Prosthetic joint infectionsin the elderly

Total joint arthroplasty is among the most remarkable advances in orthopaedic surgery for the elderly, enabling themto regain physical function and be free of pain. Although uncommon, infection of the prosthetic joint causes serious morbidity leading to poor functional outcome with a mortality approaching 8% in the elderly. Most infections occur through inoculation of the prosthesis at the time of implantation and are due to Gram-positive cocci, although a third of the episodes are due to Gram-negative bacilli from a secondary focus. The management presents a major clinical and therapeutic challenge due to systemic and local comorbid conditions in the elderly. Medical and surgical treatment decisions for infected joint prosthesis are complex and should be individualized in each case. Optimal nutrition is essential for a successful outcome. Adverse reactions to medications are more common in the elderly due to end organ dysfunction and drug-drug interactions.     

PERINEAL PROCTECTOMY FOR RECTAL PROLAPSE IN ELDERLY AND DEBILITATED PATIENTS

This paper details the indications, operative technique and results of perineal proctectomy in the management of complete rectal prolapse in a high risk, elderly and debilitated group of patients. Eighteen procedures were performed by one surgeon (A.L.P.) on 16 consecutive patients over a 5 year period. Data collection was via: (i) retrospective analysis of hospital and office records; and (ii) response to a postal questionnaire by the patient, a relative or attending nursing staff. There were 14 females and two males with a mean age of 81 years. All patients had significant associated medical conditions. The interval from the time of a surgical procedure until review varied from 3 to 37 months with a mean follow-up period of 16 months. Total hospital stay varied between 6 and 20 days with a mean of 7 days. Eleven procedures were performed under general anaesthesia and seven under spinal anaesthesia. There was no postoperative mortality. One patient suffered an anastomotic haemorrhage that required operative intervention and another patient suffered a rectal stricture that necessitated dilatation. Two patients were re-operated for recurrent symptomatic prolapse at 34 and 36 months after the initial procedure. Continence improved in seven patients, worsened in one and was unchanged in the remaining patients. Fifteen of 16 patients were considered to have had a successful result from the operation with satisfactory control of the symptom of rectal prolapse. Perineal proctectomy is a low risk operative procedure for the elderly and debilitated group of patients in controlling complete rectal prolapse. If the condition recurs, the procedure can be repeated with equally low morbidity.     

A clinical and genetic study of 56 Saudi Wilson disease patients: identification of Saudi-specific mutations

Wilson disease (WD) is a hereditary disorder, with recessive transmission and genetic heterogeneity. Several mutations of ATP7B, the gene underlying WD, were reported in many ethnic groups. In this study, mutation screening in ATP7B of 56 Saudi Arabian WD patients was undertaken. The clinical data of all patients were recorded. The entire ATP7B coding sequence, including intron-exon boundaries were screened for mutation by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based mutation detection technique and DNA sequencing. Thirty-nine patients were symptomatic at presentation and 17 subjects were pre-symptomatic siblings of affected patients. Fourteen patients had neurological, 11 patients had mixed (hepatic and neurological), and 14 patients had hepatic presentations. Family history suggestive of WD was present in 72% of cases and 68% had consanguineous parents. Genetic analysis showed disease-causing mutations in three exons (exons 8, 19 and 21) of the ATP7B gene in 28 patients (50%). Mutations in exons 21 (18 cases) and 19 (one case) were unique for Saudis. This large series of Saudi patients with WD has shown wide variability in the genomic substrate of WD. There is no correlation between genotype and clinical presentation.     

Functional decline in frail community-dwelling stroke patients

Patients who suffer a stroke event are at high risk of functional decline after the post-acute rehabilitation period. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of factors associated with functional decline in a large sample of older patients with stroke living in the community. The study population consisted of all patients admitted to home care programs after a post-acute rehabilitation program--with at least 1 year of follow-up--in twenty-two Italian Home Health Agencies from 2000 to 2002 (n=1338). For the present study we selected 355 (26%) patients with diagnosis of stroke. After 1 year of in-home care program, 149 out of 355 stroke survivors (42%) had presented a worsening in the activities of daily living (ADL) scale score. In the final adjusted model, patients with cognitive impairment (OR 2.59, 95% CI, 1.45-4.64), pressure ulcer (OR 2.74, 95% CI, 1.45-5.18), urinary incontinence (OR 1.64, 95% CI, 1.01-3.29), or hearing impairment (OR 1.83, 95% CI, 1.02-3.29) were more likely to significantly decline in physical functioning after a period of 1 year in-home care program. Our study documents that functional decline of stroke patients was largely dependent on specific subjects' clinical characteristics. Three of four concomitant disabling conditions associated in our sample with functional decline--pressure ulcer, urinary incontinence, hearing--can be prevented and eventually treated or modified. Appropriate post-acute rehabilitation programs and adequate home care interventions focused on the prevention and treatment of these conditions might be correlated to better outcomes in older post-stroke patients.     

