'Life is about movement-everything that is alive moves': a mixed methods study to understand barriers and enablers to inpatient mobility from the older patient's perspective.

BACKGROUND: Mobility in hospital is important to maintain independence and prevent complications. Our multi-centre study aimed to measure mobility and identify barriers and enablers to mobility participation from the older patient's perspective. METHODS: Mixed methods study including direct observation of adult inpatients on 20 acute care wards in 12 hospitals and semi-structured interviews with adults aged 65 years or older on each of these wards. Interviews were undertaken by trained staff during the inpatient stay. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively. Qualitative data were initially coded deductively using the theoretical domains framework (TDF), with an inductive approach then used to frame belief statements. RESULTS: Of 10,178 daytime observations of 503 adult inpatients only 7% of time was spent walking or standing. Two hundred older patient interviews were analysed. Most (85%) patients agreed that mobilising in hospital was very important. Twenty-three belief statements were created across the eight most common TDF domains. Older inpatients recognised mobility benefits and were self-motivated to mobilise in hospital, driven by goals of maintaining or recovering strength and health and returning home. However, they struggled with managing pain, other symptoms and new or pre-existing disability in a rushed, cluttered environment where they did not wish to trouble busy staff. Mobility equipment, meaningful walking destinations and individualised programmes and goals made mobilising easier, but patients also needed permission, encouragement and timely assistance. CONCLUSION: Inpatient mobility was low. Older acute care inpatients frequently faced a physical and/or social environment which did not support their individual capabilities.

Navigating the facilitation journey: a qualitative, longitudinal evaluation of 'Eat Walk Engage' novice and experienced facilitators.

BACKGROUND: The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) and integrated-PARIHS (i-PARIHS) frameworks position facilitation as an overarching strategy to enable implementation. In the revised i-PARIHS framework, facilitation is operationalised through a multi-level model with novice, experienced and expert facilitators working together in a network structure to build facilitation knowledge and skills along a continuum. To date, there has been limited evaluation of this facilitation model in practice, which is the aim of the study reported here. METHODS: A descriptive, qualitative longitudinal study was undertaken to track a team of four novice and two experienced facilitators involved in facilitating the implementation of an intervention known as 'Eat Walk Engage' to improve multidisciplinary team delivery of age-friendly care principles in hospital. Over an 18-month period, repeat interviews were conducted to explore the learning, development, and evolving roles of novice facilitators and the roles of the experienced facilitators in providing support and mentoring. Interview data were analysed using a descriptive qualitative approach and findings were interpreted in collaboration with the participating facilitators. RESULTS: The findings demonstrated experiential learning in both the novice and experienced facilitator groups as they enacted their roles in practice. The novice facilitators progressively transitioned to becoming more experienced facilitators and the experienced facilitators became increasingly expert, in line with the i-PARIHS concept of a facilitation journey from novice to expert. Strategies to support this development included a staggered approach to learning, regular meetings between the experienced and novice facilitators, reflective writing and informal peer support and networking. However, the roles were not without challenge and these challenges changed over time, from a more specific focus on the demands of the facilitator role to concerns about embedding and sustaining improvements in practice. CONCLUSIONS: Within a network of peers and a mentored relationship with more experienced facilitators, individuals who are new to an implementation facilitator role can transition along a continuum to become experienced facilitators. Building implementation facilitation capability in this way takes time and requires tailored support and mentorship using a mix of structured and flexible approaches incorporating opportunities for reflection to support individual and group learning.

Implementing a ward-based programme to improve care for older inpatients: process evaluation of the cluster randomised CHERISH trial.

