Multiple Roads to Success: A Latent Class Analysis on Successful Ageing Among Hong Kong Near-Centenarians and Centenarians (NCC).

Notwithstanding the oldest-old cohort being the fastest-growing population in most ageing societies, characterizing successful ageing in adults of advanced age, such as nonagenarians and centenarians, remains challenging. This study investigated the successful ageing subphenotypes using the data from Hong Kong Centenarian Study 2. Between April 2021 and September 2022, 146 family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults aged 95 or above were interviewed by phone. Latent class analysis identified three classes-Overall Frail (46.6%) with poor mobility, cognitive and functional health, Nonambulant (37.0%) but good functional health, and Robust (16.4%) with overall good health-from 11 indicators based on caregivers' reports. Although we found a low prevalence of fulfillment of all indicators of successful ageing, our findings will help care professionals appreciate the heterogeneity underlying partial successful ageing in this vulnerable cohort for segmented and targeted healthy longevity interventions.

A mHealth-Supported Volunteer-Assisted Spiritual Well-Being Intervention for Discharged Older Patients: A Tripartite Collaboration.

Spiritual well-being (SWB) is a key construct in a holistic health model. This study applied a theory-driven mobile health-supported volunteer-assisted self-help (mVS) intervention to enhance SWB for discharged older patients through a medical-social-academia tripartite collaboration. This study followed a quasi-experimental design, conducted from 2017 to 2019. Data were collected from pre- and post-intervention assessment and Clinical Management System under the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. SWB was assessed by the Spirituality Scale for Chinese Elders with seven domains, a validated scale suitable for the non-religious context. A total of 161 discharged older patients were recruited, 101 received the mVS intervention and 60 received standardized usual volunteer visits. mVS intervention was assisted by volunteers supported by a corresponding mobile application Fu Le Man Xin. The final analysis included 137 older patients living in Hong Kong aged 61 to 94 years. Repeated measures ANOVA showed mVS intervention significantly enhanced two domains of SSCE: meaning of life (F(1, 64) = 4.029, p = .049) and relationship with others (F(1, 57) = 6.428, p = .014). This study shows that mVS intervention is a feasible medical-social-academia tripartite collaboration that improves two domains of the SWB of discharged older patients: meaning of life and relationship with others.

Continuous use of antipsychotics and its association with mortality and hospitalization in institutionalized Chinese older adults: an 18-month prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Previous meta-analyses have suggested that antipsychotics are associated with increased mortality in dementia patients with behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD). Subsequent observational studies, however, have produced conflicting results. In view of this controversy and the lack of any suitable pharmacological alternative for BPSD, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between continuous use of antipsychotics and mortality as well as hospitalizations in Chinese older adults with BPSD residing in nursing homes. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in nursing homes in the Central & Western and Southern Districts of Hong Kong from July 2009 to December 2010. Older adults were stratified into the exposed group (current users of antipsychotics) and control group (non-users). Demographics, comorbidity according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Barthel Index (BI(20)), Abbreviated Mental Test (AMT), and vaccination status for pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) 2009, seasonal influenza and pneumococcus were collected at baseline. Subjects were followed up at 18 months. All-cause mortality and all-cause hospitalizations were recorded. RESULTS: 599 older adults with dementia from nine nursing homes were recruited. The 18-month mortality rate for the exposed group was 24.1% while that for control group was 27.5% (P = 0.38). The exposed group also had a lower median rate of hospitalizations (56 (0-111) per 1000 person-months vs 111 (0-222) per 1000 person-months, median (interquartile range), p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The continuous use of antipsychotics for BPSD does not increase mortality among Chinese older adults with dementia living in nursing homes. Furthermore, our results show that the use of antipsychotics can lead to decreased hospitalizations.

Development of salient medication reminders to facilitate information transfer during transition from inpatient to primary care: the Delphi process.

