Fear of Falling as a Behavioral Symptom in Neurocognitive Impaired Patients: Evidence from an Underrepresented Population.

BACKGROUND: Fear of falling (FoF) is a condition associated with falls, multi-morbidity, and functional impairment. To date it remains unknow which clinical, somatic, socio-demographic, behavioral, and emotional factors are associated with FoF and how these factors interact in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). OBJECTIVE: Identify the association of FoF with clinical, socio-demographic, and neuropsychiatric factors in patients with AD and bvFTD. METHODS: We evaluated 98 participants, 58 with AD and 40 with bvFTD at mild or moderate stages and assess FoF using the Falls Efficacy Scale-International. Additionally, we analyzed cognitive, physical performance variables, functional impairment, and affective and behavioral symptoms associated with FoF using standardized scales and a regression model analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of FoF in AD and bvFTD was 51% and 40%, respectively. In the AD group, physical performance [F (3, 53) = 4.318, p = 0.009], the behavioral symptoms model [F (19, 38) = 3.314, p = 0.001], and the anxiety model [F (1, 56) = 13.4, p≤0.01] showed statistically significant values. In addition, the presence of hallucinations assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and social behavior assessed with the Mild Behavioral Impairment Checklist were significant. In contrast, in the bvFTD group, a homologous group of models was evaluated but we did not find any significant results. CONCLUSION: FoF in people with AD was related to physical performance, neuropsychiatric symptoms such as apathy and hallucinations, and affective symptoms such as anxiety. However, this pattern was not seen in the bvFTD group, and therefore further studies are required.

Prevalence of Hospital Functional Impairment in a Colombian Elderly Population at the San Ignacio University Hospital / Prevalencia de deterioro funcional hospitalario en una población colombiana de ancianos en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio / Prevalência de deterioro funcional hospitalar em uma população colombiana de idosos no Hospital Universitário San Ignacio

Abstract Introduction: Functional decline following hospitalization (FDH) is defined as the loss of the functional capacity to perform at least one basic activity of daily life (BADL) when being discharged from hospital; a situation compared to functional capacity performed in the last couple of weeks, prior the acute disease. This impairment is precipitated in the elderly by factors such as aging, architectural conditions, malnutrition, hospital routines and physical restraints. The objective of this study is determining the prevalence of functional impairment in adults over 65 years of age hospitalized in the San Ignacio University Hospital (SIUH) and its associated factors. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of a hospital cohort was carried out from December 1st 2015 to December 31st 2017. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify associated variables. Results: 1055 people were included, with FDH prevalence of 41.14%. The three main factors associated with the development of FDH in the elderly population that consulted the SIUH were time of hospital stay [OR 1.88, CI95% (1.41-2.49), p = <0.0001], malnutrition [OR 1.59, CI95% (1.16-2.19), p = 0.004] and delirium [OR 2.38, CI95% (1.83-3.10), p = <0.001]. Conclusion: FDH is a highly prevalent condition in the geriatric population hospitalized in the San Ignacio University Hospital, where length of stay, malnutrition and delirium are the factors associated with its disease onset.

Resumen Introducción: El deterioro funcional hospitalario (DFH) se define como la pérdida de la capacidad para realizar al menos una actividad básica de la vida diaria (ABVD) en el momento del alta respecto a la situación funcional dos semanas previas al inicio de la enfermedad aguda; dicha situación es precipitada en los ancianos por factores como el envejecimiento, las condiciones arquitectónicas, la desnutrición, las rutinas hospitalarias y las restricciones físicas. El presente estudio busca determinar la prevalencia de deterioro funcional en adultos mayores de 65 años hospitalizados en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio (HUSI) y sus factores asociados. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal de una cohorte hospitalaria de diciembre de 2015 al 31 de diciembre de 2017; se llevó a cabo un análisis univariado y multivariado para identificar variables asociadas. Resultados: Se incluyeron 1055 personas, con una prevalencia de DFH del 41,14%. Los tres principales factores asociados al desarrollo de DFH en la población anciana que consulta al HUSI fueron tiempo de estancia hospitalaria [OR 1,88, CI95% (1,41-2,49), p = <0,0001], malnutrición [OR 1,59, CI95% (1,16-2,19), p = 0,004] y delirium [OR 2,38, CI95% (1,83-3,10), p = <0,001]. Conclusión: El DFH es una condición altamente prevalente en la población geriátrica hospitalizada en el Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, siendo el tiempo de estancia intrahospitalaria, la malnutrición y el delirium factores asociados a su aparición.