BACKGROUND: Older inpatients are at high risk of hospital-associated complications, particularly delirium and functional decline. These can be mitigated by consistent attention to age-friendly care practices such as early mobility, adequate nutrition and hydration, and meaningful cognitive and social activities. Eat Walk Engage is a ward-based improvement programme theoretically informed by the i-PARIHS framework which significantly reduced delirium in a four-hospital cluster trial. The objective of this process evaluation was to understand how Eat Walk Engage worked across trial sites. METHODS: Prospective multi-method implementation evaluation on medical and surgical wards in four hospitals implementing Eat Walk Engage January 2016-May 2017. Using UK Medical Research Council guidance, this process evaluation assessed context, implementation (core components, implementation strategies and improvements) and mechanisms of impact (practice changes measured through older person interviews, structured mealtime observations and activity mapping) at each site. RESULTS: The four wards had varied contextual barriers which altered dynamically with time. One ward with complex outer organisational barriers showed poorer implementation and fewer practice changes. Two experienced facilitators supported four novice site facilitators through interactive training and structured reflection as well as data management, networking and organisational influence. Novice site facilitators used many implementation strategies to facilitate 45 discrete improvements at individual, team and system level. Patient interviews (42 before and 38 after implementation) showed better communication about program goals in three sites. Observations of 283 meals before and 297 after implementation showed improvements in mealtime positioning and assistance in all sites. Activity mapping in 85 patients before and 111 patients after implementation showed improvements in cognitive and social engagement in three sites, but inconsistent changes in mobility. The improvements in mealtime care and cognitive and social engagement are plausible mediators of reduced delirium observed in the trial. The lack of consistent mobility improvements may explain why the trial did not show reduction in functional decline. CONCLUSIONS: A multi-level enabling facilitation approach supported adaptive implementation to varied contexts to support mechanisms of impact which partly achieved the programme goals. Contexts changed over time, suggesting the need for adequate time and continued facilitation to embed, enhance and sustain age-friendly practices on acute care wards and optimise outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The CHERISH trial was prospectively registered with the ANZCTR ( http://www.anzctr.org.au ): ACTRN12615000879561.

Understanding the Role and Value of Process Quality Indicators in Older Vascular Surgery Inpatients.

BACKGROUND: Despite the development of geriatrics surgery process quality indicators (QIs), few studies have reported on these QIs in routine surgical practice. Even less is known about the links between these QIs and clinical outcomes, and patient characteristics. We aimed to measure geriatrics surgery process QIs, and investigate the association between process QIs and outcomes, and QIs and patient characteristics, in hospitalized older vascular surgery patients. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of 150 consecutive patients aged ≥ 65 years admitted to a tertiary vascular surgery unit. Occurrence of geriatrics surgery process QIs as part of routine vascular surgery care was measured. Associations between QIs and high-risk patient characteristics, and QIs and clinical outcomes were assessed using clustered heatmaps. RESULTS: QI occurrence rate varied substantially from 2% to 93%. Some QIs, such as cognition and delirium screening, documented treatment preferences, and geriatrician consultation were infrequent and clustered with high-risk patient characteristcs. There were two major process-outcome clusters: (a) multidisciplinary consultations, communication and screening-based process QIs with multiple adverse outcomes, and (b) documentation and prescribing-related QIs with fewer adverse outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Clustering patterns of process QIs with clinical outcomes are complex, and there is a differential occurrence of QIs by patient characteristics. Prospective intervention studies that report on implemented QIs, outcomes and patient characteristics are needed to better understand the causal pathways between process QIs and outcomes, and to help prioritize targets for quality improvement in the care of older surgical patients.

Qualitative analysis of challenges and enablers to providing age friendly hospital care in an Australian health system.

BACKGROUND: With ageing global populations, hospitals need to adapt to ensure high quality hospital care for older inpatients. Age friendly hospitals (AFH) aim to establish systems and evidence-based practices which support high quality care for older people, but many of these practices remain poorly implemented. This study aimed to understand barriers and enablers to implementing AFH from the perspective of key stakeholders working within an Australian academic health system. METHODS: In this interpretive phenomenenological study, open-ended interviews were conducted with experienced clinicians, managers, academics and consumer representatives who had peer-recognised interest in improving care of older people in hospital. Initial coding was guided by the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework. Coding and charting was cross checked by three researchers, and themes validated by an expert reference group. Reporting was guided by COREQ guidelines. RESULTS: Twenty interviews were completed (8 clinicians, 7 academics, 4 clinical managers, 1 consumer representative). Key elements of AFH were that older people and their families are recognized and valued in care; skilled compassionate staff work in effective teams; and care models and environments support older people across the system. Valuing care of older people underpinned three other key enablers: empowering local leadership, investing in implementation and monitoring, and training and supporting a skilled workforce. CONCLUSIONS: Progress towards AFH will require collaborative action from health system managers, clinicians, consumer representatives, policy makers and academic organisations, and reframing the value of caring for older people in hospital.

Multidisciplinary quality improvement programme for older patients admitted to a vascular surgery ward.

