Relationship Between Distressing Symptoms and Changes in Disability After Major Surgery Among Community-living Older Persons.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationship between distressing symptoms and changes in disability after major surgery and to determine whether this relationship differs according to the timing of surgery (nonelective vs elective), sex, multimorbidity, and socioeconomic disadvantage. BACKGROUND: Major surgery is a common and serious health event that has pronounced deleterious effects on both distressing symptoms and functional outcomes in older persons. METHODS: From a cohort of 754 community-living persons, aged 70 or older, 392 admissions for major surgery were identified from 283 participants who were discharged from the hospital. The occurrence of 15 distressing symptoms and disability in 13 activities were assessed monthly for up to 6 months after major surgery. RESULTS: Over the 6-month follow-up period, each unit increase in the number of distressing symptoms was associated with a 6.4% increase in the number of disabilities [adjusted rate ratio (RR): 1.064; 95% CI: 1.053, 1.074]. The corresponding increases were 4.0% (adjusted RR: 1.040; 95% CI: 1.030, 1.050) and 8.3% (adjusted RR: 1.083; 95% CI: 1.066, 1.101) for nonelective and elective surgeries. Based on exposure to multiple (ie, 2 or more) distressing symptoms, the adjusted RRs (95% CI) were 1.43 (1.35, 1.50), 1.24 (1.17, 1.31), and 1.61 (1.48, 1.75) for all, nonelective, and elective surgeries. Statistically significant associations were observed for each of the other subgroups with the exception of individual-level socioeconomic disadvantage for the number of distressing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Distressing symptoms are independently associated with worsening disability, providing a potential target for improving functional outcomes after major surgery.

Changes in Restricting Symptoms after Critical Illness among Community-Living Older Adults.

Rationale: Survivors of critical illness have multiple symptoms, but how restricting symptoms change after critical illness and whether these changes differ among vulnerable subgroups is unknown. Objectives: To evaluate changes in restricting symptoms over the six months after critical illness among older adults and to determine whether these changes differ by sex, multimorbidity, and individual- and neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage. Methods: From a prospective longitudinal study of 754 community-living adults ⩾70 years old interviewed monthly (1998-2018), we identified 233 admissions from 193 participants to the ICU. The occurrence of 15 restricting symptoms, defined as those leading to restricted activity, were ascertained during interviews in the month before ICU admission (baseline) and each of the six months after hospital discharge. Measurements and Main Results: The occurrence and number of restricting symptoms increased more than threefold in the six months after a critical illness hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio [95% confidence interval], 3.1 [2.1-4.6] and 3.3 [2.1-5.3], respectively), relative to baseline. These increases were largest in the first month after hospitalization (adjusted rate ratio [95% confidence interval], 5.3 [3.8-7.3] and 5.4 [3.9-7.5], respectively] before declining and becoming nonsignificant in the third month. Increases in restricting symptoms did not differ significantly by sex, multimorbidity, or individual- or neighborhood-level socioeconomic disadvantage. Conclusions: Restricting symptoms increase substantially after a critical illness before returning to baseline three months after hospital discharge. Our findings highlight the need to incorporate symptom management into post-ICU care and for further investigation into whether addressing restricting symptoms can improve quality of life and functional recovery among older ICU survivors.

The Incidence and Cumulative Risk of Major Surgery in Older Persons in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence and cumulative risk of major surgery in older persons over a 5-year period and evaluate how these estimates differ according to key demographic and geriatric characteristics. BACKGROUND: As the population of the United States ages, there is considerable interest in ensuring safe, high-quality surgical care for older persons. Yet, valid, generalizable data on the occurrence of major surgery in the geriatric population are sparse. METHODS: We evaluated data from a prospective longitudinal study of 5571 community-living fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, aged 65 or older, from the National Health and Aging Trends Study from 2011 to 2016. Major surgeries were identified through linkages with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data. Population-based incidence and cumulative risk estimates incorporated National Health and Aging Trends Study analytic sampling weights and cluster and strata variables. RESULTS: The nationally representative incidence of major surgery per 100 person-years was 8.8, with estimates of 5.2 and 3.7 for elective and nonelec-tive surgeries. The adjusted incidence of major surgery peaked at 10.8 in persons 75 to 79 years, increased from 6.6 in the non-frail group to 10.3 in the frail group, and was similar by sex and dementia. The 5-year cumulative risk of major surgery was 13.8%, representing nearly 5 million unique older persons, including 12.1% in persons 85 to 89 years, 9.1% in those ≥90 years, 12.1% in those with frailty, and 12.4% in those with probable dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Major surgery is a common event in the lives of community-living older persons, including high-risk vulnerable subgroups.

