Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
-
Nursing homes (NHs) collaboration with hospices appears to improve end-of-life (EOL) care among dying NH residents. However, the potential benefits of NH-hospice collaboration may vary with the patterns of this collaboration. This study examines the relationship between the attributes of NH-hospice collaboration, especially the exclusivity of NH-hospice collaboration (ie, the number of hospice providers in a NH), and EOL hospitalizations among dying NH residents. ⋯ More hospice providers in the NH was not associated with lower EOL hospitalizations, especially among NHs with relatively high volume of hospice services.
-
Multicenter Study
An Easy Assessment of Frailty at Baseline Independently Predicts Prognosis in Very Elderly Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes.
Information about the impact of frailty in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) is scarce. No study has assessed the prognostic impact of frailty as measured by the FRAIL scale in very elderly patients with ACS. ⋯ The FRAIL scale is a simple tool that independently predicts mortality in unselected very elderly patients with ACS. The presence of prefrailty criteria also should be taken into account when performing risk stratification of these patients.
-
To evaluate joint trajectories of cognition and frailty and their association with the cumulative burden of patient-reported outcomes, including hospitalization, nursing home admission, and disability. ⋯ Community-living older persons exhibit distinct joint trajectories of cognition and frailty and experience an increasing burden of nursing home admission and disability as they age, with the greatest burden for those on a cognitive frailty trajectory.
-
Frailty has been identified as a risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes after cardiac intervention or surgery. However, whether it increases the risk of adverse outcomes in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy has been controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the frailty measures and clinical outcomes of length of stay and mortality in this setting. ⋯ Frailty leads to significantly longer time to extubation, hospital length of stay, and long-term mortality in advanced heart failure patients who have undergone LVAD implantation. Older patients being considered for LVAD implantation should therefore be assessed for frailty status. The risk and benefit of the procedure should be explained to the patient, emphasizing that frailty increases the likelihood of adverse clinical outcomes.
-
To compare the diagnostic value of the 5-component questionnaire that measures strength, assistance walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, and falls (SARC-F) and SARC-F combined with calf circumference (SARC-CalF) for screening sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults. ⋯ SARC-CalF significantly improves the sensitivity and overall diagnostic accuracy of SARC-F for screening sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.