Arch Intern Med
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Comparative Study
Comparison of 2 frailty indexes for prediction of falls, disability, fractures, and death in older women.
Frailty, as defined by the index derived from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS index), predicts risk of adverse outcomes in older adults. Use of this index, however, is impractical in clinical practice. ⋯ The simple SOF index predicts risk of falls, disability, fracture, and death as well as the more complex CHS index and may provide a useful definition of frailty to identify older women at risk of adverse health outcomes in clinical practice.
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Nursing home residents with advanced dementia are at high risk of infections and antimicrobial exposure near the end of life. Detailed studies quantifying antimicrobial prescribing practices among these residents have not been performed. ⋯ Persons with advanced dementia are frequently exposed to antimicrobials, especially during the 2 weeks before death. The implications of this practice from the perspective of the individual treatment burden near the end of life and its contribution to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in the nursing home setting need further evaluation.
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Prospective data on nongenetic determinants of exceptional longevity are limited, and information on long-lived men and their functional status is particularly sparse. We examined modifiable factors associated with a life span of 90 or more years and late-life function in men. ⋯ Modifiable healthy behaviors during early elderly years, including smoking abstinence, weight management, blood pressure control, and regular exercise, are associated not only with enhanced life span in men but also with good health and function during older age.