BACKGROUND: Older vascular surgical patients are at high risk of hospital-associated complications and prolonged stays. AIMS: To implement a multidisciplinary co-management model for older vascular patients and evaluate impact on length of stay (LOS), delirium incidence, functional decline, medical complications and discharge destination. METHODS: Prospective pre-post evaluation of a quality improvement intervention, enrolling pre-intervention (August 2012-January 2013) and post-intervention cohort (September 2013-March 2014). Participants were consenting patients aged 65 years and over admitted to the vascular surgical ward of a metropolitan teaching hospital for at least 3 days. Intervention was physician-led co-management plus a multidisciplinary improvement programme targeting delirium and functional decline. Primary outcomes were LOS, delirium and functional decline. Secondary outcomes were medical complications and discharge destination. Process measures included documented consultation patterns. Administrative data were also compared for all patients aged 65 and older for 12 months pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: We enrolled 112 participants pre-intervention and 123 participants post-intervention. LOS was reduced post-intervention (geometric mean 7.6 days vs 9.3 days; ratio of geometric means 0.82 (95% confidence interval CI0.68-1.00), P = 0.04). There was a trend to less delirium (18 (14.6%) vs 24 (21.4%), P = 0.17) and functional decline (18 (14.6%) vs 27 (24.3%), P = 0.06), with greatest reductions in the urgently admitted subgroup. Administrative data showed reduced median LOS (5.2 days vs 6 days, P = 0.03) and greater discharge home (72% vs 50%, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Physician-led co-management plus a multidisciplinary improvement programme may reduce LOS and improve functional outcomes in older vascular surgical patients.

Management of frail older people with acute illness.

Frailty status is intrinsically related to every aspect of older patients' hospital journeys: the way in which they present to hospital, their health status at admission, vulnerability to complications in hospital and rate of recovery after an acute insult. In younger people, hospitalisation is usually the result of a serious illness or injury, such as sepsis or major trauma. Management can be underpinned by evidence-based algorithms relating to the precipitating insult and recovery usually follows a predictable trajectory. In older people who are frail, on the other hand, admission to hospital may be triggered by an illness that may seem minor, such as a viral infection, which causes a geriatric syndrome. A fall or delirium with no major precipitant should be considered an indicator of frailty. Promptly recognising the acute illness and the increased risk for hospital-associated complications is essential for providing safe systems of care for frail older people. Early consideration of health assets and engagement of families and community services can have an important role in successful recovery during and beyond the hospital stay. Effective decision-making about clinical interventions can benefit from explicit assessment of frailty status and consideration of patient priorities.

Frailty: mind the gap.

Frailty has become the focus of considerable research interest and media attention over the past 15 years. While it has much to offer geriatric medicine, potential pitfalls also need to be acknowledged. The conceptualisation of frailty in very different ways-as a syndrome or a risk state-has created semantic dissonance: the frailest patients by one definition may have early sarcopenia, by another be bedbound and in institutional care. Caution is required in transferring findings between studies enroling these different populations. Furthermore, a yawning gap has emerged between the number of studies reporting the associations of frailty and those investigating interventions such that the empirical benefits of identifying and treating frailty currently remain unclear. Perhaps most importantly, frailty research has evolved with little account of the perspectives and preferences of patients themselves. The label of 'frail', being linked to mental or moral weakness, has pejorative implications and care should be taken to avoid the adverse functional effects of negative priming.Here, we suggest pathways for future studies to provide a stronger evidence base to apply this important concept. This research is essential to avoid frailty becoming the new cloak of ageism, a tool for discrimination and disempowerment applied to the most vulnerable.

CHERISH (collaboration for hospitalised elders reducing the impact of stays in hospital): protocol for a multi-site improvement program to reduce geriatric syndromes in older inpatients.

