Polypharmacy Definitions for Multimorbid Older Adults Need Stronger Foundations to Guide Research, Clinical Practice and Public Health.

There are numerous definitions of polypharmacy to describe the use of many medications among older adults, but there is a need to clarify if they are purposive and meaningful. By means of a systematic review, we identified definitions of polypharmacy used in multimorbid older adults (≥65 years). We evaluated if the definitions align among the domains of research, clinical practice, and public health and appraised whether concepts of polypharmacy are based on strong foundations. More than 46 definitions of polypharmacy were retrieved from 348 publications (research: n = 243; clinical practice: n = 88; public health: n = 17). Several thresholds based on the number of medications were mentioned. The majority of the publications (n = 202, 58%) used a minimal threshold of five medications. Heterogeneous qualitative definitions were identified, mostly stating that polypharmacy is "more drugs than needed". There was no significant divergence between domains as to the type of definitions used, although qualitative definitions were more common in clinical practice. Nearly half (n = 156, 47%) of the publications provided no justification for the polypharmacy definition used. The wide variety of definitions for polypharmacy precludes comparisons, appropriate identification and management of polypharmacy in multimorbid older adults. Standardized definitions would allow more coherent judgments regarding the individual and collective stakes of polypharmacy.

Reducing Burden for Caregivers of Older Adults With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND/RATIONALE: This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of the nonpharmacological interventions reducing burden, psychological symptoms, and improving quality of life of caregivers of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHOD: Databases reviewed included Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycNet, AgeLine, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Studies using an experimental/quasi-experimental design including nonpharmacological intervention were included. Four studies were included, and no meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Calendar training and note-taking (cognitive intervention) significantly decreased caregiver's depressive symptoms and prevented worsening of subjective burden 6 months posttreatment. Daily engagement of meaningful activity combined with problem-solving therapy and educational material reduced depressive symptoms 3 months posttreatment. Moreover, educational intervention and social conversation phone calls decreased caregiver burden 3 months posttreatment. CONCLUSION: Studies suggest that nonpharmacological interventions can support caregivers of older adults with MCI, but the few published articles present some bias and are inconclusive. Randomized-controlled trials targeting specifically caregivers are needed to determine the most efficient type of interventions for those individuals.

The Victoria Stroop Test: Normative Data in Quebec-French Adults and Elderly.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the widespread use of the Victoria Stroop Test (VST; Regard, 1981) in clinical and research settings, information regarding the impact of sociodemographic variables on test performance in Quebec-French adults and elderly people is still nonexistent. Thus, this study aimed to establish normative data for error scores and completion time on all test trials (Dot, Word, and Interference) taking into account the impact of age, education, and sex on test performance. METHOD: The sample consisted of 646 community-dwelling and healthy Quebec-French individuals aged between 47 and 87 years. RESULTS: Regression analyses indicated that age was associated with completion time and error scores on all trials. The association was also positive for low and high interference conditions. Education was associated with completion time on Word and Interference trials, and with both interference scores. Finally, sex was associated with completion time on all trials, with women being consistently faster than men. Equations to calculate Z scores and percentiles are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Norms for the VST will ease interpretation of executive functioning in Quebec-French adults and elderly and favor accurate discrimination between normal and pathological cognitive states.