Resumo Introdução: O deterioro funcional hospitalar define-se como a perda da capacidade para realizar pelo menos uma atividade básica da vida diária (ABVD) no momento da alta médica respeito à situação funcional duas semanas prévias ao início da doença aguda. Dita situação e precipitada nos idosos por fatores como o envelhecimento, as condições arquitetônicas, a subnutrição, rutinas hospitalares e restrições físicas. O presente estudo busca determinar a prevalência de deterioro funcional em idosos de 65 anos hospitalizados no Hospital Universitário San Ignacio (HUSI) e seus fatores associados. Materiais e métodos: Se realizou um estudo descritivo de corte transversal de uma coorte hospitalar de dezembro de 2015 ao 31 de dezembro de 2017; se realizou uma análise univariada e multivariada para identificar variáveis associadas. Resultados: Se incluíram 1055 pessoas, com uma prevalência de DFH do 41,14%. Os três principais fatores associados ao desenvolvimento de DFH na população idosa que consulta ao HUSI foram tempo de permanência hospitalar [OR 1,88, CI95% (1,41-2,49), p = <0,0001], a subnutrição [OR 1,59, CI95% (1,16-2,19), p = 0,004] e o delirium [OR 2,38, CI95% (1,83-3,10), p = <0,001]. Conclusão: O DFH é uma condição altamente prevalente na população geriátrica hospitalizada no Hospital Universitário San Ignacio sendo o tempo de permanência intra-hospitalar, a subnutrição e o delirium fatores associados à sua aparição.

Acquired hemophilia in an elderly person / Hemofilia adquirida en un anciano

Abstract Acquired hemophilia is a rare but highly fatal hemostatic disorder that occurs predominantly in elderly people. It is a disorder secondary to the development of specific autoantibodies directed against coagulation factor VIII. It is characterized by potentially fatal gastrointestinal, pulmonary, retroperitoneal, soft tissue or intracranial hemorrhages, so it requires early diagnoses and effective treatments. The present case is of a 78-year-old man with sudden onset gastrointestinal hemorrhage associated with ecchymosis and hematomas in soft tissues, with the complication of a laryngeal hematoma. He had a prolonged partial thromboplastin time (PTT), elevated factor VIII levels and elevated factor VIII inhibitorst. (Acta Med Colomb 2019; 44. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2019.1207).

Resumen La hemofilia adquirida es un trastorno hemostásico poco frecuente pero altamente fatal que se presenta predominantemente en personas ancianas. Es un trastorno secundario al desarrollo de autoanticuerpos específicos dirigidos contra el factor de coagulación VIII. Se caracterizan por debutar hemorragias potencialmente fatales a nivel gastrointestinal, pulmonar, retroperitoneal, de tejidos blandos o intracraneal, por lo que requiere diagnósticos tempranos y tratamientos eficaces para su tratamiento. El presente caso es de un hombre de 78 años con hemorragia gastrointestinal asociado a equimosis y hematomas de aparición súbita en tejidos blandos y como complicación presenta hematoma laríngeo, con tiempo parcial de protrombina (PTT) prolongado, niveles de factor VIII elevados y niveles de inhibidor de factor VIII elevados. (Acta Med Colomb 2019; 44. DOI:https://doi.org/10.36104/amc.2019.1207).