OBJECTIVE: Transitional care is important to successful hospital discharge. Providing patients with a clear and concise summary of medication-related information can help improve outcomes, in particular, among older adults. The present study aimed to propose a framework for the development of salient medication reminders (SMR), which include drug-related risks and precautions, using the Delphi process. DESIGN: Identification of potential SMR statements for 80% of medication types used by older adult patients discharged from geriatric medicine departments, followed by a Delphi survey and expert panel discussion. SETTINGS: Medical and geriatric departments of public hospitals in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: A panel of 13 geriatric medical experts. OUTCOME MEASURE: A Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) points, scoring item relevance, importance and clarity. The minimum of 70% consensus was required for each statement to be included. RESULTS: The expert panel achieved consensus through the Delphi process on 80 statements for 44 medication entities. Subsequently, the SMR steering group endorsed the inclusion of these statements in the SMR to be disseminated among older adults at the time of discharge from geriatric medicine departments. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi process contributed to the development of SMR for older adult patients discharged from public hospitals in Hong Kong. Patient experience with and staff response to the SMR were assessed at four hospitals before implementation at all public hospitals.

Association between body mass index and cause-specific mortality as well as hospitalization in frail Chinese older adults.

AIM: A U-shaped relationship between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality has been reported, but there are few studies examining the association between BMI and cause-specific mortality and hospitalization. We carried out a longitudinal study to examine these associations in Chinese older adults with multiple comorbidities, which could provide a reference for the recommended BMI in this population. METHODS: From 2004 to 2013, a retrospective cohort of Chinese older adults was selected from a geriatric day hospital in Hong Kong. They were divided into groups according to their BMI: BMI <16; BMI 16-18; BMI 18.1-20; BMI 20.1-22; BMI 22.1-24; BMI 24.1-26; BMI 26.1-28; BMI 28.1-30 and BMI >30. Other assessments included medical, functional, cognitive, social and nutritional assessment. RESULTS: A total of 1747 older adults (mean age 80.8 ± 7.1 years, 44.1% male, 46.1% living in nursing homes, Charlson Comorbidity Index 2.0 ± 1.6) with a median follow up of 3.5 years were included. Older adults with BMI 24-28 had the lowest all-cause, infection-related and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that there was an inverted J-shaped association between BMI and hazard ratio for all-cause and infection-related mortality in both nursing home and community-dwelling older adults. The rate of all-cause hospitalization was lower in older adults with BMI 22-28 (P = 0.002). Multivariate analysis showed that there was an inverted J-shaped association between the odds ratio of recurrent hospitalization and BMI. CONCLUSION: Chinese older adults with BMI 24-28 had lower all-cause mortality, infection-related mortality, cardiovascular-related mortality and all-cause hospitalization. This study provides a reference for the recommended BMI in this population.

Efficacy of physical exercise in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Numerous studies have reported the prevention of falls through exercise among cognitively healthy older people. This study aimed to determine whether the current evidence supports that physical exercise is also efficacious in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment. METHODS: Two independent reviewers searched MEDLINE; EMBASE; PsycINFO; the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature; the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; the Cochrane Bone, Joint, and Muscle Trauma Group Specialized Register; ClinicalTrials.gov; and the UK Clinical Research Network Study Portfolio up to July 2013 without language restriction. We included randomized controlled trials that examined the efficacy of physical exercise in older adults with cognitive impairment. The methodological qualities of the included trials were appraised according to the criteria developed for the Cochrane review of fall prevention trials. The primary outcome measure was the rate ratio of falls. A meta-analysis was performed to estimate the pooled rate ratio and summarize the results of the trials on fall prevention through physical exercise. RESULTS: Seven randomized controlled trials involving 781 participants were included, 4 of which examined solely older people with cognitive impairment. Subgroup data on persons with cognitive impairment were obtained from the other 3 trials that targeted older populations in general. The meta-analysis showed that physical exercise had a significant effect in preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment, with a pooled estimate of rate ratio of 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.51-0.91). CONCLUSIONS: The present analysis suggests that physical exercise has a positive effect on preventing falls in older adults with cognitive impairment. Further studies will be required to determine the modality and frequency of exercise that are optimal for the prevention of falls in this population.