Factors Associated With Days Away From Home in the Year After Major Surgery Among Community-living Older Persons.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with days away from home in the year after hospital discharge for major surgery. BACKGROUND: Relatively little is known about which older persons are susceptible to spending a disproportionate amount of time in hospitals and other health care facilities after major surgery. METHODS: From a cohort of 754 community-living persons, aged 70+ years, 394 admissions for major surgery were identified from 289 participants who were discharged from the hospital. Candidate risk factors were assessed every 18 months. Days away from home were calculated as the number of days spent in a health care facility. RESULTS: In the year after major surgery, the mean (SD) and median (interquartile range) number of days away from home were 52.0 (92.2) and 15 (0-51). In multivariable analysis, 5 factors were independently associated with the number of days away from home: age 85 years and older, low score on the Short Physical Performance Battery, low peak expiratory flow, low functional self-efficacy, and musculoskeletal surgery. Based on the presence versus absence of these factors, the absolute mean differences in the number of days away from home ranged from 31.2 for age 85 years and older to 53.5 for low functional self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The 5 independent risk factors can be used to identify older persons who are particularly susceptible to spending a disproportionate amount of time away from home after major surgery, and a subset of these factors can also serve as targets for interventions to improve quality of life by reducing time spent in hospitals and other health care facilities.

Association Between Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Decline in Function, Cognition, and Mental Health After Critical Illness Among Older Adults : A Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) are at risk for developing impairments in function, cognition, and mental health. It is not known whether socioeconomically disadvantaged older persons are at greater risk for these impairments than their less vulnerable counterparts. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between socioeconomic disadvantage and decline in function, cognition, and mental health among older survivors of an ICU hospitalization. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Community-dwelling older adults in the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS). PARTICIPANTS: Participants with ICU hospitalizations between 2011 and 2017. MEASUREMENTS: Socioeconomic disadvantage was assessed as dual-eligible Medicare-Medicaid status. The outcome of function was defined as the count of disabilities in 7 activities of daily living and mobility tasks, the cognitive outcome as the transition from no or possible to probable dementia, and the mental health outcome as the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 score in the NHATS interview after ICU hospitalization. The analytic sample included 641 ICU hospitalizations for function, 458 for cognition, and 519 for mental health. RESULTS: After accounting for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, dual eligibility was associated with a 28% increase in disability after ICU hospitalization (incidence rate ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.64); and nearly 10-fold greater odds of transitioning to probable dementia (odds ratio, 9.79; 95% CI, 3.46 to 27.65). Dual eligibility was not associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety after ICU hospitalization (incidence rate ratio, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.99 to 1.79). LIMITATION: Administrative data, variability in timing of baseline and outcome assessments, proxy selection. CONCLUSION: Dual-eligible older persons are at greater risk for decline in function and cognition after an ICU hospitalization than their more advantaged counterparts. This finding highlights the need to prioritize low-income seniors in rehabilitation and recovery efforts after critical illness and warrants investigation into factors leading to this disparity. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute on Aging.

Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Disability After Critical Illness.

