Inflammation scores based on C-reactive protein and albumin predict mortality in hospitalized older patients independent of the admission diagnosis.

Systemic inflammation significantly increases the risk of short- and long-term mortality in geriatric hospitalized patients. To predict mortality in older patients with various age-related diseases and infections, including COVID-19, inflammatory biomarkers such as the C-reactive protein (CRP) to albumin ratio (CAR), and related scores and indexes, i.e. Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified GPS (mGPS), and high sensitivity (hs)-mGPS, have been increasingly utilized. Despite their easy affordability and widespread availability, these biomarkers are predominantly assessed for clinical purposes rather than predictive applications, leading to their underutilization in hospitalized older patients. In this study, we investigated the association of CAR, GPS, mGPS, and hs-mGPS with short-term mortality in 3,206 geriatric hospitalized patients admitted for acute conditions, irrespective of admission diagnosis. We observed that unit increases of CAR, and the highest classes of GPS, mGPS, and hs-mGPS were significantly associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of death, even adjusting the risk for different confounding variables. Interestingly, a hs-mGPS of 2 showed the highest effect size. Furthermore, gender analysis indicated a stronger association between all CRP-albumin based parameters and mortality in men, underscoring the gender-specific relevance of inflammation-based circulating parameters in mortality prediction. In conclusion, scores based on serum CRP and albumin levels offer additional guidance for the stratification of in-hospital mortality risk in older patients by providing additional information on the degree of systemic inflammation.

Kidney function and cognitive impairment among older hospitalized patients: a comparison of four glomerular filtration rate equations.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and cognitive impairment may change as a function of the equation used. We aimed at investigating the association between four different eGFR equations and cognitive impairment among older hospitalized patients. METHODS: Our series consisted of 795 older patients consecutively admitted to 7 geriatric and internal medicine acute care wards. The eGFR was calculated by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiologic Collaboration (CKD-EPI), Cockcroft-Gault (CG), Berlin Initiative Study (BIS) and Full Age Spectrum (FAS) equations. Study outcomes were total Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) < 24 and sub-scores related to orientation to time, orientation to space, registration, calculation, three words recall, language and constructional praxis. Statistical analysis was carried out by logistic or Poisson regressions when appropriate. The accuracy of eGFR equations in identifying cognitive outcomes was investigated by calculating the area (AUC) under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for each equation. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, eGFR < 30 was significantly associated with MMSE < 24 only with CKD-EPI equation (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.04-3.96). eGFR < 30 was significantly associated with constructional apraxia with all study equations (CKD-EPI: OR 3.62, 95% CI 1.73-7.56; BIS: OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.31-6.26; FAS: OR 2.83, 95% CI 1.44-5.56; CG: OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.09-3.99). The accuracy of eGFR < 30 in identifying patients with defective constructional praxis was poor with all (BIS: AUC 0.54, 95% CI 0.52-0.55; CKD-EPI: AUC 0.55, 95% CI 0.53-0.57; CG: AUC 0.58, 95% CI 0.55-0.61; FAS: AUC 0.56, 95% CI 0.54-0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Constructional apraxia may characterize the cognitive profile of older patients with severe CKD. The accuracy in identifying patients with constructional apraxia is only fair, and studies including other biomarkers of kidney function are needed.

Cognitive Impairment, Chronic Kidney Disease, and 1-Year Mortality in Older Patients Discharged from Acute Care Hospital.

The prognostic interaction between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cognitive impairment is still to be elucidated. We investigated the potential interaction of overall cognitive impairment or defective constructional praxis and CKD in predicting 1-year mortality among 646 older patients discharged from hospital. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Berlin Initiative Study (BIS) equation. Cognitive impairment was assessed by the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) and defective constructional praxis was ascertained by the inherent MMSE item. The study outcome was 1-year mortality. Statistical analysis was carried out using Cox regression. After adjusting for potential confounders, the co-occurrence of eGFR <30 and overall cognitive impairment (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 3.12, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.26-7.77) and defective constructional praxis (HR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.08-5.77) were associated with the outcome. No significant prognostic interaction of eGFR < 30 with either overall cognitive impairment (HR = 1.99, 95% CI = 0.38-10.3) or constructional apraxia (HR = 1.68, 95% CI = 0.33-8.50) was detectable, while only cognitive deficits were found significantly associated with the outcome in the interaction models (HR = 3.12, 95% CI = 1.45-6.71 for overall cognitive impairment and HR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.05-4.45 for constructional apraxia). Overall cognitive impairment and defective constructional praxis may be associated with increased risk of 1-year mortality among older hospitalized patients with severe CKD. However, no significant prognostic interaction between CKD and cognitive impairment could be observed.

Adverse Events of Proton Pump Inhibitors: Potential Mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed at summarizing current evidence about mechanisms for potentially harmful effects of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs). METHODS: A Pubmed search was performed, and 207 studies concerning the relationship between use of PPIs and cardiovascular diseases, kidney impairment, nutritional disorders, fractures, infections, functional decline, and mortality were selected and reviewed. RESULTS: PPIs may cause potentially harmful effects by several mechanisms, including endothelial dysfunction, hypomagnesemia, drug interactions, reduced absorption of selected nutrients, increased gastric microbiota and small intestine bacterial overgrowth, reduced immune response, tubular-interstitial inflammation, increased bone turnover, accumulation of amyloid in the brain. Clinical and epidemiologic evidence is not consistent in regard to some negative outcomes during PPI treatment. Data from randomized clinical trials seem to deny most of them, but they are usually designed to investigate efficacy of drugs in ideal conditions and are not powered enough to detect adverse events. Besides being at special risk of experiencing negative outcomes during long-term treatment with PPIs, older and complex patients treated with polypharmacy regimens are persistently excluded from randomized clinical trials. Thus, large observational studies involving real-world patients should be considered as an important informative source about potential risks related to PPIs. CONCLUSIONS: Current evidence suggests that use of PPIs may be associated with negative outcomes by eliciting several different pathophysiologic mechanisms. While short-term PPIs could be considered effective and safe in adult patients with acid-related disorders, their long-term and often inappropriate use in patients carrying vulnerability to adverse events and/or high risk of drug-interactions should be avoided.