BACKGROUND: Older inpatients are at risk of hospital-associated geriatric syndromes including delirium, functional decline, incontinence, falls and pressure injuries. These contribute to longer hospital stays, loss of independence, and death. Effective interventions to reduce geriatric syndromes remain poorly implemented due to their complexity, and require an organised approach to change care practices and systems. Eat Walk Engage is a complex multi-component intervention with structured implementation, which has shown reduced geriatric syndromes and length of stay in pilot studies at one hospital. This study will test effectiveness of implementing Eat Walk Engage using a multi-site cluster randomised trial to inform transferability of this intervention. METHODS: A hybrid study design will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation strategy of Eat Walk Engage in a real-world setting. A multisite cluster randomised study will be conducted in 8 medical and surgical wards in 4 hospitals, with one ward in each site randomised to implement Eat Walk Engage (intervention) and one to continue usual care (control). Intervention wards will be supported to develop and implement locally tailored strategies to enhance early mobility, nutrition, and meaningful activities. Resources will include a trained, mentored facilitator, audit support, a trained healthcare assistant, and support by an expert facilitator team using the i-PARIHS implementation framework. Patient outcomes and process measures before and after intervention will be compared between intervention and control wards. Primary outcomes are any hospital-associated geriatric syndrome (delirium, functional decline, falls, pressure injuries, new incontinence) and length of stay. Secondary outcomes include discharge destination; 30-day mortality, function and quality of life; 6 month readmissions; and cost-effectiveness. Process measures including patient interviews, activity mapping and mealtime audits will inform interventions in each site and measure improvement progress. Factors influencing the trajectory of implementation success will be monitored on implementation wards. DISCUSSION: Using a hybrid design and guided by an explicit implementation framework, the CHERISH study will establish the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and transferability of a successful pilot program for improving care of older inpatients, and identify features that support successful implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ACTRN12615000879561 registered prospectively 21/8/2015.

Candida albicans colonisation, continence status and incontinence-associated dermatitis in the acute care setting: a pilot study.

Candida albicans is the most prevalent human fungal commensal organism and is reported to be the most frequent aetiological organism responsible for infection associated with incontinence-associated dermatitis. However, it remains unclear whether incontinence predisposes a patient to increased Candida colonisation or whether incontinence acts as a trigger for Candida infection in those already colonised. The purpose of this observational cross-sectional study was to estimate colonisation rates of C. albicans in continent, compared to incontinent patients, and patients with incontinence-associated dermatitis. Data were collected on 81 inpatients of a major Australian hospital and included a pelvic skin inspection and microbiological specimens to detect C. Albicans at hospital admission. The mean age of the sample was 76 years (SD = 12.22) with 53% being male. Incontinent participants (n = 53) had a non-significant trend towards greater Candida colonisation rates at the perianal site (43% versus 28%) χ2 (1, N = 81) = 4·453, p = ·638 and the inguinal site (24% versus 14%) χ2 (1, N = 81) = 6·868, p = ·258 compared to continent patients (n = 28). The incontinent subgroup with incontinence-associated dermatitis (n = 22) showed no difference in colonisation rates compared to those without incontinence-associated dermatitis. Understanding the epidemiology of colonisation may have implications for the prevention of Candida infection in these patients.

Frailty and Geriatric Syndromes in Vascular Surgical Ward Patients.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative frailty is an important predictor of poor outcomes but the relationship between frailty and geriatric syndromes is less clear. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of frailty and incidence of geriatric syndromes in a cohort of older vascular surgical ward patients, and investigate the association of frailty and other key risk factors with the occurrence of one or more geriatric syndromes (delirium, functional decline, falls, and/or pressure ulcers) and two hospital outcomes (acute length of stay and discharge destination). METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in a vascular surgical ward in a tertiary teaching hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Consecutive patients aged ≥65 years, admitted for ≥72 hr, were eligible for inclusion. Frailty was defined as one or more of functional dependency, cognitive impairment, or nutritional impairment at admission. Delirium was identified using the Confusion Assessment Method and a validated chart extraction tool. Functional decline from admission to discharge was identified from daily nursing documentation of activities of daily living. Falls were identified according to documentation in the medical record cross-checked with the incident reporting system. Pressure ulcers, acute length of stay, and discharge destination were identified by documentation in the medical record. Risk factors associated with geriatric syndromes, acute length of stay, and discharge destination were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of 110 participants, 43 (39%) patients were frail and geriatric syndromes occurred in 40 (36%). Functional decline occurred in 25% of participants, followed by delirium (20%), pressure ulcers (12%), and falls (4%). In multivariable logistic analysis, frailty [odds ratio (OR) 6.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-22.1, P = 0.002], nonelective admission (OR 7.2, 95% CI 2.2-25.3, P = 0.002), higher physiological severity (OR 5.5, 95% CI 1.1-26.8, P = 0.03), and operative severity (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.2-17.7, P = 0.03) increased the likelihood of any geriatric syndrome. Frailty was an important predictor of longer length of stay (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-6.8, P = 0.06) and discharge destination (OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.2-13.8, P = 0.02). Nonelective admission significantly increased the likelihood of discharge to a higher level of care (OR 5.3, 95% CI 1.3-21.6, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty and geriatric syndromes were common in elderly vascular surgical ward patients. Frail patients and nonelective admissions were more likely to develop geriatric syndromes, have a longer length of stay, and be discharged to a higher level of care.