Validation study of Charlson Comorbidity Index in predicting mortality in Chinese older adults.

AIM: The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is commonly studied for predicting mortality, but there is no validation study of it in Chinese older adults. The objective of the present study was to validate the use of CCI in Chinese older adults for predicting mortality. METHOD: We carried out a retrospective cohort study from 2004 to 2013 for patients discharged from a geriatric day hospital in Hong Kong. Comorbidity was quantified using CCI, and patients were divided into six groups according to their score of CCI: CCI-0, CCI-1, CCI-2, CCI-3, CCI-4 and CCI ≥ 5. Other data collected included demographics, and functional, nutritional, cognitive and social assessment. The outcome measure was 1-year mortality. RESULTS: At 1-year follow up, 3.8% (n = 17), 5.9% (n = 37), 9.2% (n = 35), 12.9% (n = 20), 16.9% (n = 23) and 19.3% (n = 60) of CCI-0, CCI-1, CCI-2, CCI-3, CCI-4 and CCI ≥ 5 died, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that CCI-1, CCI-2, CCI-3, CCI-4 and CCI ≥ 5 have a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.34 (confidence interval [CI] 1.04-2.12), 2.18 (CI 1.03-4.61), 3.44 (CI 1.52-7.81), 3.74 (CI 1.35-10.39) and 4.63 (CI 2.28-9.43), respectively, compared with CCI-0. The area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curves of CCI in predicting 1-year mortality for older adults was 0.68 (CI 0.64-0.72). CONCLUSION: There is a significant dose-response relationship in the hazard ratio between CCI and 1-year mortality in Chinese older adults, but involvements of functional, nutritional and social assessments are important for comprehensive quantification of health status in older adults.

Immunogenicity and safety of intradermal trivalent influenza vaccination in nursing home older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the immunogenicity and safety between full-dose (15 µg) intramuscular (i.m.) and full-dose (15 µg) intradermal (i.d.) immunization of the trivalent influenza vaccine in nursing home older adults. DESIGN: A single-center, randomized, controlled, open-label, parallel group trial from October 2013 to April 2014. SETTING: Nine nursing homes in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Hundred nursing home older adults (mean age: 82.9 ± 7.4 years). INTERVENTION: Fifty received i.d. (Intanza) and 50 received i.m. (Vaxigrip) vaccination. MEASUREMENTS: Baseline measurements included demographics, comorbidity, frailty and nutritional status. Day 21 and day 180 immunogenicity (seroconversion rate, seroprotection rate, geometric mean titer [GMT] fold increase in antibody titer) using hemagglutination-inhibition and adverse events were measured. Noninferiority and superiority of i.d. compared with i.m. vaccination in immunogenicity were analyzed. The study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov; identifier: NCT 01967368. RESULTS: At day 21, noninferiority in immunogenicity of the i.d. vaccination was demonstrated. The seroconversion rate of the H1N1 strain was significantly higher in the i.d. group. At day 180, immunogenicity of both groups fell but the GMT of all strains in i.d. group was higher and the difference was significant for H3N2 strain. The seroconversion rate and GMT fold increase of H3N2 strain was significantly higher in the i.d. group. Local adverse events was significantly more in i.d. group, but they were mild and resolved in 72 hours. CONCLUSIONS: I.d. vaccination is noninferior, and even superior in some parts of immunogenicity assessment, to i.m. vaccination without compromising safety in nursing home older adults. I.d. vaccination is a good alternative to i.m. vaccination in this population.

Prevalence of anemia in Chinese nursing home older adults: implication of age and renal impairment.

