes (Timed Up and Go test, one-leg stance time, depressive symptoms, basic (ADL), or instrumental (IADL) activities of daily living) were analyzed by multinomial regressions. Dietary intervention increased total energy and protein intake but had no effect on any examined outcomes. Worsening of fatigue and ADL was predicted by very low protein intake (< 0.8 g kg−1 day−1) before chemotherapy (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.22–7.46, p = 0.018 and OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.18–22.73, p = 0.029 respectively). Increase in depressive symptomatology was predicted by 5.0–9.9% weight loss before chemotherapy (OR 2.68, 95% CI 1.10–6.80, p = 0.038). Nutritional intervention to prevent HRQoL decline during chemotherapy should focus on patients with very low protein intake along with those with weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Older patients represent a unique subgroup of the cancer patient population for which the role of radiation therapy (RT) requires special consideration. This review will discuss many of these considerations as well as various radiation treatment techniques in the context of a variety of disease sites. Recent Findings: Several recent studies give insight into the management of older cancer patients considering their age, performance status, comorbid conditions, quality of life, genetics, cost, and individual goals. RT plays an evolving and pivotal role in providing optimal care for this population. Recent advances in RT technique allow for more precise treatment delivery and reduced toxicity. Studies evaluating the use of radiation therapy in breast, brain, lung, prostate, rectal, pancreatic, esophageal, and oligometastatic cancer are summarized and discussed in the context of treating the older patient population. Summary: Individual age, performance and functional status, comorbid conditions, and patients’ objectives and goals should all be considered when presenting treatment options for older patients and age alone should not disqualify patients from curative intent treatments. When possible, hypofractionated courses should be utilized as outcomes are often equivalent and toxicities are reduced. In many cases, RT may be preferable to other treatment options due to decreased toxicity profile and acceptable disease control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Delirium is a serious complication, which occurs frequently in older patients with pre-existing cognitive impairment. There is a need for a simple tool to assess chronic cognitive impairment and the associated risk of delirium during hospitalization. Aims: To assess the usefulness of the short IQCODE questionnaire in predicting delirium during hospitalization in older patients in a geriatric ward. Methods: A prognostic study in the Geriatric Department at Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus Denmark. Consecutive patients were enrolled during March to December, 2017. After consent of the patient, the staff interviewed the relatives by phone using the short IQCODE questionnaire. Delirium was assessed morning and evening until discharge by the Confusion Assessment Method. The ability of short IQCODE to predict delirium was examined. Results: Three hundred and fifty-three patients were eligible, and 306 completed the IQCODE. Delirium occurred among 19% of the patients during hospitalization. The IQCODE score was associated with the risk of delirium with a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area of 0.72. A cut-point of 3.3 could separate the patients in a larger group with a risk of approximately 26% to develop delirium and a smaller group having a risk of approximately 6%. Conclusion: The IQCODE is a useful tool to predict delirium among older inpatients, but it may not stand alone. It can be a useful supplement to other clinical information and observations in detecting patients needing dementia-friendly treatment and care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D-dimer is routinely measured to exclude the diagnosis of venous thromboembolism and is its main biomarker. Appropriate age-adjusted D-dimer testing improves D-dimer specificity, could decrease inappropriate CT pulmonary angiograms in the older person, and prevent unnecessary radiation exposure. A "COVID-19 blood battery", designed to increase the efficiency of evaluation of COVID-19 suspected patients is used in our institution. It includes D-dimers which are elevated in COVID-19 infections and potentially an index of severe infection. These 3 very frail patients presented late to the emergency department, all acutely and non-specifically unwell, with high prevalence of comorbidities and were transferred in by ambulance. They were triaged to the COVID-19 pathway of our hospital, and subsequently had negative COVID-19 swabs. All had an incidental finding of markedly elevated D-dimers, with potential causes of their symptoms other than pulmonary embolus. They were transferred to an acute geriatric ward specifically designated to manage older patients (>75years) who had negative nasopharyngeal swab results. They were all ultimately diagnosed with extensive pulmonary emboli with evidence of raised pulmonary pressures on CTPA and/or echocardiogram. It is possible that these patients