Interventions to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Functional Decline in Medical Inpatients: An Umbrella Review.

OBJECTIVES: Physical inactivity in hospitals is common and is associated with poor patient and clinical outcomes. This review was undertaken to identify and describe the effectiveness of interventions implemented at the ward or system level for improving physical activity and reducing functional decline in general medical inpatients. The secondary aim was to describe the effects on length of stay, discharge destination, falls, and hospital costs. DESIGN: Umbrella review. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Systematic reviews that evaluated ward- or system-level interventions aiming to improve physical activity or reduce functional decline in medical inpatients. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Database, CINAHL, JBI, and Web of Science databases were searched for English-language reviews published between 2000 and 2023. AMSTAR 2 was used to assess methodologic quality. Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility and methodologic quality and completed data abstraction, with results presented as a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: The search yielded 568 systematic reviews of which 12 met criteria, half of which were published since 2020. Reviews included 76 unique primary studies with 72,645 participants. Most reviews were of low quality. Interventions that focused on progressive mobilization likely increased physical activity participation, reduced functional decline, and improved discharge home. Multicomponent interventions that employed multiple strategies targeting a broader range of barriers likely improved functional decline and discharge home and may have been associated with shorter length of stay. No interventions were associated with increased frequency of falls. Few studies reported costs. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Progressive mobilization interventions and multicomponent interventions appear to be effective for improving physical activity participation and reducing functional decline in medical inpatients. Further high-quality studies may help to determine the most important aspects of multicomponent interventions. Standardized terminology related to inpatient physical activity may help promote a shared understanding and purpose across professions.

Cognitive impairment in older hospital inpatients: prevalence, care needs and carer perceptions.

Objectives The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of cognitive impairment in hospital inpatients, the associated need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) and carer perceptions of hospital care. Methods A prospective cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a large metropolitan teaching hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Participants were inpatients aged ≥65 years and their carers. Cognitive impairment was measured by clinician auditors using the validated 4 'A's test (4AT), with a score >0 indicating cognitive impairment (1-3, probable dementia; >3, probable delirium). The need for supervision and/or assistance with ADL was recorded from daily nursing documentation. Carers were invited to complete a brief questionnaire. Results In all, 92 of 216 older inpatients (43%) had cognitive impairment, including 52 (24%) with probable delirium. The need for supervision and/or assistance with ADL increased significantly with 4AT score. Fifty-two carers of patients with cognitive impairment reported feeling welcome and that care was safe. They identified opportunities for better information, greater support and more inclusion of carers. Conclusions Cognitive impairment is common in older inpatients and is associated with increased care needs. Workforce planning and health professional training need to acknowledge the needs of patients with cognitive impairment. There are opportunities for greater support and more involvement of carers. What is known about the topic? Cognitive impairment due to delirium and dementia increases with age, and is common in older medical and surgical inpatients. However, cognitive impairment remains under-recognised by healthcare staff. Australian guidelines now recommend routine screening using valid tools, and including carers, when appropriate, when assessing, caring for and communicating with people with cognitive impairment. What does this paper add? This cross-sectional study using the validated 4AT showed 43% of hospital inpatients aged ≥65 years had cognitive impairment. Participants with cognitive impairment had higher care needs and much longer hospitalisations. Carers of people with cognitive impairment reported unmet information needs in hospital and had limited involvement in assessment and care. What are the implications for practitioners? Cognitive impairment is common in older inpatients. Hospitals and healthcare professionals must be prepared and equipped to recognise cognitive impairment, and address the accompanying patient and carer needs.

