Association of serum uric acid with functional disability in older subjects: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The role of serum uric acid (SUA) in the development of adverse health outcomes in advanced age is still uncertain. AIMS: The aim of the study was to assess the association of disability with SUA levels in older community-dwelling subjects. METHODS: We assessed the association of disability with SUA in all 351 inhabitants of Tuscania (Italy) aged 75+. Functional ability was estimated using the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). RESULTS: In logistic regression, increasing SUA levels were associated with disability (OR = 1.22; 95%CI = 1.01-1.48; P = .036), after adjusting. The association was independent of both gender and age (P for interaction > 0.050). SUA levels above 5.5 mg/dL best predicted disability. CONCLUSIONS: In older subjects, SUA levels are associated with disability; the cut off level above 5.5 mg/dL might be adopted in pharmacological trials aiming at reducing the incidence and progression of disability by reducing SUA, and for identifying subjects at increased risk of disability.

Mechanically aligned total knee arthroplasty does not yield uniform outcomes across all coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) phenotypes.

PURPOSE: Patient dissatisfaction rates following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) reported in the literature reach 20%. The optimal coronal alignment is still under debate. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare clinical outcomes in different coronal plane alignment of the knee (CPAK) phenotypes undergoing mechanically aligned (MA) TKA. The hypothesis was that knees with preoperative varus arithmetic hip-knee-ankle angle (aHKA) would achieve inferior clinical outcomes after surgery compared to other aHKA categories. Additionally, another objective was to assess CPAK phenotypes distribution in the study population. METHODS: A retrospective selection was made of 180 patients who underwent MA TKA from April 2021 to December 2022, with a 1-year follow-up. Coronal knee alignment was classified according to the CPAK classification. Clinical outcome evaluations were measured using the Knee Society Score (KSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Short Form Survey 12 and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS). Differences in clinical outcomes were considered statistically significant with a p value <0 .05. RESULTS: Patients with varus aHKA achieved significantly inferior outcomes at final follow-up compared to other aHKA categories in KSS pt. 1 (79.7 ± 17.2 vs. 85.6 ± 14.7; p = 0.028), OKS (39.2 ± 9.2 vs. 42.2 ± 7.2; p = 0.019) and FJS (75.4 ± 31.0 vs. 87.4 ± 22.9; p =0 .003). The most common aHKA category was the varus category (39%). The most common CPAK phenotypes were apex distal Types I (23.9%), II (22.8%) and III (13.3%). CONCLUSION: MA TKA does not yield uniform outcomes across all CPAK phenotypes. Varus aHKA category shows significantly inferior results at final follow-up. The most prevalent CPAK categories are varus aHKA and apex distal JLO, with phenotypes I, II and III being the most common. However, their gender distribution varies significantly. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Accuracy of two-dimensional digital planning in uncemented primary hip arthroplasty: monocentric analysis of eight hundred implants.

PURPOSE: In the last decades, there has been a refinement in total hip arthroplasty, which allowed surgeons to achieve the highest performance and better patient outcomes. Preoperative planning in primary hip arthroplasty is an essential step that guides the surgeon in restoring the anatomy and biomechanics of the joint. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of the 2D digital planning, considering cup sizing, stem sizing, and limb length discrepancy. Additionally, we conducted a multivariable analysis of demographic data and comorbidities to find factors influencing preoperative planning. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the planning accuracy in 800 consecutive uncemented primary total hip arthroplasty. We compared the preoperatively planned total hip arthroplasty with postoperative results regarding the planned component size, the implanted size, and the lower limb length restoration. Therefore, we investigated factors influencing planning accuracy: overweight and obesity, sex, age, past medical history, comorbidities, and implant design. All the surgeries were performed in the posterolateral approach by one expert surgeon who did the preoperative planning. The preoperative planning was determined to be (a) exact if the planned and the implanted components were the same size and (b) accurate if exact ± one size. The restoration of postoperative limb length discrepancy was classified into three groups: ± 3 mm, ± 5 mm, and ± 10 mm. This assessment was performed through a digital method 2D based on a standard hip X-ray. RESULTS: This court of 800 implants showed that planning was exact in 60% of the cups and 44% of the stems and was accurate in 94% of the cups and 80% of the stems. The postoperative limb length discrepancy was ± 3 mm in 91% and ± 5 mm in 97%. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed preoperative 2D digital planning great precision and reliability, and we demonstrated that it was accurate in 94% of the cups and 80% of the stems. Therefore, the preoperative limb length discrepancy analysis was essential to guarantee the recovery of the operated limb's correct length.

