The Urgent Surgery Elderly Mortality risk score: a simple mortality score.

INTRODUCTION: an increasing number of elderly patients undergo urgent abdominal surgery and this population has a higher risk of mortality. The main objective of the study was to identify mortality-associated factors in elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery and to design a mortality scoring tool, the Urgent Surgery Elderly Mortality risk score (the USEM score). PATIENTS AND METHODS: this was a retrospective study using a prospective database. Patients > 65 years old that underwent urgent abdominal surgery were included. Risk factors for 30-day mortality were identified using multivariate regression analysis and weights assigned using the odds ratios (OR). A mortality score was derived from the aggregate of weighted scores. Model calibration and discrimination were judged using the receiver operating characteristics curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: in the present study, 4,255 patients were included with an 8.5% mortality rate. The risk factors significantly associated with mortality were American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, age, preoperative diagnosis (OR: 37.82 for intestinal ischemia, OR: 5.01 for colorectal perforation, OR: 6.73 for intestinal obstruction), surgical wound classification and open or laparoscopic surgery. A risk score was devised from these data for the estimation of the probability of survival in each patient. The area under the ROC curve (AUROC) for this score was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.82-0.86) and the AUROC correct was 0.83 (0.81-0.85). CONCLUSIONS: a simple score that uses five clinical variables predicts 30-day mortality. This model can assist surgeons in the initial evaluation of an elderly patient undergoing urgent abdominal surgery.

[Analysis of serious trauma injury patterns in Navarre (Spain) (2010-2019)].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to describe major trauma cases in Navarre and analyze differences based on mortality groups, sex, and mode of injury. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of major traumas (severity =3) registered in Navarre between 2010 and 2019. We analyzed the type of trauma, intentionality, the mode of injury, and the affected anatomical area. The odds ratio for major trauma associated with different variables was calculated. RESULTS: The study included 2,609 patients; mean age was 54.7 years (0-101) and 70.9% were male. A predominance of accidental (84%) / blunt (94.7%) major traumas was recorded, primarily resulting from falls (46.5%) and car accidents (18.4%). Women experienced more falls and pedestrian accidents, while men had more motorcycle, bicycle, knife/firearm accidents, and contusions. Most major traumas affected the head and thorax. Head trauma was significantly more common in deceased individuals and women, while thoracic trauma was more frequent in patients who died on-site and in men. Head injuries were caused by falls from low heights and firearms, whereas thoracic injuries resulted from car accidents and falls from height. The risk of major trauma decreased with age; deceased patients were between two and three times more likely to present lesions in all anatomical areas. CONCLUSIONS: Gender differences are observed in intentionality, type, and mode of injury. Head and thoracic injuries are potentially life-threatening and abdominal and extremity/pelvic ring injuries are associated with early deaths. This suggests that the extent and severity of these injuries complicate treatment and management.

Postoperative physical rehabilitation in the elderly patient after emergency surgery. Influence on functional, cognitive and quality of live recovery: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: The progressive aging of the population has meant the increase in elderly patients requiring an urgent surgery. Older adults, especially those with frailty, have a higher risk for complications, functional and cognitive decline after urgent surgery. These patients have their functional and physiological reserve reduced which makes them more vulnerable to the effects of being bedridden. The consequences are at multiple levels emphasizing the functional loss or cognitive impairment, longer stays, mortality and institutionalization, delirium, poor quality of life and increased use of resources related to health. We aim to determine whether postoperative physical rehabilitation can prevent functional and cognitive decline and modify the posterior trajectory. METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a randomized clinical trial, simple blinded, conducted in the Department of Surgery of a tertiary public hospital in Navarra (Hospital Universitario de Navarra), Spain. Patients > = 70 years old undergoing urgent abdominal surgery who meet inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The intervention will consist of a multicomponent physical training programme, which will include progressive and supervised endurance, resistance and balance training for 4 weeks, twice weekly sessions with a total of 8 sessions, and the group control will receive the usual care. The primary outcome measure is the change in functional (SPPB) and cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination) and the change of quality of life (EuroQol-5D-VAS) during the study period. The secondary outcomes are postoperative complications, length of stay, delirium, mortality, use of health resources, functional status (Barthel Index and handgrip strength tests), cost per quality-adjusted life year and mininutritional assessment. The data for both the intervention group and the control group will be obtained at four different times: the initial visit during hospital admission and at months 1, 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge. DISCUSSION: If our hypothesis is correct, this project could show that individualized and progressive exercise programme provides effective therapy for improving the functional capacity and achieve a better functional, cognitive and quality of life recovery. This measure, without entailing a significant expense for the administration, probably has an important repercussion both in the short- and long-term recovery, improving care and functional parameters and could determine a lower subsequent need for health resources. To verify this, we will carry out a cost-effectiveness study. The clinical impact of this trial can be significant if we help to modify the traditional management of the elderly patients from an illness model to a more person-centred and functionally oriented perspective. Moreover, the prescription of individualized exercise can be routinely included in the clinical practice of these patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05290532. Version 1. Registered on March 13, 2022.

