REview of potentially inappropriate MEDIcation pr[e]scribing in Seniors (REMEDI[e]S): French implicit and explicit criteria.

PURPOSE: To establish a consensus on both explicit and implicit criteria in order to identify potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) in French older people aged 75 years and over or 65 years and over with multimorbidity. METHODS: Fifteen experts in geriatrics, general practice, pharmacy, and clinical pharmacology were involved in a two-round Delphi survey to assess preliminary explicit and implicit criteria based on an extensive literature review and up-to-date evidence data. Experts were asked to rate their level of agreement using a 5-level Likert scale for inclusion of criteria and also for rationale and therapeutic alternatives. A consensus was considered as reached if at least 75% of the experts rated criteria as "strongly agreed" or "agreed." RESULTS: The new tool included a seven-step algorithm (implicit criteria) encompassing the three main domains that define PIP (i.e. overprescribing, underprescribing, and misprescribing) and 104 explicit criteria. Explicit criteria were divided into 6 tables related to inappropriate drug duplications (n = 7 criteria), omissions of medications and/or medication associations (n = 16), medications with an unfavourable benefit/risk ratio and/or a questionable efficacy (n = 39), medications with an unsuitable dose (n = 4) or duration (n = 6), drug-disease (n = 13), and drug-drug interactions (n = 19). CONCLUSION: The REMEDI[e]S tool (REview of potentially inappropriate MEDIcation pr[e]scribing in Seniors) is an original mixed tool, adapted to French medical practices, aimed at preventing PIP both at the individual level in clinical practice and the population level in large-scale studies. Therefore, its use could contribute to an improvement in healthcare professionals' prescribing practices and safer care in older adults.

[Socio-economic vulnerability, support and hospitalisation plan in people aged over 75]. / Vulnérabilité socio-économique, plan d'aide et hospitalisation chez les plus de 75 ans.

The return home after a period in hospital is a high-risk situation for an elderly person. Services exist to facilitate the hospital-home transition but are sometimes not used. Few studies suggest that socio-economic vulnerability is an important factor in a successful return home. One study shows that this relationship is vague and disputed. In fact, compliance with a support plan, recommended when a patient returns home, is multifactorial and does not seem to depend on the existence or otherwise of socio-economic vulnerability.

Predictive performance of four frailty screening tools in community-dwelling elderly.

BACKGROUND: This study compares the performance of four frailty screening tools in predicting relevant adverse outcome (disability, institutionalization and mortality) in community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: Our study involved a secondary analysis of data from the FréLE cohort study. We focused on the following four frailty screening tools: the abbreviated Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (aCGA), the Groningen Frailty Indicator (GFI), the Vulnerable Elders Survey-13 (VES-13) and the Fried scale. We used the Barberger-Gateau scale to assess disability. For comparison, we determined the capacity of these tools to predict the occurrence of disability, institutionalization or death using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We also determined the threshold at which an optimal balance between sensitivity and specificity was reached. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to compare the risk of adverse outcome in the frail versus non-frail groups. RESULTS: In total, 1643 participants were included in the mortality analyses; 1224 participants were included in the analyses of the other outcomes (74.5% of the original sample). The mean age was 77.7 years, and 48.1% of the participants were women. The prevalence of frailty in this sample ranged from 15.0% (Fried) to 52.2% (VES-13). According to the Barberger-Gateau scale, 643 (52.5%) participants were fully independent; 392 (32.0%) were mildly disabled; 118 (9.6%) were moderately disabled; and 71 (5.8%) were severely disabled. The tool with the greatest sensitivity for predicting the occurrence of disability, mortality and institutionalization was VES-13, which showed sensitivities of 91.0%, 89.7% and 92.3%, respectively. The values for the area under the curve (AUC) of the four screening tools at the proposed cut-off points ranged from 0.63 to 0.75. The odds (univariate and multivariate analysis) of developing a disability were significantly greater among the elderly identified as being frail by all four tools. CONCLUSION: The multivariate analyses showed that the VES-13 may predict the occurrence of disability, mortality and institutionalization. However, the AUC analysis showed that even this tool did not have good discriminatory ability. These findings suggest that despite the high number of frailty screening tools described in the literature, there is still a need for a screening tool with high predictive performance.