Intestinal Microbiota and Derived Metabolites in Myocardial Fibrosis and Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation.

The high incidence of atrial fibrillation (AFib) following cardiac surgery (postoperative atrial fibrillation, POAF) relies on specific surgical features. However, in the setting of POAF, the role of the microbiome in the modulation of cardiac fibrosis is still not clear. This study aimed to analyze the effect of the microbiome and its main metabolic product (trimethylamine-N-oxide, TMAO) in the fibrosis of myocardial tissue, to investigate its role in POAF. Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, central atrio-caval cannulation and no history of AFib, were included. A fragment of the right atrium was analyzed for qualitative and mRNA-quantitative evaluation. A preoperative blood sample was analyzed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 100 patients have been included, with POAF occurring in 38%. Histologically, a higher degree of fibrosis, angiogenesis and inflammation has been observed in POAF. Quantitative evaluation showed increased mRNA expression of collagen-1, collagen-3, fibronectin, and transforming growth factor beta (TGFb) in the POAF group. ELISA analysis showed higher levels of TMAO, lipopolysaccharide and TGFb in POAF, with similar levels of sP-selectin and zonulin. TMAO ≥ 61.8 ng/mL (odds ratio, OR 2.88 [1.35-6.16], p = 0.006), preoperative hemoglobin < 13.1 g/dL (OR 2.37 [1.07-5.24], p = 0.033) and impaired right ventricular function (OR 2.38 [1.17-4.83], p = 0.017) were independent predictors of POAF. Also, TMAO was significantly associated with POAF by means of increased fibrosis. Gut microbiome product TMAO is crucial for myocardial fibrosis, which is a key factor for POAF. Patients in preoperative sinus rhythm who will develop POAF have increased genetic expression of pro-fibrotic genes and enhanced fibrosis in histological staining. Elevated TMAO level (≥61.8 ng/mL) is an independent risk factor for POAF.

Duration of clinical remission and low disease activity impacts on quality of life and its domains in psoriatic arthritis patients: results from an Italian multicentre study.

OBJECTIVES: Long-term quality of life (QoL) is significantly compromised in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and only partially improves achieving remission or low disease activity. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the QoL in PsA patients and to investigate their possible relationship with clinical remission and low disease activity, and with its duration over time. METHODS: A multicentre cross-sectional observational study has been performed. QoL domains considered were analysed through PROs. Chi2 test was used for analysis of contingency tables, while Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test with Holm's pairwise comparison corrections were used to compare ranks. To evaluate variables associated to the different QoL domains, univariate and multiple linear regressions were used. RESULTS: 143 participants were included in this study. The physical component of the Short Form-36 or Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue tends to improve with short duration of low or minimal disease activity. However, this is not confirmed for the mental component of SF-36 (MCS), which improved only with longer duration of low/minimal disease activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study proves the existence of an inverse relation between disease activity and QoL domains. Apart from low or minimal disease activity, also its persistence over time has a great influence on the patient's perception of their clinical condition; therefore, persistence over time of clinical remission/low disease activity should be added to the latest definition of treat-to-target in PsA.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment in older adults with cancer: Recommendations by the Italian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology (SIGG).