Association of postoperative delirium with serum and cerebrospinal fluid proteomic profiles: a prospective cohort study in older hip fracture patients.

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common neuropsychiatric complication in geriatric inpatients after hip fracture surgery and its occurrence is associated with poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative biomarkers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the development of POD in older hip fracture patients, exploring the possibility of integrating objective methods into future predictive models of delirium. Sixty hip fracture patients were recruited. Blood and CSF samples were collected at the time of spinal anesthesia when none of the subjects had delirium. Patients were assessed daily using the 4AT scale, and based on these results, they were divided into POD and non-POD groups. The Olink® platform was used to analyze 45 cytokines. Twenty-one patients (35%) developed POD. In the subsample of 30 patients on whom proteomic analyses were performed, a proteomic profile was associated with the incidence of POD. Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 (CXCL9) had the strongest correlation between serum and CSF samples in patients with POD (rho = 0.663; p < 0.05). Although several cytokines in serum and CSF were associated with POD after hip fracture surgery in older adults, there was a significant association with lower preoperative levels of CXCL9 in CSF and serum. Despite the small sample size, this study provides preliminary evidence of the potential role of molecular biomarkers in POD, which may provide a basis for the development of new delirium predictive models.

Effects of Exercise Intervention for the Management of Delirium in Hospitalized Older Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Delirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome frequently occurring in hospitalized older adults, for which pharmacological treatments have shown limited effectiveness. Multicomponent physical exercise programs have demonstrated functional benefits; however, the impact of exercise on the course of delirium remains unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an individualized, multicomponent exercise intervention on the evolution of delirium and patient outcomes. DESIGN: A single-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Medical inpatients with delirium in an acute geriatric unit of a tertiary public hospital. METHODS: Thirty-six patients (mean age 87 years) were recruited and randomized into 2 groups. The control group received usual care and the intervention group received individualized physical exercise (1 daily session) for 3 consecutive days. Primary endpoints were the duration and severity of delirium (4-AT, Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale) and change in functional status [Barthel Index, Short Physical Performance Battery, Hierarchical Assessment of Balance and Mobility (HABAM), and handgrip strength]. Secondary endpoints included length of stay, falls, and health outcomes at 1- and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: The intervention group showed more functional improvement at discharge (HABAM, P = .015) and follow-up (Barthel, P = .041; Lawton P = .027). Less cognitive decline was observed at 1 and 3 months (Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, P = .017). Exercise seemed to reduce delirium duration by 1 day and contribute to delirium resolution at discharge, although findings did not reach statistical significance. No exercise-related adverse events occurred. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that individualized exercise in acutely hospitalized older patients with delirium is safe, may improve delirium course and help preserve post-hospitalization function and cognition.

Efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for non-suicidal self-injury in adolescent population: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the deliberate and self-inflicted damage to body tissue in the absence of fatal intent, and has become a serious health problem among adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment for NSSI in this population through a systematic revision and meta-analysis (PROSPERO ID: 252355). Studies with therapies that reduced NSSI were included. The search was performed in the Medline, APA PsycINFO and PubPsych databases. The synthesis of measures for the main outcome (NSSI reduction) and for secondary outcomes (global functioning change and depressive symptomatology reduction) was performed using a random effects model. The search identified a total of 1881 studies. The systematic review included five studies and the meta-analysis four studies. The summary effect estimate for the standardized mean difference in NSSI was -0.53 (95% CI: -0.82, -0.25), in global functioning it was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.91), and in depressive symptomatology it was -0.59 (95% CI: -0.82, -0.36). The certainty of the evidence using the GRADE method is low. We conclude that therapies specifically aimed at reducing NSSI are effective in reducing both NSSI and depressive symptoms while increasing global functioning.

Transfusion of D positive red cells to selected D-negative patients. / Transfusión de hematíes D positivo a pacientes seleccionados D negativo.

