Clinical interventions in aging
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Sympathovagal imbalance is a common underlying disorder in hypertension and diabetes. This study characterized autonomic nervous system function, indicated by heart rate deceleration capacity (DC) and deceleration runs (DRs), in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with or without concomitant essential hypertension. ⋯ Compared with healthy subjects, T2DM patients with or without essential hypertension have lower DC and DRs. DC and DRs correlate negatively with blood glucose and insulin resistance index.
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Cough on anesthetic emergence should be prevented considering its dangerous complications. Target-controlled infusion (TCI) of remifentanil can reduce emergence cough effectively, and sex-related differences in effect-site concentration (Ce) of remifentanil have been evaluated in young patients. In this study, we determined the Ce of remifentanil for preventing emergence cough following extubation in male and female elderly patients and evaluated the sex-related difference. ⋯ The remifentanil requirement for preventing emergence cough was lower in female than in male elderly patients, indicative of sex-related differences in Ce of remifentanil. Sex should be considered when using remifentanil TCI for preventing emergence cough in elderly patients.
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Review Meta Analysis
Comprehensive geriatric assessment prediction of postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients: a meta-analysis.
Gastrointestinal cancer is an age-associated disease, and geriatric patients are mostly likely to suffer from postoperative complications. Some studies indicated that comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) could predict postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients. However, the evidence is mixed. ⋯ Comorbidity (CCI ≥3), polypharmacy (≥5 drugs/day) and ADL dependency were predictive factors for postoperative complications in gastrointestinal cancer patients; the results of other geriatric instruments were not conclusive, pointing to insufficient studies and requirement of more original investigations.
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Review
Quality of life and psychological consequences in elderly patients after a hip fracture: a review.
Fractures due to fragility of the bone around the hip joint have become a major public health issue, presenting with an increasing incidence due to the growth of the elderly population. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of hip fractures on the quality of life (QoL), health status (HS), functioning, and psychological parameters, and factors influencing the outcome and the appropriate interventions for improvement of elderly patients. A systematic electronic search of the relevant literature was carried out using the CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Medline (OvidSP), and PubMed databases spanning the time period from their establishment up to January 2017. ⋯ For the displaced femoral neck fractures, the treatment with total hip arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty, when compared to the treatment with internal fixation, provided a better functional outcome. Supportive rehabilitation programs, complemented by psychotherapy and nutritional supplementation prior to and after surgery, provided beneficial effects on the HS and the psychosocial dimension of the more debilitated patients' lives. Lack of consensus concerning the most appropriate HRQoL questionnaires to screen and identify those patients with more difficulties in the psychosocial functions, demonstrates the necessity for further research to assess the newer outcome measurement tools, which might improve our understanding for better care of patients with hip fractures.
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Review
Profile of sugammadex for reversal of neuromuscular blockade in the elderly: current perspectives.
The number of elderly patients is increasing worldwide. This will have a significant impact on the practice of anesthesia in future decades. Anesthesiologists must provide care for an increasing number of elderly patients, who have an elevated risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. ⋯ However, aging is associated with certain changes in the pharmacokinetics of sugammadex, and to date there has been no thorough evaluation of the use of sugammadex in elderly patients. The aim of this review was to perform an analysis of the use of sugammadex in older adults based on the current literature. Major issues surrounding the physiologic and pharmacologic effects of aging in elderly patients and how these may impact the routine use of sugammadex in elderly patients are discussed.