INTRODUCTION: Optimizing the approach to older adults with cancer is now a priority given the increasing frequency of new cancer diagnoses that are made in the older population. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) represents the gold-standard for (1) defining prognosis and ability to withstand cancer treatments, (2) exploring the multiple aspects that define the complexity of frail older persons, and (3) designing person-tailored interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this document, based on a comprehensive revision of the literature, the Italian Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology proposes a CGA model (ONCOGER CGA) to be adopted by oncology centers for their routine approach to older patients with cancer. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A widespread use of this standardized CGA format will facilitate comparisons across institutions, promote studies based on a multidimensional patient assessment, and foster the inclusion of geriatric endpoints in oncological clinical trials. Furthermore, we predict that the use of a standardized CGA approach will increase the integration of geriatricians into oncology care teams with the final result of improving therapeutic choices and clinical outcomes.

Association between frailty index, lung function, and major clinical determinants in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Airflow limitation alone is unable to capture the complexity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), better explained by comprehensive disease-specific indexes. Frailty is a clinical condition characterized by high vulnerability to internal and external stressors and represents a strong predictor of adverse outcomes. AIMS: Primary objective was to test the association between indexes of lung function and COPD severity with frailty index (FI), and secondary to evaluate the association between FI and comorbidities, cognitive and physical function, BODE index, and mortality. METHODS: 150 stable COPD outpatients were enrolled and followed up to 4 years. At baseline, participants performed a geriatric multidimensional assessment, pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas analysis, 6-min walking test, and bioimpedance analysis. BODE and FI were calculated. Spearman's ρ was used to assess correlations. Mortality was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Participants were followed up for a median of 39 months. Mean age was 73 years and median frailty index 0.15 (IQR 0.11-0.19). FI was higher in frequent exacerbators (≥ 2/year) (mean 0.18 vs 0.15, p 0.01) and dyspnoeic patients (mMRC ≥ 2) (mean 0.21 vs 0.14, p < 0.01) and correlated with lung volumes, expiratory flows, and pressure of arterial oxygen. FI was positively correlated with the number of comorbidities, depressive symptoms, cognitive decline, and BODE index. Mortality was higher in patients with BODE higher than 3 (HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-10.9), and not associated with FI. DISCUSSION: FI positively correlates with all clinical drivers orienting the choice of treatment in COPD. CONCLUSIONS: FI associates with lung function and COPD severity, but does not associate with mortality.

Frailty Impact during and after Pulmonary Rehabilitation.

Frailty is a condition of reduced physiologic reserve common in COPD candidates to pulmonary rehabilitation, however no study has investigated whether frailty impacts the decline that a great part of COPD patients face after the completion of the rehabilitation program. Study objectives are to verify frailty impact on pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes during and after the program. This is a secondary analysis of a longitudinal study. Stable COPD patients GOLD I-III were randomized to a three-month endurance versus endurance and resistance training. Participants performed a multidimensional assessment at baseline, at the end of the rehabilitation program and after six months. Frailty was defined using a two-step approach including PRISMA-7 and Timed "Up and Go" test. Frailty interaction with time was evaluated using generalized least-squared regression models for repeated measures, correcting for potential confounders. Of the 53 participants with a mean age of 73 (SD:8) years 38 (72%) were frail. The mean 6MWD and V'O2peak increased in frail and no frail patients during pulmonary rehabilitation and declined after its completion, while CAT score showed a steep decline during the training, and a mild decline later. Frailty showed a significant interaction with time in terms of 6MWD variation during (ß adj:43.6 meters, p-value:0.01) and after (ß adj:-47 meters, p-value:0.02) pulmonary rehabilitation; no significant interaction was found in terms of V'O2peak and CAT score variation. In conclusion, frail COPD patients have a higher potential to benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation, but a higher risk to have a steeper decline later.Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15412555.2021.1967915 .