AIM: There is little data regarding the prevalence and associated comorbidities of anemia in Chinese nursing home older adults. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated comorbidities of anemia in Chinese nursing home older adults. METHODS: We carried out a retrospective cross-sectional study in nine nursing homes in Hong Kong. The hemoglobin (Hb) level, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum creatinine and comorbidities data of residents were examined. Older adults were regarded as anemic according to the World Health Organization criteria (Hb <13 g/dL for men and <12 g/dL for women). The glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD [Chinese-adjusted]) equation. Patients with chronic renal impairment were defined as having eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) . RESULTS: A total of 812 residents were included (mean age 86.0 ± 7.6 years). The mean hemoglobin was 12.0 ± 1.8 g/dL in men and 11.4 ± 1.6g/dL in women. The mean eGFR was 75.1 ± 31.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2) . A total of 67.0% of residents had anemia (70.5% in men and 65.2% in women). Anemic older adults were older and had a higher prevalence of renal impairment than non-anemic older adults (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the prevalence of other comorbidities. When stratified into different age groups, there were significant correlations between anemia and renal impairment in all subgroups (age ≤ 80 years, P<0.05; age 81-90 years, P<0.01; age >90 years, P<0.05). The same correlation was found between normocytic anemia and renal impairment. Conversely, when stratified according to eGFR (≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) vs <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) ), we did not observe a significant correlation between anemia and age group. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, anemia is prevalent in Chinese nursing home residents and is strongly associated with renal impairment. Further studies of early identification and management of anemia with renal impairment are recommended in this population.

Functional status of older nursing home residents can affect the efficacy of influenza vaccination.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of influenza vaccination in older nursing home residents is frequently overestimated due to frailty selection bias. Limited data exist to examine this issue. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study from December 2009 to November 2010 to evaluate the efficacy of influenza vaccination in old nursing home residents with respect to their functional status. Participants were stratified according to the Barthel Index (BI) into good functioning (GF; BI > 60), intermediate functioning (IF; BI = 5-60), and poor functioning (PF; BI = 0). Participants were vaccinated by monovalent H1N1 2009 and trivalent seasonal influenza vaccinations (H1N1-TIV), TIV alone, or remained unvaccinated by choice. The associations between all-cause mortality, vaccination efficacy, and functional status were examined. RESULTS: A total of 711 older nursing home residents were enrolled (GF group: N = 230; IF group: N = 246; PF group: N = 235). At 12 months, H1N1-TIV recipients had the lowest all-cause mortality, whereas unvaccinated residents had the highest all-cause mortality in all three functional status groups. In the comparison between H1N1-TIV recipients and TIV alone recipients, the hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality were lower in the GF group and higher in the PF group (GF group: HR 0.30 [0.07-0.95], p < .05; IF group: HR 0.40 [0.18-0.86], p < .05; PF group: HR 0.53 [0.28-0.99], p < .05). The same observation was found in comparison between other vaccination statuses (H1N1-TIV vs unvaccinated and TIV alone vs unvaccinated). CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccination was associated with reduced all-cause mortality in older nursing home residents with different functional statuses. Vaccine efficacy in reducing mortality declined with increasingly impaired functional status.

