Age and ageing
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osteoarthritis (OA) of knee has been reported as a risk factor for falls and reduced balance in the elderly. This systematic review evaluated the effectiveness of physical therapies in improving balance and reducing falls risk among patients with knee OA. ⋯ strength training, Tai Chi and aerobics exercises improved balance and falls risk in older individuals with knee OA, while water-based exercises and light treatment did not significantly improve balance outcomes. Strength training, Tai Chi and aerobics exercises can therefore be recommended as falls prevention strategies for individuals with OA. However, a large randomised controlled study using actual falls outcomes is recommended to determine the appropriate dosage and to measure the potential benefits in falls reduction.
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frailty is a state of vulnerability to adverse outcomes. Routine identification of frailty is recommended in international guidance. This systematic review investigates the diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) of simple instruments for identifying frailty in community-dwelling older people. ⋯ slow gait speed, PRISMA 7 and the timed get-up-and-go test have high sensitivity for identifying frailty. However, limited specificity implies many false-positive results which means that these instruments cannot be used as accurate single tests to identify frailty.
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Comparative Study
Prevalence of frailty and disability: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
to examine the prevalence of frailty and disability in people aged 60 and over and the proportion of those with disabilities who receive help or use assistive devices. ⋯ frailty becomes increasingly common in older age groups and is associated with a sizeable burden as regards difficulties with mobility and other everyday activities.
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Observational Study
A prospective observational study to investigate the association between abnormal hand movements and delirium in hospitalised older people.
to examine the relationship between carphology (aimlessly picking at bedclothes), floccillation (plucking at the air) and delirium in older patients admitted to specialist elderly care wards. ⋯ carphology and floccillation are uncommon physical signs, but their presence is highly suggestive of delirium. The behaviours are unrelated to delirium subtype making their presence particularly useful in the diagnosis of hypo-active delirium.
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We describe the case of an 83-year-old lady with a known aneurysmal thoracic aorta, developing acute breathlessness and hypoxia, with no pain and unremarkable cardiovascular examination. As D-dimers were raised, she was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for suspected pulmonary embolism. CT pulmonary angiography showed acutely dissecting, Type-A, thoracic aortic aneurysm. ⋯ Observational studies of patients over 70 with Type-A dissection show only 75.3% experience pain, are offered surgery less and have higher mortality. d-Dimers are almost always elevated in aortic dissection. No previous studies document breathlessness as the only presenting symptom. This case emphasises the need, in older populations, for a low suspicion threshold for aortic dissection.