ASSOCIATION BETWEEN HIP EXTENSION STRENGTH AND STAND-UP ABILITY IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS

Difficulty in rising from the seated position is a serious and frequent problem for elderly patients. Among the factors that may contribute to this difficulty are: pain, level of awareness, loss of joint motion, lose of neuromuscular control, loan of balance control, and muscle weakness. The importance of this last factor is not well documented in the geriatric population. This clinical pilot Study investigated the association between hip extension strength, when measured in the .seated position, and the ability to stand up in 58 nursing home patients, ages 44 to 98 yearn. Strength wan measured by a modified manual muscle test and stand-up ability wan determined by the commonly used clinical scale of assistance, maximal, moderate, minimal, and independent. The association between these two ordinal classification was found by a Chi square test to be statistically significant P < 0.01. This result is somewhat surprising because the significant association was found even though many of the patients had a diagnosis of CVA and/or OBS. The clinical implication is that hip extension muscle strength is an important factor in standing up. Thus, it may be an important target area for treatment remediation.     

Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and emotional well-being of older adults

Older adults faced unique challenges in the pandemic due to their increased vulnerability to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its complications. Pandemic-related restrictions such as physical distancing, stay-at-home orders, lock-down, and mandatory face cover affected older adults in unique ways. Additionally, older adults experienced psychosocial concerns related to discrimination based on ageism and emotional distress from exposure to conflicting messages in the media. They experienced several forms of loss and associated grief and survivor guilt. Pandemic added to their loneliness and social isolation. Furthermore, older adults experienced the fear and anxiety related to COVID and the fear of contracting the disease and dying from it. Pandemic experience included events potential to generate the desire and capability for suicide. Several studies report varying symptoms such as loneliness, anxiety, and depression among older adults during the pandemic. However, during the initial months of the pandemic, there were reports on coping and resilience among this population. The impact of COVID-19 on older adults’ mental health may have long-term implications. This narrative review examines the impact of COVID-19 on older adults’ mental health and psychosocial wellbeing. Additionally, the review highlights various factors that affected their psychosocial wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.     

An assessment of the construct validity of the descriptive system for the ICECAP capability measure for older people

BACKGROUND: The index of capability (ICECAP) was developed using in-depth interviews with 40 older people and comprises five attributes: attachment, security, enjoyment, role and control. This paper explores the construct validity of these five capability attributes. METHODS: An interview survey was conducted with individuals aged 65 and over located across the UK. Data were analysed in six categories (socio-demographic variables and general well-being, contact with others, health, nature of the locality and environment, social support and participation) using chi-squared tests (for categorical variables) or one-way analysis of variance (for continuous variables). RESULTS: About 315 individuals were interviewed (response rate 66%). Relationships were generally as anticipated with, for example: strong relationships between age and capability and well-being and capability, but no relationships between capability and either sex or social class; strong relationships between physical measures of health and role, enjoyment and control, and between mental health measures and attachment and enjoyment. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides some early evidence for the construct validity of the ICECAP measure. Where anticipated relationships were not observed this might in part be explained in that the ICECAP index asks about capability, but the factors with which associations were examined were largely and inevitably measures of function.     

老年髋部骨折患者血浆血栓素B2和6-酮-前列环素F1α水平的变化及临床意义

目的:探讨老年髋部骨折患者血浆血栓素B2(TXB2)和6-酮-前列环素F1α(6-k-PGF1α)的变化及对临床的影响。方法:老年髋部骨折患者、老年上肢骨折患者及老年非骨折患者各60例分为老年髋部骨折组(A组)、非骨折组(B组)和老年上肢骨折组(C组),3组患者分别于入院24h后、1周、2周、3周、4周后采取静脉血监测TXB2和6-k-PGF1α水平。结果:A组TXB2水平与B组比较增高,A组内比较1周后TXB2水平较24h后增高,两周达高峰,至第4周其水平下降;B组和C组比较TXB2水平无明显变化。A组6-k-PGF1α水平与B组比较在入院24h后没有明显变化,1周后其水平下降,且持续到第4周仍较低;A组内比较1周后其水平下降,2周后下降明显至第4周有所升高。B组和C组比较6-k-PGF1α水平无明显变化。结论:老年髋部骨折患者TXB2水平增高而6-K-PGF1α水平降低,二者比例失衡,此对患者下肢深静脉血栓形成与心脑血管应激反应的发生均有影响。     