Chronic kidney disease and its association with mortality and hospitalization in Chinese nursing home older residents: a 3-year prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a predictor of mortality and hospitalization in Chinese nursing homes older residents. DESIGN: A 3-year prospective multicenter cohort study. SETTING: Nine nursing homes in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: Nursing home older adults (812 total; 271 men and 571 women), mean age 86.0 ± 7.6. MEASUREMENTS: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (Chinese-adjusted), and participants were stratified into different severity of renal impairment according to the modified version of Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (K/DOQI): stage 1 CKD: GFR > 90 mL/min/1.73 m(2); stage 2 CKD: 60-89 mL/min/1.73 m(2); stage 3A CKD: 45-59 mL/min/1.73 m(2); stage 3B CKD: 30-44 mL/min/1.73 m(2); stage 4/5: <30 mL/min/1.73 m(2). The outcome measures were the all-cause, infection-related, and cardiovascular-related mortality and hospitalizations. RESULTS: Older adults with stage 3B and stage 4/5 CKD had higher all-cause, infection-related, and cardiovascular-related mortality than those with earlier stages of CKD. After multivariate analysis, stage 3B and stage 4/5 CKD were independent predictors of all-cause mortality (stage 3B, hazard ratio [HR]: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.12-2.33, P= .01; stage 4/5, HR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.34-3.00, P= .001) and infection-related mortality (stage 3B, HR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-2.30, P= .019; stage 4/5, HR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.13-3.23, P= .016), but not cardiovascular-related mortalities. The all-cause, infection-related, and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations were significantly higher in older nursing home adults with stage 3B and stage 4/5 CKD. CONCLUSION: In Chinese nursing home older adults, stage 3B and stage 4/5 CKD are independent predictors of all-cause and infection-related mortality. They also predict increased risks of all-cause, infection-related, and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations.

Interactive virtual reality Wii in geriatric day hospital: a study to assess its feasibility, acceptability and efficacy.

AIM: Rehabilitation using interactive virtual reality Wii (Wii-IVR) was shown to be feasible in patients with different medical problems, but there was no study examining its use in a geriatric day hospital (GDH). The aim of the present study was to test the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of Wii-IVR in GDH. METHODS: It was a clinical trial with matched historic controls. Patients of a GDH were recruited to participate in Wii-IVR by playing "Wii Fit". Participants used a Wii controller to carry out movements involved in an arm ergometer. Each participant received eight sessions of Wii-IVR in addition to conventional GDH rehabilitation. Feasibility was assessed by the total time receiving Wii-IVR, the percentage of maximal heart rate reserve (%MHR) and Borg perceived exertion scale (BS) after participating in Wii-IVR. %MHR and BS were compared with those after carrying out an arm ergometer for the same duration. Acceptability was assessed by an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Efficacy was assessed by comparing improvements in Functional Independence Measure (FIM) between participants and matched historic controls, who received conventional GDH rehabilitations only. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients completed the study. Participants completed a total of 1941 min of event-free Wii-IVR. The mean %MHR was 15.9% ± 9.9% and the mean BS was 7.9 ± 2.3. There was no significant difference in %MHR and BS between participating in Wii-IVR and arm ergometer. Most participants found Wii-IVR similar to the arm ergometer, and would like to continue Wii-IVR if they had Wii at home. Improvements in FIM of participants were significantly more than that of historic controls. CONCLUSIONS: Wii-IVR in GDH was feasible and most participants accepted it. Participants had more improvements in FIM.

Prevention of mortality and pneumonia among nursing home older adults by dual pneumococcal and seasonal influenza vaccination during a pandemic caused by novel pandemic influenza A (H1N1).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of dual vaccination of seasonal influenza and pneumococcus in nursing home older adults during a novel pandemic of influenza A (H1N1). SETTING: Nine nursing homes in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 532 nursing home older adults were included in the study. MEASUREMENTS: Efficacy of dual vaccination of seasonal influenza and pneumococcus in nursing home older adults during a novel pandemic influenza A (H1N1). DESIGN: A prospective 12-month cohort study was conducted on older residents from December 2009 to November 2010. Participants were divided into 3 groups according to their choice of vaccination: received both seasonal influenza and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV-TIV group), received seasonal influenza vaccine alone (TIV group), and those who refused both vaccinations (unvaccinated group). Those who had received vaccination for influenza A (H1N1) were excluded. Outcome measures included mortality from all causes, pneumonia, and vascular causes. RESULTS: There were 246 in the PPV-TIV group, 211 in the TIV group, and 75 in the unvaccinated group. Baseline characteristics were similar among the groups. The 12-month mortality rates of the PPV-TIV, TIV alone group, and unvaccinated group were 17.1%, 27.0%, and 37.3% respectively (P < .001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that, compared with vaccination of seasonal influenza alone, dual vaccination significantly reduced all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 0.54; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35-0.84; P < .01), mortality from pneumonia (HR 0.60; 95% CI: 0.35-0.99; P < .05), and mortality from vascular causes (HR 0.24; 95% CI: 0.09-0.64; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: During an influenza pandemic or when the circulating influenza strain was not matched by the trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine, dual vaccination of influenza and pneumococcus provided additional protection to nursing home older adults in reducing mortality.