OBJECTIVES: Factors common to socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, such as low availability of transportation, may limit access to restorative care services for critical illness survivors. Our primary objective was to evaluate whether neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage was associated with an increased disability burden after critical illness. Our secondary objective was to determine if the effect differed for those discharged to the community compared with those discharged to a facility. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study with linked Medicare claims data. SETTING: United States. PATIENTS: One hundred ninety-nine older adults, contributing to 239 ICU admissions, who underwent monthly assessments of disability for 12 months following hospital discharge in 13 different functional tasks from 1998 to 2017. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Neighborhood disadvantage was assessed using the area deprivation index, a 1-100 ranking evaluating poverty, housing, and employment metrics. Those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods (top quartile of scores) were less likely to self-identify as non-Hispanic White compared with those in more advantaged neighborhoods. In adjusted models, older adults living in disadvantaged neighborhoods had a 9% higher disability burden over the 12 months following ICU discharge compared with those in more advantaged areas (rate ratio, 1.09; 95% Bayesian credible interval, 1.02-1.16). In the secondary analysis adjusting for discharge destination, neighborhood disadvantage was associated with a 14% increase in disability burden over 12 months of follow-up (rate ratio, 1.14; 95% credible interval, 1.07-1.21). Disability burden was 10% higher for those living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and discharged home as compared with those discharged to a facility, but this difference was not statistically significant (interaction rate ratio, 1.10; 95% credible interval, 0.98-1.25). CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with a higher disability burden in the 12 months after a critical illness. Future studies should evaluate barriers to functional recovery for ICU survivors living in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Functional Effects of Intervening Illnesses and Injuries After Hospitalization for Major Surgery in Community-living Older Persons.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional effects of intervening illnesses and injuries, that is, events, in the year after major surgery. BACKGROUND: Intervening events have pronounced deleterious effects on functional status in older persons, but have not been carefully evaluated after major surgery. METHODS: From a cohort of 754 community-living persons, aged 70+ years, 317 admissions for major surgery were identified from 244 participants who were discharged from the hospital. Functional status (13 activities) and exposure to intervening hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, and restricted activity were assessed each month. Comprehensive assessments (for covariates) were completed every 18 months. RESULTS: In the year after major surgery, exposure rates (95% CI) per 100-person months to hospitalizations, ED visits, and restricted activity were 10.0 (8.0-12.5), 3.9 (2.8-5.4), and 12.3 (10.2-14.8) for functional recovery and 7.2 (6.1-8.5), 2.5 (1.9-3.2), 11.2 (9.8-12.9) for functional decline. Each of the 3 intervening events were independently associated with reduced recovery, with adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) of 0.20 (0.09-0.47), 0.35 (0.15-0.81), and 0.57 (0.36-0.90) for hospitalizations, ED visits, and restricted activity. For functional decline, the corresponding odds ratios (95% CI) were 5.68 (3.87-8.33), 1.90 (1.13-3.20), and 1.30 (0.96-1.75). The effect sizes for hospitalizations and ED visits were larger than those for the covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Intervening illnesses/injuries are common in the year after major surgery, and those leading to hospitalization and ED visit are strongly associated with adverse functional outcomes, with effect sizes larger than those of traditional risk factors.

Functional Effects of Intervening Illnesses and Injuries After Critical Illness in Older Persons.

OBJECTIVES: Intervening illnesses and injuries have pronounced deleterious effects on functional status in older persons, but have not been carefully evaluated after critical illness. We set out to evaluate the functional effects of intervening illnesses and injuries in the year after critical illness. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study of 754 nondisabled community-living persons, 70 years old or older. SETTING: Greater New Haven, CT, from March 1998 to December 2018. PATIENTS: The analytic sample included 250 ICU admissions from 209 community-living participants who were discharged from the hospital. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Functional status (13 activities) and exposure to intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization, emergency department visit, or restricted activity were assessed each month. Comprehensive assessments (for covariates) were completed every 18 months. In the year after critical illness, recovery of premorbid function was observed for 169 of the ICU admissions (67.6%), and the mean (sd) number of episodes of functional decline (from 1 mo to the next) was 2.2 (1.6). The adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for recovery were 0.18 (0.09-0.39), 0.46 (0.17-1.26), and 0.75 (0.48-1.18) for intervening hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and restricted activity, respectively. For functional decline, the corresponding odds ratios (95% CI) were 2.06 (1.56-2.73), 1.78 (1.12-2.83), and 1.25 (0.92-1.69). The effect sizes for hospitalization and emergency department visit were larger than those for any of the covariates. CONCLUSIONS: In the year after critical illness, intervening illnesses and injuries leading to hospitalization and emergency department visit are strongly associated with adverse functional outcomes, with effect sizes larger than those of traditional risk factors. To improve functional outcomes, more aggressive efforts will be needed to prevent and manage intervening illnesses and injuries after critical illness.