[Identifying frailty and the importance of personalised support]. / Repérage de la fragilité et importance de l'accompagnement personnalisé.

Over recent years, many hospitals have been looking to promote optimum ageing by developing a strategy for identifying frailty in elderly people. This raises the question of prevention in the field of ageing and the capacities to change behaviour which is harmful to health at any age. Early and long-term support is essential.

[Study of patients benefiting from a geriatric oncology assessment]. / État des lieux des patients bénéficiant d'un avis oncogériatrique.

A retrospective study carried out in 2014 focused on the 124 geriatric oncology consultations carried out at Saint-Étienne university hospital. The opinion of the geriatric oncologist was evidently incorporated into the treatment plan, with requests for early assessments. The geriatric oncologist often recommended a specific curative treatment and the majority of assessments were followed up by the oncologist. The benefit of the liaison between the oncologist and gerontologist with regard to the patient's care was clearly demonstrated.

[Epidemiology, morbidity, mortality, cost to society and the individual, and main causes for falls]. / Épidéémiologie, morbidité, mortalité, coût pour la société et pour l'individu, principales causes de la chute.

Falls are the leading cause of accidental death among the elderly, accounting for about 12 000 deaths per year. The risk of falls increases with age: one-third of subjects over 65 years old living in the community and half of those over 85 fall at least once a year. Despite their frequency, falls should not be trivialized, as they are associated with significant morbidity and care expenditure: 10% of falls have severe traumatic consequences, and30 % of hospital admissions for traumatic injury among elderly individuals are due to falls. Even when they have no physical repercussions, falls can have psychological effects (anxiety while walking, fear of falling), and can be complicated by a psychomotor disadaptation syndrome with voluntary restriction of activities of daily living in 30% of cases. Risk factors for falls are numerous, and falls are rarely due a single, precise reason. Recurrent falls are associated with balance and gait impairment and decreased muscle strength, sometimes due to a latent pathological condition. Factors that may favor falls in the home must be taken into account through targeted prevention actions. Among institutionalized populations, the risk of falls increases with the severity of dementia, the use of certain drugs (particularly psycho tropics) and the existence of wasting, which leads to a decline in quadriceps strength. About 1.5% of all health expenditure is related to falls. The majority of these costs are due to hospitalization, fractures of the proximal femur being the most costly complication. In recent years, thanks to the prevention of both osteoporosis and falls, the annual number of hip fractures has been stable at about 79,500 cases per year, standardized hospitalization rates have declined, and the average length of stay has decreased. With the increasing number of elderly people, one priority to reduce healthcare costs is to identify and correct factors of frailty in midlife, using a preventive approach.

What obstacles to nursing home for Dependent older adults' entry? Analysis of 186 situations resulting from an Inter-Establishment Resident Orientation Commission / Quels freins à l'entrée en Établissement d'hébergement pour personnes âgées dépendantes ? Analyse de 186 situations issues d'une Commission d'orientation des résidents inter-établissement

The decision to admit an older adult with loss of autonomy to an institution is complex. There are many obstacles to the decision to be referred to an institution and it partly explain long hospital stays and inadequate health care spending. Several of these obstacles have been identified in the literature (medical complexity, psycho-behavioural disorders, social vulnerability, etc.). This work is based on an experiment that aimed at coordinating the players during an "inter-hospital consultation meeting" dedicated to the decision to admit older patients who cannot find a solution immediately. This work aim to identify the obstacles to the referral of patients to HITH services. This is a single-centre descriptive study. It analyses prospective data collected between January 2017 and the end of June 2019. The average length of hospitalisation before leaving the institution is relatively homogeneous according to the different complexity criteria defined, except for heavy dependence and obesity, where in these situations there are longer average lengths of hospitalisation. The absence of complexity criteria is not necessarily associated with a shorter hospital stay. The commission makes it possible to create synergies between players in the same gerontological basin and facilitates the admission of complex cases to hospital.

