天人相应-整体观与老年病

老年病体质特点包括脏腑失养、精血亏虚;心肝血虚、神气不足;肺脾气弱、正气内虚等。天人相应,整体相关;因人施治,因地制宜;内外相顾,动静结合;重视情志,强调气机中医疗法与现代医学对老年病的多学科治疗。     

江苏两个地区60岁以上人群肾小球滤过率的评估

目的比较简化MDRD方程(eGFRa)、中国方程(c-aGFR3)、瑞金方程(M-MDRD-GFR)及CKD-EPI公式对60岁以上人群肾功能的评估价值。方法选取江苏两地1404名60-94岁常住居民,分为三个年龄组和三个合并症按上述方法测定肾小球滤过率(GFR),评价其与年龄的相关性,比较各方程测量肾功能的差异。结果 CKD-EPI公式计算GFR值随增龄而下降(P<0.01)。在60岁以上高血压、糖尿病及高尿酸血症人群中较低。中国方程、瑞金方程和CKD-EPI公式计算得到的高尿酸血症人群GFR值低于健康人群。中国方程、瑞金方程、CKD-EPI公式与简化MDRD方程的一致性检验Kappa值分别为0.775、0.883、0.912(P<0.01)。CKD-EPI公式与简化MDRD公式的相关性最好、偏差最小、符合率最高。结论在江苏省60岁以上人群,各种方法计算GFR值均有随增龄呈下降的趋势,CKD-EPI公式可能是比较优选的GFR评估公式。     

Weakness May Have a Causal Association With Early Mortality in Older Americans: A Matched Cohort Analysis

ObjectivesQuantifying the association between muscle weakness and mortality with carefully matched cohorts will help to better establish the impact of weakness on premature death. We used a matched cohort analysis in a national sample of older Americans to determine if those who were weak had a higher risk for mortality compared with control groups with incrementally higher strength capacities.DesignLongitudinal panel.SettingDetailed interviews that included physical measures were conducted in person, whereas core interviews were often performed over the telephone.ParticipantsData from 19,729 Americans aged at least 50 years from the 2006-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study were analyzed.MeasuresA handgrip dynamometer was used to assess handgrip strength (HGS) in each participant. Men with HGS <26 kg were considered weak, ≥26 kg were considered not weak, and ≥32 kg were considered strong. Women with HGS <16 kg were classified as weak, ≥16 kg were classified as not-weak, and ≥20 kg were classified as strong. The National Death Index and postmortem interviews determined the date of death. The greedy matching algorithm was used to match cohorts.ResultsOf the 1077 weak and not-weak matched pairs, 401 weak (37.2%) and 296 not-weak (27.4%) older Americans died over an average 4.4 ± 2.5-year follow-up. There were 392 weak (37.0%) and 243 strong (22.9%) persons who died over a mean 4.5 ± 2.5-year follow-up from the 1057 weak and strong matched pairs. Those in the weak cohort had a 1.40 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19, 1.64] and 1.54 (CI 1.30, 1.83) higher hazard for mortality relative to persons in the not-weak and strong control cohorts, respectively.Conclusions and ImplicationsOur findings may indicate a causal association between muscle weakness and mortality in older Americans. Health care providers should include measures of HGS as part of routine health assessments and discuss the health risks of muscle weakness with their patients.     

氨氯地平联合氢氯噻嗪或依那普利治疗老年高血压的效果

目的评价氨氯地平联合依那普利或氢氯噻嗪治疗老年高血压的降压效果。方法老年原发性高血压患者86例,随机入组氨氯地平联合氢氯噻嗪(A组,43例)和氨氯地平联合依那普利(B组,43例),随访12周,比较两组的降压效果和血压变异性。结果与治疗前相比,治疗12周后,两组收缩压、舒张压均明显下降(P<0.01);A组平均收缩压标准差(dSBPV)、平均收缩压变异系数(dSBPCV、nSBPCV)、平均舒张压变异系数(dDBPCV、nDBPCV)均明显低于B组(P<0.05)。结论氨氯地平联合依那普利或氢氯噻嗪均能进一步显著降低老年高血压患者血压水平;氨氯地平联合氢氯噻嗪在降低老年患者的血压变异性方面更具优势。     