Factors Associated With Functional Recovery Among Older Survivors of Major Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the current study were 2-fold: first, to evaluate the incidence and time to recovery of premorbid function within 6 months of major surgery and second, to identify factors associated with functional recovery among older persons who survive a major surgery with increased disability. BACKGROUND: Most older persons would not choose a surgical treatment resulting in persistently increased postsurgical disability, even if survival was assured. Potential predictors of functional recovery after major surgery have, however, not been well-studied among geriatric patients. METHODS: It is a prospective longitudinal study of 754 community-living persons 70 years or older. The analytic sample included 266 person-admissions in which participants survived major surgery with increased disability and were monitored on a monthly basis for 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 266 person-admissions assessed, 174 (65.4%) recovered to their presurgical level of function, with median time to recovery of 2 months (interquartile range, 1-3), whereas 16 (6.0%) died. Two factors were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of functional recovery: being nonfrail (hazard ratio 1.60; 95% confidence interval 1.03-2.51; P = 0.038) and having elective surgery (hazard ratio 1.72; 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.59; P = 0.009). Three factors were associated with a reduced likelihood of functional recovery: hearing impairment, greater increase in postsurgical disability in the month after hospital discharge, and years of education. CONCLUSIONS: Among older persons, nonfrailty and elective surgery were positively associated with functional recovery, whereas hearing impairment, greater increases in postsurgical disability, and years of education were associated with higher risk of protracted disability.

Health-care use and cost for multimorbid persons with dementia in the National Health and Aging Trends Study.

BACKGROUND: Most persons with dementia have multiple chronic conditions; however, it is unclear whether co-existing chronic conditions contribute to health-care use and cost. METHODS: Persons with dementia and ≥2 chronic conditions using the National Health and Aging Trends Study and Medicare claims data, 2011 to 2014. RESULTS: Chronic kidney disease and ischemic heart disease were significantly associated with increased adjusted risk ratios of annual hospitalizations, hospitalization costs, and direct medical costs. Depression, hypertension, and stroke or transient ischemic attack were associated with direct medical and societal costs, while atrial fibrillation was associated with increased hospital and direct medical costs. No chronic condition was associated with informal care costs. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults with dementia, proactive and ambulatory care that includes informal caregivers along with primary and specialty providers, may offer promise to decrease use and costs for chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, depression, and hypertension.

Functional Trajectories Before and After Major Surgery in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that distinct sets of functional trajectories can be identified in the year before and after major surgery, with unique transition probabilities from pre to postsurgical functional trajectories, and that outcomes would be better among participants undergoing elective versus nonelective surgery. BACKGROUND: Major surgery is common and can be highly morbid in older persons. The relationship between the course of disability (ie, functional trajectory) before and after surgery in older adults has not been well-studied for most operations. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of 754 community-living persons 70 years or older. The analytic sample included 250 participants who underwent their first major surgery during the study period. RESULTS: Before surgery, 4 functional trajectories were identified: no disability (n = 60, 24.0%), and mild (n = 84, 33.6%), moderate (n = 73, 29.2%), and severe (n = 33, 13.2%) disability. After surgery, 4 functional trajectories were identified: rapid (n = 39, 15.6%), gradual (n = 76, 30.4%), partial (n = 70, 28.0%), and little (n = 57, 22.8%) improvement. Rapid improvement was seen for n = 31 (51.7%) participants with no disability before surgery, but was uncommon among those with mild disability (n = 8, 9.5%) and was not observed in the moderate and severe trajectory groups. For participants with mild to moderate disability before surgery, gradual improvement (n = 46, 54.8%) and partial improvement (n = 36, 49.3%) were most common. Most participants with severe disability (n = 27, 81.8%) before surgery exhibited little improvement. Outcomes were better for participants undergoing elective versus nonelective surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Functional prognosis in the year after major surgery is highly dependent on premorbid function.

Spirometric Criteria for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Clinical Trials of Pharmacotherapy.

Clinical trials of pharmacotherapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often include older persons with moderate-to-severe airflow-obstruction, as defined by the Global Initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD). In this context, spirometric airflow-obstruction establishes COPD. Because GOLD misidentifies COPD and its severity in older persons, we set out to apply more age-appropriate spirometric criteria from the Global Lung function Initiative (GLI) in a prior clinical trial of COPD pharmacotherapy, specifically the Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) trial - N = 6,112, mean age 65 years. In the TORCH trial, which enrolled GOLD-defined moderate COPD (26.2%, n = 1,200) and GOLD-defined severe COPD (73.8%, n = 4,511), the GLI reclassification yielded a higher frequency of severe COPD (89.6%, n = 5,474), the inclusion of restrictive-pattern (6.9%, n = 420) and, in turn, a very low frequency of moderate COPD (3.5%, n = 212). These GLI reclassification results suggest that GOLD-based enrollment criteria for the TORCH trial may have assembled a cohort that was: 1) less likely to respond to COPD pharmacotherapy, given the greater representation of severe COPD, very minor representation of moderate COPD, and inclusion of a non-obstructive spirometric impairment (restrictive-pattern); and 2) more likely to have medication-related adverse events, given the inappropriate use of COPD pharmacotherapy in misidentified COPD (restrictive-pattern). We therefore propose that future clinical trials of COPD pharmacotherapy should consider GLI criteria for defining COPD, including a greater representation of GLI-defined moderate COPD.