La décision d'entrée en établissement d'un sujet âgé en perte d'autonomie est complexe. Les freins à la décision d'orientation en établissement expliquent en partie des durées d'hospitalisation longues et à l'origine de dépense de santé inadéquates. Plusieurs de ces freins ont été identifiés dans la littérature (complexité médicale, troubles psycho-comportementaux, vulnérabilité sociale…). À partir d'une expérimentation qui vise la coordination des acteurs lors d'une « réunion de concertation inter-établissement ¼ dédiée à la décision d'entrée de patients âgés ne trouvant pas de solution dans l'immédiat, l'objectif de ce travail est d'identifier les freins à l'orientation des patients en Ehpad. Il s'agit d'une étude descriptive mono-centrique analysant des données prospectives recueillies entre janvier 2017 et fin juin 2019. Les durées moyennes d'hospitalisation avant le départ en institution sont relativement homogènes en fonction des différents critères de complexité définis sauf pour la dépendance lourde et l'obésité où dans ces situations il existe des durées moyennes d'hospitalisation plus longues. L'absence de critère de complexité n'est pas obligatoirement associée à un raccourcissement du séjour hospitalier. La CORIE permet de créer des synergies entre les acteurs d'un même bassin gérontologique et facilite l'entrée en établissement des cas complexes.

Can maintaining cognitive function at 65 years old predict successful ageing 6 years later? The PROOF study.

BACKGROUND: preservation of cognitive abilities is required to have a good quality of life. The predictive value of cognitive functioning at 65 years old on successful ageing 6 years later is not established. METHODS: nine hundred and seventy-six questionnaires were sent by mail to a sample of healthy and voluntary French pensioners. Successful ageing was defined through health status and well-being. Cognitive abilities had been assessed 6 years earlier according to an objective method (Free and Cued Selective Recall Reminding Test (FCSRT), the Benton visual retention test and the similarities subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised) and a subjective one (Goldberg's anxiety scale, Mac Nair's scale and a Visual Analogue Scale to evaluate memory abilities change in the last 5 years). RESULTS: six hundred and eighty-six questionnaires could be analysed. The mean age was 72.9 ± 1.2 years old with 59% of women and 99% lived at home. Well-being was negatively correlated with the FCSRT (r = -0.08, P = 0.0318) but positively related with the Benton (r = 0.09, P = 0.0125) and the similarities tests (r = 0.09, P = 0.0118). There is a negative correlation between anxious and cognitive complaints measured at baseline, and successful ageing indicators 6 years later. CONCLUSION: preservation of cognitive abilities at the age of retirement can predict a successful ageing 6 years later. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00759304.

Impact of Geriatric Hotlines on Health Care Pathways and Health Status in Patients Aged 75 Years and Older: Protocol for a French Multicenter Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: In France, emergency departments (EDs) are the fastest and most common means for general practitioners (GPs) to cope with the complex issues presented by elderly patients with multiple conditions. EDs are overburdened, and studies show that being treated in EDs can have a damaging effect on the health of elderly patients. Outpatient care or planned hospitalizations are possible solutions if appropriate geriatric medical advice is provided. In 2013, France's regional health authorities proposed creating direct telephone helplines, "geriatric hotlines," staffed by geriatric specialists to encourage interactions between GP clinics and hospitals. These hotlines are designed to improve health care pathways and the health status of the elderly. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the health care pathways and health status of patients aged 75 years and older hospitalized in short-stay geriatric wards following referral from a geriatric hotline. METHODS: The study will be conducted over 24 months in seven French university hospital centers. It will include all patients aged 75 and older, living in their own homes or nursing homes, who are admitted to short-stay geriatric wards following hotline consultation. Two questionnaires will be filled out by medical staff at specific time points: (1) after conducting the telephone consultation and (2) on admitting the patient to a short-stay geriatric medical care. The primary endpoint will be mean hospitalization duration. The secondary endpoints will be intrahospital mortality rate, the characteristics of patients admitted via the hotline, and the types of questions asked and responses given via the hotline. RESULTS: The study was funded by the National School for Social Security Loire department (École Nationale Supérieure de Sécurité Sociale) and the Conference for funders of prevention of autonomy loss for the elderly of the Loire department in November 2017. Institutional review board approval was obtained in April 2018. Data collection started in May 2018; the planned end date for data collection is May 2020. Data analysis will take place in the summer of 2020, and the first results are expected to be published in late 2020. CONCLUSIONS: The results will reveal whether geriatric hotlines provide the most effective management of elderly patients, as indicated by shorter mean hospitalization durations. Shorter hospital durations could lead to a reduced risk of complications-geriatric syndromes-and the domino chain of geriatric conditions that follow. We will also describe different geriatric hotlines from different cities and compare how they function to improve the health care of the elderly and pave the way toward new advances, especially in the organization of the care path. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03959475; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03959475. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/15423.