How well do elderly people complete individualised quality of life measures: An exploratory study

This research note describes and discusses a study which investigated the feasibility of using an individualised approach to measure the quality of life (QoL) of a sample of older people who were in receipt of an early hospital discharge service. Most participants (86%) were able to identify areas of their lives which were important to them, rate their level of functioning on each of these areas and rank their life areas in order of importance. However, 39% were unable to quantify the relative importance of each area of life. Indeed, the majority (57%) of participants who were over 75 years old could not complete this weighting or evaluative stage. The results suggest that the phenomenological approach to measuring QoL may be employed successfully with older people but that the weighting system used by existing individualised QoL measures needs to be refined, especially when assessing people over 75.     

非清髓异基因外周造血干细胞移植治疗老年重型再障报告

目的 :探讨非清髓异基因外周造血干细胞移植 (NAST)治疗老年重型再生障碍性贫血 (SAA)的方法及疗效。方法 :采用非清髓预处理的异基因外周造血干细胞移植治疗老年 SAA患者1例。供受者 HL A配型及红细胞 ABO血型完全相合。预处理方案主要由环胞霉素 A(Cs A)、抗淋巴细胞球蛋白 (ATG)和环磷酰胺组成。用环胞霉素 A和霉酚双酯 (MMF)预防移植物抗宿主病(GVHD)。采用 STR- PCR定量方法检测供者细胞植入情况。结果 :该例老年 SAA患者顺利度过移植后造血抑制期 ,于移植后第 8天外周血 WBC升至 0 .8× 10 9/ L,第 14天血象三系恢复 ,于移植后第 14天、30天、90天及 180天时检测供者细胞植入率均为完全植入。患者未出现移植物抗宿主病 ,现己无病存活 31个月。结论 :非清髓异基因外周造血干细胞移植简便安全 ,并发症少 ,疗效好 ,为老年 SAA的治疗提供了新手段     

CONTINUOUS NEGATIVE CHEST-WALL PRESSURE THERAPY FOR ASSISTING VENTILATION IN OLDER CHILDREN WITH PROGRESSIVE RESPIRATORY INSUFFICIENCY1

Abstract. Continuous negative chest-wall pressure (CNP) was used to assist ventilation in 14 children, 6 months to 14 years of age, who had progressive respiratory insufficiency caused by diffuse bilateral alveolar disease. Before the start of CNP therapy, each child had a respiratory rate>50/min, arterial oxygen tension (PaO₂)<70 mmHg (FIO₂≥50%), and arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO₂)<45 mmHg. The mean intrapulmonary right-to-left shunt was 28.7±3.8%. Within 6 hours after therapy was started, PaO₂ increased from 55.4±15.9 to 81.6±17.7 mmHg (p<0.005). This improvement was sustained and within 24 hours permitted a decrease in fractional concentration of inspired oxygen (FIO₂) from 51.8±6.2 to 41.0±8.4% (p<0.001) and in respiratory rate from 78.1±23.0 to 56.4±21.3 (p<0.01). There was a concomitant decrease in intrapulmonary right-to-left shunt. Four of the 14 patients developed pneumothorax that was successfully decompressed. Ten patients survived. These observations establish CNP therapy as an effective means of improving arterial oxygenation in spontaneously breathing older children. Of added significance, this mode of therapy eliminates the need for endotracheal intubation and prolonged use of muscle relaxants and sedatives. It also minimizes exposure to high FIO₂, thereby minimizing the hazards of pulmonary oxygen toxicity.     

Rhinoplasty in the older patient

Rhinoplasty is often indicated in the older patient, either as an isolated procedure or in continuous or staged combination with other facial rejuvenative operations. The operations must be tempered with conservatism and artistic judgment. The nose of an older person should look natural and inconspicuous and fit the patient's face. Because of possible coronary or hypertensive problems, epinephrine in the local anesthetic solution should be used in lesser concentrations, requiring a longer wait for its full vasoconstrictive effect. Nasal cartilage is tougher, and the nasal bone more brittle in the older patient. In addition to the usual complete rhinoplasty, the partial rhinoplasty is a useful operation for the older individual.