had false negative COVID-19 swabs. Allowing for the novel nature of COVID-19, prospective evaluation for new symptoms and complications such as thromboembolic disease in those affected by milder symptoms should be considered. In the absence of clinical improvement following treatment of other conditions in frail older patients, D-dimer testing could be indicated with pursuit of specific diagnostic evaluation for venous thromboembolism when significantly elevated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: This paper aims to give the specialist and non-specialist alike an overview of the considerations involved in the management of cancer-related pain in the older population. Recent Findings: Comprehensive guidelines on cancer pain management have been published recently by expert bodies. Cancer pain differs in many respects to other pain conditions and we are likely to encounter it more frequently in older patients in the future. The elderly are more sensitive to the effects of many analgesic medications. Summary: The elderly patient with cancer pain presents a unique challenge to the treating physician. The biological effects of ageing impact on the efficacy of many pain management strategies as well as its diagnosis and assessment. Treatment options can be broadly divided into pharmacological, non-pharmacological and interventional. A multidisciplinary approach and frequent re-assessment are essential in achieving favourable outcomes in this patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objectives of this research are (i) to describe the medico-administrative characteristics of inpatients aged 65 and more who are hospitalized for hip joint replacement, (ii) to evaluate the complete hospital cost into costs of medical procedures, drugs costs, prostheses costs, and the administrative costs, and (iii) to identify and to evaluate from administrative database predictors influencing the complete hospital costs.Methods: The study was based on 961 inpatient stays aged 65 and more, with the APR-DRG 301 "Hip joint replacement". The sample for this study was based on data collected in 2014 among nine Belgian general hospitals. We used the linear regression method for isolating predictors of hospital cost.Results: The study highlights three different types of patients hospitalized for hip replacement, depending on the primary diagnosis: osteoarthritis problems (57%), femur neck fracture (30%), or other reasons (13%) (complications, infections, or problems with the existing hip prosthesis). The median length of stay (P25-P75) was 9 days (6.29-20.91). The median cost (P25-P75) was 8,023.91 EUR (6678.32-13,670.78). The total cost was composed of the direct hospital cost (30%), the cost of medical procedures (31%), cost of drugs (4%), the cost of hip prosthesis (18%), and other costs (17%). The linear regression reveals that an extreme SOI or risk of mortality, an ICU stay, an in-hospital death, an index of Charlson comorbidities of 4 or 5, to be hospitalized for a hip replacement because of complications, infections, or problems with the existing hip prosthesis, and the length of stay, were predictors of an increase in hospital cost.Conclusion: The cost is not increasing with the age of the patient, but mainly with the length of stay and the comorbidities linked to the age which are considered in the severity of illness and the Charlson comorbidities index. The hospital cost is higher for patients hospitalized for complications linked to an existing hip prosthesis than for a hip replacement linked to osteoarthritis problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: For older adults, an Emergency Department (ED) visit represents a period of vulnerability that extends beyond the visit itself. This study aimed to determine the impact of the role of caregiver, and geriatric conditions of patients on early unplanned rehospitalization (EUR) within 3 months after an ED visit. Methods: This prospective longitudinal experimental study included consecutively 173 patients aged 75 and older admitted in an ED over a 2-week period (18.7 % of the total visits). Only older patients having a caregiver were analyzed (78.0 %, n = 135). Medical conditions and a comprehensive geriatric assessment were recorded for each patient. All caregivers were interviewed about their tasks and emotional impact using the short Zarit Burden Inventory. Three months after, patients or their caregivers were called about the vital status, and EUR of patients. Results: Among the patients included, 64.2 % had an EUR and 28.9 % of their caregivers reported a high level of burden. EUR was strongly associated with a high caregiver burden (OR 8.7, 95 % CI 1.5-49.8). No association was found for patient's medical or geriatric status. Caregivers reported a significantly high burden when patients were malnourished, or were at risk of adverse health outcomes based on the ISAR scale, and when they had greater disabilities in IADLs and ADLs, or cognitive impairments. Conclusions: Many hospital readmissions after an ED visit may be preventable by identifying caregiver's high burden. Reasons that lead to this high burden should be checked at the first visit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the most valuable comorbidity index to apply in a clinical context and its prospective association with 1-year mortality and 3-month readmission. The authors also intend to gauge the evolution of older patients' admission profile over 13 years, in the same clinical setting. Subjects/materials and methods: The authors analyzed data from 100 consecutive patients admitted in 2012. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G) and the Medication-Based Disease Burden Index (MDBI) were used to evaluate comorbidity. Length of stay, number of diagnoses and of medications, readmission and mortality were assessed. A p value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: Mean age was 80.6 years, mean length of stay was 8.8 days, and mean number of diagnosis per patient was 7.9. Mean values of score were of 3.6 for the CCI, 11.3 for the CIRS-G and 0.552 for the MDBI. Three-month readmission and 1-year mortality rates related to higher CCI and CIRS-G scores. No association was found between MDBI and the outcomes evaluated. One-year mortality reached 24 % and 3-month readmission was of 43 %. Comparing the two samples, mean age increased in 2.1 years and the number of diagnosis by 2.2. Length of stay decreased 2 days. Discussion and conclusion: CCI was easier to use but the CIRS-G was better at evaluating comorbidity. MDBI did not seem to be a trustworthy tool. Despite an older population with high comorbidity, length of stay decreased over 13 years. However, readmission was high. Introduction of geriatric care standards is required to improve health outcomes for older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine how target patients seen in clinical practice are represented in clinical trials for approved drugs in Japan, we compared the age distribution of older patients enrolled in confirmatory clinical trials for regulatory approval with that of the estimated actual patient population. Drugs for 6 chronic conditions common among older patients (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, non-small cell lung cancer, depression and Alzheimer's disease) launched by 2012 in Japan were selected. The disparity in age distribution between patients in trials and patients seen in clinical practice varied depending on the disease, but older patients, especially those aged 75 or older, were generally underrepresented in clinical trials for regulatory approval in Japan. Under-representation of older patients in hypertension trials was particularly marked compared to other conditions, despite the similarity in age distribution of patients seen in clinical practice. One factor causing this disparity may be an upper age limit in clinical trial protocols. More effort is needed to properly characterize the benefits and risks of drugs for older patients. This should include the active enrollment of older patients in clinical trials, the establishment of better assessment tools such as pharmacometric approaches, and the appropriate planning and conducting of post-marketing surveys and studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors. CRC patients are susceptible to suffering from depression. Whether the immune system of CRC patients with depression is impaired or stimulated is controversial. Possible reasons for this conflict are the involvement of confounding factors, such as the age of the patient, the stage of the CRC and the types of treatment in previous studies. To demonstrate clearly the relationship between depression and the immune system in the context of CRC, the present study included only older patients with advanced CRC who received only chemotherapy, and the study adopted immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) as an immune parameter for the first time. A total of 56 older patients with advanced CRC completed the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and were divided into two groups according to SDS scores. The patients exhibiting depression were treated with fluoxetine until their symptoms remitted. The serum levels of IAP and the percentages of CD3-positive (CD3+), CD4+, CD8+ T lymphocytes and CD56+ natural killer (NK) cells and Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were calculated at the time of enrollment and once the symptoms remitted. Correlation analyses revealed that the SDS score was positively associated with serum IAP levels but negatively associated with CD3 and CD4 levels. Among the depressed and non-depressed patients, serum IAP levels and the percentages of CD3 and CD4 cells were dramatically different. After the depression symptoms were treated, the IAP levels dramatically decreased, while the levels of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD56 were unchanged. All of above suggested that IAP was closely correlated with depression and might be a relatively objective parameter for predicting depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility and toxicity of adjuvant dose-dense chemotherapy in older women with breast cancer. Methods A search of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) breast cancer database was performed to identify all patients age 60 and older who underwent an initial consultation with a breast medical oncologist between October 1, 2002 and June 28, 2005. