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The article discusses a study on the relationship between early electrolyte testing and hospital visits for hyponatremia in older adults starting antidepressant therapy. The study found that the rate of testing and hospitalization for hyponatremia was lower than expected, leading the authors to question the clinical benefit of routine sodium testing in all patients on antidepressants. However, the authors also acknowledge the importance of close monitoring of serum sodium levels, especially in older individuals who have newly started antidepressants or are taking other medications that may decrease sodium levels. The study suggests the need for further research to confirm these findings and explore the potential risks and benefits of sodium monitoring in this population. [Extracted from the article]

Aim Methods Results Conclusion To evaluate the ability of SMART‐COP (systolic blood pressure, multilobar infiltrates, albumin, respiratory rate, tachycardia, confusion, oxygen and pH) score to predict the need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality among patients with non–ventilator‐associated hospital‐acquired pneumonia (NV‐HAP) and to compare ICU‐hospitalized patients with those followed‐up in the clinic, as well as the patients who survived with those who died in the ICU, in terms of clinical and laboratory parameters.A total of 203 patients (aged > 65 years) who were diagnosed with NV‐HAP while staying in the geriatric clinic were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. Patient information was retrieved from hospital files.In a total of 203 patients with NV‐HAP, the rate of ICU admission was 77.3% and the rate of mortality was 40.9%. The SMART‐COP score was significantly higher in those admitted to the ICU and those died in the ICU (ICU nonsurvivors). The rate of ICU mortality was 52.9%. The SMART‐COP score had significantly poor to moderate ability to predict the need for ICU admission (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.583) and both in‐hospital mortality (AUC = 0.633) and ICU mortality (AUC = 0.617) with low sensitivity. The regression analysis revealed that a one‐unit increase in SMART‐COP score resulted in a 1.2‐fold increase in both the hospital and ICU mortality (P < 0.05 for both) and 1.1‐fold increase in ICU admission (P = 0.154).The SMART‐COP score has poor to moderate ability to predict the need for ICU admission, in‐hospital mortality and ICU mortality, and a one‐unit increase in the SMART‐COP score significantly increases the risk of both hospital and ICU mortality. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; ••: ••–••. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]