[Interest of follow-up of recommendations over a period of 6 months for elderly subjects who have been screened for frailty]. / Intérêt du suivi des préconisations sur une période de 6 mois pour des sujets âgés ayant bénéficié d'un dépistage de la fragilité.

Frailty is a partially reversible geriatric syndrome. Its prevention requires a structured screening, and is a major public health issue given the increasing life expectancy of the population. The observance of the recommendations made after a screening of the frailty patients is not well known. The objective of our research was to describe the characteristics of patients evaluated in a frailty-day-hospital and followed up recommendation adherence at 3 and 6 months. METHODS: patients aged over 65 years old with an ADL score of at least 5 out of 6, were evaluated according to the Fried score to classify patients into pre-frailty or frailty patients. According to the standardized geriatric assessment, recommendations were prescribed for each medico-social situation according to HAS recommendations. A follow-up assessment of these measures was carried out at home basis at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: 82 patients were included, with mean age of 83.7±5.7 years. 99% were pre-frail or frail and received an average of 3.7±1.7 recommendations. At 3 months, there is an inverse correlation between number and follow-up compliance (r=-0.340, p=0.008), as well as at 6 months (r=-0.352, p=0.006). Between 3 and 6 months, there is a significant increase recommendation number followed (r=0.707, p=0.000). CONCLUSION: at 6 months, 74.3% recommendations were realized, with a significant increase of recommendation number between the 3rd and 6th month. This result is encouraging by showing the benefit of home support in recommendations follow-up.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia and bipolar spectrum disorders: review of the evidence of a relationship and treatment implications.

Dementia is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by cognitive impairment and behavioral disturbances. The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common, contributing to caregiver burden and premature institutionalization. Management of BPSD is complex and often needs recourse to psychotropic drugs. Though widely prescribed, there is a lack of consensus concerning their use, and serious side effects are frequent. This is particularly the case with antidepressant treatment based on the assumption that BPSD is depressive in nature. A better understanding of BPSD etiology could lead to better management strategies. We submit that some BPSD could be the consequence of both dementia and an undiagnosed comorbid bipolar spectrum disorder, or a pre-existing bipolar diathesis pathoplastically altering the clinical expression of dementia. The existence of such a relationship is based on clinical observation, as far as the high frequency of bipolar spectrum disorders in the general population, with a prevalence estimated to be between 5.4% and 8.3%, and the psychopathological similarities between BPSD and mood disorder episodes in bipolar illness. We will review the concept of the bipolar spectrum and explain BPSD before proposing clinical pointers of a possible bipolar spectrum contaminating the phenomenology of dementia, which could lead to the targeted prescription of mood-stabilizing agents in lieu of antidepressant monotherapy. These considerations are of heuristic interest in reconceptualizing the origin of the behavioral manifestations of dementia, with important implications for geriatric practice.

Comparison of two hospitalization modes in geriatrics either directly via a hotline or after an emergency unit admission.

Hospitalizations via the emergency services of the elderly represent on average 41% of the stays. The family physician is aware of the deleterious effects of using emergency rooms and know that intensive use contributes to the disorganization of these services. The provision of a telephone line, enabling doctors to have direct access to a geriatrician doctor, is a new service allowing, if necessary, direct hospitalization in geriatrics but its interest is still poorly evaluated. METHODS: From June 1st, 2015, to June 1st, 2016, we compared the route of care for inpatients directly in short stays of geriatrics thanks to the hotline (group hotline) versus the route of those passed by emergencies (group EU, emergency unit). RESULTS: 520 patients were included in the study. The duration of stay was shorter during hospitalization via the hotline, 11.6 [95% CI, 10.8-12.3] days in a direct hospitalization versus 14.1 [95% CI, 13.5-14.7] days of a passage through emergencies (p <0.05). Patients who were admitted to the emergency room were more likely to be hospitalized again. Among the 170 patients re-hospitalized, an average duration before re-hospitalization of 29.5 [CI 95%, 23.6-35.4] days was observed in patients hospitalised via the hotline, while those entered by emergencies were hospitalized in 24.1 [95% CI, 20.4-27.8] days (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: This analysis suggests that the intra-hospital course of geriatric patients directly addressed in short stays of geriatrics by direct admission was shorter and more efficient than the course of an intermediate stage in the emergencies. It seems important to discuss the generalization of the hotline device for the functioning of the geriatric pathway.

