Hospital admission as a deprescribing triage point for patients discharged to Residential Aged Care Facilities.

BACKGROUND: Deprescribing may benefit older frail patients experiencing polypharmacy. We investigated the scope for deprescribing in acutely hospitalised patients and the long-term implications of continuation of medications that could potentially be deprescribed. METHODS: Acutely hospitalised patients (n = 170) discharged to Residential Aged Care Facilities, ≥75 years and receiving ≥5 regular medications were assessed during admission to determine eligibility for deprescribing of key drug classes, along with the actual incidence of deprescribing. The impact of continuation of nominated drug classes (anticoagulants, antidiabetics, antiplatelets, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), statins) on a combined endpoint (death/readmission) was determined. RESULTS: Hyperpolypharmacy (>10 regular medications) was common (49.4%) at admission. Varying rates of deprescribing occurred during hospitalisation for the nominated drug classes (8-53%), with considerable potential for further deprescribing (34-90%). PPI use was prevalent (56%) and 89.5% of these had no clear indication. Of the drug classes studied, only continued PPI use at discharge was associated with increased mortality/readmission at 1 year (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval (1.06-2.26), P = 0.025), driven largely by readmission. CONCLUSION: There is considerable scope for acute hospitalisation to act as a triage point for deprescribing in older patients. PPIs in particular appeared overprescribed in this susceptible patient group, and this was associated with earlier readmission. Polypharmacy in older hospitalised patients should be targeted for possible deprescribing during hospitalisation, especially PPIs.

Paleo-oncology: Taking stock and moving forward.

This article serves as an introduction to the International Journal of Paleopathology's special issue, Paleo-oncology: Taking Stock and Moving Forward. Reflecting the goals of the special issue, this paper has been designed to provide an overview of the current state of paleo-oncology, to introduce new and innovative paleo-oncological research and ideas, and to serve as a catalyst for future discussions and progress. This paper begins with an overview of the paleo-oncological evidence that can be found in ancient remains, followed by a summary of significant paleo-oncological findings and methodological advances to date. Thereafter, challenges in estimating past prevalence of cancer are highlighted and recommendations are made for future advancements in paleo-oncological research. The ground-breaking studies included in the special issue and referenced throughout this introduction embody the many ways in which progress can be made in the field of paleo-oncology.

Taking stock: A systematic review of archaeological evidence of cancers in human and early hominin remains.

This study summarizes data from 154 paleopathological studies documenting 272 archaeologically recovered individuals exhibiting skeletal or soft tissue evidence of cancer (malignant neoplastic disease) between 1.8 million years ago and 1900 CE. The paper reviews and summarizes the temporal, spatial and demographic distribution of the evidence and the methods used to provide the cancer diagnoses. Metastasis to bone is the most widely reported evidence (n = 161), followed by multiple myeloma (n = 55). In the dataset, males were represented more than females (M = 127, F = 94), and middle-adults (35-49) and old-adults (50+) were represented most among age groups (MA = 77, OA = 66). The majority of the evidence comes from Northern Europe (n = 51) and Northern Africa (n = 46). The data are summarized in the Cancer Research in Ancient Bodies (CRAB) Database, a growing online resource for future paleo-oncological research. This systematic review contributes to broader studies of malignant neoplastic disease in antiquity; it provides an overview of paleo-oncological data, discusses the many practical and methodological challenges of paleo-oncological research, and dispels presumptions about cancer's rarity in the past.

The "Birmingham stitch"--avoiding slippage in laparoscopic gastric banding.

BACKGROUND: Slippage rates of 1.4-24 % are frequently quoted after adjustable gastric banding. This complication can be extremely serious and has contributed to many units offering more invasive interventions in the surgical management of morbid obesity. We present results of the first 1,140 Laparoscopic Bands performed in our unit. METHODS: Between April 2003 and June 2007, 1140 consecutive patients, mean weight 121.5 kg (range 73-268 kg), mean body mass index (BMI) 44.3 kg/m(2) (range 35-88) underwent laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). An identical surgical technique of one gastropexy suture in addition to the two routine gastro-gastro tunnel sutures was used in all cases. Fluoroscopy-guided adjustments were performed at 3 and 6 months and fluoroscopic evaluations were performed later if clinically indicated. RESULTS: There was no mortality and only one major septic complication of gastric perforation 1 week postoperatively which was managed conservatively. The mean stay was 1.02 days (range 0-30 days). Excess percent BMI loss in these patients at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months were 25.4%, 34.7%, 38.3%, 41.1%, 43.7%, 44.4%, and 58.9%, respectively. Slippage with urgent readmission occurred in one patient (0.08%) at 5 months. Two partial slippages were noticed at 12 and 18 months, respectively. One patient had the band removed and the other was treated by band deflation and repositioning 6 months later. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that in our unit, laparoscopic gastric band insertion is successful in producing weight loss and at the same time has a very low slippage and pouch dilatation rate. This difference is most probably secondary to operative technique.

Obesity and hypertension among children after treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to determine the prevalence and treatment-related risk factors for obesity and hypertension among childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors treated with contemporary therapy. METHODS: In a single-center longitudinal study, serial body mass indices (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) measurements of children ages 2-20 at time of ALL diagnosis and enrolled on pediatric cooperative group trials from 1993-2003 were abstracted from medical records and converted to population-referenced z-scores. RESULTS: Among 165 study participants, BMI z-scores increased significantly between diagnosis (median age 4.8 years) and therapy completion. At the end of therapy, 17.0% of survivors were overweight (BMI of 25-29, or 85-94% for age), 21.2% were obese (BMI >or=30, or >or=95% for age), and 15.3% had BP meeting stage 1+ hypertension thresholds (systolic or diastolic BP >or=140/90 mm Hg, or 95% for age and height plus 5 mm Hg). These proportions were found to be unchanged 2-3 years later. In multivariate analysis, the highest level of corticosteroid exposure was associated with both obesity (odds ratio [OR] 6.0; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.2-28.5) as well as stage 1+ hypertension (OR 2.4; 95% CI, 1.2-5.1) compared with the lowest level. Females also were more likely to have increased BMI and elevated BP compared with males. Treatment intensity and cranial radiotherapy were not found to be associated with BMI or BP changes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite reductions in the use of cranial radiotherapy, contemporary childhood survivors of ALL remain at an increased risk of obesity and hypertension at least several years after the completion of treatment, with those exposed to higher doses of corticosteroids at greater risk.