Amputation in elderly and high-risk vascular patients

Fifty-eight patients underwent lower limb amputation for arterial disease over a 30-month period. Mean age of the patients was 72 years. Cardiopulmonary and metabolic risk factors were present in the majority of the patients. Postoperative one-year and three-year mortality rates were 24, 40, and 76%, respectively. Contralateral amputation was required in one-third of the patients after a mean period of eight months. Only younger and healthier patients returned to a meaningful social life after appropriate prosthetic fitting. In view of the high mortality and morbidity rates, above-knee amputation seems a better choice than below-knee amputation in these elderly and high-risk patients.     

内镜治疗老年总胆管结石30例体会

目的：探讨内窥镜治疗老年总胆管结石的安全性和有效性。方法：对我院普外科收治的30例70岁以上的老年总胆管结石患者进行回顾性分析，所有患者均经B超或螺旋CT明确诊断并接受内镜治疗，治疗方法包括逆行胰胆管造影（endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography,ERCP)，鼻胆管引流（endoscopic nasobiliary drainage,ENBD)，乳头括肌切开（endoscopic shincterotomy,est)和取石术，碎石术，测定患者内镜治疗前后的生化指标变化。结果：30例老年总胆管结石患者行ERCP检查，成功率100％，28例行EST，总胆管结石直径＜1.0cm者成功率100％，结石直径1.0-1.5cm者成功率86％，结石直径≥1.5cm者需进行机械碎石取石，成功率75％；另有2例患者植入塑料支架作长期引流。1例患者发生与内镜有关的并发症，死亡例，30例患者治疗后各项生化指标较治疗前均有明显改善（P＜0．001）。结论：内镜治疗老年总胆管结石成功率增高，避免了手术创新，安全性好，缩短住院时间，是当前治疗老年总胆管结石的首选方法。     

The effects of acute and repeated doses of moclobemide on psychomotor performance and cognitive function in healthy elderly volunteers

The effects of moclobemide, a new selective and reversible MAO-A inhibitor, on cognitive function and psychomotor performance were measured in 12 healthy elderly male volunteers (with a mean age of 72.5 years). Subjects received moclobemide 200 mg, amitriptyline (positive internal control) 25 mg or placebo twice daily and were assessed on a battery of psychometric tests on the mornings following the first (acute) day and seventh (sub-chronic) day. The tests were: Choice Reaction Time; Tracking; Critical Flicker Fusion Threshold; Memory Scanning; Continuous Attention Task; the Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire and a Visual Line Analogue Rating Scale. The results show that amitriptyline produced impairment of cognitive and psychomotor functions. Moclobemide, however, did not disrupt sleep or cause daytime sedation, and remained neutral in the assessment of behavioural toxicity.     

老年糖尿病患者冠状动脉血流储备变化的初步观察

目的　应用彩色多普勒超声仪检测冠状动脉血流储备 (coronaryflowreserve ,CFR) ,初步观察老年糖尿病患者中CFR的变化。方法　 2 5例老年糖尿病患者及 2 5例健康志愿者作对照组 ,比较两组的空腹血糖 (FBG)、早餐后 2h血糖 (P2hBG)、糖化血红蛋白A1c (HbA1c)、总胆固醇 (TC)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇 (LDL C)及甘油三酯(TG)、内皮素 1(ET 1)、静息状态时患者冠状动脉的基础血流速度 (bFV)、潘生丁注射后的最大冠脉血流速度(mFV)及CFR。结果　糖尿病组的FBG、P2hBG、TG及ET 1水平显著高于对照组 [分别为 :(9 1± 3 3)mmol/L与 (5 3± 0 7)mmol/L ;(15 8± 5 0 )mmol/L与 (8 5± 2 4 )mmol/L ;(2 96± 0 5 6 )与 (1 6 9± 0 82 )mmol/L及(15 3 80± 13 5 0 )ng/L与 (76 2 3± 10 78)ng/L ,均P <0 0 1],糖尿病组静息时的基础冠脉血流速度 (bFV)及TC、LDL C水平与对照组比较 ,差异均无显著性意义 (均P >0 0 5 ) ,而潘生丁注射后mFV及CFR (CFR =mFV/bFV)较对照组明显下降 [分别为 (5 8 1± 7 9)cm/s与 (73 5± 9 8)cm/s及 2 31± 0 4 9与 3 5 8± 0 4 6 ,P均 <0 0 1]。结论　老年糖尿病患者冠状动脉血流储备明显下降。     

Geriatric care on a ward without nurses

The Multiphasic Environmental Assessment Procedure (MEAP; Moos and Lemke, 1984) was used to assess three long-stay settings within a geriatric hospital, one of which is a non-nursing unit committed to the philosophy of residents viewing the setting as their own home. Findings suggest positive outcomes for residents on the nonnursing unit, and support the view that types of care fostering independence and personal responsibility of elderly residents in their setting may be associated with increased mental functioning and activity. The lack of trained nursing staff had no detrimental effect on any measure of resident life, and some specific caring practices on the unit may be interpreted as having a positive outcome for residents.