Results from the Loire-Ardèche-Drôme-Isère-Puy-de-Dôme (LADIP) trial on atrial flutter, a multicentric prospective randomized study comparing amiodarone and radiofrequency ablation after the first episode of symptomatic atrial flutter.

BACKGROUND: There is no published randomized study comparing amiodarone therapy and radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) after only 1 episode of symptomatic atrial flutter (AFL). The aim of the Loire-Ardèche-Drôme-Isère-Puy-de-Dôme (LADIP) Trial of Atrial Flutter was 2-fold: (1) to prospectively compare first-line RFA (group I) versus cardioversion and amiodarone therapy (group II) after only 1 AFL episode; and (2) to determine the impact of both treatments on the long-term risk of subsequent atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS AND RESULTS: From October 2002 to February 2006, 104 patients (aged 78+/-5 years; 20 women) with AFL were included, with 52 patients in group I and 52 patients in group II. The cumulative risk of AFL or AF was interpreted with the use of Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by the log-rank test. Clinical presentation, echocardiographic data, and follow-up were as follows: age (78.5+/-5 versus 78+/-5 years), history of AF (27% versus 21.6%); structural heart disease (58% versus 65%), left ventricular ejection fraction (56+/-14% versus 54.5+/-14%), left atrial size (43+/-7 versus 43+/-6 mm), mean follow-up (13+/-6 versus 13+/-6 months; P=NS), recurrence of AFL (3.8% versus 29.5%; P<0.0001), and occurrence of significant AF beyond 10 minutes (25% versus 18%; P=0.3). Five complications (10%) were noted in group II (sick sinus syndrome in 2, hyperthyroidism in 1, and hypothyroidism in 2) and none in group I (0%) (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: RFA should be considered a first-line therapy even after the first episode of symptomatic AFL. There is a better long-term success rate, the same risk of subsequent AF, and fewer secondary effects.

[Early indicators of prolonged hospitalization of the elderly: pilot study at Strasbourg University Hospital]. / Indicateurs précoces de durée de séjour prolongée chez les sujets âgés: étude pilote réalisée au CHRU de Strasbourg.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify early indicators of prolonged hospital stays by elderly patients. METHODS: This prospective pilot study, conducted at Strasbourg University Hospital, included patients aged 75 years or older who were hospitalized via the emergency department (SAFES cohort: Sujet Agé Fragile: Evaluation et suivi, that is, Frail Elderly Subjects: Evaluation and Follow-up). A gerontologic evaluation of these patients during the first week of their hospitalization furnished the data for an exact logistic regression. Two definitions were used for prolonged hospitalization: 30 days and a composite number adjusted for diagnosis-related group according to the French classification (f-DRG). RESULTS: The analysis examined 137 hospitalizations. More than two thirds of the patients were women (73%), with a mean age of 84 years. Twenty-four hospitalizations (17%) lasted more than 30 days, but only 6 (4%) lasted beyond the DRG-adjusted limit. No social or demographic variables appeared to affect the length of stay, regardless of the definition of prolonged stay. No indicator was associated with the 30-day limit, but clinical markers were linked to prolongation assessed by f-DRG adjustment. A "risk of malnutrition" (OR=14.07) and "mood disorders" (OR=2,5) were both early markers for prolonged hospitalization. Although not statistically significant, "walking difficulties" (OR=2.72) and "cognitive impairment" (OR=5.03) appeared to be associated with prolonged stays. No association was seen with either the variables measured by Katz's Activities of Daily Living Index or its course during hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that when generally recognized indicators of frailty are taken into account, a set of simple items enables a predictive approach to the prolongation of emergency hospitalizations of the elderly.

[Does the care for the fear of falling bring a profit to community living elderly people who had experienced falls?]. / La prise en charge de la peur de tomber apporte-t-elle un bénéfice au patient âgé chuteur vivant en milieu communautaire? A propos d'une étude pilote de 15 cas.