Prevalence of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Elderly Parkinson Disease Patients: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: The clinical picture of obsessive-compulsive disorder encompasses a broad range of symptoms that are related to multiple psychological domains, including perception, cognition, emotion, and social relatedness. As obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) frequently have an early onset, there are limited data about OCS in older populations (≥65 years) and, in particular, in elderly subjects with Parkinson disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of OCS using a self-report measure (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised) and to identify associated sociodemographic and clinical factors in a sample of elderly PD patients compared to a comparison group of similarly aged healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The mean age was 74 ± 6 years in the PD patients and 73 ± 7 years in the comparison group. The mean disease duration was 9.6 ± 5.8 years. Among the PD patients, 30.7% reported at least one OCS or a related disorder compared to 21.1% in the comparison group. Hoarding was significantly more common in PD patients than in the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical OCS were present at a high percentage in both PD patients and comparison group. The OCS phenotype in PD may present differently, as hoarding was more common in PD patients.

Safinamide as an adjunct therapy in older patients with Parkinson's disease: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Safinamide, as a levodopa adjunct, is effective in reducing motor fluctuations in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients; however, scarce evidence is available regarding its use in older PD patients. AIM: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of safinamide as an adjunct therapy in patients aged ≥ 60 years with advanced PD. METHODS: A retrospective study including 203 PD patients admitted to a geriatric day hospital, who were evaluated following an extensive clinical protocol. Safinamide use was categorized as never used, ongoing, and withdrawn. Potential correlations of Safinamide withdrawal were investigated in stepwise backward logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 44 out of 203 participants were current or former users of Safinamide. Overall, 14 (32%) patients discontinued due to treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Withdrawal was not associated with older age. CONCLUSIONS: Safinamide as an adjunct therapy in patients aged ≥ 60 years with advanced PD was found to be safe and well-tolerated in older patients. There were no specific demographic or clinical characteristics associated with suspension.

Untangling the relationship between fat distribution, nutritional status and Parkinson's disease severity.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is responsible for significant changes in body composition. AIMS: We aimed to test the association between PD severity and fat distribution patterns, and to investigate the potential modifier effect of nutritional status in this association. METHODS: We enrolled 195 PD subjects consecutively admitted to a university geriatric day hospital. All participants underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation, including assessment of total and regional body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, DXA), body mass index, nutritional status (Mini-Nutritional Assessment, MNA), motor disease severity (UPDRS III), comorbidities, and pharmacotherapy. RESULTS: The fully adjusted linear regression model showed a negative association between UPDRS III and total body fat in kg and percentage (respectively, B - 0.79; 95% CI - 1.54 to - 0.05 and B - 0.55; 95% CI - 1.04 to - 0.05), percentage android fat (B - 1.07; 95% CI - 1.75 to - 0.39), trunk-leg fat ratio (B - 0.02; 95% CI - 0.04 to - 0.01), trunk-limb fat ratio (B - 0.01; 95% CI - 0.06 to - 0.01) and android-gynoid fat ratio (B - 0.01; 95% CI - 0.03 to - 0.01). After stratification by MNA score, all the parameters of android-like fat distribution resulted negatively associated (p < 0.001 for all) with UPDRS III, but only among subjects with a MNA < 23.5 (risk of malnutrition or malnutrition). CONCLUSION: We found a negative association between severity of motor impairment and total fat mass in PD, more specific with respect to an android pattern of fat distribution. This association seems to be driven by nutritional status, and is significant only among patients at risk of malnutrition or with overt malnutrition.

