BMC geriatrics
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Comparative Study
Association of cognitive impairment and elderly mortality: differences between two cohorts ascertained 6-years apart in China.
Cognitive impairment is a major contributor to mortality among the elderly. However, the relationship between cognitive impairment evaluated by educational levels and mortality and the trend between cognitive impairment and mortality with time are unclear. We aim to evaluate the differences in associations of cognitive impairment, taking the stratification by educational levels into account, with all-cause mortality and further explore the relationship of cognitive impairment with mortality in different age and sex groups in two cohorts ascertained 6 years apart in China. ⋯ Cognitive impairment evaluated by different cut-offs were associated with increased risk of mortality, especially among those aged 65-79 years in the two cohorts; this advocates that periodic screening for cognitive impairment among the elderly is warranted.
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Older adults have the highest drug utilization due to multimorbidity. Although the number of people over age 70 is expected to double within the next decades, population-based data on their medication patterns are scarce especially in combination with polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM). Our objective was to analyse the frequency of polypharmacy, pattern of prescription (PD) and over-the-counter (OTC) drug usage, and PIMs according to age and gender in a population-based cohort of very old adults in Germany. ⋯ Polypharmacy was excessive in older adults, with not only PD but also OTC drugs contributing to the high point prevalence. The medication patterns reflected the treatment of chronic diseases in this age group. There was even an increase in medication frequency between below and above 80 years especially for drugs of cardiovascular diseases, antithrombotic medication, psychoanaleptics, and dietary supplements.
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Previous studies suggest that poor sleep quality or abnormal sleep duration may be associated with frailty. Here we test the associations of sleep disturbances with both frailty and pre-frailty in an elderly population. ⋯ We provided preliminary evidences that poor sleep quality and prolonged sleep duration were associated with being frailty and pre-frailty in an elderly population aged 70-87 years. The associations need to be validated in other elderly populations.