Effect of a Ward-Based Program on Hospital-Associated Complications and Length of Stay for Older Inpatients: The Cluster Randomized CHERISH Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Hospital-associated complications of older people (HAC-OPs) include delirium, hospital-associated disability, incontinence, pressure injuries, and falls. These complications may be preventable by age-friendly principles of care, including early mobility, good nutrition and hydration, and meaningful cognitive engagement; however, implementation is challenging. OBJECTIVES: To implement and evaluate a ward-based improvement program ("Eat Walk Engage") to more consistently deliver age-friendly principles of care to older individuals in acute inpatient wards. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cluster randomized CHERISH (Collaboration for Hospitalised Elders Reducing the Impact of Stays in Hospital) trial enrolled 539 consecutive inpatients aged 65 years or older, admitted for 3 days or more to study wards, from October 2, 2016, to April 3, 2017, with a 6-month follow-up. The study wards comprised 8 acute medical and surgical wards in 4 Australian public hospitals. Randomization was stratified by hospital, providing 4 clusters in intervention and in control groups. Statistical analysis was performed from August 28, 2018, to October 17, 2021, on an intention-to-treat basis. INTERVENTION: A trained facilitator supported a multidisciplinary work group on each intervention ward to improve the care practices, environment, and culture to support key age-friendly principles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Primary outcomes were incidence of any HAC-OP and length of stay. Secondary outcomes were incidence of individual HAC-OPs, facility discharge, 6-month mortality, and all-cause readmission. Outcomes were analyzed at the individual level, adjusted for confounders and clustering. RESULTS: A total of 265 participants on 4 intervention wards (124 women [46.8%]; mean [SD] age, 75.9 [7.3] years) and 274 participants on 4 control wards (145 women [52.9%]; mean [SD] age, 78.0 [8.2] years) were enrolled. The composite primary outcome of any HAC-OP occurred for 115 of 248 intervention participants (46.4%) and 129 of 249 control participants (51.8%) (intervention group: adjusted odds ratio, 1.07; 95% CI, 0.71-1.61). The median length of stay was 6 days (IQR, 4-9 days) for the intervention group and 7 days (IQR, 5-10 days) for the control group (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% credible interval, 0.80-1.15). The incidence of delirium was significantly lower for intervention participants (adjusted odds ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.31-0.90). There were no significant differences in other individual HAC-OPs, facility discharge, mortality, or readmissions. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The Eat Walk Engage program did not reduce the composite primary outcome of any HAC-OP or length of stay, but there was a significant reduction in the incidence of delirium. TRIAL REGISTRATION: anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12615000879561.

Frailty implications for exercise participation and outcomes in patients with heart failure.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Frailty is common in people with heart failure (HF) and associated with poorer outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics, exercise participation, and outcomes of frail and not-frail participants enrolled in a randomized trial of exercise training (ET) within a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of EJECTION-HF randomized trial (ACTRN12608000263392). SETTING: Five HF-specific CR programs in Queensland, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Adults recently hospitalized with HF. INTERVENTION: All participated in CR including home exercise prescription and monitoring; half were randomized to center-based ET. MEASUREMENTS: A frailty index (FI) was constructed at randomization and 6-month follow-up. Outcomes included ET attendance, change in 6-min walk distance (6MWD), improved FI (>0.09 units) at 6 months, achieving physical activity (PA) guidelines at 6 months, and 12 month all-cause death or readmission. RESULTS: The FI was measured in 256 participants at randomization: 110 (43%) were not-frail (FI 0.2 or less), 119 (46%) were frail (FI >0.2 to 0.39), and 27 (11%) were very frail (FI ≥0.4). Frailty was more common with older age, female gender, decompensated HF, worse HF symptoms, and preserved ejection fraction. ET attendance did not differ by frailty group. Participants who were more frail had lower 6WMD at enrollment, but similar improvement over 6 months. Mean FI improved by 0.03 units at 6 months (95% CI 0.02-0.04, p < 0.001). Participants who were more frail had significantly greater improvements in FI compared with not-frail participants and were often able to achieve PA guidelines, both in intervention and control groups. Neither baseline frailty nor intervention was significantly associated with 12-month death or readmission. CONCLUSION: Frail people with HF participating in CR that includes home and/or center-based ET often achieve PA guidelines, and some may have meaningful reductions in frailty.

Impact of exercise training program attendance and physical activity participation on six minute walk distance in patients with heart failure.

Background: Exercise training is recommended for all people with stable heart failure (HF) however adherence is poor. This study sought to describe exercise participation in recently hospitalized HF patients who participated in a 12-week exercise training program. The association between exercise training variables and improvement in 6-min walk distance (6MWD) was also investigated.Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of results from the intervention arm of the EJECTION-HF trial (ACTRN12608000263392), (n = 140). Exercise program attendance was defined according to session frequency (< 12 sessions vs ≥ 12 sessions) and attendance duration (< 6 weeks attendance vs ≥ 6 weeks) over the 12 weeks. Physical activity at baseline and follow up were reported according to self-report of 150 min of moderate intensity exercise per week. Primary outcome was change in 6MWD at 12 weeks.Results: Being physically active (OR 3.8, CI 1.3-11.5) and frequent program attendance (OR 2.7, CI 1.2-5.9) were associated with significant improvements in 6MWD. Program duration and baseline physical activity were not significantly associated with the outcome.Conclusions: Attainment of 150 min of moderate intensity exercise per week and at least weekly attendance at the program, were associated with significant improvements in 6MWD at follow up. Efforts should be made to assist patients with HF to achieve these targets.

