Clinical interventions in aging
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The number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been rising with continued exposure to environmental risk factors and aging of populations around the world. Frailty is a geriatric syndrome with a decline in physiological reserve and often coexists with chronic diseases such as COPD. Frailty is an independent risk factor for the development and progression of COPD, and COPD can lead to frailty; treating one might improve the other. ⋯ Based on the current literature, the intent of this review was to summarize and discuss frailty assessment tools used for COPD patients and the relevant clinical practices for predicting outcomes. We ascertain that using suitable frailty assessment tools could facilitate physicians to screen and stratify physically frail patients with COPD. Screening appropriately targeted population can achieve better intervention outcomes and pulmonary rehabilitation among frail COPD patients.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Association between a frailty index based on common laboratory tests and QTc prolongation in older adults: the Rugao Longevity and Ageing Study.
Risk factors for heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) proglongation should be explored to stratify high-risk individuals to aid the prevention of incident cardiovascular events and mortality. The diversity of risk factors for QTc prolongation suggests that use of the frailty index (FI), indicating general health deficits, may be an effective approach, especially in the elderly, to identify the risk of QTc prolongation. ⋯ An FI based on routine laboratory data can identify older adults at increased risk for QTc prolongation. The FI approach may therefore be useful for the risk stratification of QTc prolongation.
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Comparative Study
Risk evaluation of new-onset atrial fibrillation complicating ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: a comparison between GRACE and CHA2DS2-VASc scores.
New-onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) is a common finding in patients with myocardial infarction (MI), but few studies are available regarding the prediction model for its risk estimation. Although Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score (RS) has been recognized as an effective tool for the risk evaluation of clinical outcomes in patients with MI, its usefulness in the prediction of post-MI NOAF remains unclear. In this study, we sought to validate the discrimination performance of GRACE RS in the prediction of post-MI NOAF and to make a comparison with that of the CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). ⋯ The diagnostic performance of GRACE RS is relatively high as well as better than that of the CHA2DS2-VASc score with respect to the prediction of post-MI NOAF.
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To investigate the incidences of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) before and after operation in inpatients with hip fractures in both lower extremities. ⋯ The actual incidence of DVT after hip fracture may be underestimated. The incidences of preoperative and postoperative DVTs and the incidence of DVT on the uninjured limb were high.
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Historically, Blacks have been disproportionately underrepresented in clinical trials. Outcomes associated with low Blacks' participation in research include poor understanding of the predictors and treatment of the disease, increasing health disparities, poor health equity, and suboptimal wellness of the nation as a whole. To address this gap in research participation, we analyzed our recruitment data to identify the most effective strategies for enrolling older Blacks in clinical trials. ⋯ Our findings indicate Black men and women in our sample were predominantly recruited from health fairs and through advertisements tailored to their health needs and interests. Conversely, we mostly engaged Black men through family referrals and persons known to them, indicating a need for trust in their decision to engage study personnel and/or participate in clinical trials.