BACKGROUND: To transfuse packed red blood cells isogroup ABO D is a usual transfusion practice. However, when there is not enough D negative blood available, we can transfuse positive red blood cells to negative patients. Immunocompetent D negative individuals may develop serologically detectable anti-D antibodies within 3 months after exposure to D positive red blood cells. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Over the last 18 years, we have experienced situations of D negative blood cell scarcity. In these situations, we have applied a clinical assistance protocol, selecting patients with lower risk of alloimmunization and chronic transfusion requirements. We have retrospectively evaluated this policy for the use of D positive red blood cells in D negative patients, focussing on alloinmunization and mortality. RESULTS: Applying the protocol, 3% of D negative patients were transfused with D positive units, with an alloimmunization rate of 12.3%. The rate of alloimmunization was higher in the younger age group and in those transfused with more units. No haemolytic reactions were reported. Mortality in the alloimmunized group was lower. CONCLUSION: The use of D positive red blood cells in selected D negative patients does not induce adverse reactions, is a safe practice and allows saving of a product that is sometimes limited.

Differences in the predictive capability for functional impairment, cognitive decline and mortality of different frailty tools: A longitudinal cohort study. / Diferencias en la capacidad predictiva para declive funcional, cognitivo y mortalidad para distintas escalas de fragilidad: un estudio de cohortes longitudinal.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There are multiple frailty detection tools, but they have not been specifically developed for the institutionalised population. The aim of this study is to ascertain at 3-year follow-up which tool predicts functional impairment and mortality most precisely. METHODS: Longitudinal cohort study with 110 patients in Pamplona (Navarra)>65 years. Four frailty tools were applied (Fried Criteria, Rockwood Frailty Scale, FRAIL-NH and Imputed Fried Frailty Criteria). The power of the association between the scales and the results was assessed by linear regression and Cox's analyses. RESULTS: 46.5% of the sample died during time to follow-up, 68% of whom died in their nursing home, with 43-month mean survival. Of the studied population, 71.3% showed disability at 3 years, especially the frail subjects. The robust patients had longer hospitalizations (m=3.4 days) than the frail. Imputed Fried and FRAIL-NH found statistically significant differences between groups for the variables studied. Imputed Fried Frailty Criteria showed a significant HR of death for the frail subjects (HR=3.3). CONCLUSIONS: The Imputed Fried and FRAIL-NH tools showed a higher predictive capability for functional and cognitive decline, but only the Imputed Fried Frailty Criteria found a significant relationship between frailty and mortality.

Prospective validation of the Urgent Surgery Elderly Mortality risk score (USEM).

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to test the predictive ability and to compare the predictive ability of the USEM to SRS, SORT and ASA in a prospective sample. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A Prospective cohort of >65-year-old patients undergoing urgent abdominal surgery in a Hospital. Models calibration and discrimination were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristics curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. RESULTS: A total of 500 patients with a median age of 78 years were included. The AUROC in the validation cohort was 0.824. The USEM overestimated mortality (Test Hosmer-Lemeshow p < 0.001), after recalibration the USEM provided an accurate prediction of postoperative mortality. CONCLUSIONS: After the recalibration, the USEM had good discriminant power to estimate the risk of mortality in elderly patients after urgent abdominal surgery.

Effect of the application of the "Patient blood management" programme on the approach to elective hip and knee arthroplasties. / Efecto de la aplicación del programa Patient blood management en el abordaje de las artroplastias de cadera y rodilla programada.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The "Patient Blood Management" (PBM) programmes have demonstrated their value in the continuous improvement of care practice, due to continuous systematic reviewing of results and their dynamic and multidisciplinary updating in accordance with new clinical evidence. Our goal is to demonstrate the effectiveness of simple protocols, applicable in second level hospitals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 702 patients undergoing scheduled arthroplasty from 2011 to 2018 were retrospectively analysed. During this period, the evolution of transfusion rates and anaemia and bleeding management were recorded in the patients' computerised clinical histories. RESULTS: Stages and transfusion rates were: Year 2011-2012, "Universal self-donation programme": 62.4%; year 2013, "Optimization of preoperative haemoglobin and universal self-donation withdrawal", 22.5%; year 2015, "Stopping the use of cell-savers and drains", 13.2%; and year 2017, "Introduction of routine tranexamic acid", 3.6%. A significant reduction in the transfusion rate and volume (P<.001) and the average hospital stay (8 to 6 days) (P<.001) was achieved. In multivariate models, transfused patients have a .5-day stay and there is a trend towards a reduction in complications, being fewer in patients receiving tranexamic acid (OR .44). CONCLUSION: A simple progressive and multidisciplinary PBM programme, with continued re-evaluation, has allowed a reduction in transfusion rates and average hospital stay.