INTRODUCTION: fall is common in old people and has multiple consequences, physical but also psychological, with a fear of falling which results in reduction in the activities of everyday life, loss of autonomy and entry in dependence. The aim of the study was to evluate the benefit of taking into account the fear of falling in the care of old people who had experienced falls. METHODOLOGY: old people who experienced falls and with a good cognitive status were followed in a day hospital during one year. Evaluation including a specific assessment of the responsibility of the psychological factor, the photolangage, was performed before and after multi-field rehabilitation. We used the rating scales ADL, IADL, SF-36, SAFE, and verbal and analogical scales of the fear of falling. RESULTS: fifteen patients were included (mean age 85 years +/- 5,7). The majority were women living alone, with a good nutritional status, a moderated renal insufficiency, and a comorbidity involving polymedication. Scores on the ADL and IADL scales showed a consolidation of the patients' autonomy, with a slight but significant improvement of the IADL scores (p < 0,05). All scales assessing the fear of falling (visual analogical, verbal scales, SAFE) showed a statistically significant improvement (p<0,001). SF-36 scale, exploring the quality of life perceived by the patients, showed a great deterioration immediately after falling, and a statistically significant improvement on seven of the eight subscales after rehabilitation. The global physical score (GCV) was improved in a nonsignificant way, whereas the global psychic score (MCS) progressed in a statistically significant way (p < 0,001). CONCLUSION: this pilot study shows that multi-field rehabilitation and adapted assumption of responsibility of fear of falling brings a benefit in term of quality of life and preservation of autonomy in old people living in the community who had experienced falls.

[Quality of life in old age]. / La qualité de vie chez le sujet âgé.

Quality of life is a concept describing the aptitude of an individual to function in a given environment and to draw satisfaction from it. It is associated with the notions of good health and well-being. Quality of life is first and foremost a subjective concept. When confronted with the problems of a chronic disease, the elderly subject him/herself must evaluate its repercussions and the effectiveness of medical interventions. Preventive measures and specific geriatric care have increased the longevity and quality of life of old people. It is important to stress that specific geriatric care does not weigh heavily on health-care expenditure and is profitable in the long term. However, this extra longevity is accompanied in a significant minority of people by multiple sensory and/or cognitive disabilities, loneliness and dependency, with a negative impact on people's view of this period of life.

Evaluation of the quality of medical certificates in the context of the opening of a measure of legal protection for adults over 60 years of age.

In France between 700,000 and 800,000 people will be covered by legal protection. The opening of any measure is conditioned by a detailed medical certificate. It is drawn up by a doctor registered on the list drawn up by the public prosecutor. No specific training is required. A single piece of legislation frames the content of the certificates. We therefore investigated whether the medical certificates currently produced were in compliance with the code of civil procedure. 111 medical certificates collected and anonymized by the tribunal d'instance of Saint-Étienne, from 4 January to 3 April 2016. The certificates concerned applications for the opening of legal protection for adults over 60 years of age. 57% of detailed medical certificates satisfied the requirements of article 1219 of the code of civil procedure, with no difference between requests for curatorship and guardianship. 76% of adults had cognitive impairment, 14% had a psychiatric disability, and 10% had a functional disability. 72% medical certificates proposed a guardianship measure, 21% a reinforced curatorship and 7% a simple curatorship. The circumstances justifying the opening of a measure of protection and the way of life of the adult were respectively found in 32% and 83% of the certificates. In 49% of the cases, the doctors dispensed the majority of hearing with the judge and the right to vote was retained in 10% of the adults subject to a guardianship application. The study showed a deficiency in the application of article 1219 of the code of civil procedure but also in the information that was requested. The drafting of the detailed medical certificate requires specific medical and legal knowledge. This raises the question of the training of doctors on the list of public prosecutors. Like the medical assessment carried out in the context of the assessment of bodily injury, the detailed medical certificate must become a real expertise carried out by doctors trained in this exercise.

Decision-making for gastrostomy after 70 years old: a prospective study about 26 patients.

