Thiago Junqueira Avelino-Silva

Campaign, counseling and compliance with influenza vaccine among older persons

OBJECTIVES: Population aging raises concerns regarding the increases in the rates of morbidity and mortality that result from influenza and its complications. Although vaccination is the most important tool for preventing influenza, vaccination program among high-risk groups has not reached its predetermined aims in several settings. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of clinical and demographic factors on vaccine compliance among the elderly in a setting that includes a well-established annual national influenza vaccination campaign. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 134 elderly patients who were regularly followed in an academic medical institution and who were evaluated for their influenza vaccination uptake within the last five years; in addition, the demographic and clinical characteristics and the reasons for compliance or noncompliance with the vaccination program were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 67.1% of the participants received the seasonal influenza vaccine in 2009. Within this vaccination-compliant group, the most common reason for vaccine uptake was the annual nationwide campaign (52.2%; 95% CI: 41.4–62.9%); compared to the noncompliant group, a higher percentage of compliant patients had been advised by their physician to take the vaccine (58.9% vs. 34.1%; p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The education of patients and health care professionals along with the implementation of immunization campaigns should be evaluated and considered by health authorities as essential for increasing the success rate of influenza vaccination compliance among the elderly.

Association between delirium superimposed on dementia and mortality in hospitalized older adults: A prospective cohort study

Background Hospitalized older adults with preexisting dementia have increased risk of having delirium, but little is known regarding the effect of delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) on the outcomes of these patients. Our aim was to investigate the association between DSD and hospital mortality and 12-mo mortality in hospitalized older adults. Methods and findings This was a prospective cohort study completed in the geriatric ward of a university hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. We included 1,409 hospitalizations of acutely ill patients aged 60 y and over from January 2009 to June 2015. Main variables and measures included dementia and dementia severity (Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, Clinical Dementia Rating) and delirium (Confusion Assessment Method). Primary outcomes were time to death in the hospital and time to death in 12 mo (for the discharged sample). Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed at admission, and additional clinical data were documented upon death or discharge. Cases were categorized into four groups (no delirium or dementia, dementia alone, delirium alone, and DSD). The no delirium/dementia group was defined as the referent category for comparisons, and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for possible confounders (sociodemographic information, medical history and physical examination data, functional and nutritional status, polypharmacy, and laboratory covariates). Overall, 61% were women and 39% had dementia, with a mean age of 80 y. Dementia alone was observed in 13% of the cases, with delirium alone in 21% and DSD in 26% of the cases. In-hospital mortality was 8% for patients without delirium or dementia, 12% for patients with dementia alone, 29% for patients with delirium alone, and 32% for DSD patients (Pearson Chi-square = 112, p < 0.001). DSD and delirium alone were independently associated with in-hospital mortality, with respective hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.14 (95% CI = 1.33–3.45, p = 0.002) and 2.72 (95% CI = 1.77–4.18, p < 0.001). Dementia alone did not have a significant statistical association with in-hospital mortality (HR = 1.69, 95% CI = 0.72–2.30, p = 0.385). Finally, while 24% of the patients died after discharge, 12-mo mortality was not associated with dementia or delirium in any of the diagnostic groups (DSD: HR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.79–1.68, p = 0.463; delirium alone: HR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.71–1.54, p = 0.810; dementia alone: HR = 1.19, 95% CI = 0.79–1.78, p = 0.399). Limitations to this study include not exploring the effects of the duration and severity of delirium on the outcomes. Conclusions DSD and delirium alone were independently associated with a worse prognosis in hospitalized older adults. Health care professionals should recognize the importance of delirium as a predictor of hospital mortality regardless of the coexistence with dementia.

Implementing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination in a Geriatrics Fellowship Program—A 3‐Year Experience

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) appears to be an effective alternative for assessing not only medical knowledge, but also clinical skills, including effective communication and physical examination skills. The purpose of the current study was to implement an OSCE model in a geriatrics fellowship program and to compare the instrument with traditional essay examination. Seventy first‐ and second‐year geriatric fellows were initially submitted to a traditional essay examination and scored from 0 to 10 by a faculty member. The same fellows subsequently underwent an OSCE with eight 10‐minute stations covering a wide range of essential aspects of geriatric knowledge. Each OSCE station had an examiner responsible for its evaluation according to a predefined checklist. Checklist items were classified for analysis purposes as clinical knowledge items (CKI) and communication skills items (CSI); fellow responses were scored from 0 to 10.Although essay examinations took from 30 to 45 minutes to complete, 180–200 minutes were required to evaluate fellows using the proposed OSCE method. Fellows scored an average of 6.2 ± 1.2 on the traditional essay examination and 6.6 ± 1.0 on the OSCE (P < .001). Subanalyses of OSCE scores indicated that average performance on CKI was lower than the average on CSI (6.4 ± 1.1 vs. 8.4 ± 1.1; P < .001). Fellow performance on the essay examination was similar to their performance on CKI (P = .13). Second‐year fellows performed better than first‐year fellows on the essay examination (P < .001) and CKI (P = .05), but not on CSI (P = .25).The OSCE was successfully implemented as an educational strategy during a geriatrics fellowship program. Combining different testing modalities may provide the best assessment of competence for various domains of knowledge, skills, and behavior.