Hospital Proximity and Emergency Department Use among Assisted Living Residents

ObjectivesTo examine the relationship between AL communities' distance to the nearest hospital and residents’ rates of emergency department (ED) use. We hypothesize that when access to an ED is more convenient, as measured by a shorter distance, assisted living (AL)-to-ED transfers are more common, particularly for nonemergent conditions.DesignRetrospective cohort study, where the main exposure of interest was the distance between each AL and the nearest hospital.Setting and Participants2018-2019 Medicare claims were used to identify fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥55 years residing in AL communities.MethodsThe primary outcome of interest was ED visit rates, classified into those that resulted in an inpatient hospital admission and those that did not (ie, ED treat-and-release visits). ED treat-and-release visits were further classified, based on the NYU ED Algorithm, as (1) nonemergent; (2) emergent, primary care treatable; (3) emergent, not primary care treatable; and (4) injury-related. Linear regression models adjusting for resident characteristics and hospital referral region fixed effects were used to estimate the relationship between distance to the nearest hospital and AL resident ED use rates.ResultsAmong 540,944 resident-years from 16,514 AL communities, the median distance to the nearest hospital was 2.5 miles. After adjustment, a doubling of distance to the nearest hospital was associated with 43.5 fewer ED treat-and-release visits per 1000 resident years (95% CI −53.1, −33.7) and no significant difference in the rate of ED visits resulting in an inpatient admission. Among ED treat-and-release visits, a doubling of distance was associated with a 3.0% (95% CI −4.1, −1.9) decline in visits classified as nonemergent, and a 1.6% (95% CI −2.4%, −0.8%) decline in visits classified as emergent, not primary care treatable.Conclusions and ImplicationsDistance to the nearest hospital is an important predictor of ED use rates among AL residents, particularly for visits that are potentially avoidable. AL facilities may rely on nearby EDs to provide nonemergent primary care to residents, potentially placing residents at risk of iatrogenic events and generating wasteful Medicare spending.     

Artificial Intelligence–Based Clinical Decision Support Systems in Geriatrics: An Ethical Analysis

ObjectivesTo provide an ethical analysis of the implications of the usage of artificial intelligence–supported clinical decision support systems (AI-CDSS) in geriatrics.DesignEthical analysis based on the normative arguments regarding the use of AI-CDSS in geriatrics using a principle-based ethical framework.Setting and ParticipantsNormative arguments identified in 29 articles on AI-CDSS in geriatrics.MethodsOur analysis is based on a literature search that was done to determine ethical arguments that are currently discussed regarding AI-CDSS. The relevant articles were subjected to a detailed qualitative analysis regarding the ethical considerations Supplementary Datamentioned therein. We then discussed the identified arguments within the frame of the 4 principles of medical ethics according to Beauchamp and Childress and with respect to the needs of frail older adults.ResultsWe found a total of 5089 articles; 29 articles met the inclusion criteria and were subsequently subjected to a detailed qualitative analysis. We could not identify any systematic analysis of the ethical implications of AI-CDSS in geriatrics. The ethical considerations are very unsystematic and scattered, and the existing literature has a predominantly technical focus emphasizing the technology's utility. In an extensive ethical analysis, we systematically discuss the ethical implications of the usage of AI-CDSS in geriatrics.Conclusions and ImplicationsAI-CDSS in geriatrics can be a great asset, especially when dealing with patients with cognitive disorders; however, from an ethical perspective, we see the need for further research. By using AI-CDSS, older patients’ values and beliefs might be overlooked, and the quality of the doctor-patient relationship might be altered, endangering compliance to the 4 ethical principles of Beauchamp and Childress.     

Deprescribing opportunities for elderly inpatients in an academic,safety-net health system

BackgroundDeprescribing is one way to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy in older adult patients. Although algorithms have been published to guide practitioners in deprescribing, it is still unknown how applicable these algorithms are to the general older adult population.ObjectivesThe primary objective was to assess the applicability of published deprescribing protocols in hospitalized older adult patients.MethodsThis retrospective study included patients aged 65 years or greater who were discharged from an internal medicine team between January 1, 2017 and June 30, 2017. Along with age and admission to internal medicine wards, other eligibility criteria were extracted from published deprescribing protocols. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients eligible for deprescribing based on published algorithms. Secondary endpoints included the proportion of patients receiving medications which were included in an algorithm, proportion of patients using medications included in the algorithms who were eligible for deprescribing, and proportion of patients with medications deprescribed during the hospital stay.ResultsTwo hundred sixty-seven patients were included and 124 (46.4%) used a medication with a published deprescribing algorithm. Thirty-four percent of all patients and 74% (92/124) of patients prescribed medications included in algorithms were eligible for deprescribing. Seven percent (6/92) of patients eligible for deprescribing had medications deprescribed during the hospital stay.ConclusionThe application of deprescribing algorithms in hospitalized older adults identified a significant opportunity to initiate deprescribing practices.