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age ≥ 60, (2) follow-up care obtained at MSKCC, (3) intent to treat with adjuvant dose-dense AC-T (doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 every 2 weeks for 4 cycles followed by paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 every 2 weeks for 4 cycles, with white blood cell growth factor support). Results One hundred sixty-two patients (mean age 66, range 60–76) with breast cancer, stages I ( n = 5), II ( n = 111), and III ( n = 46) according to the sixth edition of the AJCC staging system, were included in this analysis. Forty-one percent ( n = 67) experienced a grade 3 or 4 toxicity, 9% a grade 3 infection ( n = 14), 6% grade 3 fatigue ( n = 9), 5% neutropenic fever ( n = 8), and 4% thromboembolic events ( n = 7). Twenty-two percent ( n = 36) did not complete the planned 8 cycles of treatment. There was no statistically significant association between age and either toxicity or treatment discontinuation. In multivariate analysis including age, pretreatment hemoglobin, and comorbidity, the presence of comorbidity (Charlson score ≥ 1) and a lower baseline hemoglobin score were associated with an increased risk of any grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Conclusions We found that the risk of toxicity depended more on comorbid medical conditions and baseline hemoglobin value than age in this cohort of older adults receiving dose-dense adjuvant chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing recipient age is a well-known risk factor for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and treatment-related mortality (TRM) and has a negative impact on allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Since the incidence of severe GVHD after cord blood transplantation (CBT) is lower than that after transplants using bone marrow or mobilized peripheral blood grafts from adult cells, we should expect better outcomes from CBT in older patients. To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of myeloablative unrelated CBT in patients aged between 50 and 55 years, we performed a retrospective comparison of 100 patients with acute leukemia who received cord blood grafts at our institution. Nineteen older patients (median age, 52; range, 50–55) and 81 younger patients (median, 36; range, 16–49) received a myeloablative conditioning regimen including 12 Gy of total body irradiation and chemotherapy. GVHD prophylaxis included cyclosporine with ( n = 96) or without ( n = 4) methotrexate. There were no significant differences in the incidences of grades II to IV acute GVHD, extensive-type chronic GVHD, TRM, and the probability of overall and disease-free survival between these groups. These results suggest that, in patients with acute leukemia, myeloablative CBT might be as safe and effective in patients aged between 50 and 55 years as in younger patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This abbreviated review outlines the physiologic changes associated with aging, and examines how these changes may affect the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of anticancer therapies. We also provide an overview of studies that have been conducted evaluating the pharmacology of anticancer therapies in older adults, and issue a call for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In older patients we documented the incidence of additional injuries in shoulder dislocations in a non-randomised, prospective study and compared the results of conservative and of operative therapy of rotator cuff tears. Material and Methods: Between 1993 and 1999 a total of 87 patients were prospectively enrolled. In the case of documented tears of the rotator cuff in combination with symptoms persisting after conservative therapy patients were free to decide between surgical and conservative treatment. Patients were monitored for function, subjective stability, and satisfaction over a minimum follow-up period of 1 year. Results: In 54% of the patients enrolled a cuff tear was documented; the frequency increased with advancing age to 100% in patients over the age of 70. Surgical treatment of the cuff tears resulted in better function and satisfaction. There were three recurrences in the conservative treatment group, while no recurrences were documented in surgically treated patients. The significant benefit of cuff repair was confirmed by regression analysis. Conclusion: In this selected patient group, we believe surgical repair of the symptomatic rotator cuff tear should be discussed with the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhinoplasty is often indicated in the older patient, either as an isolated procedure or in continuous or staged combination with other facial rejuvenative operations. The operations must be tempered with conservatism and artistic judgment. The nose of an older person should look natural and inconspicuous and fit the patient's face. Because of possible coronary or hypertensive problems, epinephrine in the local anesthetic solution should be used in lesser concentrations, requiring a longer wait for its full vasoconstrictive effect. Nasal cartilage is tougher, and the nasal bone more brittle in the older patient. In addition to the usual complete rhinoplasty, the partial rhinoplasty is a useful operation for the older individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]