The Prognostic Performance of Frailty for Delirium and Functional Decline in Vascular Surgery Patients.

BACKGROUND: Frailty in older vascular surgery patients is associated with increased mortality, hospital stay, and morbidity. The association of frailty with hospital-acquired geriatric syndromes such as delirium and functional decline has not been well studied. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between frailty and hospital-acquired geriatric syndromes in older hospitalized vascular surgery patients, and to evaluate the prognostic performance of the frailty index (FI) and the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) for delirium and functional decline. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Acute care academic hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 65 years or more admitted to a tertiary vascular surgery unit (N=150). MEASUREMENTS: Frailty was assessed using the FI and CFS. The adjusted association of frailty status with delirium and functional decline was assessed using logistic regression analysis. The prognostic performance of FI and CFS was determined by assessing C-statistic and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV). RESULTS: Of 150 participants, FI identified 34 (23%) and CFS identified 45 (30%) as frail. Frailty was an independent predictor of delirium (FI adjusted odds ratio, odds ratio (OR) = 5.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.53-21.03; CFS adjusted OR = 4.07, 95% CI = 1.14-14.50), but not functional decline. FI and CFS showed acceptable prognostic performance for delirium (C-statistic 0.74), but not functional decline (C-statistic 0.63-0.64). For both outcomes, the FI and CFS had high NPV (86-96%), and low PPV (22-29%). CONCLUSION: Frail older vascular surgery patients are more likely to develop hospital-acquired geriatric syndromes. The FI and CFS have acceptable prognostic performance for predicting delirium but not all individuals who are identified as frail develop delirium. Ongoing research is needed to identify interventions that improve outcomes in patients who screen positive for frailty.

Evaluation of Internal Medicine Physician or Multidisciplinary Team Comanagement of Surgical Patients and Clinical Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Older patients who undergo surgery may benefit from geriatrician comanagement. It is unclear whether other internal medicine (IM) physician involvement improves outcomes for adults who undergo surgery. Objective: To evaluate the association of IM physician involvement with clinical and health system outcomes compared with usual surgical care among adults who undergo surgery. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases were searched for studies published in English from database inception to April 2, 2019. Study Selection: Prospective randomized or nonrandomized clinical studies comparing IM physician consultation or comanagement with usual surgical care were selected by consensus of 2 reviewers. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Data were extracted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline by 2 authors independently. Intervention characteristics were described using existing indicators. Risk of bias was assessed using Risk of Bias 2.0 and Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tools. Studies were pooled when appropriate in meta-analysis using random-effects models. Prespecified subgroups included IM physician-only vs multidisciplinary team interventions and patients undergoing elective vs emergency procedures. Main Outcomes and Measures: The prespecified primary outcome was length of stay; other outcomes included 30-day readmissions, inpatient mortality, medical complications, functional outcomes, and costs. Results: Of 6027 records screened, 14 studies (with 1 randomized clinical trial) involving 35 800 patients (13 142 [36.7%] in intervention groups) were eligible for inclusion. Interventions varied substantially among studies and settings; most interventions described comanagement by a hospitalist or internist; 7 (50%) included a multidisciplinary team, and 9 (64%) studied predominantly patients who had elective procedures. Risk of bias in 10 studies (71%) was serious. Meta-analysis showed no significant association with length of stay (mean difference, -1.02 days; 95% CI, -2.09 to 0.04 days; P = .06) or mortality (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.11; P = .18), but multidisciplinary team involvement was associated with significant reduction in length of stay (mean difference, -2.03 days; 95% CI, -4.05 to -0.01 days; P = .05) and mortality (odds ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.88; P = .004). There was no difference in 30-day readmissions (odds ratio, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.16; P = .39). Data could not be pooled for complications or costs. Only 1 study (7%) reported functional outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that IM physician comanagement that includes multidisciplinary team involvement may be associated with reduced length of stay and mortality in adults undergoing surgery. Evidence was low quality, and well-designed prospective studies are still needed.