Evolution of a Jellyfish Sting

A healthy 33-year-old woman was stung by a jellyfish on the medial aspect of her left ankle while wading in the coastal waters of North Carolina. Within hours, painful, erythematous, linear, urticarial lesions developed where the jellyfish tentacles had made contact with her skin.

Antipsychotics in Alzheimer's disease: A critical analysis

The estimated worldwide prevalence of dementia among adults older than 60 years of age was 3.9% in 2005. About 90% of demented patients will develop neuropsychiatric symptoms (NS) such as delirium, delusion, aggressiveness and agitation. The treatment of NS involves non-pharmacologic strategies (with varying degrees of success according to the scientific literature) and pharmacologic treatment (PT). The present review of literature examined the current role of AP in the management of NS in dementia. Methods A thematic review of medical literature was carried out. Results 313 articles were found, 39 of which were selected for critical analysis. Until 2005, the best evidence for PT had supported the use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), anticholinesterases, memantine and antipsychotics (AP). In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) disapproved the use of atypical APs to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in individuals with dementia (the same occurred with the typical APs in 2008). After this, at least two important randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trials were published examining the effectiveness of atypical APs in Alzheimer’s disease (CATIE-AD) and the effects of interrupting AP treatment (DART-AD). Conclusions Based on the current evidence available, APs still have a place in treatment of the more serious psychotic symptoms, after the failure of non-pharmacological treatment and of an initial approach with selective inhibitors of serotonin uptake, anticholinesterases and memantine.

Prognostic effects of delirium motor subtypes in hospitalized older adults: A prospective cohort study

Objectives To investigate the association between delirium motor subtypes and hospital mortality and 12-month mortality in hospitalized older adults. Design Prospective cohort study conducted from 2009 to 2015. Setting Geriatric ward of a university hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants We included 1,409 consecutive admissions of acutely ill patients aged 60 years and over. We excluded admissions for end-of-life care, with missing data on the main variables, length of stay shorter than 48 hours, or when consent to participate was not given. Main outcomes and measures Delirium was detected using the Confusion Assessment Method and categorized in hypoactive, hyperactive, or mixed delirium. Primary outcomes were time to death in the hospital, and time to death in 12 months (for the discharged sample). Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed at admission and included socio-demographic, clinical, functional, cognitive, and laboratory variables. Further clinical data were documented upon death or discharge. Multivariate analyses used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for possible confounders. Results We included 1,409 admissions, with a mean age of 80 years. The proportion of in-hospital deaths was 19%, with a cumulative mortality of 38% in 12 months. Delirium occurred in 47% of the admissions. Hypoactive delirium was the predominant motor subtype (53%), followed by mixed delirium (30%) and hyperactive delirium (17%). Hospital mortality rates were respectively 33%, 34% and 15%. We verified that hypoactive and mixed delirium were independently associated with hospital mortality, with respective hazard ratios of 2.43 (95%CI = 1.64–3.59) and 2.31 (95%CI = 1.53–3.50). Delirium motor subtypes were not independently predictive of 12-month mortality. Conclusions One in three acutely ill hospitalized older adults who suffered hypoactive or mixed delirium died in the hospital. Clinicians should be aware that hypoactive symptoms of delirium, whether shown exclusively or in alternation with hyperactive symptoms, are indicative of a worse prognosis in this population.

Predictors of Enteral Tube Feeding in Hospitalized Older Adults

Background: Despite general recognition that enteral tube feeding (ETF) is frequently employed in long-term care facilities and patients with dementia, remarkably little research has determined which factors are associated with its use in acutely ill older adults. In this study, we aimed to investigate determinants of ETF introduction in hospitalized older adults. Methods: We examined a retrospective cohort of acutely ill patients, aged 60 years and older, admitted to a university hospital’s geriatric ward from 2014–2015, in São Paulo, Brazil. The main outcome was the introduction of ETF during hospitalization. Predictors of interest included age, sex, referring unit, comorbidity burden, functional status, malnutrition, depression, dementia severity, and delirium. Multivariate analysis was performed using backward stepwise logistic regression. Results: A total of 214 cases were included. Mean age was 81 years, and 63% were women. Malnutrition was detected in 47% of the cases, dementia in 46%, and delirium in 36%. ETF was initiated in 44 (21%) admissions. Independent predictors of ETF were delirium (odds ratio [OR], 4.83; 95% CI, 2.12–11.01; P < .001) and total functional dependency (OR, 8.95; 95% CI, 2.87–27.88; P < .001). Malnutrition was not independently associated with ETF. Conclusion: One in five acutely ill older adults used ETF while hospitalized. Delirium and functional dependency were independent predictors of its introduction. Risks and benefits of enteral nutrition in this particular context need to be further explored.

Evaluating Communication Skills of Geriatrics Fellows: interrater Agreement of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination

To the Editor: Evaluating communication skills of geriatric fellows is a matter of paramount importance, but there has been limited work on this topic. The Division of Geriatrics of the University of S~ao Paulo Medical School conducts an annual Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), but a concern related to interrater agreement on communication skills has been raised. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interrater reliability of a communication assessment scale.