Rehabilitation outcomes of older patients at 6 months follow-up after discharged from a geriatric day hospital (GDH).

Whether rehabilitation outcome can be maintained after discharged from GDH has not been thoroughly investigated. This study was conducted to examine the rehabilitation outcome and its predictors 6 months after discharged from GDH. We studied 418 patients attended a GDH in Hong Kong. All of them had post-6-month assessment. Cognitive status was assessed with Cantonese version of mini-mental state examination (C-MMSE). Functional independence measure (FIM) upon GDH admission (FIM-adm), discharge (FIM-dis) and 6 months after discharge (FIM-p6m) were measured. FIM gain was FIM-dis-FIM-adm while FIM efficiency was FIM gain divided by number of GDH visits. Of the study pool, 164 (39.2%) showed a drop of FIM-p6m. There was a significant drop of FIM-p6m as compared with FIM-dis (p<0.001). However, the FIM-p6m remained significantly higher than FIM-adm (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that FIM-dis was a negative predictor (p<0.001) while Parkinsonism was a positive predictor for drop of FIM-p6m (p=0.008). A proportion of functional gain can still be maintained 6 months after discharged from GDH. More studies are needed to look for strategies in maintaining functional gain in GDH discharged patients, especially those with Parkinsonism.

Gender differences in rehabilitation outcomes among older Chinese patients.

Although gender differences have been demonstrated in cardiac and stroke rehabilitation, it remains unclear whether there are gender differences in geriatric rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between gender and rehabilitation outcomes. We studied 1795 patients in two convalescence hospitals in Hong Kong. We defined absolute functional and motor gains as Barthel Index (BI) efficacy and Elderly Mobility Scale (EMS) efficacy while BI and EMS efficiency were efficacy divided by the length of stay. Satisfactory motor and functional outcomes were defined as discharge EMS ≥ 15 and BI ≥ 75. Compared with men, women had higher BI but lower EMS on admission and discharge. EMS and BI efficacy and efficiency were similar in both sexes. Female gender was a significant negative predictor for satisfactory motor outcome (p=0.0002) but a positive predictor for functional outcome (p=0.0007). Other predictors for satisfactory motor outcome were: age (p<0.001); urinary incontinence (p=0.0049); living at home (p=0.0056); admission EMS (p<0.001); admission BI (p=0.044). Other predictors for satisfactory functional outcome were: age (p=0.009); infection other than chest (p=0.047); urinary incontinence (p<0.001); Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (p=0.0004); admission EMS (p=0.005); BI (p<0.001). Women achieved a better functional outcome but a poorer motor outcome on discharge. Female gender was a positive predictor for functional outcome but a negative factor for motor outcome.

Relationship between admission albumin levels and rehabilitation outcomes in older patients.