Emergency Department Visits Without Hospitalization Are Associated With Functional Decline in Older Persons.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Among older persons, disability and functional decline are associated with increased mortality, institutionalization, and costs. The aim of the study was to determine whether illnesses and injuries leading to an emergency department (ED) visit but not hospitalization are associated with functional decline among community-living older persons. METHODS: From a cohort of 754 community-living older persons who have been followed with monthly interviews for up to 14 years, we matched 813 ED visits without hospitalization (ED only) to 813 observations without an ED visit or hospitalization (control). We compared the course of disability during the following 6 months between the 2 matched groups. To establish a frame of reference, we also compared the ED-only group with an unmatched group who were hospitalized after an ED visit (ED-hospitalized). Disability scores (range 0 [lowest] to 13 [highest]) were compared using generalized linear models adjusted for relevant covariates. Admission to a nursing home and mortality were evaluated as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: The ED-only and control groups were well matched. For both groups, the mean age was 84 years, and 69% were women. The baseline disability scores were 3.4 and 3.6 in the ED-only and control groups, respectively. During the 6-month follow-up period, the ED-only group had significantly higher disability scores than the control group, with an adjusted risk ratio of 1.14 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.19). Compared with participants in the ED-only group, those who were hospitalized after an ED visit had disability scores that were significantly higher (risk ratio 1.17; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.22). Both nursing home admissions (hazard ratio 3.11; 95% CI 2.05 to 4.72) and mortality (hazard ratio 1.93; 95% CI 1.07 to 3.49) were higher in the ED-only group versus control group during the 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Although not as debilitating as an acute hospitalization, illnesses and injuries leading to an ED visit without hospitalization were associated with a clinically meaningful decline in functional status during the following 6 months, suggesting that the period after an ED visit represents a vulnerable time for community-living older persons.

Factors Associated with Functional Recovery among Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors.

RATIONALE: Most of the 1.4 million older adults who survive the intensive care unit (ICU) annually in the United States face increased disability, but little is known about those who achieve functional recovery. OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were twofold: to evaluate the incidence and time to recovery of premorbid function within 6 months of a critical illness and to identify independent predictors of functional recovery among older ICU survivors. METHODS: Potential participants included 754 persons aged 70 years or older who were evaluated monthly in 13 functional activities (1998-2012). The analytic sample included 218 ICU admissions from 186 ICU survivors. Functional recovery was defined as returning to a disability count less than or equal to the pre-ICU disability count within 6 months. Twenty-one potential predictors were evaluated for their associations with recovery. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Functional recovery was observed for 114 (52.3%) of the 218 admissions. In multivariable analysis, higher body mass index (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.12) and greater functional self-efficacy (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.08), a measure of confidence in performing various activities, were associated with recovery, whereas pre-ICU impairment in hearing (HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.22-0.66) and vision (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.95) were associated with a lack of recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Among older adults who survived an ICU admission with increased disability, pre-ICU hearing and vision impairment were strongly associated with poor functional recovery within 6 months, whereas higher body mass index and functional self-efficacy were associated with recovery. Future research is needed to evaluate whether interventions targeting these factors improve functional outcomes among older ICU survivors.

Functional trajectories in the year before hospice.

PURPOSE: We undertook a study to identify distinct functional trajectories in the year before hospice, to determine how patients with these trajectories differ according to demographic characteristics and hospice diagnosis, and to evaluate the association between these trajectories and subsequent outcomes. METHODS: From an ongoing cohort study of 754 community-living persons aged 70 years or older, we evaluated data on 213 persons who were subsequently enrolled in hospice from March 1998 to December 2011. Disability in 13 basic, instrumental, and mobility activities was assessed during monthly telephone interviews through June 2012. RESULTS: In the year before hospice, we identified 5 clinically distinct functional trajectories, representing worsening cumulative burden of disability: late decline (10.8%), accelerated (10.8%), moderate (21.1%), progressively severe (24.9%), and persistently severe (32.4%). Participants with a cancer diagnosis (34.7%) had the most favorable functional trajectories (ie, lowest burden of disability), whereas those with neurodegenerative disease (21.1%) had the worst. Median survival in hospice was only 14 days and did not differ significantly by functional trajectory. Compared with participants in the persistently severe trajectory, those in the moderate trajectory had the highest likelihood of surviving and being independent in at least 1 activity in the month after hospice admission (adjusted odds ratio = 5.5; 95% CI, 1.9-35.9). CONCLUSIONS: The course of disability in the year before hospice differs greatly among older persons but is particularly poor among those with neurodegenerative disease. Late admission to hospice (as shown by the short survival), coupled with high levels of severe disability before hospice, highlight potential unmet palliative care needs for many older persons at the end of life.

