Predicting functional decline in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: a growing number of older patients undergo cardiac surgery. Some of these patients are at increased risk of post-operative functional decline, potentially leading to reduced quality of life and autonomy, and other negative health outcomes. First step in prevention is to identify patients at risk of functional decline. There are no current published tools available to predict functional decline following cardiac surgery. OBJECTIVE: to validate the identification of seniors at risk-hospitalised patients (ISAR-HP), in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN AND METHODS: a multicenter cohort study in cardiac surgery wards of two university hospitals with follow-up 3 months after hospital admission. INCLUSION CRITERIA: consecutive cardiac surgery patients, aged ≥65. Functional decline was defined as a decline of at least one point on the Katz ADL Index at follow-up compared with preadmission status. RESULTS: 475 patients were included, 16% of all patients and 20% of patients ≥70+ suffered functional decline. The amended prediction model predicted functional decline using four criteria: preadmission need for daily assistance in instrumental activities of daily living, use of a walking device, need for assistance in travelling and no education after age 14. Area under the receiver operating curve for patients ≥70 it was 0.73. For the amended ISAR-HP sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 85, 48, 29 and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: the amended ISAR-HP used in older cardiac surgery patients showed good discriminative values at score ≥1, supporting the generalisability of this prediction model for this patient group.

Prevention of functional decline in older hospitalized patients: nurses should play a key role in safe and adequate care.

This paper presents a discussion of knowledge and awareness regarding prevention of functional decline in older hospitalized patients. Functional decline is experienced by 30-60% of the older hospitalized patients, resulting in decreased independence and other adverse health outcomes. One literature study and four cohort studies (total n = 1628) were conducted to develop and validate an instrument to identify older hospitalized patients at risk for functional decline. An evidence-based best practice was developed to improve the quality of care for older patients. This paper shows the relevance and the complexity of this problem and shows that patients at risk can be recognized by four simple questions. Due to their ability to observe and guide patients and their 24-h patient supervision, nurses should play a key role in strategies to prevent functional decline. Nurses should assess the geriatric needs in patients at risk and based on these initiate and coordinate multi-professional interventions. Given the growing number of older people in western society and the growing need for care, action to prevent functional decline cannot be withheld. Knowledge of the ageing process, implementation of an evidence-based programme and a multidisciplinary approach is a basic ingredient to prevent functional decline.

Risk stratification for surgical outcomes in older colorectal cancer patients using ISAR-HP and G8 screening tools.

BACKGROUND: Older patients are at risk for adverse outcomes after surgical treatment of cancer. Identifying patients at risk could affect treatment decisions and prevent functional decline. Screening tools are available to select patients for Geriatric Assessment. Until now their predictive value for adverse outcomes in older colorectal cancer patients has not been investigated. OBJECTIVE: To study the predictive value of the Geriatric 8 (G8) and Identification of Seniors at Risk for Hospitalized Patients (ISAR-HP) screening tools for adverse outcomes after elective colorectal surgery in patients older than 70years. Primary outcomes were 30-day complication rates, secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stay and six-month mortality. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Multicentre cohort study from two hospitals in the Netherlands. Frail was defined as a G8 ≤14 and/or ISAR-HP ≥2. Odds ratio (OR) is given with 95% CI. RESULTS: Overall, 139 patients (52%) out of 268 patients were included; 32 patients (23%) were ISAR-HP-frail, 68 (50%) were G8-frail, 20 were frail on both screening tools. Median age was 77.7years. ISAR-HP frail patients were at risk for 30-day complications OR 2.4 (CI 1.1-5.4, p=0.03), readmission OR 3.4 (1.1-11.0), cardiopulmonary complications OR 5.9 (1.6-22.6), longer hospital stay (10.3 versus 8.9day) and six-months mortality OR 4.9 (1.1-23.4). When ISAR-HP and G8 were combined OR increased for readmission, 30-day and six-months mortality. G8 alone had no predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: ISAR-HP-frail patients are at risk for adverse outcomes after colorectal surgery. ISAR-HP combined with G8 has the strongest predictive value for complications and mortality. KEY POINTS: Patients screening frail on ISAR-HP are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. Screening results of G8 alone was not predictive for postoperative outcomes. Predictive value increased when G8 and ISAR-HP were combined.