The relationship between serum albumin level and rehabilitation outcome in older patients has not been fully explored. This study investigated this association in older Chinese patients. We studied 1604 patients in two geriatric convalescence hospitals. Admission albumin levels (g/l) were measured and segregated into three groups: <30 g/l; 30 to <35 g/l; ≥35 g/l. Absolute functional and motor gain were determined by Barthel index (BI) and elderly mobility scale (EMS) and expressed as BI efficacy and EMS efficacy. BI and EMS efficiency were deduced by the efficacy divided by the length of hospital stay (LOS). Satisfactory motor and functional outcomes were defined as discharge EMS≥15 and BI≥75. Significant improvement in EMS and BI scores across all 3 albumin groups on discharge was observed, with lower scores in low albumin groups. The EMS and BI efficacy were the same in 3 albumin groups. However, EMS and BI efficiency were higher in the high albumin groups. Admission albumin was not independent predictors for satisfactory motor and functional outcomes. For satisfactory motor outcome (EMS≥15), female gender (p=0.0004), age (p=0.0009) and urinary incontinence (p=0.0076) were negative predictors while living at home (p=0.0028), admission EMS (p<0.001) and BI score (p=0.0004) were positive predictors. For satisfactory functional outcome (BI≥75), age (p=0.015) and urinary incontinence (p<0.001) were negative predictors while female gender (p=0.0024), LOS (p=0.033), C-MMSE (p<0.001), admission EMS (p=0.003) and BI (p<0.001) were positive predictors. Admission albumin levels were related to functional and motor efficiency, but not with absolute functional and motor gain. Albumin was not an independent predictor for satisfactory motor and functional outcome.

Rehabilitation outcomes of older Chinese patients with different cognitive function in a geriatric day hospital.

The relationship between cognitive function and geriatric day hospital (GDH) rehabilitation has not been explored. This study investigated this association in 547 older Chinese patients attended GDH. Cognitive status was assessed by Cantonese version of mini-mental state examination (C-MMSE). Functional independence measure (FIM) upon GDH admission and discharge were measured, with FIM gain = FIM discharge-FIM admission while FIM efficiency = FIM gain/by number of GDH visits. FIM discharge ≥ 90 was defined as satisfactory outcome of rehabilitation. Positive correlation was observed between C-MMSE admission and FIM discharge (p < 0.001). There were significant differences in the FIM admission and FIM discharge among the three C-MMSE groups, with lower discharge scores in low C-MMSE groups (p < 0.001). The FIM gain and FIM efficiency during GDH rehabilitation were not different among different C-MMSE groups. C-MMSE admission (p = 0.03) and FIM admission (p < 0.001) were both positive independent predictors for a satisfactory rehabilitation outcomes (FIM discharge ≥90). Cognitive function was not associated with FIM gain and efficiency. This suggested that selected patients with impaired cognition could still benefit from GDH rehabilitation.

Factors affecting institutionalization in older Hong Kong Chinese patients after recovery from acute medical illnesses.

Older patients with medical illnesses are at risk of institutionalization. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors leading to institutionalization in older patients after recovery from medical illnesses. We studied 535 older patients in two convalescence hospitals in Hong Kong. Of them, 116 patients (21.7%) needed to move to nursing homes upon discharge. Univariate analysis showed that age, single/divorced/widowed status, longer length of stay, pressure sores, urinary incontinence, urinary catheterization, falls, dementia, diabetes mellitus, Barthel index (100), Elderly Mobility Score (EMS), Chinese version of the mini-mental state examination (C-MMSE) and albumin levels were significant factors associated with institutionalization. Multivariate analysis showed that being single/divorced/widowed (odds ratio=OR=2.74, 95% confidence interval=CI=1.36-5.53, p=0.0048), having urinary incontinence on discharge (OR=5.13, CI=2.66-10.6, p<0.001) and admission due to falls (OR=2.4, CI=1.03-5.57, p=0.04) were independent risk factors for nursing home admission. Higher admission EMS (OR=0.91, CI=0.84-0.97, p=0.009), admission C-MMSE (OR=0.93, CI=0.87-0.98, p=0.019), and discharge albumin levels (OR=0.93, CI=0.88-0.99, p=0.02) were independent protecting factors against nursing home admission. Knowledge of these factors can allow us to predict accommodation outcome and develop intervention strategy to reduce institutionalization in the older patients.