Recovery Time after Hemodialysis Is Inversely Associated with the Ultrafiltration Rate.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to determine the variables that are associated with a longer dialysis recovery time (DRT) and to define the relationship that exists between DRT and the ultrafiltration rate (UFR) in prevalent chronic hemodialysis (CHD) patients. METHODS: We studied 210 prevalent CHD of 5 hemodialysis units in Central Italy. Patients were invited to answer to the question: "How long does it take you to recover from a dialysis session?" Answers to this question were subsequently converted into minutes. Demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded for each patient as well as the UFR (mL/kg/h), the dialysate sodium concentration and temperature. RESULTS: Median DRT was 180 min (60-420). Ninety five (45%) patients had a DRT ≥ the median value. Mean UFR was 9.2 ± 3.0 mL/kg/h. Patients with a lower DRT had a less prevalent disability in the instrumental activities daily living, had a higher UFR, and a lower dialysate temperature, as compared with subjects with higher DRT. According to the logistic regression model, UFR was associated with a DRT below the median (i.e., 180) in the unadjusted model (OR 1.12; 95% CI 1.02-1.23; p = 0.019), after adjusting for age and sex (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.01-1.22; p = 0.025), and in the fully adjusted model (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.04-1.22; p = 0.040). UFR increase was associated with increasing probability of DRT below the median (p for trend = 0.035). The highest tertile of DRT was associated with UFR below the mean value (i.e., 9.2 mL/kg/h) in multinomial logistic regression having the lowest DRT tertile as reference. DRT was significantly lower in patients with UFR > 13 mL/kg/h than in patients with UFR 10-13 or < 10 mL/kg/h. CONCLUSION: DRT is inversely associated with UFR in CHD patients. Whether a high UFR should be recommended to reduce the DRT needs to be elucidated through an adequate prospective randomized study.

Definition of a Geriatric Depression Scale cutoff based upon quality of life: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: The cutoff scores for the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) commonly adopted in clinical and research settings are based upon other neuropsychological tests. However, any intervention for depression should aim at improving subjective quality of life (QoL). We searched for a GDS cutoff level that might identify a decrease in perceived QoL using a scale that also allows formal cost-effectiveness calculations. METHODS: Quality of life was assessed by the Health Utilities Index, Mark 3 in all 344 residents of Tuscania (Italy) aged 75 years and above. Mood was assessed by both the 30-item GDS and the derived 15-item GDS. The association of GDS with low QoL was analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was adopted to estimate the overall predictive value and the best GDS cutoff for poor QoL. RESULTS: The 30-item GDS score was associated with increased probability of a worse QoL (odds ratio (OR) = 1.07, 95% confidence (CI) = 1.02-1.12, p = 0.003); also, it was a fair predictor of worse QoL (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.67-0.76). The best GDS score cutoff for identifying a poor QoL was above 9/30. Results were similar (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02-1.12, p = 0.003, and AUC = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.67-0.76) for the short GDS form for a cutoff above 5/15. CONCLUSIONS: Among older subjects, depressive symptoms are associated with reduced QoL; GDS scores above 9/30 or 5/15 best predict poor perceived health-related QoL. These cutoff scores could therefore identify subjects in whom treatment is more likely to improve QoL and to yield a favorable cost-effectiveness ratio. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Reproducibility and Clinical Correlates of Supine Diaphragmatic Motion Measured by M-Mode Ultrasonography in Healthy Volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Assessing diaphragm mobility is important to detect malfunctions or impending exhaustion and to evaluate the effects of many chest and abdominal conditions on respiratory mechanics. Amongst several imaging methods, ultrasonography represents the only noninvasive, nonionizing imaging technique widely available for the direct assessment of diaphragm excursion. OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study is to prospectively assess the supine diaphragmatic motion amplitude, intra- and inter-observer agreement, and anthropometric correlates of diaphragm motion variability, measured through M-mode ultrasonography, in a sample of healthy volunteers. METHODS: One-hundred healthy volunteers were considered eligible for the study. Instead of B-mode imaging, the M-mode technique was used to achieve a more accurate measurement of diaphragm motion. To assess intra-observer variability, 3 consecutive measurements (M-mode and B-mode) of the right dome motion were obtained at every session. To test for inter-rater reliability, the subjects were asked to provide 2 more diaphragm motion measurements every week, each performed by 2 experienced operators, and 42 subjects accepted. RESULTS: Diaphragmatic motion was positively correlated with height and weight both at quiet (Spearman's coefficient = 0.514, p < 0.001 and 0.314, p = 0.038) and deep breathing (Spearman's coefficient = 0.342, p = 0.001 and 0.225, p = 0.024, respectively) and negatively correlated with age, but only during deep breathing (Spearman's coefficient = -0.272, p = 0.006). Intra-observer agreement degree on all 3 measurements was excellent during both quiet and deep breathing, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.793 and 0.901, respectively, and an intra-class coefficient of 0.797 and 0.900, respectively. Similarly, the degree of inter-observer agreement achieved a Cronbach's alpha of 0.638 and 0.776, and an inter-class coefficient of 0.632 and 0.778, respectively. Deep breathing was associated with sex only in linear multivariable models (B = -10.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] -17.86, -2.41; p = 0.011), while quiet breathing resulted to be affected by height only (B = 30.05; 95% CI 0.79-59.31; p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Diaphragm excursion measurements using the M-mode technique were accurate and could be reproduced also when obtained in recumbent patients. After adjustments, the main predictors of diaphragmatic motion were sex and height, which should be considered to design a specifically tailored study and to develop normality reference equations.