Management of undernutrition is based on young adults analysis. However, enteral nutrition is mainly discussed in the elderly. The aim of this study was to analyse factors related to laying gastrostomy, in geriatrics. A prospective, descriptive study, was conducted in the Loire department, from 2014 to 2016, in geriatric and palliative units. All patients over 70 years who had a theorical indication of gastrostomy were included. Decision-making process was analyzed from data affecting the reflection. Patients were followed for three months. Twenty-six patients were included with an average of 81 years old. They were frailty with a low mean serum albumin (29.2 g/L), an undernutrition (85%), an extended bedridden (73%), a medical history of aspiration pneumonia (46%) and with pressure ulcers (27%). The main diagnoses were strokes (38%) and dementia (23%). After a singular decision-making, only 15% received a gastrostomy. At three months, 69.2% of patients had died. Patients over 70 years old, with a vital prognosis at short term, are not good candidates for gastrostomy. In geriatrics, decision-making for gastrostomy laying is complex because managed by contradictory recommendations. It requires a global assessment to identify risk situations. The early detection of undernutrition is the key to successful management, for patients requiring gastrostomy.

Interest of a medical surgical geriatric unit in a district hospital: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Orthogeriatric units have shown through several studies their effectiveness on reducing the morbidity and mortality after hip fracture. What about other emergency surgeries at the elderly? We evaluated the results of a small medical surgical geriatric unit (UMCG) for all the not sheduled surgeries. METHODS: A retrospective sudy has been done, analyzing management of patients over 75 years after an emergency surgery, between 1st January 2013 and 15 February 2014 for the surgical unit, and between 15 February 2014 and 15 April 2014 for the UMCG. 3-month mortality, 6-month mortality and the main early complications were compared between the two groups, by a multivariated analysis fitting on the data on patient characteristics. RESULTS: 3-month mortality was significantly lower in the UMCG group (odds ratio 0.07 [95%IC: 0.004-0.48]; p=0.02), while the patients in this unit were more likely with dementia, with fall antecedent and with more comorbidity. 6-month mortality as well was lower in the UMCG group (0.10 [0.02-0.36]; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Management of not sheduled surgeries at the elderly in specific surgical geriatric unit is associated in a statistically significant reduction of 3-month mortality and 6-month mortality.

Early markers of prolonged hospital stays in older people: a prospective, multicenter study of 908 inpatients in French acute hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: To identify early markers of prolonged hospital stays in older people in acute hospitals. DESIGN: A prospective, multicenter study. SETTING: Nine hospitals in France. PARTICIPANTS: One thousand three hundred six patients aged 75 and older were hospitalized through an emergency department (Sujet Agé Fragile: Evaluation et suivi (SAFEs)--Frail Elderly Subjects: Evaluation and follow-up). MEASUREMENTS: Data used in a logistic regression were obtained through a gerontological evaluation of inpatients, conducted in the first week of hospitalization. The center effect was considered in two models as a random and fixed effect. Two limits were used to define a prolonged hospital stay. The first was fixed at 30 days. The second was adjusted for Diagnosis Related Groups according to the French classification (f-DRG). RESULTS: Nine hundred eight of the 1,306 hospital stays that made up the cohort were analyzed. Two centers (n=298) were excluded because of a large volume of missing f-DRGs. Two-thirds of subjects in the cohort analyzed were women (64%), with a mean age of 84. One hundred thirty-eight stays (15%) lasted more than 30 days; 46 (5%) were prolonged beyond the f-DRG-adjusted limit. No sociodemographic variables seemed to influence the length of stay, regardless of the limit used. For the 30-day limit, only cognitive impairment (odds ratio (OR)=2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.2-4.0) was identified as a marker for prolongation. f-DRG adjustment revealed other clinical markers. Walking difficulties (OR=2.6, 95% CI=1.2-16.7), fall risk (OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.7-5.3), cognitive impairment (OR=7.1, 95% CI=2.3-49.9), and malnutrition risk (OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.7-19.6) were found to be early markers for prolonged stays, although dependence level and its evolution, estimated using the Katz activity of daily living (ADL) index, were not identified as risk factors. CONCLUSION: When the generally recognized parameters of frailty are taken into account, a set of simple items (walking difficulties, risk of fall, risk of malnutrition, and cognitive impairment) enables a predictive approach to the length of stay of elderly patients hospitalized under emergency circumstances. Katz ADLs were not among the early markers identified.