National Estimates of Short- and Longer-Term Hospital Readmissions After Major Surgery Among Community-Living Older Adults.

Importance: Nationally representative estimates of hospital readmissions within 30 and 180 days after major surgery, including both fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, are lacking. Objectives: To provide population-based estimates of hospital readmission within 30 and 180 days after major surgery in community-living older US residents and examine whether these estimates differ according to key demographic, surgical, and geriatric characteristics. Design, Setting, and Participants: A prospective longitudinal cohort study of National Health and Aging Trends Study data (calendar years 2011-2018), linked to records from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Data analysis was conducted from April to August 2023. Participants included community-living US residents of the contiguous US aged 65 years or older who had at least 1 major surgery from 2011 to 2018. Data analysis was conducted from April 10 to August 28, 2023. Main Outcomes and Measures: Major operations and hospital readmissions within 30 and 180 days were identified through data linkages with CMS files that included both fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries. Data on frailty and dementia were obtained from the annual National Health and Aging Trends Study assessments. Results: A total of 1780 major operations (representing 9 556 171 survey-weighted operations nationally) were identified from 1477 community-living participants; mean (SD) age was 79.5 (7.0) years, with 56% being female. The weighted rates of hospital readmission were 11.6% (95% CI, 9.8%-13.6%) for 30 days and 27.6% (95% CI, 24.7%-30.7%) for 180 days. The highest readmission rates within 180 days were observed among participants aged 90 years or older (36.8%; 95% CI, 28.3%-46.3%), those undergoing vascular surgery (45.8%; 95% CI, 37.7%-54.1%), and persons with frailty (36.9%; 95% CI, 30.8%-43.5%) or probable dementia (39.0%; 95% CI, 30.7%-48.1%). In age- and sex-adjusted models with death as a competing risk, the hazard ratios for hospital readmission within 180 days were 2.29 (95% CI, 1.70-3.09) for frailty and 1.58 (95% CI, 1.15-2.18) for probable dementia. Conclusions and Relevance: In this nationally representative cohort study of community-living older US residents, the likelihood of hospital readmissions within 180 days after major surgery was increased among older persons who were frail or had probable dementia, highlighting the potential value of these geriatric conditions in identifying those at increased risk.

Social Determinants of Health and Delivery of Rehabilitation to Older Adults During ICU Hospitalization.

Importance: Older adults with socioeconomic disadvantage develop a greater burden of disability after critical illness than those without socioeconomic disadvantage. The delivery of in-hospital rehabilitation that can mitigate functional decline may be influenced by social determinants of health (SDOH). Whether rehabilitation delivery differs by SDOH during critical illness hospitalization is not known. Objective: To evaluate whether SDOH are associated with the delivery of skilled rehabilitation during critical illness hospitalization among older adults. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study linked with Medicare claims (2011-2018). Participants included older adults hospitalized with a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Data were analyzed from August 2022 to September 2023. Exposures: Dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, education, income, limited English proficiency (LEP), and rural residence. Main Outcome and Measures: The primary outcome was delivery of physical therapy (PT) and/or occupational therapy (OT) during ICU hospitalization, characterized as any in-hospital PT or OT and rate of in-hospital PT or OT, calculated as total number of units divided by length of stay. Results: In the sample of 1618 ICU hospitalizations (median [IQR] patient age, 81.0 [75.0-86.0] years; 842 [52.0%] female), 371 hospitalizations (22.9%) were among patients with dual Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, 523 hospitalizations (32.6%) were among patients with less than high school education, 320 hospitalizations (19.8%) were for patients with rural residence, and 56 hospitalizations (3.5%) were among patients with LEP. A total of 1076 hospitalized patients (68.5%) received any PT or OT, with a mean rate of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86-1.02) units/d. After adjustment for age, sex, prehospitalization disability, mechanical ventilation, and organ dysfunction, factors associated with lower odds of receipt of PT or OT included dual Medicare and Medicaid eligibility (adjusted odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.50-0.97]) and rural residence (adjusted odds ratio, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.48-0.87]). LEP was associated with a lower rate of PT or OT (adjusted rate ratio, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.32-0.94]). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings highlight the need to consider SDOH in efforts to promote rehabilitation delivery during ICU hospitalization and to investigate factors underlying inequities in this practice.