Use of proton-pump inhibitors is associated with depression: a population-based study.

Treatment with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) might be associated with neuropsychological side effects. We examined the association between use of PPIs and depressive symptoms in an elderly population. Mood was assessed by the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) in all 344 inhabitants of Tuscania (Italy) aged 75 years and over, without exclusion criteria; depression was defined by a GDS score ≥11. Use of PPIs was associated with a higher GDS score in linear regression analysis (B = 2.43; 95% CI = 0.49-4.38; p = 0.014) after adjusting; also, use of PPIs was associated with increased adjusted probability of depression in logistic regression (OR = 2.38; 95% CI = 1.02-5.58; p = 0.045). Higher PPIs dosages were associated with increased probability of depression (p for trend = 0.014). This association was independent of the diagnosis of peptic disease, as well as the use of antidepressant medications. No association was found between use of H2-blockers or antacids and the GDS score. Calculation of the population attributable risk indicated that 14% of depression cases could be avoided by withdrawal of PPIs. Use of PPIs might represent a frequent cause of depression in older populations; thus, mood should be routinely assessed in elderly patients on PPIs.

Bone Mineral Density and Cognitive Decline in Elderly Women: Results from the InCHIANTI Study.

Osteoporosis and cognitive impairment, which are highly prevalent conditions in elderly populations, share several risk factors. This study aims at evaluating the association of bone mineral density (BMD) with prevalent and incident cognitive impairment after a 3-year follow-up. We studied 655 community-dwelling women aged 65+ participating in the InCHIANTI study, who had been followed for 3 years. Total, trabecular, and cortical BMD were estimated by peripheral quantitative computed tomography using standard transverse scans at 4 and 38 % of the tibial length. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Trail Making Tests (TMT) A and B; a MMSE score <24 was adopted to define cognitive impairment. The TMT A-B score was calculated as the difference between TMT-A and TMT-B times (ΔTMT). The association of cognitive performance after 3 years with baseline indices of BMD was assessed by logistic and linear regression analyses. Cortical, but not trabecular, BMD was independently associated with incident cognitive impairment (OR 0.93, 95 % CI 0.88-0.98; P = 0.012), worsening cognitive performance (OR 0.96, 95 % CI 0.92-0.98; P = 0.039), and worsening performance in ΔTMT (OR 0.96, 95 % CI 0.92-0.99; P = 0.047). Increasing cortical BMD tertiles was associated with decreasing probability of incident cognitive impairment (P for linear trend =0.001), worsening cognitive performance (P = 0.013), and a worsening performance below the median value (P for linear trend <0.0001). In older women, low BMD might represent an independent and early marker of subsequent cognitive impairment. Physicians should assess and monitor cognitive performance in the routine management of elderly women with osteoporosis.

