Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
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Comparative Study
Poor functional status as a risk factor for severe Clostridium difficile infection in hospitalized older adults.
To determine the role of impaired functional status as a risk factor for severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in older adults. ⋯ In this cohort of hospitalized older adults, impaired functional status was an independent risk factor for severe CDI.
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Multicenter Study
Nonmotor symptoms in nursing home residents with Parkinson's disease: prevalence and effect on quality of life.
To determine the prevalence of nonmotor symptoms (NMS) in nursing home (NH) residents with Parkinson's disease (PD) and to establish the association with quality of life. ⋯ Nonmotor symptoms were highly prevalent in NH residents with PD. Quality of life was poor, largely because of NMS. Because many NMS are potentially treatable, diagnosis and treatment of these severely affected individuals deserve more attention.
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Comparative Study
Skilled nursing facility admissions of nursing home residents with advanced dementia.
To describe the extent to which hospitalized nursing home (NH) residents with advanced dementia were admitted to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) after a qualifying hospitalization and to identify resident and nursing home characteristics associated with a greater likelihood of SNF admissions. ⋯ The majority of nursing home residents with advanced dementia are admitted to SNFs after a qualifying hospitalization. SNF admission is strongly associated with PEG tube insertion during hospitalization and with nursing home factors. Efforts to optimize appropriate use of SNF services in individuals with advanced dementia should focus on these factors.
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Comparative Study
Mini nutritional assessment as a useful method of predicting the development of pressure ulcers in elderly inpatients.
To determine the usefulness of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and plasma amino acid analysis in predicting the formation of pressure ulcers (PUs) in inpatients. ⋯ Mini Nutritional Assessment was able to predict the development of PUs. A MNA score of less than 8 performed better than the SGA, Braden Scale, and plasma arginine levels in predicting PU development. Although lower plasma arginine concentration at time of admission was associated with PU development, the AUC for arginine was not significantly different from 0.50. The findings from this prospective study support the use of nutritional assessment in inpatients to predict PU risk and target appropriate interventions.