Development and validation of a prediction model for persistent functional impairment among older ICU survivors.

BACKGROUND: Critical illness often leads to persistent functional impairment among older Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors. Identification of high-risk survivors prior to discharge from their ICU hospitalization can facilitate targeting for restorative interventions after discharge, potentially improving the likelihood of functional recovery. Our objective was to develop and validate a prediction model for persistent functional impairment among older adults in the year after an ICU hospitalization. METHODS: The analytic sample included community-living participants enrolled in the National Health and Aging Trends Study 2011 cohort who survived an ICU hospitalization through December 2017 and had a follow-up interview within 1 year. Persistent functional impairment was defined as failure to recover to the pre-ICU level of function within 12 months of discharge from an ICU hospitalization. We used Bayesian model averaging to identify the final predictors from a comprehensive set of 17 factors. Discrimination and calibration were assessed using area-under-the-curve (AUC) and calibration plots. RESULTS: The development cohort included 456 ICU admissions (2,654,685 survey-weighted admissions) and the validation cohort included 227 ICU admissions (1,350,082 survey-weighted admissions). In the development cohort, the median age was 81.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 76.0, 86.0) and 231 (50.7%) participants were women; demographic characteristics were comparable in the validation cohort. The rates of persistent functional impairment were 49.3% (development) and 50.2% (validation). The final model included age, pre-ICU disability, probable dementia, frailty, prior hospitalizations, vision impairment, depressive symptoms, and hospital length of stay. The model demonstrated good discrimination (AUC 71%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.66-0.76) and good calibration. When applied to the validation cohort, the model demonstrated comparable discrimination (AUC 72%, 95% CI 0.66-0.78) and good calibration. CONCLUSIONS: Application of the model prior to discharge from an ICU hospitalization may identify older adults at the highest risk of persistent functional impairment in the subsequent year, thereby facilitating targeted interventions and follow-up.

Distressing symptoms after major surgery among community-living older persons.

BACKGROUND: Relatively little is known about how distressing symptoms change among older persons in the setting of major surgery. Our objective was to evaluate changes in distressing symptoms after major surgery and determine whether these changes differ according to the timing of surgery (nonelective vs. elective), sex, multimorbidity, and socioeconomic disadvantage. METHODS: From a prospective longitudinal study of 754 nondisabled community-living persons, 70 years of age or older, 368 admissions for major surgery were identified from 274 participants who were discharged from the hospital from March 1998 to December 2017. The occurrence of 15 distressing symptoms was ascertained in the month before and 6 months after major surgery. Multimorbidity was defined as more than two chronic conditions. Socioeconomic disadvantage was assessed at the individual level, based on Medicaid eligibility, and neighborhood level, based on an area deprivation index (ADI) score above the 80th state percentile. RESULTS: In the month before major surgery, the occurrence and mean number of distressing symptoms were 19.6% and 0.75, respectively. In multivariable analyses, the rate ratios, denoting proportional increases in the 6 months after major surgery relative to presurgery values, were 2.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.91-3.44) and 2.90 (95% CI, 2.01-4.18) for the occurrence and number of distressing symptoms, respectively. The corresponding values were 3.54 (95% CI, 2.06-6.08) and 4.51 for nonelective surgery (95% CI, 2.32-8.76) and 2.12 (95% CI, 1.53-2.92) and 2.20 (95% CI, 1.48-3.29) for elective surgery; p-values for interaction were 0.030 and 0.009. None of the other subgroup differences were statistically significant, although men had a greater proportional increase in the occurrence and number of distressing symptoms than women. CONCLUSIONS: Among community-living older persons, the burden of distressing symptoms increases substantially after major surgery, especially in those having nonelective procedures. Reducing symptom burden has the potential to improve quality of life and enhance functional outcomes after major surgery.