Functional impairment is associated with an increased risk of mortality in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Functional impairment is associated with adverse outcomes in older people, as well as in patients on chronic hemodialysis. The aim of the present study was to determine the characteristics associated with functional impairment in chronic hemodialysis, and to evaluate if functional impairment represents a risk factor for reduced survival in chronic hemodialysis. METHODS: All 132 chronic hemodialysis referring to the Hemodialysis Service of the Catholic University, Rome, Italy between November 2007 and May 2015 were included. All patients underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment; functional ability was estimated using two questionnaires exploring independency in bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring, continence, feeding (ADLs), and independency in using the telephone, shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, laundering, traveling, taking medications, and handling finances (IADLs). Functional impairment was diagnosed in presence of dependence in one or more ADLs/IADLs. Mood was assessed using the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with functional impairment. The association between functional impairment and survival was assessed by Cox regression. RESULTS: ADLs impairment was present in 34 (26 %) participants, while IADLs impairment was detected in 64 (48 %) subjects. After a follow up of 90 months, 55 (42 %) patients died. In logistic regression, depressive symptoms were associated with ADLs and IADLs impairment (OR 1.12; 95 % CI = 1.02-1.23; OR 1.16; 95 % CI = 1.02-1.33; respectively). In Cox regression, ADLs impairment was associated with mortality (HR 2.47; 95 % CI-1.07-5.67) while IADLs impairment was not associated with reduced survival (HR .80; 95 % CI-.36-1.76). CONCLUSIONS: Functional impairment is associated with depressive symptoms; also, impairment in the ADLs represents a risk factor of reduced survival in chronic hemodialysis. These associations and their potential implication should be assessed in dedicated studies.

Disability is associated with emergency room visits in the elderly: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalizations of elderly subjects with chronic comorbidities, often disabled, are increasing. AIMS: The aim of the present study was to assess whether among older subjects functional disability is associated with increased ER visits and hospitalization rates. METHODS: We assessed the association of functional ability with 1-year ER visits and hospitalization rates in all 342 subjects aged 75+ living in Tuscania (Italy) in 2004. Functional ability was estimated using the Katz' activities of daily living (ADLs), and the Lawton and Brody scale for the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Functional disability was defined as the dependence for two or more ADLs or IADLs. RESULTS: According to Cox regression, disability in ADLs was associated with increased risk of ER visits (RR 2.12; 95 % CI 1.11-4.08; P = .023) but not of hospital admission (RR 1.50; 95 % CI .80-2.80; P = .208). Also, in Poisson regression, ADLs disability predicted the number of ER visits (IRR 2.56; 95 % CI 1.48-4.40; P = .001). DISCUSSION: Disability is associated with increased risk of ER visits, but not of subsequent hospitalization in community-dwelling elderly, independent of clinical conditions. Dedicated studies are needed to evaluate the impact of social interventions for disabled elderly on ER access rates. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency Departments should implement innovative triage procedures to identify older patients with disability who gain access to ER, to recognize and classify any unmet social needs.

The burden of comorbidity is associated with symptomatic polymicrobial urinary tract infection among institutionalized elderly.

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infections (UTIs), often sustained by polymicrobial flora (p-UTIs), are a common finding among nursing home patients, and associated with adverse outcomes and increased healthcare costs. P-UTIs have been extensively studied with regard to microbiological aspects. However, little is known about the characteristics of the host. AIMS: The aim of this study is to verify to which extent comorbidity characterizes elderly nursing home patients with p-UTIs. METHODS: We enrolled 299 patients with culture-positive UTI consecutively admitted to the nursing home of the "Fondazione San Raffaele Cittadella della Carità", Taranto, Italy. P-UTI was diagnosed when two uropathogens were simultaneously isolated. The burden of comorbidity was quantified using the Charlson comorbidity score index. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted association of the variables of interest with the presence of p-UTI. RESULTS: P-UTIs were detected in 118/299 (39%) patients. According to logistic regression, the presence of p-UTIs was independently associated with the Charlson index (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.06-2.72; P = .026). This association remained also after excluding participants without urinary catheter (OR 1.88; 95% CI 1.13-3.11; P = .015). DISCUSSION: The presence of P-UTIs is associated with the burden of comorbidity, but not with individual diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Older nursing home patients with comorbidity should be screened for the presence of p-UTIs; further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of early detection and treatment of p-UTIs on the development of comorbidity.